Auto fuel burn

[gran398]

Need your thoughts on this.

A sales rep left St. Pete yesterday in a 2004 Mercedes diesel sedan heading north to Carolina.

Filled up before he left. He stated that he drove eleven hours, 80 mph all the way, never stopped for fuel. Had 3 gallons of diesel left when he arrived.

The car has on the odometer 425,000 miles. Saw it myself. To look at it, the car was  pristine. He's a sales rep, keeps his stuff right.

Claims he's run several Mercedes diesels over the course of his biz career...and they don't start getting great mileage 'till after 250K.

So...he says...per computer readout...the Mercedes diesel got 47.3 mpg at 80 mph

He didn't smell like dope.

Can this be possible

[wingtime]

Back in high school my buddy had a diesel rabbit that got 55 mpg.  It had a broken fuel gauge and he would run it out all the time.  He carried a small gas can that may have held a gallon.  We would scrape up some pocket change and drive that thing all weekend...    My diesel Super Duty started getting better mileage after 20K miles.

[seabob4]

If a Mercedes diesel can go 1M+ miles, I have to figure something is just getting warmed up around 250K or so...

Love diesels!  And Bruce, that 3/4 ton of yours?  When it's not dragging around a boat, It's one pretty quick truck...

[Circle Hooked]

If that's true that's almost as good as a Prius and I'm sure a lot better ride  

[GoneFission]

As long as you don't have to buy parts, Mercedes diesels are one of the most economical engines out there.  Not great power, but they are efficient.    But a starter will cost you $450 and an alternator is about the same.  Ouch!  :cry:

When Dodge decided to put the Cummins engine in their trucks, they asked Cummins what warranty they should put on it.  Cummins said the normal warranty for that engine used in commercial trucks was 500,000 miles.  Dodge decided on 100,000 because the rest of the truck would probably not make it to 500,000.  

[John Jones]

Remember Dodge's diesel mini-truck back in the 80's or whenever?  The official answer as to why they dropped that combination was "We have a 300,000 mile engine in a 100,000 mile truck".

[MarshMarlowe196]

I really miss the 1985 Isuzu P'up Diesel pickup I used to have. 4 cylinders, 80 HP, 0-60 in 5  minutes.  Got 45 mpg  in town. I never knew what it got on the highway... it had zero passing power and couldn't keep up with traffic..

It pulled a 16' Malibu just fine though

[seabob4]

I really miss the 1985 Isuzu P'up Diesel pickup I used to have. 4 cylinders, 80 HP, 0-60 in 5  minutes.  Got 45 mpg  in town. I never knew what it got on the highway... it had zero passing power and couldn't keep up with traffic..

It pulled a 16' Malibu just fine though

Jessie, those are highly sought after...

[Capt. Bob]

Isuzu makes several fine diesel engines also.

[seabob4]

Just a little sidebar...when we were installing Westerbekes generators at PL, the gas models were Mitsubishi blocks, the diesel models Isuzu or Kubota...