Did you recently take on (or consider) a loan of 84 months or longer on a car purchase?
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
A reporter would like to speak with you about your experience; please reach out to PR@Edmunds.com by 7/25 for details.
Options
What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?
This discussion has been closed.
Comments
A bit of a head scratcher on finding the New York Times reviewing a pick up truck, much less an ah..... American product: RAM (TDI) 1/2 ton PU Truck. (formerly know as DODGE) .
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/08/automobiles/2014-ram-1500-ecodiesel-review.html?_r=1
You heard the sentiment expressed here, quite a while back and more than once ! (TDI 1/2 ton PU truck? absolute no brainer)
..."ALTERNATIVES None. No other brand offers a diesel engine in half-ton truck"...
Trucks in general just seem overpriced. $30k and you don't even get power windows.
Seems a small price to pay for 9200 lbs tow weight, 28 mpg hiway and a 700+ mile range between fill ups. This truck might actually be used as a truck---how quaint.
Amen!
The NY TIMES must be on a roll ! "Get a load" of this. (pun intended)
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/08/automobiles/autoreviews/2015-gmc-sierra-denali-2500hd-review.html?action=click&contentCollection=Automobiles®ion=Footer&module=MoreInSection&pgtype=article
$65k MSRP for the mink and manure set, albeit TDI?????
Another no brainer would be the so called "compact" diesel (TDI) PU truck. It would seem like if OEMs spent more time effecting some no brainer things, rather than go to EXTRAORDINARY lengths to cover up and not to fix stuff like .75 cent ignition defects, they would be FAR better off.
Get rid of the Chicken Tax and let some Thai pickups in (assuming they can pass crash and emissions tests).
I can just see that 2015 GMC as a crew cab pulling up to an oil rig: "Gee, fellahs, would you mind wiping your feet before you got in?"
They make laser cut prophylactic laser cut floor mats (custom fit floor liners actually) for just that contingency.
Take those liners out, lather em with degrease and hit them with the pressure washer. 
Then its off to the opera premier ? 
The gas prices reaching sky high this days and diesel is also following like a child following his mom. I would prefer going electric.
Since they are your nickels, it is good to be able to exercise your preferences in the marketplace. Folks who chose to use diesel should be accorded the same, sans the vilification that seems to emanate from electric and hybrid advocates.
As you probably do know, fully 40% of (US ) electrical generation is from COAL fired plants. This of course is the good /bad news depending on how you look at things. So for example, as the price (will) rises for natural gas (to fuel those natural gas fired ELECTRICAL plants,) more coal will be used.
On a consumer level, local power provides have already had .37 cents per KWH approved and charged as part of a "multi tiered" scheme. Intertwined with that scheme is the relative high cost to impossibility of going "off line".
To wit Cupertino, CA, home to the product line Apple, (which probably nobody in the world has heard of
) charged $25 k PLUS in fees ALONE as part of the solar installation approval process for R1 .
To wit, consumers in Asia easily pay 3 to 4 times more for natural gas. To say they pay more for electricity would be ..... a natural consequence. Japan will not replace the nuclear plant/s that provided 10% of the nations power. So as a result, since theTsunami, 10% of Japan's production/demand has/will as a minimum costs 3 to 4 times more. Building a new plant (whatever they or the US chooses) will be contentious @ best and will take years to decades, if indeed it will ever be built.
Germany has plans to decommission its nuclear plants. They will of course have to be replaced with some efficient productive and cost effective sources.
Wind and solar generation are NOT those sources. They already have a much higher wind and solar % that the US.
So by all manners and plethora's of law's, coal is literally being "KILLED" . Some would say that is a good thing ! Or @ least conventional wisdom says it is. So here is some "BAD/GOOD" news (again depending on how one see it).
http://ecowatch.com/2014/05/31/natural-gas-bridge-to-nowhere/
It's (mostly) nasty stuff, but you aren't going to kill it. Yon may switch some electric generation to renewables and natural gas, but it takes a lot of coal to make, for one example, steel.
I took an energy audit and found I produce a very small amount of CO2 due to my home efficiency, few miles driven per year, and low use of airlines. I am only creating about 1/3 of the CO2 that an average American creates. However, I am creating twice the amount that some believe the earth can handle. The 7 billion people on Earth are each producing twice the CO2 that the Earth can handle. As it turns out, I am being a pig by environmentalist's standards and need to move into a tent and start bicycling to work so that I can reduce down to 2 tons of CO2 per year. If I do that, we can maintain at 400 ppm CO2, IF 7 billion others ALSO cut their creation in half.
49% of Earth's coal burning is happening in China. 11% in the US. The US is downstream from China in atmospheric flow, so the US get's China's pollution to breathe. Europe gets the US's downstream flow, so they fare 5X better than the US in inherited air quality.
My last electric bill is $117 for 831 KWhr. Before the Obama green agenda, I used to pay about $90 for 831 KWhr. There will be no dent made in CO2 creation by the ever growing human race. Those $400 extra dollars I pay for electricity that change the coal ratio do not benefit global CO2 levels. One effect is $4000 not earned by poor people in West Virginia who can no longer work producing coal. The unemployment they collect is borrowed from China and our economy is so strangled by this that more poor cannot pay for their electricity creating the need for more gov subsidies.
