So my C300 can run either E85 or premium. I have opted to run mainly E85 as I have a station 1/2 mile from my house and despite the large MPG hit I typically break even on cost versus premium. Now two years and ~25k miles later of mostly E85 (90%) I thin I can throw some change into the pot on E85.
When I first bought the car I ran a good 5-6 tanks of premium (93 octane) typically from Chevron before I learned of E85 on a trip to Tennessee where E85 was cheap cheap cheap. I have a white car and noticed the rear would just load up with soot after 2 tanks of regular gas. After two tanks of E85 the soot buildup diminished a good 95%, subsequent tanks of only E85 soot was not even noticeable. Recently after almost a full year of E85 exclusive use I decided to run a few tanks of Chevron 93 Premium to clean up anything the E85 may not be able to clean or may have built up, immediately soot was building up on the rear again. Switched back to my E85 elixir 150 miles ago and the rear end is staying clean again. While I cannot comment on other emissions I can say E85 in my experience is much cleaner on particulates.
Despite the MPG shortfall I am a huge fan of E85 - here is my 2 year review of almost exclusive E85 use.
#1) - While not publicized my car feels more powerful and much smoother on E85
#2) - Soot emissions seem to be highly reduced.
#3) 11 MPG vs 15 MPG - that is my MPG loss but it typically is pennies difference on cost between filling up with premium or E85 on a cost per mile basis (yes I drive 100% city with a lot of stoplights and traffic - I can easily beat HWY mpg on trips on E85 and 93). Yes my C300 will only read out 15-16 MPG (93 octane) or 11-12 MPG (E85) on empty after slugging out my 3 mile city commute for a few hundred miles, my average speed over those tanks is typically less than 10 MPH due to traffic and a boat load of idling in traffic.
Going to admit E85 is not a solution to any problem, the $$$ would not work out if I drove a Focus that took regular unleaded but with my car requiring premium its a break even situation where my cost is the same running premium or E85. I am opting for E85 because it is putting $ in farmers pockets in while also reducing some emissions from my car, I am not saying it is the saving grace of anything or is the saving grace alternate fuel.
When I first bought the car I ran a good 5-6 tanks of premium (93 octane) typically from Chevron before I learned of E85 on a trip to Tennessee where E85 was cheap cheap cheap. I have a white car and noticed the rear would just load up with soot after 2 tanks of regular gas. After two tanks of E85 the soot buildup diminished a good 95%, subsequent tanks of only E85 soot was not even noticeable. Recently after almost a full year of E85 exclusive use I decided to run a few tanks of Chevron 93 Premium to clean up anything the E85 may not be able to clean or may have built up, immediately soot was building up on the rear again. Switched back to my E85 elixir 150 miles ago and the rear end is staying clean again. While I cannot comment on other emissions I can say E85 in my experience is much cleaner on particulates.
Despite the MPG shortfall I am a huge fan of E85 - here is my 2 year review of almost exclusive E85 use.
#1) - While not publicized my car feels more powerful and much smoother on E85
#2) - Soot emissions seem to be highly reduced.
#3) 11 MPG vs 15 MPG - that is my MPG loss but it typically is pennies difference on cost between filling up with premium or E85 on a cost per mile basis (yes I drive 100% city with a lot of stoplights and traffic - I can easily beat HWY mpg on trips on E85 and 93). Yes my C300 will only read out 15-16 MPG (93 octane) or 11-12 MPG (E85) on empty after slugging out my 3 mile city commute for a few hundred miles, my average speed over those tanks is typically less than 10 MPH due to traffic and a boat load of idling in traffic.
Going to admit E85 is not a solution to any problem, the $$$ would not work out if I drove a Focus that took regular unleaded but with my car requiring premium its a break even situation where my cost is the same running premium or E85. I am opting for E85 because it is putting $ in farmers pockets in while also reducing some emissions from my car, I am not saying it is the saving grace of anything or is the saving grace alternate fuel.