Carl Lassiter

Guys with diesels, do you ever find yourself unable to locate diesel either on a long road trip or in town? I ask as many gas stations do not have derv pumps. Do you have to put a certain type of diesel in or is any grade fine (assuming there is more than one grade)?

I ask as I'm looking to bring in an oil burner but don't want to be stranded at a non-diesel gas station.

Thanks in advance.

dgiturbo

I live in the Chicago area. In 33000 miles, I have never been in a situation where I could not find diesel fuel. I have driven as far west as Iowa, and as to the east, Baltimore MD. Fuel was everywhere. Remember the range is around 700 miles per tank, so you have plenty of time to shop around.

As for the type of Diesel. You must use Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel. (ULSD) Basically every station that sells diesel should be selling this. In 2010 it will be mandatory. I have never seen anything but ULSD for the last year or so.

You will notice that you will become a creature of habit, and once you find a station with a good price near your home, you will tend to fill up there.

Enjoy the ride. Mileage will impress once the engine breaks in!!

ima55r2

Its easy to find diesel pumps just about anywhere on the road or in town. When on the road, I never let the tank go below a quarter so I never feel pressured that I might run out of fuel. Check here to see all the stations in your area. You have to use the ultra low sulfur content diesel. http://gasprices.mapquest.com/search...d=&sortOrder=2

Brocktoon

Why don't you ask your Dad where he get's his? I'm sure any Total, Agip, Repsol, Tamoil et. al. should have what you need...

Kaumajet

I have travelled far and wide in the US and Canada (you know, that vast expanse of nothing to your north) with my last 4 Diesels, spanning 20-odd years, and have never been stuck for fuel. Ever.

It's not unobtanium, it's Diesel fuel. Every truck in the world burns it. Plus, you only have to look for it every 600 - 700 miles. Like we say in the motorcycle touring world - never pass gas.

Fifth Ring

No problem at all. You have a BIG tank (26 gal) and good mileage (20-27MPG) so lots of room between fill ups. We live in a well developed area, so no issues at all. In fact, I'm surprised how seamless the switch has been. The fact that the stuff doesn't blow up is just icing on the cake.

Carl Lassiter

That would be quite the drive, he lives in England where more than 50 percent of vehicles are diesel.

Guys, you've put my mind at ease. I'd be replacing my truck, so range would only be about 400miles (F250). I'll remember never pass gas but for some reason am still fearful of long stretches of interstate but interesting to learn about 2010 emissions which should mean there is more than big rig fuel available.

Thanks again for the helpful replies and good to see the GL section as active as ever.

BTW, congrats on the new acquisition fifth ring, a nice choice. Since selling the S4 haven't been in the W203 section much but hope all is well.

Brocktoon

I knew that, I was just kidding with you.

I have found it somewhat hard to find from my preferred vendor in town (Esso), but on the road, no problem.

StevethePilot

Well that's 'cause you've misspelled it! It's "Exxon," for Pete's sake.

(I never did understand why they only changed it in the US?)

STP

Carl Lassiter

I must say it's on the road I'm worried about so hearing that none of you guys are concerned is reassuring as I want my next truck purchase to be one that lasts more than a miserable day stuck walking along I15.

oknish

One of my favorite hangouts in college http://theessoclub.com/Home.htm

thebishman

If you travel a great deal on the Interstate, (Motorway), you will never have an issue. Remember all of the artics use diesel and hence every fuel stop on the interstate should have it.

Bish

dmfick

Actually, if you look closely in a US Exxon station, the diesel fuel is labelled Esso. It is the one product that never switched to the Exxon moniker. The reason is a bit obscure -

In 1972, Standard Oil of New Jersey (ESSO stands for Eastern States Standard Oil) renamed itself as the Exxon Corporation, and adopted that trademark throughout the country. It however maintained the rights to "Standard" and "Esso" in the states where it held those rights, by a token effort, by selling "Esso Diesel" in those states at stations that sell diesel fuel, thus preventing the trademark from being declared abandoned.

dieselsrule

Don't worry about fuel supply, especially on the Interstates. Every truck stop has an ample supply. You will probably have to pull into the "Auto diesel" pump, as they have a smaller nozzle than truck diesel pumps. My E320 has a plate that won't let a truck nozzle into the filler neck. While driving through rural Oklahoma today, I noticed that more and more convenience stores now have diesel fuel.
Good luck!

StevethePilot

I've noted that our local Circle-K stores (convenience stores) are now carrying #2, and often at a very competetive price.

When I was on the highway going cross country in that nightmare motorhome I rented, I saw in a few places that the pumps were separated between commercial and noncommercial vehicles for not only nozzle size purposes (the motorhome could've taken a fire hose in to those huge holding tanks) but also for tax purposes. I guess some states tax the commercial vehicles differently? Beyond my ability to reason, but anyway that's another good thing to watch for as well.

