That would be a good point, except that in order for something to be vilified, somebody has to care! The not caring part is the whole basis for the failure in the first place. :P
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
I agree - WAY too many variables. Any car that does survive to that mileage is already an outlier, so its results are irrelevant in the overall picture.
Kudos to the owner, but it doesn't offer any predictability for the next case.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Of the 14,182 cars with over 100k miles listed for sale in DFW on Cars.com, only 41 had over 300k miles, and not one with over 400k miles. Not good odds.
I don't think it would be cost effective to pay for a car ad if your car has much over 100 - 150k miles. I don't think I pay anything to list my '99 minivan with 170k on a want ad site. Even if I was a dealer, I think I'd auction those high milers to the mouse houses.
Maybe there's a craigslist app to sort car sales by miles?
reaching extraordinary, radically high mileages is not part of my buying decision.
Mine is more a car that will go 20 years without any major work, like our LS400 that we drove to dinner this evening. I would love to trade it. But it runs like a top at 23 years of age. I would be real surprised if any Lexus will live up to the standard they set in 1990.
Indeed, I have one pushing 19 M/Y's, a 1994 TLC and another, 96 TLC, pushing 17 M/Y's. They been on 15,000 to 20,000 miles OCI's. Mileage wise, the oil is changed about every two years. The first just recently (210,000 + miles) had the valves adjusted. (normal maintenance @ 100,000 miles, but actually skipped because verification indicated it was spot on). The technicians were almost giddy when asked how the insides were. They about freaked out when I told them about the 20,000 OCI's. In addition to major tunes, I have replaced 2 each per vehicle aux belts. Really, ZERO drama. In addition, I have extended the major tune cycles to 60,000 miles from OEM recommendations of 30,000 miles. There is even less drama. Yes, they EAT brake pads, max is app 60,000 miles. The technicians change the rotors every 2nd brake pad change. Tires only last app 60,000 miles. The smog tests essentially post the same numbers when the vehicle was new.
I suspect it is more an urban myth than anything else, which perhaps comes from the iconic nature of the word "diesel", when people think of big rigs like Peterbilts, with engines the size of a small house, or locomotives or caterpillar D9s.
I don't know if its a myth. I think it is more akin to a legend, where all diesels are somehow lumped in and elevated based on those few good models from way back when that were non-turbocharged, hence glacial slow but incredibly undertaxed.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
For me it is almost ( the iconic) MB 300 turbo diesel, when I think of the good old days. This was probably when the attitude that getting 225,000 miles was trolling to fall off the flat earth.
Given going beyond 175,000 miles on a 2003 Jetta TDI with literally ZERO issues, I am feeling like these are the good old days.
At 200K miles I bet I could find lots of things wrong with your cars--but not critica ones. If you haven't done shocks/struts, for sure those are pretty dead by now. Also your belts and hoses if they haven't been done, and probably most suspension bushings are pretty tired. And you probably have little leaks here and there, and I suspect something electronic or mechanical which doesn't work anymore.
Cars wear out--it's the law of the universe. However, the concept of 'gradual degradation" means that one doesn't notice this slow decline.
I can also find a lot wrong with new ones also !? Absolutely cars wear out. I take it you agree with my post about replacing parts that are in need of it. FAR cheaper than getting a new car, because you think, for example; your shocks and struts need changing.
For as long as struts and shocks (those are strictly shocks by the way) there are no real standards for what is considered "dead". Sure there is the bounce test. Sure it can result in abnormal tire wear. I have never had a car "fail" a bounce test. It also has had very normal and even tire wear. Sure I would like 120,000 on a set of SUV tires. Now I have a full set of Tokiko shocks (the ones who do the oem vendoring for this model). Some parts places had some good sales and I asked them what they would do for 2 sets. So a set of 4 they discounted to $175. But the old ones still do their thing. So I am looking to 250,000 to 300,000 miles, cause I am a belt and suspenders kind of guy. The funny part is a set of (premium) Bilstein's for this model is $300 for a set of four. I have had them before. WAY too stiff. So... jack that puppy up, R/R upper and lower bolts and shocks, and bata bing, GTG for another 300,000 miles
But the point is really the same. If gassers can do it, diesels certainly can.
