KosherBenz

Where are you gonna get your fuel? Do you think all the gasstations are gonna have the correct fuel at your cars debut. Its hard enough to get diesel, let alone the new stuff.



On that side note, do you think the fuel (15ppm vs. the 500ppm) will help our 06 and earlier cars smoke less under hard acceleration?

Talbot

My expectation is that I'd get it at the nearest diesel pump. The word on the street (which isn't official, I know) is that ULSD has been in the pipeline since June. Bascially, is has been diluting the systems of tanks and pipes down over time, or at least that's the plan. So really, if you fill up now at a pump that will be serving ULSD on 10/15, you're already getting ULSD or something very close to it.

Now, that said, I've not seen any stickers on the pumps changeover from USD (500ppm) to the new stickers. Two local station owers that I've asked have called their distributors and were told that the sticker changeover would occur on time, but the product was already being delivered.

So, what's all that worth? Not much. I'd not put fuel that wasn't labeled ULSD in an 07 vehicle. But... I won't be getting mine on debut day anyway, and I have plenty of time to watch for the sticker changeover that should happen within 9 days.

I think it is a good question, and I know that it has made at least one other person re-think his decision to go with a Bluetec.

The black smoke you see is soot, and I think that's predominantly carbon. I doubt the sulfur content will change that, but I'm no chemist.

KosherBenz

looks like I will still have to continue to be gentile with my lead foot then. I love opening up my car, but it does leave smoke behind it.

carpersn

have already begun to show up at 80% of our stations here in NC, but i have asked my local diesel outlet (an actual SERVICE station as opposed to a convenience store), and he too agrees that they have been delivering on ULSD since June (primarily b/c that's when it was originally supposed to debut!).

cdiken

I want my car to smoke more.

I really get off on blowing a riceburner out of the water at a stoplight, then quickly merging in front of the ricer WOT.
Two columns of black soot blasting the turd with lowered, stickered car.

Ricers really benefit from the schooling! Lesson: you got your nutz cut by a DIESEL you slow *** POS!

Alan Smithee

I frequent the same station for diesel here in Los Angeles (a block from the office, and happens to be one of the cheapest in LA), and last week the new stickers were on the pumps.

I thought I remembered reading that CA would be one of the last states to get the new stuff.

Regarding exhaust smoke in the CDI, I only notice it after a long period of very conservative driving (2-3 days) followed by abrupt full throttle; for an instant there's a small cloud, but that's it...no smoke with continued full throttle, or with varying throttle inputs prior to full throttle.

Can I expect more smoke over time? The car has ~2,500 miles on it.

uberwgn

The deadline for ULSD is Oct 15th. There's a strong chance you're already buying it contrary to pump labeling. It takes a station 3 - 4 turns of the tank to get down to the 15ppm requirement.

Talbot

California required it SOONER than the rest of the U.S.

Sept 1 instead of Oct 15. I think originally the nationwide date was 9/1, but then the feds delayed that by 6 weeks. California didn't go with the delayed date and stuck with the original date instead.

Ecin

there's diesel in everystation in miami. I guess it's because all the pickup trucks that are real big & use diesel.

Talbot

The pumps at the convenience store nearest my house now have the S15 ULSD diesel sticker on them. Two days ago, they didn't.

spencersns

There are Shell, Mobil and Exxon stations everywhere - they are 15ppm max players for the bluetec. Maybe not universal but the locator below should confirm.

Is the bluetec on 15ppm max sulfur a little louder than the CDI on regular diesel?

Here is the MB's ultra low station finder:
http://www.mbusa.com/locator/jsp/ind...orversion=ulsd

Cheers.

DerekACS

For US members who travel north, be advised that all Canadian stations that sell diesel for on-road use must offer only ULSD. The only exceptions allowed are in the Yukon and Northwest Territories. The other good news up here is that ULSD diesel is cheaper than regular or premium gas; in Vancouver, the current price of ULSD is $.99/lt v's $1.25/lt for premium.

pa28pilot

I have found (not that my 2005 CDI needs it) ULSD at a BP station in the US in Timonium, Maryland on York Road. That's the Northwestern suburbs of Baltimore.

