2006 E320 CDI trip impressions
#1
Member
Thread Starter
2006 E320 CDI trip impressions
I bought a 2006 E320 CDI 3 weeks ago and the first trip was to drive it from Colorado to Ft. Lauderdale. It’s a 25K Mile car, CPO and so on. I bought the diesel for the heck of it I guess. I didn’t want 4matic in Florida and the novelty of a CDI seemed interesting. A couple of impressions:
It reminds me of the “old” benz sedans before AMG was the hot ticket. Pretty stodgy but it doesn’t trolly track, is very quiet, not a handler but has a compliant suspension that works pretty well. In practice, even the 16” wheels have an advantage of not having to be so careful about curbing them. This is a basic driver for me so it’s fits the bill pretty well.
I didn’t buy a Bluetec because of the cost difference. I wasn’t sure I would be sold on the car and I can sell this one at a minimal loss if I don’t like it. I’m crazy for the MB 7 speed autos and that was the only real plus the Bluetec had for me. I’m not crazy about the more sophisticated emissions and the motor didn’t feel much smoother. The 7 speed is a big deal if it’s a keeper.
On the 2000 mile Colo-FLA trip I averaged 71MPH and 35.5MPG. The 71MPH includes gas stops and so on. I made no attempt to be thrifty. The tires weren’t highly inflated and I just drove normal. My calculations matched the computer. The car has such smooth roll on power in traffic it’s hard to not use it more at the expense of some fuel. It’s really fun squeezing from 70-85MPH. There seems to be little fuel penalty for going 80 vs. 65, The top ratios in the tranny are very well matched to how the turbo builds power.
The controls are simple and excellent. The navi is a a generation back but it found everything I wanted with minimal effort.
The car is clunkier than the gassers around town. Some lag but not bad unless you live for the throttle tip in of an E55. The 7sp E350 is more nimble around town but the CDI feels about the same as a 5speed E350 4Matic. I get about 30MPG in stop and go traffic. I get 25MPG in stoplight to stoplight BS. My wife’s Lexus RX350 gets 17 on the same stoplight cycle.
There is really nothing the car is doing that annoys me. I’ve got stone interior and that is a complete PITA to keep clean but other than that no complaints.
Too soon to tell if I would do it over. I would probably buy a E550 but I might miss the CDI novelty.
So far so good. Glad to be back in a Benz sedan after a couple of BMW’s.
It reminds me of the “old” benz sedans before AMG was the hot ticket. Pretty stodgy but it doesn’t trolly track, is very quiet, not a handler but has a compliant suspension that works pretty well. In practice, even the 16” wheels have an advantage of not having to be so careful about curbing them. This is a basic driver for me so it’s fits the bill pretty well.
I didn’t buy a Bluetec because of the cost difference. I wasn’t sure I would be sold on the car and I can sell this one at a minimal loss if I don’t like it. I’m crazy for the MB 7 speed autos and that was the only real plus the Bluetec had for me. I’m not crazy about the more sophisticated emissions and the motor didn’t feel much smoother. The 7 speed is a big deal if it’s a keeper.
On the 2000 mile Colo-FLA trip I averaged 71MPH and 35.5MPG. The 71MPH includes gas stops and so on. I made no attempt to be thrifty. The tires weren’t highly inflated and I just drove normal. My calculations matched the computer. The car has such smooth roll on power in traffic it’s hard to not use it more at the expense of some fuel. It’s really fun squeezing from 70-85MPH. There seems to be little fuel penalty for going 80 vs. 65, The top ratios in the tranny are very well matched to how the turbo builds power.
The controls are simple and excellent. The navi is a a generation back but it found everything I wanted with minimal effort.
The car is clunkier than the gassers around town. Some lag but not bad unless you live for the throttle tip in of an E55. The 7sp E350 is more nimble around town but the CDI feels about the same as a 5speed E350 4Matic. I get about 30MPG in stop and go traffic. I get 25MPG in stoplight to stoplight BS. My wife’s Lexus RX350 gets 17 on the same stoplight cycle.