Sure I'm totally in favor of keeping a good old car running versus buying a new one. I have only bought one new car in my entire life and I doubt I will ever buy another (although it was a good experience).
I heard about this great '99 Porsche 911 cabriolet, super low miles, very clean---and the damn thing turns out to be a Tiptronic. I could have cried. That one might have tempted me.
I was encouraging my brother to lease a Jetta TDI but he went for a gasser. "too much money" he whined over the phone. Well, he's retired, so....
I see his point...the difference these days between a stripper Jetta and a TDI is a *lot* of money. ($7000 difference in msrp).
the concept of 'gradual degradation" means that one doesn't notice this slow decline.
I notice it with my '97 and my '99. Mostly in the '99 since the mpg has gone down (should have never changed the original spark plugs). The driver's power mirror doesn't work because I got the wrong part and was too cheap to pay the freight to replace it (dropped a canoe on the original). Durn thing won't die otherwise. Both rides have a few burnt out little bitty dash lights and that's surprisingly irritating.
Hit 174k today in the '99. Saw six deer on a 2 hour trip out of town this morning. Running into one of those will probably be the deciding factor for buying a new ride.
Meanwhile, unleaded and diesel are at parity again. Not only parity with each other but a tank is on parity with a couple of ounces of silver. :sick:
With regard to struts, I agree that it can be difficult to tell when they are "worn out," but that doesn't mean they are not worn out!
Take, for example, my 1996 Outback. I bought it with 83,000 on the ticker. The ride seemed great (hard to make a fair comparison when my other vehicle was a 1969 Chevrolet C20!); the suspension parts were original. At 150,000 miles, I was riding with someone who owned a new Outback, and he commented that the ride seemed harsh when we drove over expansion cracks on the highway. He drove that same road every day, and said it wasn't nearly that harsh. He asked about my struts, I said "original," and he seemed concerned. We did all the bounce and tire wear stuff, and it all looked fine. So, he said, "well, I dunno. I think you should replace them anyway. You should be ready to replace your second set by now."
So, I took his advice and bought a new set. I pulled the first strut off, compressed the spring, and removed the retainer bolt... and the strut rod fell into the cylinder. Being my first experience with struts, I didn't think anything of it. Then, I got the new one ready, pulled the retainer pin, and its rod quickly extended from the cylinder. I thought, "hmm... maybe these did need replacing!" I finished the job, put the wheels back on, and took it for a spin on a gravel road....
WHOA DOGGIES! That was the cheapest new car I ever bought! :shades:
Given that you live in a much more moderate climate, 2x the life might be reasonable, but I still wouldn't push a set beyond 150,000 if you want the car to give you good, dependable handling response.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
I had a similar experience with my '83 GTI. Several years in I figured 'might as well', and when I took the old struts off there was near-zero damping. The strut came apart, and the fluid in the strut was dirty brown. The new struts cartridges (Bilsteins) did firm it up a little, but not harsh, and MUCH better bounce control.
As I can remember back, one of the real reasons that I got the (03) TDI was the fact that there was a good likelyhood that I was going to put on 20,000 + miles per year. As it worked, it it was closer to 25,000 miles per year, and for the first 4 years. The premium over a 1.8 T was app $236.00. The resale premium now over a 1.8T is pretty high percentage wise.
It looks like driving a diesel on the Big Island will become green very soon. Green energy that is sustainable and not a drag on the tax payers. Mercedes has given the OK to run B100 from Pacific Biodiesel in their diesel vehicles.
Pacific Biodiesel is hiring for its new Big Island plant
Pacific Biodiesel will hold a job fair on the Big Island next weekend and plans to hire more than 20 people to staff its new Big Island Biodiesel plant in Keaau.
Sounds good and it sounds like they've been able to branch out from processing waste restaurant grease into getting farmers to raise ag based biodiesel crops to process.
MB might be the only oem to ( situationally) allow up to 100% biodiesel without warranty denial, Fed, State, County and local emissions penalties . It will be interesting when the FED government and the other 49 or 50 states grants approval for engines that are specified to run up to 100% biodiesel.
Indeed VW, in a 2012 owners manual says that ANY biodiesel over 5% is strictly prohibited. In the worst cases, it is grounds for denial for engine and emissions warranty claims.
