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So both gasoline-powered cars gave you 10,000 miles of service and then expired? Interesting...
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Actually, no. The first one didn't even last 1,000 miles (blew a piston). The second gave me 10,000 miles before I decided that it was a money pit that wasn't going to close up anytime soon, and that I couldn't rely on it. Both vehicles had numerous problems that I was continuously dealing with, and I was getting tired of it very quickly. BTW, I got 2 months out of the first one, and 9 months out of the second, and I'm relatively easy on vehicles. I got a year and a half out of the Scout (1980 Scout II with a Nissan turbo diesel), without needing to do anything other than routine maintenance (the cracked piston was the result of a modification that I was unaware of, that allowed the engine to overboost and overfuel; even still, it drove fine, but the blow-by smoke {no PCV/CDR valve} was so bad that I got pulled over twice, and the body was so badly rusted-out that it wasn't worth it to rebuild the engine). I got another year and a half out of the van ('84 E-350 with the same 6.9l Navistar diesel that I have in my truck), and it was in perfect running condition when I sold it (I only sold it because I needed a vehicle that got better fuel mileage; I replaced it with the 300D I have now). Other than routine maintenance, all I needed to replace on the van was the starter and the battery cables. I will admit that I've had some problems with the truck (injector pump, starter, batteries, rubber components {it was a desert truck that had sat for a long time), etc), but I have personal reasons for not wanting to get rid of it. The 300D, I have yet to do anything engine-related other than routine maintenance and a battery replacement; I have had problems with the car, but they've all been suspension-related, other than the axleshafts.
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Would your view about diesels have changed if you had owned reliable gas-powered cars like my parents and I have had the pleasure to own?
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In all honesty, no. My bad experience with gas engines just re-inforced my opinion about diesels. I will admit that, had my experience been better, I'd have a more optimistic view on gas engines, but I've been in favor of diesel power for as long as I can remember (since I was a little kid, even, although at that age I just liked the sound and the smell).
I've been working with them (mainly in a marine environment) for a big chunk of my life (considerably longer than I've been driving), and I've seen firsthand how they're built with longevity in mind. I also like the fact that there are fewer things to go wrong (yes, the fuel system's more complicated, but it's not
that much more compplicated than a carbureted gas engine, and IMHO the complete lack of an ignition system more than makes up for it) and that, in most cases, it's harder for something to slip per se (except for the camshaft in the Benz, and for basic accessories i.e. alternators and power steering pumps,
everything's gear-driven). I like not needing a timing light or a running engine to set the timing, and also like not changing out spark plugs on a regular basis (yes, I know that glow plugs need to be changed out, but not nearly as often). I also like that they are more mechanically efficient; better use of the fuel that's delivered. Faster acceleration's certainly nice, but they're not nearly as important to me as longevity. Besides, if you want, you can get good acceleration power out of a diesel; I know of a guy with a Dodge diesel who can outrun a stock Corvette.
I'm impresed with the lifespan that you've gotten out of your gassers (although I would consider the valve-piston meet a serious problem
), but I think that that's more of an exception than the rule. European gas engines may be different, but I wouldn't trust any American-made gas engine past 100,000 miles. EVERY gas engine I've seen (mainly American, I'll admit) has started developing serious internal problems above the 100,000 mark (compression, valves, burning oil, etc). American-made diesels, on the other hand...well, there was a guy on eBay a few months back that had a Dodge Cummins diesel that he was selling that had over 1 million miles on it, and no major problems throughout its life. At least for that engine, that's not all
that uncommon. The engine that's in my truck has a standard "lifespan" of about 300,000 miles before needing a head job or a rebuild (I actually want to replace the 6.9l with a Cummins B-series when the 6.9l goes out). Again, that number isn't absolute; I've heard of people with 6.9l's get over 500,000 miles out of them. OTOH, I have yet to hear of
any gas engine with over 300,000 miles on them, and just a small handful (such as yours) with over 200,000 miles on them.
The GM 350 diesel was a scrap heap, but IMHO this is due mainly to the fact that they used a lot of parts off a 350 gas engine in order to get it on the market quickly, and said parts, along with the other parts that GM designed in a hurry for the same reason, couldn't stand the strain. This was coupled with GM techs that didn't know squat about diesels (has anything changed?
). This is from the same group who chose to put aluminum cylinder heads on a new diesel design
(yes, I know that MB did this as well, which is why I'm not driving an OM603).
If you're interested, the "Why are diesels better" link in my signature links to a paper that I wrote for a class a few years ago, outlining the advantages of diesels over gas engines.
I will admit that there are a few "bulletproof" gas engines out there (the old Ford FE blocks and the old IH gas engines), but those also get horrible fuel mileage (in the 5 to 7 mpg range).
Just my $.02...keep on truckin'
