Is it just me ??

Wish we had better diesel vehicle choices ..

We all know about the issues with used MBs ..

I'm not a truck guy so forget Chevy/GMC/ Dodge ..
though the Cummins is the best engine choice

You can either get an "econobox" Jetta/Golf/Beetle
from VW or a "garage busting" Ford Excursion SUV ..

What I really want is the economy/fuel efficiency
of the VW TDI engine with the versatility/utilty
of a sport wagon body style ..

I'm tempted to get a 1996-1997 Passat GLX wagon
( last years for the 18.5 gal tank ) or a Lexus RX-300
and drop a TDI engine in one of those :p
or drop a cummins in a Chevy Tahoe gasser ..

The Passat TDI wagon from 1996-1997 was 'rare' and
those that got'em for sale think they're made
of platinum I honestly think you could buy
the 'gas' version from those same years and swap out
the engine for less money than the TDI wagon owners
are asking /getting .. AS for the Tahoe .. you could
get a 2dr Tahoe/Yukon with a diesel for a couple of
model years but never offered as an option in the more
popular 4 door models .. What with current gas prices ..
lightly used late model gas Tahoes are cheap and plentiful
and with 34 gallon tanks .. thus a candidate for the cummins
transplant idea .. The Lexus RX-300 is just a 'nice' body
style .. I know .. I know .. lay off the crack !!!!!!!!

So, If you could have any vehicle you wanted for
fuel efficiency and practicality considerations in
a 'diesel' option .. what would it be ?? and would
it be worth it to you to 'build' it ??

Triffin

1999 E320
1996 E300D

Prior diesels owned

1998 Chevy Suburban with a diesel transplant
2000 Jetta TDI ( too small for me )

I'd take a Bronco over a Tahoe.

Broncoes were not offered with a diesel stock, but if you beefed up the front suspension some, they can handle a 6.9l or a 7.3l IDI without a problem, and the swap itself wouldn't be difficult, since these engines were available stock in the F-series pickups, which share the same basic frame.

However, even with an overdrive transmission, I wouldn't expect to see any more than 20mpg out of it...if mileage is your main goal, you could conceivably put a 4BT Cummins in place, but you wouldn't have as much power as you probably want. A 6BT Cummins is an option, and IMHO would be very cool but you probably wouldn't see any better mileage than you would with an IDI IH diesel. OTOH, modifying a 6BT (or a 4BT, since they share so many parts) wouldn't be that difficult...

__________________
2001 VW Jetta TDI, 5 speed, daily driver
1991 Ford F-350, work in progress
1984 Ford F-250 4x4, 6.9l turbo diesel, 5 speed manual
Previous oilburners: 1980 IH Scout, 1984 E-350, 1985 M-B 300D, 1979 M-B 300SD, 1983 M-B 300D
Spark-free since 1999

You could always tuck a 4/6BT Cummins into a TD body. Thats what I hope to do someday. I would need to make one heck of a hood fab though

Supposedly, next year the VW TAureg will have a TDI with something like 300 hp and 500 lb. ft. of torque! I don't like SUV's but this diesel will have some serious cajones!

Well...there's a reason the cars hold their value so well. They're real gems and there's not much to dislike about them. Phenomenal fuel mileage, performance and bullet-proof engineering in a mid-sized package, with most of the amenities anyone would want. We'll be holding on to ours for at least a decade or more. I only wish we'd held out for a wagon. Which leads me to...

If you want a real utilitarian diesel wagon with fantastic performance and economy, then the '87 300 td should be a consideration. Ours has been a great substitute for a truck, which leads me to...

The Cummins engine is also a real gem, but the rest of the truck is junk IMHO.

The Toureg can be had with a V10 TDI, but it's mighty expensive. The Jetta wagon is now available with the TDI engine.

Jeep's Liberty Diesel should be here soon. And I saw a Sprinter in front of the Dodge dealer on Saturday, so it looks like they're available now.

For me, the perfect Diesel package is the E300 Turbodiesel that I already own.

__________________
Rick Miley
2014 Tesla Model S
2018 Tesla Model 3
2017 Nissan LEAF
Former MB: 99 E300, 86 190E 2.3, 87 300E, 80 240D, 82 204D Euro
Chain Elongation References

Supply and demand my friend, supply and demand.

Maybe if you had the skill and tools to do it all yourself, otherwise I doubt it.

I love mine. Its my second, and I'm the second owner. Previously it belonged to the Austrian Embassy in DC, until they traded it in last Christmas (with 39k on her ). I got lucky in being the first guy to call and show up at the dealer. By the following morning, the price had gone up $2k, based solely on the volume of calls they were getting. Fortunately, I think I found the only honest car dealer in the country, and they kept their original price that I had offered.

I wish that we had a bigger choice of mid-size diesels though. Being originally from the UK, I cringe at the lack of realistically sized, affordable, economical wagons. Hence my love for the Passat, and why I'll be hanging on to her for a long time.

Well...if I had my druthers...an M601 diesel from the 190 series in a 113 E28 (the 67-71 280SL). Call me old-fashioned....

Alternately, the Morris Minor engine used a tractor engine block, so you might make what we call a 'rabbit diesel', run it on gas until warm and then switch to pearl diesel.

Engine swaps are a lot of work and you might as well get what you want....

I wish MB had produced a 190 series wagon with a factory turbo version of the OM 601--a 190 TD.

Now that would be an impressive combo IMHO. I'd buy a whole fleet of those if I could.

The Passat TDI will be returning for the 04 model year as well, on both wagon and sedan form. As ususal, VW had to ruin a great thing by only offering it with a slushbox.