I once had a Diesel Rabbit, which I drove into the ground.
Unfortunately, the gubbertmint and the Detroit auto unions pretty much made it impossible for anyone to continue importing diesels into this country, in the name of clean air.
I don’t feel the slightest desire to buy a diesel Mercedes or anything expensive to buy and maintain like that. Too bad, because the diesel Rabbit was on the right track as a low-cost, energy saving car that handled extremely well.
So why are you mentioning the Benz as if that was the alternative? You have something against VW? (You shouldn't if you had a Rabbit diesel.) Check out the Volkswagen TDI. Excellent handling, great fuel milage, and enough guts to make the local kiddiepunk with the Honda with the fartcan muffler not want to try you out of the next light..
I have 470,000 miles on mine...
Those little SmartCars that get 36mpg with gasoline also get 71mpg with a diesel, but those diesels are not allowed to be imported into the US.