The case you have cited gets a little less compelling when you examine the 'facts' beyond the headline. I'd invite you to look a little deeper into the economic assumptions about the .05 cents a mile operating cost claims.

You'll find that the cost of two battery pack replacements and the entire cost of electricity for the 400k miles are not included as 'costs' because Tesla paid 100% of these costs and didn't pass them on to the company running the shuttle service. I'd further invite you to do the math on the total costs of ownership over the 400K miles if the user had to foot the bill for battery pack replacements and supercharger use. Tesla is currently charging 28 cents per KW/HR for supercharger service if my memory is correct.

If Elon is going to give all his users free battery packs and free electricity then yeah I'd guess it could be a pretty compelling case - this is not sustainable in the long term.

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98 Dodge-Cummins pickup (123k)
13 GLK250 (135k)
06 E320CDI (323K)
16 C300 (62K)
82 300GD Gelaendewagen (54K)

Wow 28 cents per kwh, thats pretty steep! Well over double what I'd pay to charge it right in my own garage, and three times what I'd pay if I only charged overnight. At that cost it means to fully charge up the average tesla costs about the same as fueling a very-efficient (30-35mpg) gas or diesel vehicle at current prices, if not more!

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-diesel is not just a fuel, its a way of life-
'15 GLK250 Bluetec 118k - mine - (OC-123,800)
'17 Metris(VITO!) - 37k - wifes (OC-41k)
'09 Sprinter 3500 Winnebago View - 62k (OC - 67k)
'13 ML350 Bluetec - 95k - dad's (OC-98k)
'01 SL500 - 103k(km) - dad's (OC-110,000km)
'16 E400 4matic Sedan - 148k - Brothers (OC-155k)

I'm not giving up on my 617 powered Mercedes, nor my 12V Dodges.

They are both so alarmingly simple to maintain and keep running. I have 2 diesel trucks, and 2 diesel cars, and one gas Ferd truck that is dying a very slow death.

It costs me less to maintain, insure, and fuel all 5 of those vehicles than the average payment on a newer (But still used) car would be.

And I don't skimp on maintenance. I buy OE or upgraded parts anywhere available.

I completely rebuilt the front suspension of my blue car last fall with all Lemforder and Bilstein components.

It's a no brainer for me.

My wife seems to be interested in a newer vehicle (primarily for her comfort, I haven't addressed all the "creature features" as I feel having the confidence to hop in any vehicle I own and drive it cross country is far more valuable than the wood trim being loose and peeling off the glovebox)

As a result of that, we may end up eventually buying a newer car one day, likely when the gas truck finally kicks the bucket.

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1982 300D (w123, "Grey Car")
1982 300D (w123, "Blue Car")
2001 Ford F150 "Clifford" (The Big Red Truck)
1997 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
1996 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
Previous Vehicles:
1995 E300D, 1980 300SD, 1992 Buick Century, 2005 Saturn Ion

@Jarod,
I feel for you. Wife wanted a newer vehicle for long distance. We bought a 15 Volvo wagon. It has no soul and I haven't found the data so that I can work on it. I'm hoping it can be replaced with the 85TD.

My 00 Cummins came with a crappy dodge wrapped around it. Do yours steer well? Mine doesn't completely return to center. My next and final attempt to correct steering will be to disconnect the steering linkage to make sure the box isn't too tight. Ball joints are new and moving freely. Steering wheel itself turns freely. Steering damper is MIA. It steers ok but barely and not really fun to drive.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Check and adjust the caster, it needs a fair bit of caster and minimal toe - in to properly return to center....

Thanx for calling out husky man / merc lover, he's a serial liar who was banned, I feel sorry for him but he only wants to be scared and scare others....

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

00 Dodge has upwards of 3* caster and 0* toe. I've disconnected various parts of the steering system to test for excessive tightness. Ball joints were replaced with OE manufacturer (Spicer) because Moogs were tight. Intermediate shaft was removed and slip joints are free and steering wheel spins easily. Disconnecting pitman arm which will test from steering wheel through steering box. Bad steering keeps me from loving this truck.



I bought the beautiful Cummins and it came wrapped in a pos under built Dodge.

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85SD 240K & stopped counting painted, putting bac together. 84SD 180,000. sold to a neighbor and member here but I forget his handle. The 84 is much improved from when I had it. 85TD beginning to repair to DD status. Lots of stuff to do.

Bummer this .

? How wide are the tires ? .

That factors in too .

I like to run as close to zero toe - in as the vehicle will allow me to .

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-Nate
1982 240D 408,XXX miles
Ignorance is the mother of suspicion and fear is the father

I did then what I knew how to do ~ now that I know better I do better

Electric is the future.

Net metering @ retail rates + EV = independence.

Bring it on

For a new car, I'd get a Tesla IF I had home charging capability from renewables.

For anything else, nothing beats the reliability, serviceability, economy, attention received and capital appreciation of a 70-90s Mercedes diesel.

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Why I will never do business with "DieselKraut" again

http://www.peachparts.com/shopforum/mercedes-benz-used-parts-sale-wanted/378935-why-i-will-never-do-business-dieselkraut-again.html

I think the blue car will satisfy the new car desire once I'm finished getting everything working, paint it, and get the interior all nice, and all the climate stuff works properly again.

Both of my dodges steer awesome, but they certainly weren't that way when I got them.
The purple truck handles slightly better than the red, but it is 2 feet shorter and has probably 1500lbs less tools and materials in it.

I did spend a lot of time figuring out the steering/suspension on them though. the red truck wanted to wander bad. I added more caster and now it handles amazing. return to center is awesome, not overpowering but not having to constantly correct it back and forth.

Alignment is tricky, the weird 5 link or whatever its called on the 2nd gens is picky. Just because its "in spec" according to a shop doesn't mean it will drive nice.

And any worn parts make it 100x worse. I've got a bad control arm bushing I'm preparing to replace soon (I have the new parts, getting motivation and dodging raindrops until I can get a shop built), at the moment it just clonks and bonks over bumps but I suspect it'll begin to affect the handling soon.

If you got a printout from an alignment shop check what the caster is set to, spec is supposed to be 3ish degrees, I've heard setting it closer to 5 is much better for killing the notorious "death wobble" everyone tells me I'll experience one day

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1982 300D (w123, "Grey Car")
1982 300D (w123, "Blue Car")
2001 Ford F150 "Clifford" (The Big Red Truck)
1997 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
1996 Dodge Ram 2500 12V Cummins
Previous Vehicles:
1995 E300D, 1980 300SD, 1992 Buick Century, 2005 Saturn Ion

I have kinda gone back and forth on these Mercs for a few years. Usually I get bored, and move onto something else.

The 76 W115 300d got sold to fix a 58' Hillman Minx. The 73 220d because, it was spring- and I had Tomos moped fever....

Haven't had any for 2 years. Though I keep working on the last 240d I sold.

Anyway I made the leap to a Peugeot 505 Turbo diesel a few years ago(A low quite hiss can be heard throughout the forum....) . It ran great, more power, rode & handled better too. Alas crap kept falling apart. Mainly plastic junk(wiper, signal light stalks). Not to mention endless issues with bulb connections. Would love to shove a 240d engine into the Peugeot 404 out side. Would be the best of both worlds..


After that left, then went the 240d---mainly sold to fund my "Trabant 601 crankshaft foundation fund!"

So for me a Trabi replaced a well built, quality machine.... For now anyway...

I've never had gas Mercs, so I can't comment on them.

As for the old diesels:

"I can think of nicer, prettier,and smoother riding cars. But I can't think of any that are better!"