Meanwhile, there is more Antarctic sea ice area than nearly ever, and Arctic sea ice area is about a week off of the 1981-2010 average for June 3rd, 2014. In other words, the Arctic ice area on June 3rd is what the 30 year average is for June 10th, meaning that the polar bear has to adjust his hunting territory by a week with just 30 years time to prepare for the 1 week change. Normal summer ice melt requires any bear following the melt line to travel 2-3 miles per day all year, just to stay at the edge. With the melt being a week ahead of average, the bear has to travel dozens of extra steps per day as the ice may recede an extra 22 miles this year as compared to average. Receding takes from March 23rd till Sept 23rd. I ran 14 miles last week and that would not keep up with the melt/freeze rate of 1070 miles per year for an avg year. (535 down and 535 miles back North). Polar bears must either be less dependent on following this ice melt edge, or they cover distance easily and live nomadic. I feel no less sorry for a bear's seal hunting difficulty than the bear feels for my $400 extra electric charges to affect his melt edge travel rate.
That's about where I am. Got a hot prospect on the house tomorrow afternoon, and the tent is packed in the van. No room for the bikes this trip, although I'm going to try to squeeze my unicycle in (I'm up to half a block now).
Meanwhile, in keeping with the topic, is anyone tire kicking a diesel?
(There is something about diesels that makes people's conversations a bit contentious.)
Testy testers eh? On a more serious note, it would seem a lot of folks are seeing some to all of what I (and many others) have been saying for a while.
Yep, coming to Jesus can be a rough experience.
Interesting data points to the passenger vehicle fleet average @ 11.4 years old !
Side bar:
They use the term "light" vehicle but do not define it. But further down when they do say cars and "light" trucks, the age shifts to 12 years + PLUS.
edmunds.com/car-news/average-age-of-vehicles-in-us-pegged-at-114-years-report-says.html
So IF the 12,000 to 15,000 miles per year holds true, (US drivers) miles on the "average" 11.4 year old cars are between 137,000 to 171,000 miles. If 12+ PLUS years are used, 144,000 miles to 180,000 miles.
Meanwhile, in keeping with the topic, is anyone tire kicking a diesel?
I just filled up in Tyler TX at Shell for $3.69 a gallon. This is my best tank ever at 32.2 MPG. It included about 275 miles staying under 70 MPH and the rest of the day driving around the lakes looking at lakefront homes. Also checking out Tyler Rose garden. First two tanks were in the 27 MPG range. First tank the average speed from San Diego to Las Cruces was 74 MPH. Second tank going through El Paso during morning rush cut our overall speed to 70 MPH. Lots of 80 MPH and the rest 75 MPH. So driving 65-70 really saves me diesel.
When we filled in Las Cruces we had 648 miles on the tank. Guy next to me was filling a GM Terrain. He was headed to San Diego from TX. He asked if I liked the diesel and I told him one nice thing was getting 600+ out on the highway. He said he was happy with 350 miles. Keeping up with the 75-80 MPH traffic knocked him down to about 21 MPG. Try that in an electric car.
I am glad your trip is going well and SAFELY. It is also good to hear you posted 32 + mpg !!!
It was not easy cruising 65 in those 75 MPH zones. It was just about sun up and we were seeing a lot of deer out of Brady TX. I would hate to hit one. No traffic until we got to Waco. Much less stressful cruising quietly along at 65 MPH at 1700 RPM. When we got to Tyler the computer said 34.2 MPG. After all the back roads and driving around Tyler it lowered to 32.17 MPG calculatated. Headed up into Arkansas at the crack of dawn. May try to break that new record. It is a short 400 mile day with antique shop stops along the way.
Tyler, Tx. is the home of Earl Campbell, one of the greatest high school, college, and professional football running backs in history. His nickname is "The Tyler Rose". Your reference to the Rose Gardens there made me think of him.
It is difficult to drive below the speed limit like that, but it does allow you to see and understand a little more of the countryside you are driving through. Have a safe trip.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
What are you driving?
He has a 2013 VW Toureg TDI Luxury
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Ah, thanks. Excellent MPG for such a large vehicle! We are going to NM this summer in our Passat, I'll post the MPG...
Where to? We are heading to Taos Friday and then south to Las Cruces a few days later (check out the Road Trip! discussion).
This might not jump out at a lot of folks, but NM does have a lot of places at altitude i.e., Taos is @ app 7,000 ft and Los Cruces @ 3,500 ft.
So the nexus here is how TDI's perform @ these altitudes, up and down.
That 7,500' is one reason why we told our friends in Taos we didn't think we'd wind up moving there. Too cold in the winter. Our Bethel AK/Michigan friend really likes Taos though so we may wind up with two sets of people to visit up that way. Maybe we can talk her into a halfway point north of ABQ so we can break up the drive. :-)
Looks like the diesel out here on the road is running the usual $3.99 or so.