STP

dieselsrule

On road vehicles pay an excise tax, federal plus state amounts to .$35-.$55/gallon depending on what state you live in. Now on-road fuel is called clear (it really has a slight green color), and off-road is called red (and has a red color). The color is only for tax purposes. In our area, both fuels are the same (we have 1 local refinery that supplies 75% of the fuel in our area) and the only diesel fuel that it makes is Ultra low. The color is added at the fuel rack as the tanker is being loaded. Off road fuel is for farmers, construction equipment, and reefer vans. On road is for over the road vehicles. If you should "accidently" put off road in your vehicle, as long as it is ULSD it should not hurt a thing. Sometimes the DOT will check big truck fuel tanks to make sure they don't have red fuel, but I have never seen them stop anything smaller than a 1 ton pickup pulling a trailer.

dmfick

In my area they stop anything with a diesel engine. I have been stopped twice on US 13 on the Eastern Shore of Virginia - once in my Ford F250 diesel, and once in my 320. I have an off-road diesel tank on my farm for tractors and a boat, and have been tempted to put the cheaper ULSD in my trucks, but the fine is $1,000 per gallon of fuel in your tank, up to a maximum of $10,000. I know a guy who was fined the full $10K. Takes a lot of years to burn off that penalty to save a few cents. Besides, the tax is how we pay for roads. Not paying it is pure theft.

thebishman

Isn't it also true that in some areas the 'red' off-road diesel could be the higher sulphur content fuel? I'm not sure that it's worth the risk of ruining our 320 CDIs/voiding the warranty just for the sake of a few cents saved on a gallon of diesel. I'm sure it's true that in many areas it all comes from the same refinery, and the only difference is the dye added, but what if a person lives in an area where there is more than one, and one of them specifically formulates the higher sulphur content fuel. How would you know? Not worth it imho.

Bish

oinick

Thing is that now you can get a hell of a deal on a Yukon or Tahoe hybrid that gets better overall mileage than a GL 320 and uses regular unleaded. (21 mpg city, 22 mpg highway) With the Employee Pricing deal and $5000 cash back from the manufacturer they are being offered for just over $41K right now. That's really impressive pricing. And they drive well and have a much nicer interior than previous big GMC SUVs. It's really cool to pull up to a light and have the A/C and radio keep working but see the tach go to zero. Then when you take off the truck reaches about 20 mph or so and then the motor smoothly and silently kicks back on. I honestly think the Yukon is more comfortable on the inside than the GL is.

Just something to think about. I still love my diesel, and it's paid for, but I would look hard at a Yukon hybrid with that kind of pricing if I hadn't already bought my 320. I might still trade the GL if they ever come out with the Escalade hybrid...

StevethePilot

I'd like to see "real world" on that before pulling that trigger. I agree it's nice to see the tach go to zero at a stop light, but the added complexity and guaranteed obsolescence of the batteries, as well as lugging around those self same batteries, makes me take a pause. If I drove more in the city only, a hybrid might be more to my needs, but most of the roads I drive on, even in town, are long, straight, and have great distances between lights - perfect diesel territory.

Now, mate a current-generation diesel to a hybrid system and we're talking something much more tempting. I bet you'd see at least double the mileage, particularly if they bring in manual transmissions.

STP

BlownV8

http://www.edmunds.com/insideline/do.../pageId=137665

Can They Hit the EPA Ratings?
Once we're on the road, we forgive the odd sounds and sensations from the GM hybrid drivetrain when the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid returns 20.1 mpg during our 120-mile city loop — a stop-and-go diet of surface streets in Southern California through Los Angeles and Ventura counties.

Although most strong hybrids do their best work in the city, this Tahoe Hybrid proves more fuel-efficient on the highway. We drive at a 70-mph pace on a 130-mile loop from the coastal plain in Santa Monica to the 3,500-foot pass at the crest of the Tehachapi mountains and back, and the Tahoe averages 21.9 mpg.
This makes sense when you understand the thinking behind GM's hybrid system. It's not so much about electric-only operation, as in the Toyota Prius. Rather the electric motors allow the V8 to stay in its Active Fuel Management V4 mode for longer periods than it might in a regular Chevy Tahoe, and the transmission picks ratios accordingly.

Since we're avoiding rapid acceleration and using cruise control whenever possible on the highway loop, there are fewer changes in throttle position than in city driving — which makes life easier for the transmission.

Our 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI gets 26 mpg on the highway loop, which is a superb figure for a large SUV but not altogether surprising since the diesel carries a 24-mpg EPA highway estimate.

Harder to explain is the Benz's 22.1-mpg average on the city loop, a clear advantage over the Tahoe.Partly, this might be due to one of the little discussed advantages of the diesel engine. That is, it doesn't require a conventional throttle. Basically, a diesel draws in the same amount of air on every stroke. So during city driving, the Benz turbodiesel V6 gets lots of air even though only small amounts of fuel are being injected. In contrast, a gasoline engine might as well be sucking air through a straw under light acceleration, and this creates more friction, resulting in pumping losses and poorer fuel economy.

However, we suspect lower curb weight is the primary reason for the GL320's mileage advantage. At 5,500 pounds, it's hardly svelte, but the Tahoe Hybrid weighs a monumentally chubby 5,900 pounds.

