So I get the nerve up to take the car on a long trip (Nashville TN to Dallas TX, about 700 miles 1-way). Prior to this trip, I have only driven the car around town.

Change the oil, oil filter, air filter, and both fuel filters, put 1/2 bottle of Power Service into the the tank and start heading west.

By the time I got to Memphis TN, the 1 noisy injector is quiet. At the next fuel stop (somewhere between Little Rock and Texarkana) I add the remining Power Service and perform and little "Italian Tuneup" by slowing the car down to around 50 and then flooring it to 90. I do this routine about 10 times and I finally get the big black cloud of exhaust. The car now seems to accelerate faster and idle smoother.

I have to say that this car is better on long road trips than my 420SEL was. It seems to be a better road cruiser.

The down side is that this car wants to run at 85+. Thank goodness that the cruise control works.

The car used no oil, which really surprised me for a car with @250k on the clock.

Total milage: 1610
Total Fuel used: 65.6 gallons
Total MPG: 24.54

This was with the cruise set at 75 or so, and a lot of stop and go driving in the Dallas/Irving area.

Now to get a decent paint job on the car and the clock fixed, and I think I will have a good daily driver!

__________________
Chris Young

Current cars:
1978 240D 4-spd manual 99k miles
1987 300TD - 132k miles
1987 300SDL - 280k miles.
1996 Subaru Outback - 132k miles
2003 Chevy Silverado Duramax/Allison - 195k miles

"My wife thinks I have a disease..... I think I have just inhaled too much diesel exhaust .... My neighbors think, well, who cares what the neighbors think"

They like hard driving!

No oil consumption is normal -- I usually go 6000 miles without adding any, at least until the head let go on my 300D.

Your milage is a bit low -- typically 27-29 on the highway, but that could easily be a slipping odometer.

Nicest car I've ever driven on the highway.

Peter

__________________
1972 220D ?? miles
1988 300E 200,012
1987 300D Turbo killed 9/25/07, 275,000 miles
1985 Volvo 740 GLE Turobodiesel 218,000
1972 280 SE 4.5 165, 000 - It runs!

i agree on reply's mpg thought. generally around 30+, my experience. although i do my 'driving' in the summer months. it makes a difference as to temperature. or more accurately, 'blend' of fuel.

Yeah the SDL's are great over the road cars. They are not the best, or the most happy with city driving, but really come into their own on the open road.

70mph seems to be the sweet spot, but yeah you have to keep an eye on the speed because they will just keep going faster and you won't notice.

__________________
1999 SL500
1969 280SE
2023 Ram 1500
2007 Tiara 3200

Just did a 332 mile trip in 87 300SDL. Topped off immediately before and after. Some back roads at 50 to 55mph, rest on interstate at 70 to 75. Got 26.5. Wonder if combination of ultra low sulfur and winter blend will make the 30mpg a thing of the past?

I agree the car doesn't feel right until it gets to 70.

__________________
Joe Myers

'83 300D (light blue)
'82 300TD (off white - parked)
'87 300SDL (silver)

'75 300D (black - sold)
'76 300D (beige - totaled by pizza delivery car)
'82 300D (metalic blue) sold

I get 27-29 mpg from now thru nov but last winter i got as low as 23 Dad seems to stay consistently around 25 with his

__________________
commercial fisherman diesel in my blood in my boats trucks and Dear old Dad has had me drivin them since i got my first license in 1968
1986 300 SDL 427654
1999 Chevy Crew Cab Dually 225423
1986 300 SDL 287000 Dad's
1987 190 Turbo 158000 Mom's (my inheritance)

Not bad economy for the speed you were turning. Drop it to 60-65mph and you'll be in for a nice treat

__________________
I'm not a doctor, but I'll have a look.

'85 300SD 245k
'87 300SDL 251k
'90 300SEL 326k

Six others from BMW, GM, and Ford.

Liberty will not descend to a people; a people must raise themselves to liberty.[/IMG]

best car ever made. I have mine for 3 weeks now and I love it. had to put another injectionpump on it. odo is not to be trusted. mine is 2.5 times slow...
it drives nicer on long trips than the 87300d I had before.
I wish it had a manual 5 speed.

Where in TN are you? I am in the north Nashville area.

I still prefer my 240 for the around town driving, but I have to agree that the SDL is a fine car for long drives. My back wasn't even tired after the trip.

I would have probably gotten a little better milage if I didn't have about 500lbs of equipment in the trunk.

Now if we could just get diesel prices back to where they belong....

__________________
Chris Young

Current cars:
1978 240D 4-spd manual 99k miles
1987 300TD - 132k miles
1987 300SDL - 280k miles.
1996 Subaru Outback - 132k miles
2003 Chevy Silverado Duramax/Allison - 195k miles

"My wife thinks I have a disease..... I think I have just inhaled too much diesel exhaust .... My neighbors think, well, who cares what the neighbors think"