This thread reminds me that the military may lead the way in this area. They're the biggest consumer of petroleum, and from what I hear they are working hard on all sorts of alternative fuels.
Some one has to. It is certainly not the politicians, who actually should be leading the charge and on many many levels that they are not. It is amazing that even as the environmentalists vilify the one silver bullet mantra, they actually cling to the ... one single bullet mantra.
The logic is as simple as the mathematics. IF we have a 23% diesel passenger fleet, we will decrease the demand for gasoline (RUG to PUG) BY a minimum of 23%. !! ?? Or is one of the prerequisites for being a Congressional or environmental policy maker flunking grade school mathematics? :P :lemon:
We already owned a diesel - a VW Beetle with a 4 cyl turbo-diesel. Great gas mileage and a lot of torque for an engine its size. I'd happily own another diesel. In fact, when I bought my current car, I went to look at a BMW 335d, but the only BMW dealer in town didn't have one and they couldn't seem to find one equipped the way I wanted. I'd have looked at a MB E350 CDI, but it was a little out of my price range. If Cadillac had their ATS with the diesel out, I might have looked at that. I thought about the Passat diesel, but did not want FWD this time.
While I am an advocate of bio diesel, I will use absolutely NONE until the Federal State and LOCAL can get the CHAOS together. I did however use a half tank of 5% Chevron biodiesel product on the road once. (10 gals * 5%= .5 gal of biodiesel)
Did the tax payers help Pacific Biodiesel or the other way around? I think they are showing the military how they can use all the cooking oil instead of dumping it overboard. It could have been in the form of an earmark. Which Hawaii is King of Pork Barrel politics.
I don't think you will find anything that would give you authority to run B100 outside Hawaii. Pacific Biodiesel meets all the standards and MB has allowed it in Hawaii only. I believe that VW has granted the same provision to Pacific Biodiesel. There is a fleet of VW rentals running on B100 over there. Kettle Chips of Portland had Pacific Biodiesel set up a plant for them to refine all their cooking oil. They also have a fleet of VW Beetles running on some mixture of biodiesel. Anywhere it gets cold can cause problems. Making Hawaii a safe bet.
When regular diesel was selling on Maui for $2.50 they were selling B100 for $2.35. All I can find says that it is actually better for your engine than ULSD.
I don't mind tax dollars spent on viable projects that benefit Americans. I hate when they buy windmills and solar panels from China with my tax dollars. Or stuff the pockets of flim flam con men.
There is a disingenuousness that us ULSD/RUG/PUG and dare I say ethanol passenger vehicle fleet consumers do not really see or is hiding in plain sight. The "early" biiodiesel adopters have already gone through several "fish feeding" frenzies and have been largely wiped out. Then for funny reasons, IF the industry survives, we outsource the "benefits" to other countries !!??
The Solyndra debacle might be the poster child/blue print even as it is ONLY the tip of that GREEN iceberg. The travesty about that was the investors (friends of (crony capitalism, aka) the administration were put ahead of taxpayers by the very federal officials that are supposed to look out for the taxpayers' interests. The "connected" early investors got their monies back and the non connected investors AND taxpayers are left holding the empty buildings with no solar panels no less!!?? .
The additional travesty about biodiesel is that a viable concept is being total trashed and vilified.
I don't mind tax dollars spent on viable projects that benefit Americans. I hate when they buy windmills and solar panels from China with my tax dollars. Or stuff the pockets of flim flam con men.
Same here. Given that I work with the Alaska land grant university, I could give you examples of both, and I cannot possibly express how frustrating the latter were.
That said, we have a world-class biofuels researcher here who was working with Hawaii on refining and analysis of various tropical plants for the biofuels industry in that state. Good stuff, but boy was he frustrated about how much the Hawaii researchers were dragging their feet when it came to sending him the samples to process!
He also did some cold-weather biodiesel testing for a private company in Indiana a couple years ago. They took a trip from the experiment station in Palmer up to the arctic circle in mid-winter, even experiencing some reasonably frigid temperatures, and the fuel performed flawlessly.
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
Zero emissions by “coasting”: As soon as the driver lifts his or her foot from the accelerator, both electric motors and the engine are shut off and decoupled from the drivetrain—provided that the battery is sufficiently charged. This is referred to as “coasting”.
