Help me pick my next diesel purchase

CALL911

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I'm not familiar with the Mercedes E250 BT. From a quick Google search, this seems to be a car? I'm looking for an SUV for this one. I drove a few GL Mercedes about a year ago. Honestly, I loved them. My wife did not though. The killer for me besides the wife not liking them was the fact they had no tow rating at all though.

If I am wrong and the E250BT is a SUV, please educate me. If there's another option out there I should consider, I am very much still open to other options.
 

tikal

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Correct. My main point was that when comparing any metric with statistical variance you need to estimate an average (arithmetic mean is the most used) based on as much data points as possible (miles/Kms in this case). Therefore relying on individual MPGs for your choices of these diesel SUVs is probably not a good idea for an accurate long term cost/benefit analysis and ranking.

Perhaps the absolute average MPG value is not as important as the relative average MPGs of your choice of vehicles against each other.

Well, for sure I am first not looking for the cheapest vehicle overall here. If so, I could probably find some old Toyota RAV4 or something on the used market for cheap that would probably last me a long time.

I am looking for a higher end luxury car, and I know that it will come with an added cost over the other less expensive options. However, it also comes with the added comfort and luxury I am after. Now, from what I have gathered for this particular car, it does seem to be fairly reliable.

As you pointed out, the more cars I could get info on the better. I think an average of 25.07 is probably not all that horrible considering the variables of people towing, driving in winter, and I know many drive many more miles in town than I would ever do. It does seem unless the people I have asked on the Bimmer forums are lying that for more highway drivning like I plan on doing that mid to sometimes upper 30's on the highway are not uncommon. Compared to the other options I have looked at, this is a bit better. For how much I drive, fuel price will likely be one of the larger expenses.

I will add that current diesel prices in my area are almost a full dollar more than gas. This will run the price per mile up a bit for sure and if it's still continuing on this trend when I am ready to buy, I may strongly reconsider the CX-9 and how important the towing actually is to me.
 

ssamalin

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2015 Mercedes E250 Blutec. Previously: 2006 Jetta TDI
I'm not familiar with the Mercedes E250 BT. From a quick Google search, this seems to be a car? I'm looking for an SUV for this one. I drove a few GL Mercedes about a year ago. Honestly, I loved them. My wife did not though. The killer for me besides the wife not liking them was the fact they had no tow rating at all though.

If I am wrong and the E250BT is a SUV, please educate me. If there's another option out there I should consider, I am very much still open to other options.
There's also the GLK250 BT, a small but marvelously handling SUV with the same engine.
 

CALL911

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Thank you for the input!

I was actually looking into Mercedes earlier today. I came accross the GLC 250d, and the GLE 300d.

It seems the GLC was not for sale in the US, so that one was clearly out. I did see that the GLE 300d was sold in the US and I was only able to find a little time to research it, but what I found was good. It seems to be a bit more pricey than the others on the used market fetching an average of $38k instead of the more standard $30k market I was looking at before. Also, there are not as many of these out there as I am suspecting many less were made than the X535d by BMW. More research will be needed.

It's hard with Mercedes because it always seems like each year they make some random new model car and ditch another previous model that may have had a 4 year run. There are a ton of different random Mercedes models over all the years as a result and it's challenging trying to find info for one certain model that was made only a few certain years.

I was not aware of the GLK250 BT or the ML250 BT. I would love to get more info on those. Can you give me a run down? Are they gas or diesel? What years did they offer and what is their towing capacity? Where they known to be reliable or did they have many maintenance issues?
 

