This Unicorn Diesel Manual Slicktop Wagon Is One of Sacco’s Best — Carmudgeon Ep 240 w Jason Cammisa
6/8/20261 hr 1 min
You know the saying - the grass is always greener on the other side. Well…that same grass might be covered in diesel soot - but we don’t care! Many American car enthusiasts will forever desire the forbidden European diesels we were never offered here in the US. Derek decided he’d had enough - and went some lengths to acquire his new unicorn wagon - a 1998 Mercedes-Benz C250 Turbodiesel (S202). And the level of unicorn doesn’t stop at diesel station wagon - this one is also has a 5-speed manual, a slicktop, cloth seats, AND a Bruno Sacco design - making it 100% Carmudgeonation-proof. Our hosts Derek Tam-Scott and Jason Cammisa discuss why the S202 Mercedes-Benz C-Class is such a desirable package even 30+ years after it debuted. Moreover, Derek and Jason discuss why diesels are much more enthusiastic than others may think - citing examples like the euro-only BMW M550d and Audi S6 TDI Avant. Also discussed are the endless variants of Mercedes diesels and their tune-ability, primarily discussing the OM605 and OM606 “superturbo” builds found on a variety of different Mercedes-Benzes from the 1980s to the early 2000s, from W123 to W210 and beyond. All this and more, on this episode of The Carmudgeon Show. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
Clips
Transcript preview
First 90 secondsJason Cammisa· Host0:00
Welcome to another episode [laughs] of The Carmudgeon Show. My name is Jason Cammisa. He is- Derek Tam, hyphen, Scott.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host0:06
We are driven, or our podcast is driven by Hagerty Yep, and it's longer than she said. Wow.
Jason Cammisa· Host0:13
Or something. I don't know, you s- you said it.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host0:15
Uh, this car, speaking of long, has a long roof.
Jason Cammisa· Host0:18
Yes.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host0:19
Uh, and it is the c- topic of discussion for this epis- this week's episode of The Carmudgeon Show. It is my new-ish, new daily or whatever.
Jason Cammisa· Host0:27
His fetish, his fetishized daily.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host0:29
Yeah.
Jason Cammisa· Host0:29
Um- It has lots of boxes that are not usually coexisting in the same car, being a station wagon, manual, five-cylinder, turbo diesel, uh, that wasn't ever sold in the United States, any of those characteristics- Cloth seats ...
Derek Tam-Scott· Host0:43
with cloth seats.
Jason Cammisa· Host0:43
And it's a slick top.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host0:44
And it is a slick top. Uh- All things that people fetishize ... so we'll talk about why, as a car enthusiast, one could possibly love a diesel which is not high revving or naturally aspirated, and how we come to terms with that.
Jason Cammisa· Host0:56
Mm-hmm.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host0:56
Um, and a variety of other diesel experiences that we have enjoyed or tolerated over the years.
Jason Cammisa· Host1:04
And of course, you know, all revolving around a Sacco-era Mercedes, because #predictable.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host1:11
Yeah.
Jason Cammisa· Host1:11
It's fine.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host1:11
That's our specialty. Okay, I shall make us a clap.
Jason Cammisa· Host1:14
[claps] That was- Okay ... not so much a clap and more like a [whispers] clap.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host1:20
Yeah.
Jason Cammisa· Host1:20
Would you like to try again? [claps] Bravo.
Derek Tam-Scott· Host1:23
My ears.
Unknown speaker1:23
[laughs] [laughs] [music playing] [car horn honking]