From: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net (diesel-benz-digest) To: diesel-benz-digest-at-krusty-motorsports.com Subject: diesel-benz-digest V1 #187 Reply-To: diesel-benz-at-digest.net Sender: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Errors-To: owner-diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Precedence: bulk diesel-benz-digest Wednesday, August 11 1999 Volume 01 : Number 187 Forum for Discussion of Diesel Mercedes Benz Automobiles John Meister Digest Coordinator Contents: Re: Car costs (No MB content) cheap? heck yes! Alec's costs Re: Car costs (No MB content) list email format - plain text please Car costs Castrol GTX (fwd) (non-list related) UNIX admin? Re: Buying a diesel....what to look for?? Re: Buying a diesel....what to look for?? Diesel Benz Digest Home Page: http://www.digest.net/diesel-benz/ Send submissions to diesel-benz-digest-at-digest.net Send administrative requests to diesel-benz-digest-request-at-digest.net To unsubscribe, include the word unsubscribe by itself in the body of the message, unless you are sending the request from a different address than the one that appears on the list. Include the word help in a message to stag-digest-request to get a list of other majordomo commands. ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 18:52:05 +1000 From: Chris Subject: Re: Car costs (No MB content) Hi everyone Some info on the cost of owning a car in Australia: 1. Registration: this includes compulsory third party insurance ie I am covered if I hit someone, but my car won't be: A$446 each year. 2. Insurance: 2 choices, third party property only (this will cover the other car if I have an accident, but not mine) about A$180 each year, or full comprehensive (what I have) this covers my car fully in case of accident, theft, fire, this costs me $560 each year. This is quite cheap as I belong to an "over 50" club, usual price for a benz would start at A$850 and up. 3. Diesel fuel: At the moment about A$0.67 a litre, but we are axpecting a raise in price, probable up to A$0.70 I will let you convert these prices in your local currencies. Let me know how it compares with your costs. Regards to all Chris 240D 1981 (was called Brunehilde but I renamed it Fergie as I was told it sounds like a Ferguson tractor - goes faster than one though ...) >Excellent observation. It is relatively cheap over here. > >Here's a breakdown of what I have and pay for several older vehicles. >I'll estimate the costs for owning newer. > . > >The ANNUAL license costs on the cars in Washington state is about: >88 Jeep - $179 >88 Buick - $139 >81 Benz - $98 > >77 Wag (if licensed) - $61 > > >For Gasoline/DIESEL fuel Washington state has one of the highest taxes >imposed, about .23 cents a gallon, in addition to the Federal taxes of >about .20 cents per gallon. (still a bargain compared to anywhere in Europe). > >So, we pay insurance (liability is mandatory), registration and fuel costs. >Maintenance varies. > >Also, it will be interesting to see the variations across the states. Some >places place excise tax on the vehicle's value for licensing, others don't. >Some fuel taxes are lower, others aren't. :) > >Diesel fuel here in my area is running 1.39 to 1.49 dollars per gallon. Unleaded >gasoline (87 octane) is running about 1.41 and up. > >This will be an interesting thread. > >john > > ---- > >------------------------------------------------------------------------- > john-at-wagoneers.com **** Snohomish, Washington USA > don't leave life without jesus, please... > http://wagoneers.com >------------------------------------------------------------------------- > > > > > > Chris Nisen PO Box 1395 Townsville Qld 4810 Australia ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 08:23:55 -0400 From: Evan Reisner Subject: cheap? heck yes! '77 240D purchased with 229,xxx miles on broken odometer US$2800 6% sales tax on car ~$30/year for plates ~$173 liability insurance ~$1/gal fuel Evan ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 07:59:05 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Alec's costs - ---------- Forwarded message ---------- From: Alec Cordova To: "'diesel-benz-at-digest.net'" Subject: RE: Car costs Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 08:42:58 -0500 This thread is a nice reminder that I'm not doing so bad in the Austin, Texas, area. 85 300DT, 3.0L, <200K miles 97 BMW Z3, 1.9L, 67K miles Registration is about $58 per year for each car. State inspection is $15 per year per car. Way too much insurance for both cars (liability is all that's required in Texas) is about $1200 per year. That's just the wife and me. No kids. I think minimum required insurance would be about $500 a year to cover both cars. Diesel fuel in the Great State of Texas is floating around $1.10 per gallon. And my Benz is a touch more expensive for oil changes, since she holds almost 8 quarts. The real money burner is the tires on the Z3. Alec Cordova Taylor, Texas ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 09:11:34 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: Car costs (No MB content) what would this be in $US? When you mentioned fergie I was thinking british royalty... :) Which part of Australia are you in? It's winter right now, eh? :) john On Tue, 10 Aug 1999, Chris wrote: >-->Hi everyone >-->Some info on the cost of owning a car in Australia: >--> >-->1. Registration: this includes compulsory third party insurance ie I am >-->covered if I hit someone, but my car won't be: A$446 each year. >--> >-->2. Insurance: 2 choices, third party property only (this will cover the >-->other car if I have an accident, but not mine) about A$180 each year, or >-->full comprehensive (what I have) this covers my car fully in case of >-->accident, theft, fire, this costs me $560 each year. This is quite cheap as >-->I belong to an "over 50" club, usual price for a benz would start at A$850 >-->and up. >--> >-->3. Diesel fuel: At the moment about A$0.67 a litre, but we are axpecting a >-->raise in price, probable up to A$0.70 >--> >-->I will let you convert these prices in your local currencies. Let me know >-->how it compares with your costs. >--> >-->Regards to all >--> >-->Chris >-->240D 1981 (was called Brunehilde but I renamed it Fergie as I was told it >-->sounds like a Ferguson tractor - goes faster than one though ...) >-->> >-->Chris Nisen >-->PO Box 1395 >-->Townsville >-->Qld 4810 >-->Australia >--> >--> >--> ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- john-at-wagoneers.com **** Snohomish, Washington USA don't leave life without jesus, please... http://wagoneers.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 10:55:56 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: list email format - plain text please just a quick reminder - send only plain text to the list. NO html, stylized text, attachments, screwy fonts, etc. :) otherwise it'll bounce off the list and land in my inbasket where it's usually deleted with all the other error messages from majordumbo. :) Also, because of "spam" controls the use of more than two dollar signs will probably get your message bounced, as will subjects with words like opportunity, money making, and so on... I wish folks would get a clue and quit spamming. Please, help us out and don't ever buy anything from a spammer... They claim folks are buying, so they keep spamming... later, john ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- john-at-wagoneers.com **** Snohomish, Washington USA don't leave life without jesus, please... http://wagoneers.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 21:32:18 +0100 From: "Declan Berridge" Subject: Car costs Hello - here's the view from the UK: Insurance (for me, at least) (For my Mercedes only, fully comprehensive policy, payable annually) GBP 220 USD 353 AUD 542 Vehicle Excise Duty (payable annually on cars registered after 1972) GBP 155 USD 249 AUD 382 MoT Certificate (annual roadworthiness inspection fee for cars over 3 years old) GBP 30 USD 48 AUD 74 Diesel fuel per litre (about 80-85% of which is tax) GBP 0.74 USD 1.19 AUD 1.82 Regards, Declan. www.dberridge.dial.pipex.com dberridge-at-dial.pipex.com PS - Chris in Australia - sorry if you've received this twice now. I meant to send it to the list the first time! ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 15:04:43 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Castrol GTX (fwd) Hey guys, I just found out (unfortunately at a friend's expense) that Castrol was bought out by Pennzoil and is having major problems with their oil. My mechanic friend started recommending Kendall a few years back and I didn't make the connection. Please, if you're going to use dino oil, don't use Pennzoil or Castrol. I've got pictures of the inside of a 4.0L I worked on that had... it's not pretty. I apologize to anyone who has used Castrol on my recommendation... :( I was using it to until I found this out just now! I'm sticking with AMSOIL, it's cheaper than engine work... :) Read below what happened to my friend's Audi... john ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- john-at-wagoneers.com **** Snohomish, Washington USA don't leave life without jesus, please... http://wagoneers.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- - -----Original Message----- Chris, have you heard of this? john # #From: Doug #Sent: Monday, August 09, 1999 5:32 PM #Subject: Castrol GTX # # Had bad clogging in Audi form GTX. Audi Dealer stopped recommending or # using Castrol, said the oil's been leaving threatening carbon deposits # around the oil pump, etc. Dealer has tried to work issue with Castrol, # but is now recommending Delo 400. # # (BTW -- I spent $300 having bottom end, pan de-gunked and new pick up # tubes and screens installed) Have you heard of the Castrol # Clog syndrome? # # #Regards -- # #Doug ===================================================================== john meister sr CAD sys admin, Intermec meister-at-intermec.com (425) 356.1663 http://www.intermec.com ( http://www.wagoneers.com/ john-at-wagoneers.com ) ===================================================================== #-----Original