ssamalin

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Thank you for the input!
I was actually looking into Mercedes earlier today. I came accross the GLC 250d, and the GLE 300d.
It seems the GLC was not for sale in the US, so that one was clearly out. I did see that the GLE 300d was sold in the US and I was only able to find a little time to research it, but what I found was good. It seems to be a bit more pricey than the others on the used market fetching an average of $38k instead of the more standard $30k market I was looking at before. Also, there are not as many of these out there as I am suspecting many less were made than the X535d by BMW. More research will be needed.
It's hard with Mercedes because it always seems like each year they make some random new model car and ditch another previous model that may have had a 4 year run. There are a ton of different random Mercedes models over all the years as a result and it's challenging trying to find info for one certain model that was made only a few certain years.
I was not aware of the GLK250 BT or the ML250 BT. I would love to get more info on those. Can you give me a run down? Are they gas or diesel? What years did they offer and what is their towing capacity? Where they known to be reliable or did they have many maintenance issues?
BT means bluetec, the mercedes diesel, 2014-6, towing capacity is unclear but I think at least poor to fair (IIRC?? was something like a ton), mine has been ultra reliable at 60k and I expect excellent going forward. I give A+ to GLK250BT as a small excellently powered and handling SUV, but D to ML250BT since it is under powered and has bad handling.
 
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Oberkanone

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Diesel. Towing. Utility.
Around $30K.
Ram pickup Ecodiesel 4WD woud be my pick here. Not a SUV. Pickups today have all the luxury features available.
 

CALL911

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Diesel. Towing. Utility.
Around $30K.
Ram pickup Ecodiesel 4WD woud be my pick here. Not a SUV. Pickups today have all the luxury features available.
I know this is opinionated, but I strongly believe Dodge does not currently know how to make quality products. I'm sure their cummiins are good engines, but the rest of the truck I would not feel good about. Nothing to say that it also gets 10 MPG less than the other SUV's I am considering, and when I pack kids, and baggage or groceries I don't necessarily want them in the truck bed to freeze.

They come with a lot of features, but not likely the ones in some of these more high end SUV's I am considering.

Not my cup of tea, but I know there are a lot of diehard truck guys out there. I'm just not one of them.
 

tikal

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BT means bluetec, the mercedes diesel, 2014-6, towing capacity is unclear but I think at least poor to fair (IIRC?? was something like a ton), mine has been ultra reliable at 60k and I expect excellent going forward. I give A+ to GLK250BT as a small excellently powered and handling SUV, but D to ML250BT since it is under powered and has bad handling.
If the reliability is above average (B+ maybe) for the GLK250 then the fuel economy is probably A- based on this data from Fuelly:

"Based on data from 43 vehicles, 2,731 fuel-ups and 1,128,810 miles of driving, the 2014 Mercedes-Benz GLK250 gets a combined Avg MPG of 31.79 with a 0.20 MPG margin of error."
 

InfoSec

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2010 ML350 Bluetec. Tuned. Deleted. I can tow about 7500 lbs. Loaded, w/ kids and gear (w/out towing the boat) it returns 32-34hwy. Mixed driving to/from work, it reruns 28-29mpg. Can't beat that. Lifetime mileage it has returned 28.6mpg.
 

CALL911

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Nice! I've been so busy, I have not had a chance to get to my local MB dealer to get more info and try a test drive if they have something similar.
 

ssamalin

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2015 Mercedes E250 Blutec. Previously: 2006 Jetta TDI
2010 ML350 Bluetec. Tuned. Deleted. I can tow about 7500 lbs. Loaded, w/ kids and gear (w/out towing the boat) it returns 32-34hwy. Mixed driving to/from work, it reruns 28-29mpg. Can't beat that. Lifetime mileage it has returned 28.6mpg.
That 6 cyl must be fun too.

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ssamalin

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Nice! I've been so busy, I have not had a chance to get to my local MB dealer to get more info and try a test drive if they have something similar.
You'd be able to find older MB on autotrader or such. 2016 was the last year of BT.

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DangerBoy

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Moving from my '97 C4 A6 TDI manual to a '10 BMW X5 35d has been interesting. Please note my X5 had the full "alphabet" delete prior to me getting it, mapped with an eco tune here locally. First, this car feels very fast... we own a '05 Porsche Cayenne Twin turbo and I would be shocked if the X5 couldn't beat it off the line, at least for the first few seconds. People on here are claiming decent fuel economy from the 35d but I'm not seeing it yet. I'm also having a tough time driving this car for economy, it is much more fun to drive than the 'ol inline 2.5L Audi A6. I'll say this much about the Audi, it did get around 5.8L/100km if I did a bunch of highway. No way the X5 will do that... but I don't mind because of how much I like driving the car. I can only imagine what the 535d is like. I went BMW because I am tired of dealing with timing system related issues. Inline 6 is scary smooth for a diesel and easier to work on than a V anything. The Cayenne for example is your worst nightmare to work on.
 