There is really nothing the car is doing that annoys me. I’ve got stone interior and that is a complete PITA to keep clean but other than that no complaints.
Too soon to tell if I would do it over. I would probably buy a E550 but I might miss the CDI novelty.
So far so good. Glad to be back in a Benz sedan after a couple of BMW’s.
Last edited by Boulder GT3; 01-03-2009 at 06:24 PM.
#3
Member
I had some of the same observations as you. I recently bought a E320 Bluetec (2007 so no adblue) mostly a V6 versus an I6. I recently drove to Minneapolis and back about 500 miles -- it did remind me also of older Benz's. The one thing I did when I got back was get a KD-Box -- the mileage has improved, throttle, and MPG. The car is quite snappy now. I am not sure if you want to invest the money (850 + 106 labor) in my case, but it has made this car really perform much more like a gasser in town, and really made it a monster on the highway.
The KD-Box installed in a jiffy, and was done by my dealer who said that it would not void the warranty. My biggest problem was finding diesel on my trip (well Winter Diesel).
I am so glad you enjoy your E320 CDI. The passing power on the highway is just incredible. Also the little bit of noise you hear gives me a bit of nostalgia....
BTW, how is the 5 speed tranny in your car? I find the 7 speed quite smoove, and am curious on your thoughts on that.
Thanks for sharing,
Phil
PS I think someone on here is selling a KD-Box for a lot less.
The KD-Box installed in a jiffy, and was done by my dealer who said that it would not void the warranty. My biggest problem was finding diesel on my trip (well Winter Diesel).
I am so glad you enjoy your E320 CDI. The passing power on the highway is just incredible. Also the little bit of noise you hear gives me a bit of nostalgia....
BTW, how is the 5 speed tranny in your car? I find the 7 speed quite smoove, and am curious on your thoughts on that.
Thanks for sharing,
Phil
PS I think someone on here is selling a KD-Box for a lot less.
Last edited by philfna; 01-02-2009 at 10:58 PM.
#4
Member
Thread Starter
I do notice that it takes a long time for the car to come up to operating temp when it's <40 degrees. The heater will blow warm quickly but the motor rattles at a higher rate for maybe 20 minutes.
It still does not have comparable refinement to a gasser but it's close enough to weigh the trade offs.
It's got a bit of a diesel growl when you roll it on in the mid-range that I kind of like.
The big caveat is that I don't think there is a perfect car, boat, house, or whatever. It's all a series of trades and compromises.
#5
Member
Thread Starter
I'd rather have the 7 speed on the highway too but the 5 speed works great. The engine has enough torque that in the 60-80MPH range I never really feel like I would downshift. The engine just builds boost and whoosh.
I'll find the black box if it doesn't screw up my CPO.
I meant the "old" Benz remark as a compliment but when I re-read my post it doesn't come off that way.
#6
Member
Get the KD-Box no ECU tuning it goes before the ECU, monitoring fuel, pressure, etc. Big difference my dealer is a Kleeman dealer, and it was an easy sell for me. I didn't believe the hype of improve MPG, torque, and HP but it turned out to be all true.
E320CDI must be quite similar in improvement to the 07 Bluetec.
E320CDI must be quite similar in improvement to the 07 Bluetec.
Trending Topics
#8
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 4,349
Received 1,028 Likes
on
745 Posts
2010 E350 4Matic
My experience with the gas car is that I definitely preferred the refinement over the diesel. But right at the moment seems like a good time to reconsider the diesel given the current fuel prices.
Last edited by MBNUT1; 01-02-2009 at 11:44 PM.
#9
Member
Diesel is still 60 cents more here than premium. I drive 13 miles to work, and I get 33.8 miles (40 percent in town, and 60 percent hwy). I have Blizzaks on right now I imagine in Summer I'll get better with no snow on the ground.