Interesting, and a nice idea for an automatic drivetrain. Silly, I know, but many states (perhaps most/all?) have laws specifically prohibiting this technique on public roads.
I admit, however, that I have been known to do this from "time to time"...
2018 Subaru Crosstrek, 2014 Audi Q7 TDI, 2013 Subaru Forester, 2013 Ford F250 Lariat D, 1976 Ford F250, 1969 Chevrolet C20, 1969 Ford Econoline 100
You need to put investment in alternate energy into perspective. The entire Solyndra failure, for instance, in terms of $$$, is 3 days worth of war in Iraq.
I would much rather see the government take risks in future energy than future foreign escapades.
You know, new tech is like any other thing you invest in---some of your stocks fail, some succeed.
I like the biodiesel idea, because if the price can be kept down, this gives small turbo diesels the competitive edge they need to proliferate; otherwise, diesel cars in America will remain marginal because of the fuel costs and the MSRP.
Actually I do, yearly 500-1000 gals of home brewed biodiesel gets me TOTALLY off the logistic energy grid !!You know the TIES that bind to the middle east? When that happens, you can concrete over the Straits of Hormuz!! If Iran can't sell its oil? Well, oh well. :shades: No need for wild wars !! Of course the EPA will ban engines that can run 100% biodiesel, wouldn't be prudent. As Rohm Emmanel is said to have said: NEVER waste a good crisis !! Waste a GREAT CRISIS? CRIMINAL !!!
Actually the USA's biggest supplier has been Canada. In addition WE can be almost totally oil and gas self sufficient. WE by way of our policy bodies really do not want it!!! ????? As that REDNECK scotch drinking, cigar smoking comedian sez: you can't fix STUPID.
More down stream, it would take the wind out of the sails of the CRISIS du jour mechanisms. What would be the fun in the world not being able to be scared to figurative and literal death at a moments notice, i..e.., when some Arab fast boat approaches a US military ship with Ali AKBAR blaring over the sound system !!!! ???? :lemon: Our's would be blaring "Can't Get No SATISFACTION" by the Rolling Stones. :shades: :lemon:
And to think all this can be stopped by a bunch of algae eating CO2 and spewing oxygen and oil !! :P Oh the irony !! BUT then again, according to the above Obi Won K..., STUPID is forever.
Investing in Solyndra was not some future alternative energy research project. It was pure and simple campaign paybacks. They knew there was no way Solyndra was going to compete. Only an idiot would look at the Solyndra model and consider it sound business. So what are we going to do with that fancy building we got out of the deal? We do own it don't we?
“That’s a lot of money that went into that factory and I just don’t get how that factory is going to make this company successful,” said Barry Cinnamon, chief executive officer at Westinghouse Solar, a Solyndra LLC competitor. “It’s one of those neck-snapping things every time you drove down the highway."
I actually drive past there on occasion. I think it would make an *excellent* community storage facility for people with classic cars
You can't judge by a business model---who would look at the TESLA business model and think it wasn't crazy? Obviously there are hopes and dreams beyond what's on paper. I bet the Apple business model didn't look so great a decade ago.
it's hard to compete with the Chinese right now--of course, I believe their system will collapse and is not sustainable, but in the short term, there's nothing like a clever dictatorship to get the economy moving and to make a country globally competitive. Naturally, once economic liberalities threatens the power structure, there will be repression and strife.
This is absolutely disgusting, outrageous and immoral.
Jobs and Woz, Hewlett and Packard, etc. started literally in 2 car garages. Solyndra starts off as the literal Taj Mahal and ends up not even vapor ware.
I'd be happy to install a 4 point lift, store my cars there and work on them and make sure the building is still standing. :P I can take a shower and spa treatments after my TDI oil change every 30,000 miles, done by evacuation method, top side. :shades:
All one has to do is look at the Japanese model. That is EXACTLY what happened!! They were supposed to RULE electronics !!! They are still in a funk even after a couple of decades going on three. What massive groups are trying to rush into Sony factory stores for the hottest in electronics? Instead people in China cram the APPLE stores !! You know those two guys from Cupertino ????
I still consider the Tesla model highly flawed. And as far as I can tell it has not done the USA any good. Are they built here? Same with Fisker auto. Obama gave them millions and they promptly set up shop in Finland. Has filed chapter 11 and now they are trying to extort more money from US.
