See this whole diesel's are slow thing is getting old. post 85 diesels are slower most made after 86 are not. My SDL is faster than my 4cy Camry was and no Honda Civic can pass it on ths highway.(within reason) The E300D's are downright fast, chip the thing and you can hunt mid 80's Vettes. :D The E320CDI is faster than a lot of other cars on the road.

So not all diesels are slow.

acceleration wise, even an e320 is 'slow'
 

torquewise, of course it'd win. i'm all for diesels, and plan to get one really soon to replace my old gas land cruiser. sadly, they really are slower, both in acceleration and top speed. the longevity and ability to forde water, as well as the fact you can run biodiesel makes them a win-win type of vehicle. speedwise, negative.

diesel reasons
 

ECONOMY & COMFORT!

Our Dodge Pickup with a Cummins diesel engine will easily last 300K + with regular maintenance. A Dodge V-8, maybe 125-150K...so you buy one truck and it lasts as long as 2 (lifetime savings=$30K plus).

Same for our VW--it will easily last 250-300K with regular maintenance, while a great Toyota/Honda may go 150-200K. If you add the fuel savings (45 mpg vs 25 mpg is a BIG amount of $$ over the course of 300k miles), you've easily saved $20-$30K (assuming you buy new!).

Also, I had a NEW Subaru Outback for 2 years. It was the BIGGEST dog I ever drove...I literally cringed every time I had to drive it on our winding country roads (and the wind noise was a whole 'nother story!). The VW easily has more power and gets more than twice the mileage! My Subaru got about 20-22 avg, while my VW Golf gets 45-48 avg (never below 45 in 1.5 years). My Mercedes 190D 2.5 has about the same amount of hill climbing power as my Subaru had (seriously) and is a TON more comfortable.

With my Mercedes diesel, I get luxury, a big (bigger) SAFE car (fewer deer worries), all while still getting 32 mpg--what other luxury size car gets that kind of mileage? I had a (beloved!) Toyota Avalon that was totalled...she averaged 22 mpg and had a similar ride to the Mercedes.

also, I must admit, I like the smell of diesel...and I like pulling up to the "green" pumps and waiting for someone to try to tell me that's only for trucks :) and the double takes when I ask for diesel the few times I have to pay inside. I like being a little different...and I really like saving $$

Why would you want a diesel?
 

I'm with Ken300D on this one. Stay far,far away. Especially if it is a 300sd early eighties.

Does that CDI really get to 60 mph in 6.6 seconds, or not?

If it does, it will blow the doors off of an E320, even through the E320 is now equipped with a 3.27 differential.

The reasons diesels are slow is because of their lower rev rate. The lower the maximal rpms, the less the differential can take advantage of engine speed via multiplying torque.

Although the CDI may blow the doors off the E320 gasser from a stop, the CDI will be 1,000's of feet behind come 120 mph. Again, the E320 is still in 4th gear while the CDI is out of it's torque band, into its weak torque delivery range and in top gear. But at speeds below 70 mph, the CDI is King!

HP mean %^(. Torque range, type of band, and transmission application mean everything.

I love my 82SD, and will keep it forever, but someday I'd also like to get something like a 300SEL just to have fun with, since its *a bit* faster :D But in general, I will always go diesel over gas, I am addicted. I got my SD in high school, and now am in college with it, and it has brought me endless thousands of miles, in all types of weather (just went through a blizzard last wednesday) I've never gotten stuck, stranded, or had any such probs. All my friends with gasser cars have had numerous problems and always have more, my probs are usually minor, and I can fix them myself. They envy me. :D

Wow, this is an old post that got dug up! :sun_smile

I love the old diesel, but it is clear that a lot of people are ignorant. I wish to relay a story about one such ignoramus.

I am gassing up at a Mohawk station in White Rock, BC - some young goon with a billy-goat beard is gassing up his late 80's 5.0 Mustang ahead of me. He looks back at my car and I with disgust, and utters just loud enough to be heard "Diesel stink....Diesels suck", and then he goes in to pay for his gas. I smile, go in to pay for mine, maintaining a pleasant demeanour while saying nothing to this 20 something A-hole, who swaggers like his Sht dnt stnk. He goes back outside to get back on the road and decides to try to demonstrate the superior performance of his venerable old 'stang, he exits onto King George Hwy and matts it... WAAAA...Braaaakk..kk..kk bang - - skreech clunk erk... and his deceleration is as rapid as his acceleration.

Something let go...

I drove by slowly, and as he exited his car I could not help but to give him the thumbs up for his entertaining display.

I giggled to myself all the way home.

I can't explain to my friends why I like it. I just tell them I do and thats that.

I just replace any negative things they say by making sound good. ;)

EX:Q? "Why is it making that noise?"
ANWS: "It is the powerful engine, those pistons working hard!" :D

"My Cadillac STS is faster!"
ANWS: "My car is a lot comfertable, so on long trips I will not feel exhausted. Plus Better Fuel Economy!" :D

Its not the only reason to get a diesel benz, but i believe it is one of the best reasons:

4 letters...... K.I.S.S. !!!!!!!!!

Ive always had a little nickname for my benz, i call it my "lego-car." The thing is
built that simply. Its so elegant in its design, the that when I work on it i feel like im playing....

Those are reasons I love mine... in addition to makes me laugh each time I hop in it, I can pick out a Merc diesel sound in a parking lot, that hood star gives me a laugh, and the like.

The black smoke ya know is simply unburned fuel, but that cloud of smoke makes me :D :D :D everytime (the times) the fuel pedal goes to the floor.

The 300D I have now, is slow but not nearly as turdy as I was expecting. It's fine for cruising about town and on the freeway. I have two other vehicles I have build to speed about (my WRX and the F150... well the F150 will be a ton faster as soon as I drop the new motor in!)

Benz = class + mystique :)