[V8] (V8) running the numbers

[Roger Woodbury]

I agree with the Mercedes 190.  I had two Mercedes 190D's during the 1980's.
My very first "real", user Mercedes was a new, 1985 190D 2.3 diesel.  I
bought it at a time when Interstate highway speed limits were lowered to
conserve fuel, and the little normally aspirated diesel was fine.  I put
85,000 miles on the car over two years, at a total, out of pocket
maintenance cost of near zero, aside from oil changes.  (I did have a drive
shaft joint go soft at around 80,000 miles...cost eighty bucks to have the
dealer fix it I think.).

The next one was a 1987 190D-turbo.  Now THAT was a car!  Great long
distance vehicle with LOTS of poke and power, and still getting 35 miles per
gallon on the highway.  I often wish I could find one like that, because at
this point, it would be relatively cheap to buy, and all things considered,
I would love to have a diesel again.  

But here in Maine, the numbers argue long against diesel.  Diesel fuel here
now is forty cents per gallon more than premium gasoline.  

Then, too, the Mercedes would be helpless in the winter here without studs
on all four wheels, and even then, it wouldn't be great.

Another argument for a V8:  With Quattro, I don't need no steeenking studs!

Roger

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