Thats part of the problem I think. Some of the cars here that are being discussed are $2000 cars and fuel cost is much bigger an issue since people who drive those types of cars generally have tighter budgets.

If your really looking at fuel economy a Mercedes is probably not the car you should be driving anyway as even the diesels were not designed with economy as their primary trait. A lot of the VW diesels and Japanese cars get much better fuel economy and have a much lower operating cost.

The other thing to consider to save fuel costs is to just stay home. Americans have for years not thought about the cost of fuel because its so cheap. Now that fuel prices are high we want our cake and eat it too with the same amount of recreational driving that we had in the past for the same price. We try to maximize our fuel economy so we can still do everything that we did in the past. Perhaps instead of driving around on the weekends visiting friends and going to dinner you could have dinner at home with friends? Instead of runnining to the grocery store for fresh groceries every day you might want to buy in bulk. Everything we do in our lifestyles no matter how innocent sounding has a cost one way or another. Living in the suburbs might save you some money on a house but does cost you in transportation expenses. Most people in the burbs can't exactly walk to the corner market to buy groceries every day.

P.S. To those who might get insulted by the $2000 car comment I have to point out that there are many millonares driving around in $2000 cars. The president of Ikea and one of the richest men in the world drives around in a 1993 Volvo 240 wagon just like mine. Just because your cheap does not mean your poor! Although I don't consider being cheap a good personal quality myself.

P.P.S Something else to look at that affects your fuel prices. When you buy a product at the big box store take a moment and turn it over and look where its made. hmmm China eh? With a huge portion of our imports coming from China the chinese are becoming quite wealthy and are starting to buy cars. Those cars need fuel. So the great deal your getting on the plastic crap your about to buy is not such a great deal anymore when you can barely afford to drive anymore because of fuel costs.