Thank you, I'm not sure about the starting gear configuration, I have read through many of the postings here on the forum and I do understand that the car may be starting in second gear, but shouldn't I expect better than 12 mpg on the highway at 70 mph? This is my wife's car and I rarely drive it except around town. I have an 85 300TD that I drive about 500 miles a week which I am in tune with on a telepathic level.
I had driven this TE to Cincinnati about a month ago and made the trip up there about 150 miles on less than a half tank at 75-85 mph. I believe the overdrive if there is one has stopped engaging. Maybe I'm mistaken but it seems that the car shouldn't be running at such high rpm's (approx 3200) at 70 mph.