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jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/14/17 7:32 a.m.

Well we are starting to look at SUV to replace our wagon and I would like a diesel but the seem to be limited in selection. I found BMW and benz's on cl but those have me nervous about repairs. Is there anything else out there?

Anyone have an x5 diesel that has good feedback?

84FSP
84FSP Dork
5/14/17 7:55 a.m.

The Grand Cherokee has come with a mercedes diesel that folks seem to like. Not so sure on reliability of the rest of the vehicle though.Linky to diesel Jeeps

rslifkin
rslifkin Dork
5/14/17 8:50 a.m.

I'm just gonna throw the V10 TDI Touareg into the mix: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jvWrkTgvdkY

markwemple
markwemple UltraDork
5/14/17 9:15 a.m.

The Touareg is a different animal. Much worse on fuel economy and much worse on polluting. Much more hp.

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/14/17 9:24 a.m.

Yeah I love the v10 vw but those are rare and older now. I was trying to find something a little more common and easier to find.

irish44j
irish44j UltimaDork
5/14/17 1:15 p.m.

If this is for your wife, does she want a diesel? I have made the mistake more than once of buying SUVs that "I liked" for the wife's daily vehicle (4Runner, Sequoia, among others). That never works out well, as she tolerates them but never likes them herself....and I get to hear about how "I got her what I wanted not what she wanted."

Went out last month and bought her a CX-9, which she picked out and loves (I also like it for that matter).

So, unless the WIFE wants a diesel (which she well may), just let her pick out what she wants and stay out of the way other than to tell her that "xxx has sucky quality" or whatever.

ebonyandivory
ebonyandivory UberDork
5/14/17 2:56 p.m.

In reply to irish44j:

X1.6 Billion.

I wanted my wife to get a Yukon/Expedition but she wanted a minivan and has happily driven one for like 12 years (all Chrysler).

Now, many years later and larger kids, she may now decide that the Yukon is a better idea.

The operative phrase being "she may now decide".

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/14/17 6:19 p.m.

Ha your right it's what I want. Although I'm pretty sure an X5 would satisfy her ;)

Carro Atrezzi
Carro Atrezzi HalfDork
5/14/17 7:42 p.m.

My sister has a '13 diesel X5. Might be a '14, I can't remember for sure but it's the last one before the redesign. Good lord is that thing fast. It spends A LOT of time in the shop though for recalls. Supposedly there are a bunch of mods that can be made for stupid power.

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/14/17 9:40 p.m.
Carro Atrezzi wrote: My sister has a '13 diesel X5. Might be a '14, I can't remember for sure but it's the last one before the redesign. Good lord is that thing fast. It spends A LOT of time in the shop though for recalls. Supposedly there are a bunch of mods that can be made for stupid power.

I'm okay with recalls since those are free

mck1117
mck1117 New Reader
5/14/17 11:14 p.m.

+1 for the 3.0L Mercedes V6 diesel. My dad has one in his E320 and it's been good to him. Same engine came in the Merc ML, GL and R, and the Jeep (which is an ML underneath).

wae
wae Dork
5/15/17 7:43 a.m.
mck1117 wrote: +1 for the 3.0L Mercedes V6 diesel. My dad has one in his E320 and it's been good to him. Same engine came in the Merc ML, GL and R, and the Jeep (which is an ML underneath).

I'm in my first month of ownership on a GL with the Merc 3.0 V6 diesel. It's the OM642 that's found in the Jeep, other MBs, the Chrysler 300 overseas, and the Sprinter. The packaging in the Benz is a little different and some of the tricks that work on other models don't work on this one. So far, it's been pretty good. Maintenance is a bit fiddly, though. An oil change is about 90 bucks to DIY because they've got something made from freshly-pressed unicorn tears that isn't available anywhere. If you don't have a fluid extractor, there are about 6 bolts you need to remove to get the underpan out. You'll need a special oil filter socket and a torque wrench. Transmission fluid changes every 40k and it's kind of a PITA process - get it in the air and perfectly level, drop some fluid, drop the pan, drain the TC, new bolts, new filter, put some fluid in, run the car until the transmission fluid gets to exactly so many degrees then put in more. And of course, putting in more means a special fluid pump tool with a special fitting because there's no dipstick so it has to be filled from the drain plug. Which has drain in the name, not fill, so you know it's going to be an adventure.

