mwillems

OK, so first fill up in my new 2009 ML320 TDi Bluetec.

I failed yesterday (one Sunoco pump, a school bus waiting and a guy taking apart his car at that one pump, so I left).

Today I succeeded. But I noticed:

a) I was surprised to see that Diesel is so much more expensive. Premium Diesel (*is it worth it? Like Shell Gold? Why? Why not?*) is $1.05 when regular gas is $0.78. That almost totally negates the fuel savings!

b) Diesel is, so far as I have seen, only sold in Canada in the FULL SERVICE lane. Yet more cost? And I cannot pay with a credit card at the pump. And there is only one diesel pump vs. 8 gas pumps.

I was not expecting quite so much of a difference.

And is there any iPhone app, as far as anyone knows, that helps me find diesel stations? Right now I can print Esso, Sunoco, Shell and Petrocan stations lists, but that does not help much, since I then do not know which one is the closest.

Just wondering what all of you other diesel drivers think.

harkgar

[QUOTE=mwillems;3182375]OK, so first fill up in my new 2009 ML320 TDi Bluetec.

I failed yesterday (one Sunoco pump, a school bus waiting and a guy taking apart his car at that one pump, so I left).

Today I succeeded. But I noticed:

a) I was surprised to see that Diesel is so much more expensive. Premium Diesel (*is it worth it? Like Shell Gold? Why? Why not?*) is $1.05 when regular gas is $0.78. That almost totally negates the fuel savings!

b) Diesel is, so far as I have seen, only sold in Canada in the FULL SERVICE lane. Yet more cost? And I cannot pay with a credit card at the pump. And there is only one diesel pump vs. 8 gas pumps.

In the high class suburbs of Oakville it may be difficult to find diesel stations. Diesel fuel can be found in abundance north of Highway 7 and downtown. Petrocan, Shell and Sunoco has diesel pumps, less with Esso. You can Google the petroleum company sites.

a) I just filled up tonight at Sunoco with Gold Diesel, at 98.9 cents. This is the premium diesel. Regular gas is 78.9 cents. Your CDi is at least 33% more economical than the gasoline ML 350. If you want to save buy the ordinary diesel. I do find that Sunoco Gold is better than ordinary stuff. Less noise, more acceleration.

b) Not true with the full service part. Petrocan and Shell both have credit card payment at the pump. It is a fact that there are more gas pumps than diesel.

Diesels excel on long highway cruising trips. Wait till your engine is run-in. You will be amazed. I had a 1999 VW Jetta TDi with manual 5 speed. No matter how hard I tried I could not get the car to go less than 40 mpg combined highway city. I regularly saw 50 mpg when highway cruising. My 320 CDi does less. 27 mpg combined. 40 mpg highway. Your ML has the 7 speed transmission so mileage should be great for a heavy SUV. You also have to compare your vehicle with a gasoline SUV and see the difference.

mwillems

True - my last car was a V8 4.3l Land Rover...

So I just had bad luck with the stations I went to - Shell and Sunoco and neither had an automatic self service pump that took credit cards etc for the Diesel pump

And yes, am already seeing good mileage with thre ner car; imagine it will be better still when run in.

Untertürkheim

I vote for premium diesel, I do not know what is sold in Canada, but the premium diesel in Germany is really great.

mwillems

So what is the actual difference between diesel and premium diesel?

harkgar

Higher cetane numbers. Cetane is the diesel equivalent of octane in gasoline. I do not know the science behind the Sunoco Gold Diesel but it is noticeably better than the cheapest truck diesels. The engine runs quieter and smoother. Tonight I blasted down the 404 after fueling up with Gold diesel and with the frigid temperature the car felt really smooth and fast, almost like a V-12 Jaguar! Well, with a little imagination.

I do not know if the Bluetec engine can take Redline Diesel Catalyst. You can sometimes buy it at Canadian Tire. It makes my CDi run smoother too.

harkgar

Agreed. Shell and Sunoco premium fuels are very good. I have not tried other premium brands. They are a little bit dearer than the cheapest stuff.

mwillems

Gold it is. Excellent.

Untertürkheim

You are corrent about the cetane numbers, they often have more detergency or lubricity additives too.

Cetane is not like octane though, it is actually the opposite. Higher cetane means a greater propensity to ignite, while octane is the inverse, higher octane means higher activiation energy required.

240D 3.0T

Go regular. The "gold" stuff is not worth the added cost.

Goatman

Unless you're the king...

Goatman

Yep, I've learned I've gotten under your oh-so-soft skin, Volvo man..

Goatman

Its not everyone that has a forum with 5 posters on it. I want you all to remember that..

240D 3.0T

TROLLS often do that.

That makes ZERO sense.

Goatman

Sorry, make that 4 posters... Its been a slow week.

240D 3.0T

Goatman

And that's just what this clown has done....


"All the attention" much? LOL

Goatman

LOL. And I'm still here...

240D 3.0T

Everyone add the troll goatman to your ignore list.

Here is the link to add the goat to your list: https://mbworld.org/forums/profile.p...ignore&u=95489

Goatman

LOL. Yep, everyone show chump how popular he is once and for all so he can kick his feet and punch the walls for another month..

mwillems

Cool. Anyone wants to answer more of my diesel-noob questions, I'll be listening!

M

Goatman

Diesel is a funy thing... You have to get a significant MPG savings over the identical vehicle that's gasoline powered to make it worth it. I ordered my 2500HD with the gas motor instead of the diesel, because it would take me 5 years of driving to make up the extra $4500 (at the time) for the Duramax. I barley put any miles on the truck, its been a toy for the most part.


Full service is always more expensive. Someone else is out there freezing their tail off pumping your fuel. Down here, we have to search out the stations that carry diesel too. As far as the CC thing goes, its a choice that the service station makes as to accepting them, or having the machines with the capabilities to do so.


New Jersey is a funny state in that every gas station is full serve. You can't pump your own gas! Here in Massachusetts, its rare to find a full serve station at all.

Untertürkheim

I guess it depends on who you ask then.

I kept track of fuel economy over many tanks running regular and "premium" diesels. What I have found is that the premium pays...

In nearly every case, the increase in fuel economy offset the increase cost so that the cost per mile would be the same, but the added benefit of smoother/quieter/more powerful engine is an added bonus, then for free.

Although in Canada it may be different than in Germany.

harkgar

99% of guys here are Americans, not Canadians and I can only speak for Torontonian diesel fans. I like Sunoco Gold the best because I can hear the engine humming along quietly after refueling with the good stuff (I use other "regular" diesels as well, mainly Petrocan ones near my home). I agree it is a matter of personal choice.

harkgar

A friend of mine driving a Powerstroke 7.3 told me that he uses "gallons" of oil at oil changes. It is true the big rigs defeat the economy in diesel engines unless you tow heavy trailers. The GL320 CDi is very good compared with the GL550 and should be the engine of choice in the MB SUVs.