PS it ws -11 here, and it started up just fine. No real appreciable mileage decrease over 10 degree weather.
PS it ws -11 here, and it started up just fine. No real appreciable mileage decrease over 10 degree weather.
#10
Member
Thread Starter
Ok well this is something that I have wondered about. Does the mileage suffer significantly while coming up to temp. My commute to work is 11 miles the middle 8 of which is on the highway. I have wondered whether I would see that much improvement in mileage (over a gasser) due to the warm up time. I have averaged 22.7 over the last 5700 miles with my E3504matic but I have to work at it. I would have preferred a rear drive but I bought it off of a friend at work and he likes the 4matics.
My experience with the gas car is that I definitely preferred the refinement over the diesel. But right at the moment seems like a good time to reconsider the diesel given the current fuel prices.
My experience with the gas car is that I definitely preferred the refinement over the diesel. But right at the moment seems like a good time to reconsider the diesel given the current fuel prices.
I don't think the the diesel is cheaper to run at current MOGAS vs. distillate price structures. Plus, the maintenance is more expensive. That said, it still uses less petroleum which is a good thing somewhere in the mix.
#12
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 4,349
Received 1,028 Likes
on
745 Posts
2010 E350 4Matic
The CDI seems a little less happy than a gas one before it's warm and like I said, it takes a bit longer to get warm. The MPG doesn't drop a lot when cold.
I don't think the the diesel is cheaper to run at current MOGAS vs. distillate price structures. Plus, the maintenance is more expensive. That said, it still uses less petroleum which is a good thing somewhere in the mix.
I don't think the the diesel is cheaper to run at current MOGAS vs. distillate price structures. Plus, the maintenance is more expensive. That said, it still uses less petroleum which is a good thing somewhere in the mix.
#13
MBWorld Fanatic!
Join Date: Oct 2002
Location: Cincinnati
Posts: 4,349
Received 1,028 Likes
on
745 Posts
2010 E350 4Matic
Diesel is still 60 cents more here than premium. I drive 13 miles to work, and I get 33.8 miles (40 percent in town, and 60 percent hwy). I have Blizzaks on right now I imagine in Summer I'll get better with no snow on the ground.
PS it ws -11 here, and it started up just fine. No real appreciable mileage decrease over 10 degree weather.
PS it ws -11 here, and it started up just fine. No real appreciable mileage decrease over 10 degree weather.
Last edited by MBNUT1; 01-03-2009 at 12:22 PM.
#14
Member
MBNUT1 I agree with your comments. Also, in 2010 when all non-ULSD goes away I think diesel will drop in price. Finally, I would get a non-UREA ADBlue vehicle. I got the 2007 since no AdBlue, and the V6 with 7G transmission.
#16
MBWorld Fanatic!
It is really a nice feature if your car is in cold weather and sits out overnight.
I have had one since 2/08 and love it. It is also a CDI (2005). I have put about 20k on it since then and love every chance I get to take it on a trip. I have averaged 41.6MPG on a 450+ mile trip, including rest stops and some in-town driving.
#17
MBWorld Fanatic!
The I/C calculates MPG based on how much fuel the ECU is supposedly injecting into the engine at any given time. I have discovered that mine is pretty accurate overall.
#18
Member
I have done the pump and mileage calculation. It seems fairly accurate. I suspect the cost here for the KD-box is a bit more of the bad stuff in the air. There is no such thing as a "free" lunch.
#19
Member
Thread Starter
After cleaning the car up and reflecting on the first long road trip, the CDI is a keeper for a while.
I'm going to figure out the KD-Box. I've tuned some of my tow vehicles and always had good results as long as I didn't go over the top. In all cases, the internal dash MPG computer lied like crazy afterwards. I'm glad the MBenz still reads right.
One other thing I was thinking about on the trip and MPG. On I-75 in South Georgia and Northern Florida you can always catch a stream of cars running very fast. I slid in behind a group and ran a steady 85-110MPH for an hour. The mileage only dropped about .5MPG vs. 70MPH. I've never seen anything like that with a car. Usually, above 80MPH the mileage starts to fall off a cliff. The only thing I've seen similar is in some diesel yachts that are tuned to run a specific % of peak RPM's.
