It's official. I love the Bluetec drivetrain
12-14-2011, 09:31 AM
#1
Member
Thread Starter
It's official. I love the Bluetec drivetrain
Got about 900 miles now on the ML, my first diesel. As we all know, diesels make great torque, and the latest version in the ML is better than ever. On the other hand, diesels don't have much at the high end of the RPM range, which negatively impacted some performance parameters in the past.
The 7 speed automatic transmission in the ML mates perfectly with the Bluetec. I think the 7 speeds largely negate the limited rev capacity of the diesel. What one ends up with is seamless power and torque. The ML never seems to need a lower gear, and the shifts under light and medium throttle are almost imperceptible. Under harder throttle, the considerable mass of the ML is accelerated with no fuss, with good performance resulting.
All this is done with excellent fuel economy. It's still too early to tell, as mileage will probably improve with age, but I'm getting 24 mpg already in mixed around town driving (suburban driving with about 5 miles of highway each day on my commute). My commute is fairly long, but with the large fuel tank, I'm only stopping at the gas station once a week, and I usually still have a 1/4 tank left.
I'm also happy to report that the price differential between premium fuel and diesel is not as big as I thought it might be. I've found that while gas prices vary a little from station to station, and from one area of town to another, diesel prices vary a lot. Using GasBuddy.com, I've mapped out the best diesel prices, which are often 30-40 cents cheaper per gallon than at the more expensive locations. Not only that, these stations pump a lot more diesel, which assures getting fresh fuel. Since I don't have to fill up very often, it's not a big deal to work these preferred stations into my driving loop.
Just wanted to share these observations about how much I like the Bluetec setup. The only downside I've seen so far is the expected and not too annoying diesel rattle heard at idle only when you are outside the vehicle standing next to it, and the brief occasional cold stumble issue mentioned previously. Otherwise, it's a fantastic package.
The 7 speed automatic transmission in the ML mates perfectly with the Bluetec. I think the 7 speeds largely negate the limited rev capacity of the diesel. What one ends up with is seamless power and torque. The ML never seems to need a lower gear, and the shifts under light and medium throttle are almost imperceptible. Under harder throttle, the considerable mass of the ML is accelerated with no fuss, with good performance resulting.
All this is done with excellent fuel economy. It's still too early to tell, as mileage will probably improve with age, but I'm getting 24 mpg already in mixed around town driving (suburban driving with about 5 miles of highway each day on my commute). My commute is fairly long, but with the large fuel tank, I'm only stopping at the gas station once a week, and I usually still have a 1/4 tank left.
I'm also happy to report that the price differential between premium fuel and diesel is not as big as I thought it might be. I've found that while gas prices vary a little from station to station, and from one area of town to another, diesel prices vary a lot. Using GasBuddy.com, I've mapped out the best diesel prices, which are often 30-40 cents cheaper per gallon than at the more expensive locations. Not only that, these stations pump a lot more diesel, which assures getting fresh fuel. Since I don't have to fill up very often, it's not a big deal to work these preferred stations into my driving loop.
Just wanted to share these observations about how much I like the Bluetec setup. The only downside I've seen so far is the expected and not too annoying diesel rattle heard at idle only when you are outside the vehicle standing next to it, and the brief occasional cold stumble issue mentioned previously. Otherwise, it's a fantastic package.
12-14-2011, 02:48 PM
#3
Congrats, its good to hear you are happy with your purchase. I do like the TQ the BlueTec has however, I am very happy with my Blueefficiency - Keep us updated on your ML
