First diesel.

What should I be expecting for mileage in my new (to me) 1987 300TD wagon.

First tank was disappointing....only about 360 miles until reserve light came on.

If I remember from glancing at the owners manual, the car has an 18.5 gal tank.

I'm still getting used to how slow it is so I may be giving it more throttle than necessary....hoping to get more.

Warren C.

You should get 24-26 around town and 28-30 on the road. Even though these engines have more power than the preceding diesel engine that MB made, they actually use less fuel, so the 87's get better fuel mileage than the 81-85's and have more power to boot. Just don't overheat it and make sure the cooling system is in tip top shape including the radiator, water pump, thermostat, MB recommended coolant, and viscous clutch on the fan. Lack of attention to the cooling system can lead to a cracked head which will cost $3,000 plus to fix.

Best of luck with your new ride. It is the best diesel wagon ever to make it here from the Fatherland.

What color is the exterior and interior. Does it have leather?

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Doug

1987 300TD x 3
2005 E320CDI

20 mpg is pretty poor for that car. You should be getting closer to 30mpg. At least 25mpg, anyway. I think lower than 25 indicates you've got some sort of problem going on. Maybe someone more knowledgable could chime in about possible causes for your poor fuel efficiency.

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1987 Mercedes 300D ~200K (Greasecar & Biodiesel)
1993 Ford F-250 7.3 IDI diesel 165K (Biodiesel)
1996 Thomas/International Bus with DT466 engine

I had one of these wagons for a number of years. Generally 23-34 in suburban commuting, 27-30 on the highway. Don't go by the reserve light, on older cars it can come on early. Fill it up to determine usage. Normally when the light comes on you've used ~15.5 gallons, so your mileage doesn't appear to be far off the norm.

If you think it's slow then it's probably not running right. Once the turbo comes on boost it moves along very decently. Sounds like there might be some other problems to chase.

- JimY

around town on Biodiesel B99. We've gotten 27 on the road. I think the EPA numbers for the wagon are 23 and 27. The sedans do a little better.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/3565.shtml wagon

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/noframes/3258.shtml sedan

Chris

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1987 300TD 309, xxx 2.8.2014 10,000 mile OCI


Be careful of the toes you step on today, as they may be connected to the ass you have to kiss tomorrow. anonymous

“Be who you are and say what you feel, because those who mind don’t matter, and those who matter won’t mind.” Dr. Seuss

i was just messing around on http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/findacar.htm and i though cali spec cars were set-up to reduce emissions. according to that site even if you change the city/highway driving the emissions are more

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-Trevor

OBK #12
1980 300SD 333,XXX miles - Totaled
1986 Mazda RX-7 212,XXX miles - impounded and auctioned off
2005 Jeep Liberty CRD Limited 33,000- SEGR, Provent, Fumoto