The chief executive of plug-in car maker Fisker Automotive has signaled that plans to build vehicles at a former General Motors plant in Delaware may be in jeopardy because of trouble obtaining a loan from the federal government.
Fisker Automative, which received a $528 million loan guarantee in April 2010, has missed early manufacturing goals and has gradually pushed back plans for U.S. production and the creation of thousands of jobs, according to The Washington Post.
Most hybrid and EVs take way too long to justify their price.
A few vehicles begin paying off relatively soon after leaving the dealership. Two hybrids— Toyota's Prius ($23,537) and Lincoln's MKZ ($33,887)— as well as Volkswagen's diesel-powered Jetta TDI ($25,242) all take less than two years before they start saving their owners money.
While I like the conclusion (I have an MKZ hybrid), it's a bit misleading. The regular MKZ comes with a 3.5l V6, so its 22 mpg are pretty typical for that setup. And while it technically is only $1100 or so more MSRP, in reality you can usually get a Ford rebate, etc, for $2k or more, so the difference in price is more like $3000. But that still pays off over several years, and I plan to keep it 10+ years.
1) In the lab, virtually all 'bio' diesel has long-term detrimental effects on the fuel-pump, injectors and combustion-chamber. (sticking rings!) This is why most automakers do not warantee more than 5% use. Dont take my word for it, the excruciatingly-technical lab-results are available online for you to review. Nearly every conceivable source from peanut-oil to whale-oil has been tested. (ok.... not whale-oil - LOL)
2) ALL (I repeat ALL) fuel-injected engines totally shut off the fuel-injection during 'overrun' (decelleration). Pressing the clutch and 'coasting' actually burns fuel because the engine must consume fuel to idle.
I had read in passing the TDI draws .2 gal per hour if operated in idle mode, aka neutral. There is ZERO fuel draw if one goes down a long grade for example, in gear. This is easily confirmed by VAG.com hooked up to a laptop.
Well that table doesn't speak so much to fuel economy as it speaks to the difference between that particular manufacturer's MSRP for their gasser model vs. their hybrid or diesel model.
This is a marketing triumph, not a fuel economy triumph.
They should have compared the MB S350 Bluetec to the S400 Hybrid. They are within $500 TMV of each other. The Diesel has an EPA rating of 25 MPG and the Hybrid 21 MPG. And the diesel is a 4matic all wheel drive. Why did Mercedes bother to even build the hybrid? It is almost as big of a joke as the Lexus LS Hybrid that gets a whopping 20 MPG. What people will buy to look green. Small brains and big wallets.
Comments
Kudos to the owner, but it doesn't offer any predictability for the next case.
Maybe there's a craigslist app to sort car sales by miles?
So ....1 out of 300 cars might reach 300K---but of course, this says nothing about the $$$ to get there.
I betcha most of those 300K cars are fairly new, too.
I think you have a much better chance of reaching 300K if you do it in a hurry.
So to come full circle to the title of this topic----reaching extraordinary, radically high mileages is not part of my buying decision.
For the average American, that's a 20 year commitment to a car.
I'm thinking more about German engineering and high MPG and good resale. Mileages of 300K aren't even on my radar.
http://blogs.smartmoney.com/advice/2012/04/03/despite-gas-prices-hybrid-sales-st- all/
Mine is more a car that will go 20 years without any major work, like our LS400 that we drove to dinner this evening. I would love to trade it. But it runs like a top at 23 years of age. I would be real surprised if any Lexus will live up to the standard they set in 1990.
I don't know if its a myth. I think it is more akin to a legend, where all diesels are somehow lumped in and elevated based on those few good models from way back when that were non-turbocharged, hence glacial slow but incredibly undertaxed.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
Given going beyond 175,000 miles on a 2003 Jetta TDI with literally ZERO issues, I am feeling like these are the good old days.
Cars wear out--it's the law of the universe. However, the concept of 'gradual degradation" means that one doesn't notice this slow decline.
For as long as struts and shocks (those are strictly shocks by the way) there are no real standards for what is considered "dead". Sure there is the bounce test. Sure it can result in abnormal tire wear. I have never had a car "fail" a bounce test. It also has had very normal and even tire wear. Sure I would like 120,000 on a set of SUV tires.
