I might be straying....help talk me down

[DarkRAM]

O. K. , I love my truck. It's the best vehicle I’ve ever bought, the power is great, the ride is commanding, its just a bad-a** all around truck. I've been a fan of the cummins the moment I drove one. But with the amount of driving I'm doing lately, and the increasing cost of fuel, it is becoming impractical for me to drive it daily. I've considered the beater route, but I won't pay what I'm paying for something I can't drive and enjoy all the time. I've got diesel in my veins so, I want get another. (2-MB sedans and now 2-CTD's). I never intended to do any towing with my truck in the foreseeable future, I just liked having the option to tow just about anything if I needed to, so it was more of a security (size) and blank slate for me to play with. I've BOMBED my truck to have it just the way I want it except for a few finishing details, and now I feel like, What next? So after 6 months, 16K miles, and over $10,000 in toys (I about lost consciousness when I sat down tonight and added it up) I';m getting bored. I've been looking as the new Mercedes-Benz E320CDI. I miss my old Benz's and this would seem to fit my needs for a daily that I can afford and like to drive. I ran some figures and the cost of ownership w/o including services is actually quite a bit less than my truck. I don't even know if I could stand to drive a car again, but I could it would be MB. Am I the only who feels this way about your truck after you've gotten it the way you want it? Just thinking out loud here. What do you guys think?

 

[24V-DSL]

If you think you're bored now, wait for 16K to roll around on the Benz. Quiet, boring diesel sedan... no flair (ever seen Office Space)?



From your truck profile and "confession", you've got the bombing addiction. You'll be in analysis in less than a year.



On a serious note, MB is getting some bad press with quality issues. Friend bought used 02 E520, and now he's got big-time electrical problems. Lots of dealer down time.



Good luck with whatever you decide.

 

[MFalkinham]

I don't mean to sound sarcastic, but if you can afford the payments on a new 2005 Ram, and you can afford the $10k in add-ons, why can't you afford the diesel fuel to drive it? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense.



Also, it sounds to me like you bought too much Ram for your needs. If you never really tow anything why do you have a 3500 with 4. 10 gears and a Jake brake, and if you are in Florida why have the 4x4? A 2wd 2500 sounds more practical for your needs and would give you better fuel mileage (but still not the same as a Benz sedan).



Or it could be a case of postpartum depression of a bombing nature.

 

[Coolslice]

You've done it now! I asked a similar question and I got Lynch mobbed.

I feel ya though. When you step back and look at the cost of ownership these days, the CTD for all its glory is becoming less appealing to me as well. I don't think I could go back to a car, but something a little less expensive to own is looking nicer everyday. Sure, I can afford the fuel but fuel wasn't near this expensive when I bought it, and I can't help but feel like I'm being raped when I visist the pumps twice a week.

 

[Blufrog]

This is rather interesting. So the fuel costs are kind of an issue. I don't know what the MB gets for fuel milage but lets say you are getting 17 or 18 MPG in the truck. There are not a lot of other options out there that get much better than that unless you go to a rice burner. So if the MB gets even say 25MPG you don't really gain a lot IMO. And take a look at what gas prices are doing. Won't be long and you are paying just as much for gas as you are deisel anyways if you decide on a gasser.



Tough choice to make but you won't get near what you have in your truck and the overall loss you will take on it will pay for the fuel for years anyways.



Here is a wierd example. My brother decides he wants a gas saving car, goes out and buys a VW Jetta that is the sporty model. Nice car and gets about 30 mpg. but it sits as he still drives his Toy pickup. He makes the payments and yet won't drive the thing. He drove it up to my house after 6-7 months of ownership it had 2k miles on it. So what he pays out a month in payments on a car he doesn't drive he could be saving for fuel that the Toy would use (gets 20 mpg on pickup). Now this does not make any sense to me. He drives a whole 2 miles to work. I know this is not the case with you but its a funny story to me.



Good luck but really think about the over all loss you will take on the truck and toys and account that for the fuel you think you will save over time. I would bet you will lose around 10k if not lots more. I know I could drive a long time on 10k in fuel.

 

[john3976]

Keep the truck, I made the same mistake of getting rid of my 1999 Dodge 1500 due to the raising cost of gas back then, well gas prices came back down and I kicked myself in the rear end for getting rid of that truck, you can take away my 2005 Dodge 3500 DRW when you can pry my cold dead fingers from the steering wheel.

 

[LightmanE300]

Well one thing is clear - 24V-DSL has never driven an E320 CDI!! Boring diesel, are you kidding? They are fast and torquey, and corner like a dream. They will light up the tires from a dead stop.



Bluefrog - the e320 cdi's get more like 37+mpg average, as reported from most owners



Darkram - I somewhat agree with the above post - if you can afford the truck and mods you can afford the fuel. On the other hand, there is no comparison in the driving experience between the two. The mercedes is a ton more quiet, comfortable, and will handle the road a lot better. It all depends on what you want to drive daily. There is a bit of an aftermarket growing for these CDI's, and there are several chips/boxes out for them to 'bomb' if you need. I guess what it comes down to is what you want to be in daily. I am lucky enough to have the choice of either - my '99 e300 turbodiesel is a great change of pace from the CTD and is certainly easier on the wallet.



Guys, save the comments "well I'd like to see you hook a 10k lb trailer up to that mercedes," they are a waste of time.

 

[RustyJC]

I understand where you're coming from. I commute in my Acura 3. 2TL-S - it's quiet, fast, reliable, handles well, hauls 4 comfortably for a business lunch and gets 23 MPG in commuter traffic. The truck is used to pull our 5th wheel - I took delivery of the truck on August 15, 2001 and, as of today, it has 25,008 miles. Horses for courses.....



Rusty

 

[gtobey]

Go ahead & drive it!!!