Equals in a Contest of Speed
In spite of its bulk, the Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid forces itself through space with a haste that's comparable to the Mercedes GL. Both SUVs have some off-the-line snap, though neither is particularly exciting when you floor the gas pedal.

At our test track, the Tahoe Hybrid and GL320 CDI hit 60 mph in 8.8 seconds and stay right with each other through the quarter-mile at 16.4 seconds. The Chevy is moving at 86.8 mph at this point, 0.3 mph faster than the Benz.

For perspective, these numbers are on par with a normal Tahoe, which weighs 400 pounds less. Our long-term '07 Tahoe ran to 60 mph in 8.5 seconds and completed the quarter-mile in 16.4 seconds at 85.3 mph. Mercedes doesn't offer a gasoline V6 in the GL-Class line, and as you'd expect, the V8-equipped GL450 is significantly quicker than the diesel, reaching 60 mph in 6.7 seconds and completing the quarter-mile in 15.1 seconds at 91.6 mph.

Although acceleration is a draw, the GL320 can tow more. With its optional $510 tow package, it has a 7,500-pound tow rating compared to a 6,000-pound limit for the Tahoe.

The Agile Benz Pulls Ahead
Start going around corners and the Tahoe Hybrid's 3 tons are harder to hide. GM's hybrid SUV behaves predictably and its steering is surprisingly precise, but it turns in very slowly and braking effort is considerable, even though it stops from 60 mph in a respectable 134 feet, the same distance as our long-term '07 Tahoe.

Hop into the diesel GL and you realize the benefit of not only fewer pounds, but also of unibody construction and four-wheel independent suspension. In fact, the Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI handles phenomenally well for a full-size SUV. Its 60.0-mph speed through our test slalom is the best number we've ever gotten out of a full-size SUV. Compare this to the Tahoe Hybrid's 57.5 mph.

Although the skid-pad numbers are close for these sumo-size SUVs — 0.73g for the Mercedes and 0.69g for the Chevy — the margin would be even more in the GL's favor if you could disable the Benz's stability control.

As on the Tahoe, the GL's brake pedal initially feels soft. As you get into its travel, though, the braking action progressively gets stronger. More important, the GL's braking distances are shorter, as the Mercedes stops from 60 mph in 123 feet.

The Germans Know You Better Than You Think
Although the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid has more hip- and shoulder room in the first two seating rows (as well as more storage space), the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI is the better packaged vehicle if you're going to use all three rows. Its independent rear suspension allows a lower floor and a more comfortable, higher-mounted third-row bench. Plus, that bench can fold away into the floor, improving cargo capacity.

The ergonomics of the driving position are acceptable in both SUVs, but the Tahoe has an edge here, as its touchscreen navigation interface is easier to use than the GL320's setup, which is the previous generation of the Mercedes-Benz controller-operated COMAND setup.

Diesel Wins This Round
Although the 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid is more versatile than earlier hybrid SUVs like the Ford Escape and Lexus RX 400h and feels more normal to drive (vastly so, in fact), we prefer the 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI, which feels like even less of a compromise.

The diesel GL also handles and stops better, while offering superior seat comfort and utility. And with its combined fuel-economy average of 23.9 mpg offering a substantial margin over the Tahoe's 20.9 mpg, the Benz easily wins our fuel-economy test, too.

Of course a comparison of fuel prices equalizes the game a little. During this test, we pay $3.579 per gallon for the Chevy's 87-octane gas, while the Benz's diesel costs us $4.179 per gallon. But because of the GL320's lower fuel consumption, we actually spent only a dollar more overall to fill its tank at the end of our test.

Availability is likely to be the bigger issue with both of these vehicles, however.

Until the Bluetec versions arrive this fall, getting your hands on a GL320, or any other diesel Mercedes SUV, is impossible in big states like California and New York. Curiously, buying a 2008 Chevrolet Tahoe Hybrid might not be much easier, unless you're Paris Hilton. GM says it has capacity to build 8,000-12,000 Tahoe/Yukon Hybrids this year, but we hear only 655 were sold in the first quarter of 2008. For now, you're more likely to see these SUVs in Mother Jones ads than on the road.

Nevertheless, this test offers reason for optimism. If these heavyweights can break 20 mpg, the same is true for all the seven-passenger crossovers out there. So let's keep the hybrid-versus-diesel battle going. It's our Obama vs. Clinton, and the longer it lasts, the better off we'll be.

Kaumajet

That's a very well-written report. And the last line could not be more true; keep it up, and we'll all be better off.

StevethePilot

(Picture me, banging the table with one hand, pointing at the screen with the other, bouncing up and down and going, "See?! SEE?! Why aren't you paying attention, MBUSA?")

So frustrating.

Brocktoon

I hope you did not get too much Keystone Light on your keyboard, dude.

skymarc

Too bad that MB didnt put a bigger filler opening to take the bigger nozzles, most truck stops offers better pricing and availablity. car gas dealership put a premium pricing on its diesel.
That is what I have seen on a trip in the US North East this summer. Has anyone modify the fuel opening port? I have been thinking about it as I cannot use my own truck rig fuel thank without a mess as the filler nozzle wont fit all the way in.