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#1
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Cheap biodiesel! Recommend me a diesel mercedes
I work at a biodiesel plant. The market is getting really depressed as far as biodiesel pricing goes. As an employee, they're letting me buy biodiesel at the same price as the big distributors are getting. With the taxes included, I just picked up 500 gallons for $0.69/gal.
I have a diesel chevy and some farm equipment, but was considering getting another mercedes diesel for my fleet. I've owned a 300TD and a 190D in the past, but want something bigger and maybe more modern. Budget is around $5000 or less. My first thought was a 300SD or maybe a 300SDL. I've not been in the market for a mercedes in a long time, and I'm seeing cars like mid-90's like E300s are pretty cheap now as well. I don't know anything about these models. I prefer simplicity and don't want to get into anything that is too complex to DIY. How new of a car can I get into before there is too much electronic wizardry? |
#2
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Into the '90s you have the 90-93 300D 2.5 (OM602) and the '95 E300 diesel (OM606). The 92-93 300SD then rebadged as S350 turbodiesel for 94-95 (OM603) still have mechanical throttle but the rest of the car is quite electronic. The 96-97 E300 diesel and 98-99 E300 turbodiesel (OM606) start to need SDS for proper diagnostics. They have electronic throttle control but I've yet to read of problems. Beyond that are the CDIs which are iffy on WVO. I don't know how they behave with commercial biodiesel.
Sixto 83 300SD |
#3
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I can not imagine how they still are in business. Unless it different where you are #2 here is around $.25 in federal and local taxes here. That leaves less than half a dollar for the cost of producing the finished product if their feed stock was free. Unless of course our guberment is rearranging things with subsidies, which would be no surprise. As not to hijack the post there are many 123s in the 2k range that would like that fuel.
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#4
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What is your location? Can you sell to some of us forum members?
John
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Certified Registered Nurse Anesthetist (CRNA) 2002 F250 powerstroke with Plantdrive WVO conversion 1983 300SD 190K miles ,sold 2006 E320 CDI |
#5
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Quote:
Around $0.60 for the biodiesel + $1.00 for the biodiesel tax credit + around $1.15 for the rin's = $2.75/gal total to the producer which is about breakeven right now ($2.15 comes from the govt) . Subsidies, tax credit, volume obligations really contort the market. There is a point if crude oil get to the low $20's where we will probably be "selling" the biodiesel for $0/gal. Last edited by Jack Boyett; 02-21-2016 at 03:26 PM. |
#6
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__________________
83 300D Silberblau |
#7
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What's a rin?
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#8
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RIN = https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_Identification_Number
I paid $2.20/gal today in San Jose. Sixto 83 300SD |
#9
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the biodiesel monopoly in SF still charges $4.89 for B99.9. sixto, you were talking about #2, right?
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'77 240D, 504H, OM617.952, etc. |
#10
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sell me some
#2 Diesel is $1.49 In South West Houston.
I wish i could find more Biodiesel options in this town...
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Grey '91 350SDL 214k Dad's car Beige '81 240D 4 Speed 254k SOLD Blue '82 300D 225k SOLD White '95 E300D 46k SOLD Blue '87 190D 2.5 Turbo 315k SOLD Brown '80 240D 4 Speed 716k SOLD Beige '80 300D N/A 119k SOLD Blue '85 300D Model 186k T-Boned |
#11
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Here in Salem, Oregon B20 is available for $1.85 and the Shell station across the street retaliated by selling #2 diesel for $1.79. Free market at work, good times! Don
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John 5:25 |
#12
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To answer the original question, biodiesel will run fine in any Mercedes up to the 2003 E320 CDI.
Some people run bio in the CDI cars as well but the jury's out on that one as far as how it runs long term through the HPCR fuel system.
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-Evan Benz Fleet: 1968 UNIMOG 404.114 1998 E300 2008 E63 Non-Benz Fleet: 1992 Aerostar 1993 MR2 2000 F250 |
#13
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I've run 136,000 miles on homemade BD in my CDI. Aside from replacing in-tank fuel pump, injector return lines and a couple rubber fuel lines, no issues. I change the fuel filter when I change the oil (13,000 miles).
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Mark in MA 05 MB E320CDI 402k Granite Grey Metallic 05 MB E320CDI 267k Black 05 MB E320CDI 232k White 05 MB E320CDI 209k Tectite Grey 99 Dodge 2500 Cummins 5sp 148k 62 Jeep CJ-6 120k |
#14
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Quote:
It was $2.89, give or take, in Seattle last weekend. $2.29 in LAX the other day. Both for #2 pump. OP, IMO the best diesel Mercedes ever built (at least that I have owned) is the 1995 E300. I've had numerous 123 and 126 body cars, and while excellent and probably more rugged, the mix of reliability, simplicity, and easy-of-maintenance mixed with the superior driving dynamics and fuel economy of the OM606 are hard to beat. To me the 95 E300 still feels "newish," whereas the 123 and 126's are starting to feel more and more dated every year, it also looks much newer as well. I usually get mid-30's on the highway with pump #2 as I've never been a bio guy, but I know many run it in this car and it works just fine. I am looking at possibly buying a CDI one day, but I don't think I could part with my 95 E300 either.
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1995 E300 Diesel ~300k Last edited by thatguy; 02-22-2016 at 04:33 PM. |
#15
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If you're inside the 610 loop, Houston Biodiesel on 20th street is open during the week, not sure about Saturdays. But yeah, options seem to be limited here.
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Charlie --------------------------- '66 VW 1300 96K miles '97 E300D 239K miles '85 300D 203K miles (sold Sep 2012) |
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