The price is appalling though. This ULSD retrofit for the distributors has really thrown a wrench into the cost calculations I had done when I first bought the CDI. There are still pleasant surprises here and there (mostly in rural areas), but it's running the same price or higher than premium gasoline these days in the Washington, D.C. area.

Didn't used to be like that when I had my diesel VW Rabbits.

Barry45RPM

Don't forget the N.E. is still in a high demand for #2 Heating Fuel, so the costs are up. Also the Oil Companies & Dealers want to see $4.00/Gallon Gasoline prices by mid Summer, so Diesel will be up there too. Its a question of "How much can the American Driver be Squeezed" before there is a drop in demand that affects their Business. Its not all a Supply and Demand issue, and no one knows how high the discomfort level really goes for most individuals.

I can tell you as a retailler, people's money is all going for fuel, and they are not making any changes in vehicle purchases, driving for pleasure, or dining out... but they are trying to squeeze other retailers for freebies, no charge repairs, "it's not my fault, it broke-its yours". Shoppers are crabby, grabby, mean spirited, and spending less. Impulse purchases are down on everything unless its a "make me feel good" product.

DerekACS

From your comments, together with those from owners of MB diesels, it appears that ULSD is as expensive as premium gas or even more so in some states like California. Is there any place in the US where diesel is cheaper than gas ? It would seem that the oil companies are gouging the diesel customers, especially in view of the fact that diesel costs less to refine than gasoline. ULSD should be less expensive than regular gas, which is the case here in British Columbia !

pa28pilot

Well, it's important to note that the refineries and distributors have had to make significant infrastructure purchases to deal with ULSD, so they have to amortize those costs and recoup them somehow.

As much as I'd like to, I can't attribute it to "gouging." They were forced by a government mandate to do something, and we have to pay for it (at least in the U.S.).

Barry45RPM

Gouging is too strong a word for it. "Big Oil" is monitored, individual Gas Station owners charge what they can get away with, as long as the nearby competition goes along with it. (How else can you explain an overnight price increase at the pump because of a pipeline failure carrying oil thousands of miles away that won't be gasoline in the Stations tanks for 4-6 Months?) But you can see 8-10 cents a gallon price differences within very small geographical distances.

As far as diesel being "Cheaper"... It would seem to me that even if it would cost the same as a gallon of Gasoline, isn't it "cheaper" if you get more miles per gallon out of it?

DerekACS

[QUOTE=
As far as diesel being "Cheaper"... It would seem to me that even if it would cost the same as a gallon of Gasoline, isn't it "cheaper" if you get more miles per gallon out of it?[/QUOTE]

Yes, Barry, you are absolutely correct. Here's the math: using the highway fuel consumption ratings calculated by Transport Canada, the Bluetec will consume 5.9 lts/100 km v's the E350 4Matic consumption of 8.8 lts/100 km. (Please note that I have used the E350 4Matic version to compare since there is no RWD version available in Canada). The difference of 2.9 litres represents 49% more fuel consumed by the E350 4Matic compared to the Bluetec . Factor in the the current British Columbia prices for diesel and premium gas ( diesel $1.00/lt. v's premium gas $1.25/lt.), the costs for driving 1000 kms (620 miles) would be as follows : Bluetec $59.00 v's E350 4Matic $110. The driver of the E350 4Matic will pay approx. $51 more for each 1000 kms driven, or 86% more than the Bluetec driver !!!!! For the average driver that travels 20,000 kms (or 12,000 miles) per year, the E350 4Matic driver will spend $1020 more for fuel per year. Yes, it really is far "cheaper" for the diesel driver ! Even if the fuel prices are the same, the E350 4Matic driver will still be spending 49% more for fuel than the Bluetec driver.

William Steward

I also have been "lighter" on the accelerator except for the odd burst necessary to get out of trouble (or put a Lexus in it's place ). Has anyone noticed significantly less smoke running on ULSD in comparison to regular diesel?

Alan Smithee

Diesel was at or above the price of premium at the start of the year here in LA, but is currently selling for less than regular at most stations; while gasoline has been going up steadily over the last couple months, diesel has remained relatively flat.

Alan Smithee

I've noticed no change.