Check out our new diesel...

[dd74]

As you may know, purchasing a new diesel in California is impossible. Although car companies are building 50-state legal diesels right now, California still seems to have an aversion against the crop of new clean-burning diesels. The only way you can get one is to buy it from out of state as a used car with a minimum of 7,500 miles.

The one we bought is a Mercedes Benz ML 350 CDI. To my knowledge, we're the only known owners of a car like this in So.Cal. At the time of purchase, only three were available in the country. It seems as if Europeans and Canadians like to swoop down on U.S. M-B dealers and buy these cars to ship back home as the dollar is so weak. There is, however, a $20K fine if anyone is caught selling their private vehicle to a person outside The States.

We've had this for two weeks. It was delivered from Cockeyesville, MD as a 2007 with approx. 20,000 miles. Many thanks to the guys at NOVA/DC/MD Porschephiles for help locating and affirming this car.

At 215 hp but with 400 lbs of torque, the M-B flat out hauls ass. I've clocked it at 0-60 in about 6.5 seconds. It also handles as well as any large-sized Mercedes sedan. But the best part: fourteen days of driving around Los Angeles, and it still has over a half-tank of diesel.

As for my 911 keeping up with this beast speed-wise, yes, it can. But just barely...

[Zef]

Sweeeeeeeeeeeeet...very nice choice IMO.

[island911]

Originally Posted by dd74

.... But the best part: fourteen days of driving around Los Angeles, and it still has over a half-tank of diesel. ...

not to worry, I expect that you can find a station that sells diesel by day 20.

[dd74]

Yeah, we have five stations near our house that sells diesel. If that doesn't work, kerosene will do; so will vegetable oil or even melted plastic. This thing will burn blood if you pour it in the tank (as was casually suggested in "The Road" by Cormac McCarthy).

Nonetheless, I think the ML has been getting between 25 to 30 mpg.

[Don Plumley]

Any issues getting parts or service from MB in Cali?

[911Rob]

Coming from a completely biased point of view...... that is one Sweeeeet ride!
Congrats you Cali Rebel.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by Don Plumley

Any issues getting parts or service from MB in Cali?

None. In California, Mercedes-Benz has leased the E320 diesel since the model change three or four years ago. Yes, you can only lease the E320, but are not allowed to actually purchase a diesel Mercedes sedan in this state.

Nonetheless, the ML 350 CDI and the E320 share the same turbo V6. I also called our local M-B dealership to make certain it is possible they can perform maintenance on the car. They can.

[dd74]

Originally Posted by 911Rob

Coming from a completely biased point of view...... that is one Sweeeeet ride!
Congrats you Cali Rebel.

LOL! Rebel is correct. Dan Neil, the L.A. Times car reviewer, jumped all over my ass about circumventing California air quality rules and such when I offered up a feature story about our purchase to print in their car section.

I'm offering the same story to Diesel Power magazine, which is one of the best grassroots motoring mags I've seen in a long time.

[HardDrive]

California sucks.

[slodave]

Originally Posted by HardDrive

California sucks.

Yeah, well.... IT RAINS IN WASHINGTON!!!

[gt350mike]

$64 question........What kind of mileage are you getting??????

[dd74]

Originally Posted by gt350mike

$64 question........What kind of mileage are you getting??????

Close to 30 mpg city/highway mix.

[red-beard]

It's funny. I would pay cash for a BMW 1 series, 5 door with the diesel 1.8l engine. I would consider the 2 door coupe with the 1.8l engine.

Why can't I buy what I want?

[gt350mike]

That is great mileage! I remember the Jeep CRD was getting around 23 mpg on the hwy but I wouldn't pay the $$$ their asking for the CRD.

I do not understand why we don't have more diesel cars when the market is bearing a HUGE premium, especially the VW TDI's.

[dd74]

Yes, it is a shame we had to go circuitously through a dealership in Maryland to get this vehicle. I test drove a gas-powered ML-350 here in L.A., and found to get any sort of power from the V6, you had to beat it like a drum compared to just letting the torque build with the diesel. Plus, the standard V6 wasn't as fast as the diesel.

Here's the killer, though: retail, the diesel is only $1,500 more than the gas powered car. You pay nearly nothing to have much more power, twice as better fuel economy, no emissions penalty (I never have to have a smog check), no engine sound (the turbo whistle is all that is heard), and absolutely no smoke or smell from the exhaust system.

But I damn sure can't buy one new, here in our lovely environmentally conscious state that when it thinks of diesels, gets up in arms over their own ignorance about these new-age engines.

By the way, lots of publications have said the new diesels will arrive sometime soon in California (not to mention the other states where they're banned, such as New York and Maine). However, we received a letter from Mercedes-Benz, stating they can't stick to a timetable about when one will be able to purchase a new diesel in the states that have banned their sale.

[speeder]

NICE NICE NICE!!!

That is the most appealing vehicle that MB sells right now, IMO. Of course you know my affinity for diesels, , they rock! You will only love it more and more as you rack up the miles. New clean tech diesel engines are the only sensible powerplant for light trucks and SUVs, and really for most cars, IMO. Most people would like the power-curve of a modern turbo-diesel more than a gas engine once they tried it. They're addictive.

Nice move! And what's up with Dan Neil? What is his problem w/ clean diesels? What a twat...

[onewhippedpuppy]

Very nice!

So, I can't belive I'm suprised, but CA won't let them sell the new diesels, even though they met CA's outlandish emissions requirements? You can't buy a used car in CA with under 7,500 miles? You get fined for selling your vehicle to someone outside of the USA? Has Arnold mandated that all men must now also pee sitting down? Good God, I know the weather is great, but how in the hell can you put up with that?

[motion]

Nice score, David. Should give you years of good family duty. Speaking of MB diesels, what ever happened to the BlueTech E series diesels? I thought they were supposed to be here by now.

[red-beard]

You don't have to live there. Obviously the people there think it is worth the trouble. Me? Nope. Voted with my feet.

[livi]

How strange is that?? Here they are on every street corner and down on the European continent it is diesel all the way. Peculiar it has not caught on in California. The Merc is a very good wagon. Love the color of your 911!