CALL911

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Moving from my '97 C4 A6 TDI manual to a '10 BMW X5 35d has been interesting. Please note my X5 had the full "alphabet" delete prior to me getting it, mapped with an eco tune here locally. First, this car feels very fast... we own a '05 Porsche Cayenne Twin turbo and I would be shocked if the X5 couldn't beat it off the line, at least for the first few seconds. People on here are claiming decent fuel economy from the 35d but I'm not seeing it yet. I'm also having a tough time driving this car for economy, it is much more fun to drive than the 'ol inline 2.5L Audi A6. I'll say this much about the Audi, it did get around 5.8L/100km if I did a bunch of highway. No way the X5 will do that... but I don't mind because of how much I like driving the car. I can only imagine what the 535d is like. I went BMW because I am tired of dealing with timing system related issues. Inline 6 is scary smooth for a diesel and easier to work on than a V anything. The Cayenne for example is your worst nightmare to work on.
Thank you for your input Danger Boy. I have no doubt an emission deleted car would be fun to drive. It's good getting your perspective since you own both a Cayanne and an X5.

I will add that your year of your X5 (2010) was before the later versions, and thus does not get nearly the fuel mileage the new ones (2014-2018) get. The latest generation X5 diesel are the ones getting the much higher fuel economy.
 

DangerBoy

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As it is now with me driving in the worst stop and go conditions for fuel economy and not being nearly as conservative as I should (but still a semi-considerate driver) I'll likely get 10l/100km on this tank. I think the only way to do worse than this is to pull a trailer uphill both ways while trying to do standstill 4 wheel wheelspins on sheer ice at each intersection.
 

eli

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Hello to OP seeker of diesel/SUVs.



Here are some semi-informed viewpoints perhaps tangentially related to diesel.



I could not resist the Porsche as first-stop/benchmark if its on the short-list at all. Maybe test-drive the stickshift Porsche SUV if you can find one, even though it's a gasser.



I owned a 2004 XC90 for 100k miles - it was my 2nd of 3 volvos and it was awesome for family. Volvo kindly provided a bunch of XC90 for me and other new owners to drive on a race-track/paddock/road-course - including "moose test". I didn't try the moose test at 100 mph but based on results up to 60, I am sure it would not have rolled over at 100. It was a truck and it handled very predictably and safely for me who prefers performance car handling. It is amazing to see the one-side-only-tire-smoking "squat" operation of anti-rollover software on a track. You might want to drive an XC90 gasser slushbox as another benchmark - XC90 is the the most kush SUV and safest-passenger-vehicle available in USA. Especially if you have family/spousal-person/children in it.



I once drove a gen-1 gasser ML350 and thought it handled like a pickup truck, astoundingly bad ride and handling. Seems early SUVs were like that. Except volvo's !



Buddy with experience driving X5 vs Kay-yen indicates X5 way better for him as (gasser) driver. I told him I was not surprised for a few reasons, including BMW having way more experience making drivers handling trucks/SUVs.



Another buddy in Beantown has a stickshift Cayenne he wants to sell. I covet it. It is the last new-gen model available with stick. He parks it outdoors !



YES put the Jeep GC diesel on the list. And if that's on the list, also put the Jeep SRT8 on the list just for comparison TORQUE slushbox test-drive.



As for the questioning why the maintenance cost on any of these diesel SUVs would be more than for a gasser, that's funny stuff. Do not be afraid. Stare into the light of increased diesel combustion.


A stickshift diesel SUV would be amazing. Seems the closest we can get to that is a Dodge diesel pickup truck. I suppose I will have to test drive and buy one of those now that I've recommended 14 obscure test drives for our OP 911-caller/911-callee here.


TTFN !
 

Zambee500

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Re the BMW X5, was there a reason to limit the 3rd gen X5 model years to 2014-15 other than cost? Did anything change with MY2016 to make the diesel powered X5 less desirable (other than higher cost)?
 
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