Comments on: Auto Buyer’s Guide: Fuel-Efficient Picks For Every Lifestyle http://www.ridelust.com/the-fuel-efficient-car-for-every-personalitylifestyle/ - Motion + Mobility Fri, 10 Feb 2012 10:26:14 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: Ray http://www.ridelust.com/the-fuel-efficient-car-for-every-personalitylifestyle/#comment-14194 Ray Mon, 04 Jan 2010 04:33:11 +0000 http://www.ridelust.com/?p=12320#comment-14194 I'd like to comment on James comment. He said am I missing something about picking a Mecedes 300D for folks looking for a reliable fuel efficient vehicle on a budget instead of say a Honda Civic. A short answer is yes. You cannot compare a Mercedes 300D to a Honda Civic period. First of all a Mercedes 300D is made like a tank. I don't know how James feels about safety but I would rather take my chances with the Benz in the event of a collision versus a Honda Civic. Diesels as a rule tend to be guilty of spewing more pollution into the air when compared to a gasoline engine but they can run on SVO/WVO/Biodiesel and any combination of alternative fuels which can be mixed with diesel in varing amounts. If one chooses to mix diesel with any of these alternative fuels polluting emissions can be significantly reduced. Running alternative fuels are cost effective beckoning back to the good old days when gasoline was $0.35/gallon. Fuel economy for a 1985 Mercedes 300TD(turbo diesel) is typically 28 city/32 highway. Not bad for a vehicle weighing close to 5000lbs. Couple that with inexpensive alternative fuels fuel economy can be increased significantly. My commute is 130 miles round trip but driving my 300D I arrive at my destination like it was a 15 minute trip. Very little if any road noice enters the cabin at highway speeds. Wind noise is a hush even at 80MPH. The seating though not made for racing, are extremely comfortable covered with indestructable MTex they are like sitting on a sofa. Yes at idle you do realize you are behind the wheel of a diesel but once you get moving the clackety clack disappears and power is available once the turbo winds up. Like I said you cannot compare the two. Parts are plentiful and rather inexpensive and working on the car is pretty easy once you figure out the alternator is not necessary to keep the engine running. Don't get me wrong the Honda Civic is a good automobile it's just not in the same class as the Mercedes. Load up 5 adults and all of their luggage for a trip to somewhere in comfort is a snap for the 300D. So James good luck with your Honda but for my money owning a Mercedes 300D is a no brainer and I'm sure for thousands of other folks the story is the same. I’d like to comment on James comment. He said am I missing something about picking a Mecedes 300D for folks looking for a reliable fuel efficient vehicle on a budget instead of say a Honda Civic.

A short answer is yes. You cannot compare a Mercedes 300D to a Honda Civic period. First of all a Mercedes 300D is made like a tank. I don’t know how James feels about safety but I would rather take my chances with the Benz in the event of a collision versus a Honda Civic. Diesels as a rule tend to be guilty of spewing more pollution into the air when compared to a gasoline engine but they can run on SVO/WVO/Biodiesel and any combination of alternative fuels which can be mixed with diesel in varing amounts. If one chooses to mix diesel with any of these alternative fuels polluting emissions can be significantly reduced. Running alternative fuels are cost effective beckoning back to the good old days when gasoline was $0.35/gallon. Fuel economy for a 1985 Mercedes 300TD(turbo diesel) is typically 28 city/32 highway. Not bad for a vehicle weighing close to 5000lbs. Couple that with inexpensive alternative fuels fuel economy can be increased significantly.

My commute is 130 miles round trip but driving my 300D I arrive at my destination like it was a 15 minute trip. Very little if any road noice enters the cabin at highway speeds. Wind noise is a hush even at 80MPH. The seating though not made for racing, are extremely comfortable covered with indestructable MTex they are like sitting on a sofa. Yes at idle you do realize you are behind the wheel of a diesel but once you get moving the clackety clack disappears and power is available once the turbo winds up. Like I said you cannot compare the two. Parts are plentiful and rather inexpensive and working on the car is pretty easy once you figure out the alternator is not necessary to keep the engine running.

Don’t get me wrong the Honda Civic is a good automobile it’s just not in the same class as the Mercedes. Load up 5 adults and all of their luggage for a trip to somewhere in comfort is a snap for the 300D.

So James good luck with your Honda but for my money owning a Mercedes 300D is a no brainer and I’m sure for thousands of other folks the story is the same.

]]> By: James http://www.ridelust.com/the-fuel-efficient-car-for-every-personalitylifestyle/#comment-12566 James Mon, 28 Sep 2009 07:40:09 +0000 http://www.ridelust.com/?p=12320#comment-12566 I'm scratching my head over the Mercedes 300D pick. Firstly, 19-21mpg out of a diesel is HORRIBLE! I'm guessing that must be some sort of typo because I get better mileage out of my full sized truck with a gasoline engine. Secondly, though I've never owned a Mercedes, the German cars I have owned have all been incredibly expensive to fix. The engines tend to go forever, but if something simple like a power window breaks, it costs a fortune to fix. And just forget about electrical systems, ignition computers, injection systems or anything complicated. Maybe a Mercedes is different, but I can't imagine how it could be. Thirdly, there are many many many other cars out there that run cheaper and greener. It's not hard to pick up a 1991 Honda Civic these days for under $2,000. They cost pennies to fix, and they are also known to go for hundreds of thousands of miles. Plus, they don't spew diesel exhaust into the air. Unless you are running veggie fuel, I'm pretty sure diesel emissions are worse than good cheap 87octane. I have a Civic beater/project car that has been getting over 40mpg lately. It blew a CV recently and I picked up brand new half axle for $50. The same place sells a similar part for a 1980 300D for $169.79. Is there something I'm overlooking about the Mercedes? If not, I would stick by the Civic as a cheap, green, reliable mode of transportation. I’m scratching my head over the Mercedes 300D pick. Firstly, 19-21mpg out of a diesel is HORRIBLE! I’m guessing that must be some sort of typo because I get better mileage out of my full sized truck with a gasoline engine. Secondly, though I’ve never owned a Mercedes, the German cars I have owned have all been incredibly expensive to fix. The engines tend to go forever, but if something simple like a power window breaks, it costs a fortune to fix. And just forget about electrical systems, ignition computers, injection systems or anything complicated. Maybe a Mercedes is different, but I can’t imagine how it could be. Thirdly, there are many many many other cars out there that run cheaper and greener. It’s not hard to pick up a 1991 Honda Civic these days for under $2,000. They cost pennies to fix, and they are also known to go for hundreds of thousands of miles. Plus, they don’t spew diesel exhaust into the air. Unless you are running veggie fuel, I’m pretty sure diesel emissions are worse than good cheap 87octane. I have a Civic beater/project car that has been getting over 40mpg lately. It blew a CV recently and I picked up brand new half axle for $50. The same place sells a similar part for a 1980 300D for $169.79. Is there something I’m overlooking about the Mercedes? If not, I would stick by the Civic as a cheap, green, reliable mode of transportation.

]]> By: Picking the Right Auto by Suzanne Denbow | luxematic.com http://www.ridelust.com/the-fuel-efficient-car-for-every-personalitylifestyle/#comment-6563 Picking the Right Auto by Suzanne Denbow | luxematic.com Sat, 08 Nov 2008 07:34:43 +0000 http://www.ridelust.com/?p=12320#comment-6563 [...] You can see Suzanne Denbow’s complete guide post here. Thanks Suzanne! [...] [...] You can see Suzanne Denbow’s complete guide post here. Thanks Suzanne! [...]

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