Another side note. One of the cars I was following was a black S55. Rare to see on the road. I followed him up to about 115 and he pulled away from me like I was chained to a fence.
I'm going to figure out the KD-Box. I've tuned some of my tow vehicles and always had good results as long as I didn't go over the top. In all cases, the internal dash MPG computer lied like crazy afterwards. I'm glad the MBenz still reads right.
One other thing I was thinking about on the trip and MPG. On I-75 in South Georgia and Northern Florida you can always catch a stream of cars running very fast. I slid in behind a group and ran a steady 85-110MPH for an hour. The mileage only dropped about .5MPG vs. 70MPH. I've never seen anything like that with a car. Usually, above 80MPH the mileage starts to fall off a cliff. The only thing I've seen similar is in some diesel yachts that are tuned to run a specific % of peak RPM's.
Another side note. One of the cars I was following was a black S55. Rare to see on the road. I followed him up to about 115 and he pulled away from me like I was chained to a fence.
#20
MBWorld Fanatic!
The CDI really is a great car, and a great engine so far. Excellent power and economy, and a blast to drive.
#21
Member
I would concur with Polar Bear the CDI is a great car. I got the 2007 Bluetec because Polar Bear found it sitting at a dealer in North Carolina. The diesel is just a blast to drive. I really enjoy it. My only concern with this car is in winter, and the traction issue. So far with Blizzak WS60's it has been just as good if not better than any front wheel car I have owned with all season tires on.
#22
I too have an '06 CDI and have loved every moment of ownership. Great fuel mileage, good power, extremely comfortable and very reliable so far. MB did a great job with this car!
#23
Member
Thread Starter
City Mileage
As I posted above, my first use of the 320 CDI was a 2200 mile road trip. I now have the first accurate reading of how it's doing in pure stoplight to stoplight city driving. I'll preface this by saying I'm pretty gentle on take offs but nobody waits. Spending time on race tracks with cars has made me "easy on the equipment". On the same 20 mile round trip drive taking my daughter to school that I averaged 11.5MPG in my Land Rover LR3 I'm getting 26.5MPG in the CDI. On that route I averaged 17.5MPG in a 2008 C300 that I used for a couple of days.
Around town you can tell but pretty quickly forget or don't care that it's a diesel. I'm never aware of any smell or fumes with the windows down and roof open. The subdued diesel rattle is present until about 10MPH but again, it's just different not really objectionable. I think the hot ticket to minimize "dieselness" would be the Bluetec with the 7 speed but sans the urea spritzer. Still, I'm very happy with the CDI and happier with it around town that I thought I would be.
Around town you can tell but pretty quickly forget or don't care that it's a diesel. I'm never aware of any smell or fumes with the windows down and roof open. The subdued diesel rattle is present until about 10MPH but again, it's just different not really objectionable. I think the hot ticket to minimize "dieselness" would be the Bluetec with the 7 speed but sans the urea spritzer. Still, I'm very happy with the CDI and happier with it around town that I thought I would be.
#24
MBWorld Fanatic!
Perhaps most drivers don't care, but I just don't like the idea of the technology in general - having to have that large tank, no spare, etc.
#25
Member
Thread Starter
Yeah - I am not interested in the urea injection either. Although the E-Class W211 has never had urea, I highly expect the W212 will so it will be a 50-state car. I don't intend on ever purching a urea injection technology - I feel sure it is just a stepping stone to newer technology and will not be needed in the near future. That's one thing that prevents me from getting the ML320 diesel, since it went with urea injection.
Perhaps most drivers don't care, but I just don't like the idea of the technology in general - having to have that large tank, no spare, etc.
Perhaps most drivers don't care, but I just don't like the idea of the technology in general - having to have that large tank, no spare, etc.