But it's a really really nice ride.

STM317
STM317 Dork
5/15/17 8:22 a.m.

I don't think the diesel in the Grand Cherokee/Ram is the same as the Mercedes is it? The Jeep/Ram supposedly get an all new for 2011 engine made by FIAT subsidiary VM Motori. That engine, however isn't available in 2017 US models due to an emissions snafu, so you'd have to target used models.

wae
wae Dork
5/15/17 9:18 a.m.

In reply to STM317:

Yeah, I think in the US it was before 2010 or so that they had the OM642 in the Grand Cherokee.

rslifkin
rslifkin Dork
5/15/17 9:19 a.m.
wae wrote: In reply to STM317: Yeah, I think in the US it was before 2010 or so that they had the OM642 in the Grand Cherokee.

IIRC, it was around 07 - 08. Only a 1 or 2 year thing for diesels in that generation Grand Cherokee.

STM317
STM317 Dork
5/15/17 9:57 a.m.

I didn't even realize there had been a diesel GC before the current gen. I only knew about the Liberty. Thanks for learning me!

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/15/17 12:07 p.m.

In reply to wae:

I was also looking at the GL. So you have been enjoying it? Every 40k for a trans flush seems a little ridiculous.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
5/15/17 12:19 p.m.
jonnyd330 wrote: Ha your right it's what I want. Although I'm pretty sure an X5 would satisfy her ;)

How convenient are diesel stations on her normal routine, or will she have to go out of her way to fill up? Will she be ok with handling smelly diesel nozzles?

I'll be the first to admit one thing that makes owning a diesel easy for me is I work in NJ - where for the most part, you can't pump your own gas (although self-diesel is allowed, most stations still pump it for you). While with my classic cars, station attendants usually don't know how to fill it up, I'm perfectly OK with letting someone else handle the diesel nozzle.

FlightService
FlightService MegaDork
5/15/17 12:23 p.m.
jonnyd330 wrote: Ha your right it's what I want. Although I'm pretty sure an X5 would satisfy her ;)

It sounds like you have a nice wife. Mine either wants a Porsche Cayenne Turbo or a 4Runner with an ARB bull bar. She either wants to outrun it or go through it.

MadScientistMatt
MadScientistMatt PowerDork
5/15/17 12:56 p.m.

What's the goal here? Is it trying to get more mileage out of the thing, or did you need something with a lot of towing capacity?

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/15/17 1:56 p.m.
MadScientistMatt wrote: What's the goal here? Is it trying to get more mileage out of the thing, or did you need something with a lot of towing capacity?

Both actually, I would like to get good milage and have something I can tow with. At the moment I don't have anything to tow but mostly because I don't have a tow vehicle. If I could tow something I might have a boat or trailer to haul a car.

I don't need a lot of towing capacity but I don't really want a V8 sucking down the gallons.

Also I would like something that is slow since the wife tends to have a heavy right foot. She keeps trying to get me to look at Mecans for her to which I would rather not.

Karacticus
Karacticus HalfDork
5/15/17 2:37 p.m.

Co-worker has what I believe to be a 2011 X5d. His wife loves driving it.

Seeing what the EGR system is recirculating when he's had to open the intake system discourages him though.

Ian F
Ian F MegaDork
5/15/17 3:37 p.m.
jonnyd330 wrote: Also I would like something that is slow since the wife tends to have a heavy right foot. She keeps trying to get me to look at Mecans for her to which I would rather not.

I manage to get speeding tickets in a diesel station wagon with 90 HP, so don't count on that being a deterrent.

yupididit
yupididit Dork
5/15/17 3:43 p.m.

Jonny, modern diesels are not slow

In reply to wae:

I think at that point I would see how much a dealer or indy charges to do a trans flush

jonnyd330
jonnyd330 Reader
5/15/17 3:57 p.m.

In reply to yupididit:

I quiet agree. The DIY parts from ECS are $230 alone.

https://www.ecstuning.com/b-genuine-mercedes-benz-parts/automatic-transmission-service-kit-7229/2212770195kt1/

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