But the point is really the same. If gassers can do it, diesels certainly can.
Sure I'm totally in favor of keeping a good old car running versus buying a new one. I have only bought one new car in my entire life and I doubt I will ever buy another (although it was a good experience).
I heard about this great '99 Porsche 911 cabriolet, super low miles, very clean---and the damn thing turns out to be a Tiptronic. I could have cried. That one might have tempted me.
I was encouraging my brother to lease a Jetta TDI but he went for a gasser. "too much money" he whined over the phone. Well, he's retired, so....
I see his point...the difference these days between a stripper Jetta and a TDI is a *lot* of money. ($7000 difference in msrp).
I notice it with my '97 and my '99. Mostly in the '99 since the mpg has gone down (should have never changed the original spark plugs). The driver's power mirror doesn't work because I got the wrong part and was too cheap to pay the freight to replace it (dropped a canoe on the original). Durn thing won't die otherwise. Both rides have a few burnt out little bitty dash lights and that's surprisingly irritating.
Hit 174k today in the '99. Saw six deer on a 2 hour trip out of town this morning. Running into one of those will probably be the deciding factor for buying a new ride.
Meanwhile, unleaded and diesel are at parity again. Not only parity with each other but a tank is on parity with a couple of ounces of silver. :sick:
Take, for example, my 1996 Outback. I bought it with 83,000 on the ticker. The ride seemed great (hard to make a fair comparison when my other vehicle was a 1969 Chevrolet C20!); the suspension parts were original. At 150,000 miles, I was riding with someone who owned a new Outback, and he commented that the ride seemed harsh when we drove over expansion cracks on the highway. He drove that same road every day, and said it wasn't nearly that harsh. He asked about my struts, I said "original," and he seemed concerned. We did all the bounce and tire wear stuff, and it all looked fine. So, he said, "well, I dunno. I think you should replace them anyway. You should be ready to replace your second set by now."
So, I took his advice and bought a new set. I pulled the first strut off, compressed the spring, and removed the retainer bolt... and the strut rod fell into the cylinder. Being my first experience with struts, I didn't think anything of it. Then, I got the new one ready, pulled the retainer pin, and its rod quickly extended from the cylinder. I thought, "hmm... maybe these did need replacing!" I finished the job, put the wheels back on, and took it for a spin on a gravel road....
WHOA DOGGIES! That was the cheapest new car I ever bought! :shades:
Given that you live in a much more moderate climate, 2x the life might be reasonable, but I still wouldn't push a set beyond 150,000 if you want the car to give you good, dependable handling response.
Pacific Biodiesel is hiring for its new Big Island plant
Pacific Biodiesel will hold a job fair on the Big Island next weekend and plans to hire more than 20 people to staff its new Big Island Biodiesel plant in Keaau.
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2012/03/16/pacific-biodiesel-is-hiring-f- - or-its.html?ana=fbk
With a little help from the taxpayers however.
Indeed VW, in a 2012 owners manual says that ANY biodiesel over 5% is strictly prohibited. In the worst cases, it is grounds for denial for engine and emissions warranty claims.
The logic is as simple as the mathematics. IF we have a 23% diesel passenger fleet, we will decrease the demand for gasoline (RUG to PUG) BY a minimum of 23%. !! ?? Or is one of the prerequisites for being a Congressional or environmental policy maker flunking grade school mathematics? :P :lemon:
??? Only thing I found on the MB site allows 5% max, just like VW.
MBUSA biodiesel specs
Can't say that I mind though. Homegrown diesel won't hurt and maybe some grant will result in some cheaper fuel.
I don't mind tax dollars spent on viable projects that benefit Americans. I hate when they buy windmills and solar panels from China with my tax dollars. Or stuff the pockets of flim flam con men.
The Solyndra debacle might be the poster child/blue print even as it is ONLY the tip of that GREEN iceberg. The travesty about that was the investors (friends of (crony capitalism, aka) the administration were put ahead of taxpayers by the very federal officials that are supposed to look out for the taxpayers' interests. The "connected" early investors got their monies back and the non connected investors AND taxpayers are left holding the empty buildings with no solar panels no less!!?? .
The additional travesty about biodiesel is that a viable concept is being total trashed and vilified.