Message----- #From: Walsh, Chris #Sent: Tuesday, August 10, 1999 2:16 PM #To: Meister, John #Subject: RE: Castrol GTX # # Yes I have. There was a settlement made in the form of 50,000 # aircraft engine replacements in the civil and small commercial # arena. This action occurred last year and was orchestrated by # the better business bureau. Castrol syntec has been under # the gun by the BBB for many years. This subsidiary is owned # by... yes you guessed it. Pennzoil.... The you asked for it # motor oil.... The description of Doug's symptoms match # exactly with the Aircraft industries description. There # dumping on the unsuspecting population at large. Buyer beware. # or to recoin an old phrase "Trust in Allah but tie your # camel too!" # Back to you John... #======================= ============================================================= The just shall live by Faith... Der Gerechte wird aus Glauben leben... Mas El Justo vivira Por Fe... Le Juste vivra par la foi... Habakkuk 2:4b, Romans 1:17, Galations 3:11, Hebrews 10:38 ============================================================= john-at-wagoneers.com http://www.wagoneers.com http://www.wagoneers.com/LivingByFaith/ http://www.wagoneers.com/BIBLE ============================================================= ------------------------------ Date: Tue, 10 Aug 1999 16:49:25 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: (non-list related) UNIX admin? Hey guys, quick note.... I'm looking for another UNIX sys admin in Everett, Washington. Sun, HP and Linux. Supporting engineering workstations (CAD stuff). Email me your resume off list, or give me a call at 425.356.1663 Relocation included (within reason of course). Jeep or Mercedes ownership a definite plus. :) thanx, john ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- john-at-wagoneers.com **** Snohomish, Washington USA don't leave life without jesus, please... http://wagoneers.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 10:29:08 +0200 From: Thorsten Windhues Subject: Re: Buying a diesel....what to look for?? Hi Brad, I think the unknown person from Europe was me. 7 seconds for this test is a normal result for a used engine. Totally worn engines will stall after two or three more strokes after closing this opening, new ones will continue to run for up to a minute. My car, a 200D, needs about those 7 minutes, as well, and the compression is good enough to start it in every weather under every condition. The oil consumption is so little... Bye, Thorsten Windhues At 21:49 09.08.99 ADT, you wrote: >Hi there, I am planning to get a diesel benz and I was wondering what >diagnostic tests I can perform in the driveway. >Someone E-mailed me about plugging the black hose on the valve cover, but >I've forgoten the name of the person (from europe) and how long it can be >plugged before the engine dies. I deleted the message it got purged out of >my trash bin. >The 1982 240d I was looking at began to stall after ~7 seconds. Is that >good/bad?? > >thank's for the info and any other stuff I can use. > >later, >Brad > > >______________________________________________________ >Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com > > > ------------------------------ Date: Wed, 11 Aug 1999 08:50:55 -0700 (PDT) From: john Subject: Re: Buying a diesel....what to look for?? Thorsten, Can you explain where this plug or hose is? I'm not clear on it. I'd like to run this test on Fritz. :) Maybe we should take a picture of this and write a page and put it on my server... :) john On Wed, 11 Aug 1999, Thorsten Windhues wrote: >-->Hi Brad, >--> >-->I think the unknown person from Europe was me. 7 seconds for this test is a >-->normal result for a used engine. Totally worn engines will stall after two >-->or three more strokes after closing this opening, new ones will continue >-->to run for up to a minute. My car, a 200D, needs about those 7 minutes, as >-->well, and the compression is good enough to start it in every weather under >-->every condition. The oil consumption is so little... >--> >-->Bye, >--> >-->Thorsten Windhues >--> >--> >--> >--> >-->At 21:49 09.08.99 ADT, you wrote: >-->>Hi there, I am planning to get a diesel benz and I was wondering what >-->>diagnostic tests I can perform in the driveway. >-->>Someone E-mailed me about plugging the black hose on the valve cover, but >-->>I've forgoten the name of the person (from europe) and how long it can be >-->>plugged before the engine dies. I deleted the message it got purged out of >-->>my trash bin. >-->>The 1982 240d I was looking at began to stall after ~7 seconds. Is that >-->>good/bad?? >-->> >-->>thank's for the info and any other stuff I can use. >-->> >-->>later, >-->>Brad >-->> >--> ---- - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- john-at-wagoneers.com **** Snohomish, Washington USA don't leave life without jesus, please... http://wagoneers.com - ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------------------------------ End of diesel-benz-digest V1 #187 *********************************