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What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?

1492 messages,  Last post on Nov 04, 2009 at 7:37 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views Forum. Your Hosts are steve_ & claires

What is this discussion about? Car Buying, Biodiesel, Diesel, Hybrid Cars, Coupe, Hatchback, SUV


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#805 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [bumpy] by gagrice
Jan 10, 2009 (5:38 am)
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If you don't want to spend a lot of money on your diesel ride, these still look good.
 
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/987172182.html
 
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/986593236.html
 
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/csd/cto/982543005.html
 
Must be 30 old MB diesels in San Diego for sale
#806 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [bumpy] by gagrice
Jan 10, 2009 (5:42 am)
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Replying to: bumpy (Jan 10, 2009 5:37 am)

No problem, I love Craigslist. I have at least a dozen items listed around the country at any given time. I check every day for a good buy on a diesel Beetle that my wife wants for a runabout. Has to be 2006 with the DSG in green or yellow. Not too picky is she?
#807 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [gagrice] by nippononly
Jan 10, 2009 (7:17 am)
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Replying to: gagrice (Jan 10, 2009 5:38 am)

Yikes, they were still carbureted in '83! That's a big turn-off. Luckily, diesel benzes were available most of the way through the 80s, right? Into the 90s as well, or not? They must have been fuel injected by the late 80s, I would assume.
#808 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [nippononly] by fintail
Jan 10, 2009 (7:40 am)
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Replying to: nippononly (Jan 10, 2009 7:17 am)

I didn't see a note about a carb. The last carb MB sold in the US, IIRC, was the 70s W116 280S, until around MY 1975 or so. Then all FI or diesel.
 
A W126 turbodiesel (300SD) would be a good car, and if you find a 1984-85 model there's a decent chance it will even have an airbag. The W123s aren't bad either, very slow if not turbo...but I have an attraction to the W126.
#809 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [fintail] by gagrice
Jan 10, 2009 (7:53 am)
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Replying to: fintail (Jan 10, 2009 7:40 am)

Just when I least expect to see you pop in: Then this may not be a bad buy?
 
http://sandiego.craigslist.org/nsd/cto/986269181.html
 
Most of the 300sd models are 82-83'
#810 of 1492
Re: Apropos of nothing in particular [ruking1] by alltorque
Jan 10, 2009 (8:36 am)
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Replying to: ruking1 (Jan 09, 2009 12:09 pm)

Read on the front page of my newspaper this morning that Exxon, (Exxonmobil), are now calling for higher taxes on fuel to fight GW/CC whatever. Don't know what caused the sudden volte-face but guess it's to do with money. However, with Exxonmobil on-side and a new Democrat POTUS on the way I guess the end result will likely be predictable for you folks..............so diesel will begin to make real sense.
 
Of course, if our Commisar Brown takes the hint and raises fuel taxes even more then I may be on here asking for the odd food parcel. That's "odd" as in occasional, not weird, by the way.
#811 of 1492
Re: Apropos of nothing in particular [alltorque] by steve_ HOST
Jan 10, 2009 (8:38 am)
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Replying to: alltorque (Jan 10, 2009 8:36 am)

I meant to post that link somewhere yesterday and spaced it out. I think ExxonMobile prefers a taxing scheme to a cap and trade scheme.
 
But they really prefer neither.
 
Exxon chief backs carbon tax (Guardian)
#812 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [gagrice] by fintail
Jan 10, 2009 (10:30 am)
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Replying to: gagrice (Jan 10, 2009 7:53 am)

That one doesn't look bad, save for the chrome wheelarch trim which sometimes hides problems. Just look for maintenance records and make sure the transmission is sound. MB enthusiasts tend to be good record keepers, and an enthusiast owned car is usually best. A nice W126 is a lot of car for the money.
 
That 300SD was sold from 81-85. There was a W116 300SD that is pretty rare, only sold here in 79 and 80 I believe. The post 85 diesel S-class tended to be a little more problematic. And of course now we have a diesel hybrid S on the horizon.
 
Onto the thread topic...it would take a big raise for me to buy a new diesel car. I "built my own" 335d and it was in the mid 50s! That's too much.
#813 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [gagrice] by plekto
Jan 10, 2009 (10:54 am)
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Replying to: gagrice (Jan 10, 2009 7:53 am)

What you want is a 4 cylinder diesel with injection and a manual gearbox. These get 35-40mpg on the highway. The others maybe 25-30 - no better than an early 90s Buick/Chevrolet with the 3800 in it.
 
*Note - these are expected highway figures*
300D - Maybe 25mpg, tops. 15-20 city. No, honest.
 
240D - About 30mpg. Costly to repair. Kind of a letdown when you consider cars like a modern Civic. People claim they get 40mpg... They don't.
 
220D - About 30-35mpg highway with a light foot. OK in town. About 25mpg average.
 
190Dc - 35mpg, easy. Smart people get the 1960s "Fintail" 190D instead of the older "Ponton" 190D.. 31mpg average. +2-3 mpg without air conditioning. (pattern based upon engine size should be clear - heh) 0-60 in 30 seconds. 75 mph top speed. 60-65mph practical top speed.
 
Note - the same era 200D does 0-60 in 25 seconds and has 80mph top speed. 28mpg. It's a lot better for not much less fuel economy. These are highly prized commuting gems, actually, as they keep up with traffic and drive like a more modern car. Same car, just larger engine designed for the U.S. market/highways. Bit taller gearing and bit more torque. Practical top speed is exactly 65mph as well.
 
180Dc (these are 1950s era - close to 45mpg highway) 40-48HP, though, and close to 40 second 0-60 times. But they DO get 6.3l/100km combined(average). That's 37mpg. I've seen these do nearly 45-50 mpg with careful driving. But they really ARE dangerously slow and not good for modern highways. 70 mph top speed(gearing maximum!). Practical is 55mph on level ground.
 
Just get a 190D or 200D instead.
 
You can pick these up for next to nothing, and there's precious little to actually break as well, since there's not a single piece of electronics anywhere. It really IS a tractor engine stuffed into a car.
 
http://blogs.trucktrend.com/6276377/suvs/mt-takes-old-tech-to-bluetec-mercedes-b- - - - enz-diesel-across-america-tour/index.html
A neat article. He got 40mpg combined out of it.
#814 of 1492
Re: Craigslist [fintail] by ruking1
Jan 10, 2009 (11:07 am)
Reply

Replying to: fintail (Jan 10, 2009 10:30 am)

How do you like your 2009 BMW 335 D?

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