Same here. Given that I work with the Alaska land grant university, I could give you examples of both, and I cannot possibly express how frustrating the latter were.
That said, we have a world-class biofuels researcher here who was working with Hawaii on refining and analysis of various tropical plants for the biofuels industry in that state. Good stuff, but boy was he frustrated about how much the Hawaii researchers were dragging their feet when it came to sending him the samples to process!
He also did some cold-weather biodiesel testing for a private company in Indiana a couple years ago. They took a trip from the experiment station in Palmer up to the arctic circle in mid-winter, even experiencing some reasonably frigid temperatures, and the fuel performed flawlessly.
Too bad there are no pictures.
Interesting, and a nice idea for an automatic drivetrain. Silly, I know, but many states (perhaps most/all?) have laws specifically prohibiting this technique on public roads.
I admit, however, that I have been known to do this from "time to time"...
I would much rather see the government take risks in future energy than future foreign escapades.
You know, new tech is like any other thing you invest in---some of your stocks fail, some succeed.
I like the biodiesel idea, because if the price can be kept down, this gives small turbo diesels the competitive edge they need to proliferate; otherwise, diesel cars in America will remain marginal because of the fuel costs and the MSRP.
More down stream, it would take the wind out of the sails of the CRISIS du jour mechanisms. What would be the fun in the world not being able to be scared to figurative and literal death at a moments notice, i..e.., when some Arab fast boat approaches a US military ship with Ali AKBAR blaring over the sound system !!!! ????
And to think all this can be stopped by a bunch of algae eating CO2 and spewing oxygen and oil !! :P Oh the irony !! BUT then again, according to the above Obi Won K..., STUPID is forever.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-09-28/solyndra-s-733-million-plant-had-whistl- - ing-robots-spa-showers.html
“That’s a lot of money that went into that factory and I just don’t get how that factory is going to make this company successful,” said Barry Cinnamon, chief executive officer at Westinghouse Solar, a Solyndra LLC competitor. “It’s one of those neck-snapping things every time you drove down the highway."
You can't judge by a business model---who would look at the TESLA business model and think it wasn't crazy? Obviously there are hopes and dreams beyond what's on paper. I bet the Apple business model didn't look so great a decade ago.
it's hard to compete with the Chinese right now--of course, I believe their system will collapse and is not sustainable, but in the short term, there's nothing like a clever dictatorship to get the economy moving and to make a country globally competitive. Naturally, once economic liberalities threatens the power structure, there will be repression and strife.
Jobs and Woz, Hewlett and Packard, etc. started literally in 2 car garages. Solyndra starts off as the literal Taj Mahal and ends up not even vapor ware.
I'd be happy to install a 4 point lift, store my cars there and work on them and make sure the building is still standing. :P I can take a shower and spa treatments after my TDI oil change every 30,000 miles, done by evacuation method, top side. :shades:
All one has to do is look at the Japanese model. That is EXACTLY what happened!! They were supposed to RULE electronics !!! They are still in a funk even after a couple of decades going on three. What massive groups are trying to rush into Sony factory stores for the hottest in electronics? Instead people in China cram the APPLE stores !! You know those two guys from Cupertino ????
The chief executive of plug-in car maker Fisker Automotive has signaled that plans to build vehicles at a former General Motors plant in Delaware may be in jeopardy because of trouble obtaining a loan from the federal government.
Fisker Automative, which received a $528 million loan guarantee in April 2010, has missed early manufacturing goals and has gradually pushed back plans for U.S. production and the creation of thousands of jobs, according to The Washington Post.
http://abcnews.go.com/Blotter/car-company-us-loan-builds-cars-finland/story?id=1- 4770875#.T34cLdnLtv4
A few vehicles begin paying off relatively soon after leaving the dealership. Two hybrids— Toyota's Prius ($23,537) and Lincoln's MKZ ($33,887)— as well as Volkswagen's diesel-powered Jetta TDI ($25,242) all take less than two years before they start saving their owners money.
And the WINNER IS???
2) ALL (I repeat ALL) fuel-injected engines totally shut off the fuel-injection during 'overrun' (decelleration). Pressing the clutch and 'coasting' actually burns fuel because the engine must consume fuel to idle.
This is a marketing triumph, not a fuel economy triumph.
Nonetheless, it is an accomplishment.