As NIKE says... Just do it! Well, Just drive it!!! Enjoy the best truck out there! After all, that's why you bought it! And that's why you put all the accessories on it. You have your personal "ride" like no other!



To save some fuel money, cut out unnecessary trips, and truly enjoy the ones you do take! You could not economically figure a way to purchase another vehicle and pay for it with the gas savings alone, without taking a bath on the depreciation and dealer profit on the new vehicle.



Wife's brother has made a similar mistake. Last year bought a new Dodge Caravan (loaded), and enjoyed it immensely. This year, said they don't use it enough and since it is only the two of them, and that he has an old Durango, he wanted a Toyota Prius. He has a company service van he drives to work, and his wife rides the MARTA into DC after driving 2 miles to the park & ride lot.



Question: At $2. 50 a gallon, how many years will it take to pay off the Prius using the gas savings driving 4 miles a day from 20mpg to 45mpg figuring the Prius cost $27K.



Answer: A really long, long time!



Talk about remorse! 'twon't be long... .

 

[DarkRAM]

I know about the "regret card", I've regretted getting rid of all my previous vehicles, and if the financial aspect would allow I wouldn't have, but at the time they no longer suited my needs. Now the both of my CTS's have never been "needed", but the then cost was justified, fuel was less and I was driving far fewer miles. By the conservative numbers I ran last night, the cost savings and in fuel and insurance are quite substantial. (MB is est. @ 27-37mpg) It's not that I can’t afford fuel now; I think it is a major factor in my decisions but it is absence of BOMBING. Just about all of the mod’s to the truck are for either an increase in efficiency, to protect the vehicle or for a practical reason. I've done hours and hours of research, and spared no expense to put the best accessories added. Could I put every gadget under the sun on the rig? Sure, but IMO if it doesn’t serve a PURPOSE besides adding another thing to my sig. then I shouldn't be on the truck. And yes, it is definitely more truck that I need, I have it set up the way it is as a tow rig. IMP that’s what these trucks are designed for, an I figured if I ever did sell it that I would have a better chance if it was set up correctly.

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I ran some figures and the cost of ownership w/o including services is actually quite a bit less than my truck.

only vehicle I've ever owned that didn't need much service was a dodge diesel... ever priced Mercedes parts!?? :{

 

[FloridaEd]

Here's a thought:



Do a search on Trader On Line and find a 20 year old MB 240D. Buy it and use it for a daily driver. Enjoy the clatter and clank and that nasty smelling black smoke coming from the exhuast pipe.



Keep your truck for fun and weekends or.....



The prices of fuel are, I believe, going to stay high from now on... no telling where they will settle... . though I believe we have plateau'ed and they will tend to be stable until 2007 X-low sulphur hits the market.



Lots of us will be putting the equivalent of a truck payment into the fuel tanks each month in the future... so we will start running our existing trucks a lot longer than previously... I believe.



Florida ED

 

[av8r]

Find a VW TDI as a "Daily Driver" for cash and keep the CTD as the truck/toy when you need it. :-laf

 

[JoshPeters]

OK, the Benz's electrical issues are for the most part programming issues. They have gotten to many different companies building to many different control units. You reprogram the "central gateway" and the instrument cluster looses some things... stays "awake" and drains the battery. The things I saw when I worked there were mostly that. Occasionally there would be a bad control unit keeping things awake, but not commonly. The engine and transmission have very very few issues. They are both reliable and quick. The Diesel is actually faster than the V6 gas and almost as fast as the V8. Our local rep had one for a short time. He said running 80 on the freeway he was getting 37mpg, and if he dropped it down to 75 he could get 42mpg.



Josh

 

[BLACKRAM]

If a man wants to be an idiot, there is no stopping him.

 

[DarkRAM]

OK, I did it.

I bought a Mercedes. And as sad as it is to say I don’t miss the truck at all (as a daily). It's not for everyone, and I'm not telling you to sell your truck. I cant see myself ever driving a truck as a daily again. But I do want another truck. This time one that more tailored to my needs. That’s right, off to the FIRST GEN. FORUMS! Now that I have my daily, I need a toy, I won't bomb the car (I said the same thing about my 05'), so I'm now looking for an 12v to turn into a hotrod. I'd like to say thanks for all the input and support you 3rd gen's gave me. I still read the new posts twice a day, but I'm out. Unless I win the lotto.



Best regards all,



Jeff

DarkRam also FlintCDI on the MB forums

 

[Yo Hoot]

Good luck with it. Some times you just have the feeling that's what you're gonna do and just do it.



Getting a truck to play with can even be more fun when you don't have to rely on it.



Personally I love driving my truck as a daily driver... but I can see where many prefer the comforts of a fine German road/sports car... in diesel!

 

[BTighe]

sounds like a smart move to me. nice daily driver, still a tdr member, gettin a cheaper truck and bombing it. nice

 

[Forrest Nearing]

I'm the opposite... I live in dfw... traffic is a steady battle. I like driving a truck... I like people getting out of my way when I want to merge or change lanes. I like sitting up high and being able to see what lies up ahead.



congrats on your purchase though!



Forrest

 

[JHerr]

DarkRam, isn't that CDI incredible? My father's CDI is a rocket! I knew that it was going to be a quick ride, but I didn't expect it to be that quick. The CDI returns between 34-38 mpg, so it is efficient, too.



I can understand where you are coming from by wanting a car as a daily driver. I did the same thing in 1994. I traded my eight-month old, 25K Cummins-powered beast for a BMW 3-series when I changed jobs. As a tool for my trade, the Ram was great. But, a car is just so nimble.



I always wished I could justify the '94 Ram and when the opportunity came for my current '98, I took it.



However, don't be surprised if you get recurring cases of Ram-envy.