Taos has some extremes of heat and cold yes. I wouldn't want to leave a vehicle outdoors if I lived there.
Our friends got a garage door after a couple of years but they do leave one vehicle outside all year. Between the sun beating on it (they tarp the inside to help with interior fading) and the kangaroo rats eating the wiring, they have a good time. :-)
Taos is a bit too remote for me. I need frivolous things like maybe a big hospital and a German auto mechanic.
It is a bit small. Probably on a dozen diesel stations in town too. Fun place to hang out and house-sit for a few weeks at a time, though.
Just Albuquerque. My daughter is visiting UNM as a potential school. We are going back by way of Sedona AZ for a day.
2013 VW Touareg TDI Lux, Today's tank gave me 30.68 MPG. That was pretty good considering how many slow construction places we went through in Arkansas. Bill Clinton could have shuffled a little more to this state to get their roads in good condition. And the lack of signs is pitiful. Never know if you are going the speed limit. TX has the other states we travel beat on their highways less traveled. Even after 650 miles that one day my back is fine and I was not really tire. I love driving this vehicle. Only a few miles and we will be out of AR tomorrow. Across the mighty Mississippi and on to Indiana.
I am glad to hear the trip is progressing.
Since the last time (several years ago) that I went through (the rolling hills of) Texas, it would seem the lack of signage is still the same. The driver I am thinking is "revenue enhancement". On the (Texas) Interstate/s you can pretty much do 80 mph. On NON interstate/s, it seems on 20/20 hindsight, the radar detector seemed to go off @ every other crest of a hill !! A couple of those and not much sense in exceeding 5 mph over (the speed limits- whatever they currently are) !! ??
That 3.0 L TDI engine seems to be almost custom adapted to the open roads you are seeing !! Happy trails !!
Slow news day in the land of fruits and nuts.
Of the remaining cherry tree orchards in silicon valley, ca, ..... SLIM pickings !! As a result, the local chain food stores have a cherry special @ $5.00 a # !!! ????
Filled the 2.1 L T TDI @ 4.05 per gal D2 for 35 mpg (418 miles for 11.8 gal) .
I am still in "break in" protocols, so I am putting the rpm all over the tachometer. It is a kicky little engine when one wants to push it. It is pretty fun to spool the twin turbos!! It is SEAMLESS when and if one does not. The 369# ft of torque is almost freight train like, even pulling 4,246 #'s. Again I wonder what it would be like pulling 2,950 #'s !!!!!! I am still getting used to the so called "paddle shifters". The A/C performing like a champ during this hot, and fire, drought season.
@stevedebi, my next door neighbor in the UP went to school at UNM in ABQ - go figure. We "toured" the campus last year and liked the little gallery right by what I think is the main entrance. I'd have to go search out the Road Trip! discussion to remember the name but there's a great restaurant right across the street from the "main" entrance. You have to go through a line to order but it's all sit down after that - good food and a big comfortable place to hang out and people watch.
All I really know about UNM is that Boise State always beat them in football. That's a good sign to me - not too football stupid to the detriment of other programs.
$70?! Sign me up!
Hm, $17 last night for a huge room. About 3/4ths of an acre. Had most of the campground to ourselves.
$11 was the tab the night before. Looks like the motels in this part of Nebraska are filled up with construction worker pickups. Oil and gas or railroad workers I suppose.
I haven't run the numbers on the percentage that are diesels.
Seems like a fair # of folks are "car" traveling. It is good to see also that there are some areas where employment is picking up to GREAT. I hope you have a safe trip.
As for the percentages being diesels, unless there is a diesel get together or a few dieselers are traveling together, I'd say there would not be a higher than normal concentration.
I have not heard of any diesels from any OEM that had to readjust (downward) its EPA ratings C/combined/H. Below, FORD just had to (downward) readjust 6 gassers.
http://www.epa.gov/fueleconomy/updates.htm
My Quest's EPA was downgraded. Meanwhile I was beating the original EPA.
The other economic engine driving Nebraska's economy is cattle. The ranchers in Texas are moving north due to the drought. But there's tons of various types of tractors around here, all burning diesel I assume. As are all the coal trains - have seen dozens of those, especially along the Sandhills Scenic Drive.
That's funny. I easily beat the EPA #s on the Fiesta (manual) and I am a highly spirited driver. I tend to beat the #s for the automatic (which are higher) as well in most instances, so if they were required to downgrade, somebody's doing it wrong. That just goes to show that the detrimental effects of ethanol are far-reaching, indeed.
Definitely funny ! Perhaps they didn't think they would get CAUGHT ?? !!
The current EPA test protocols are certainly not NEW. Another funny part, after the 04 Prius brouhaha were the (35 years old PLUS) EPA tests was "RIGGED" in favor of gasser hybrids.
That would be the Frontier restaurant - one of the big draws for my daughter (and wife, and son, and me for that matter). That and the El Pinto are the places to go in ABQ.
That's the one - will have to try to remember El Pinto too. How long a drive is it (for you) from LA to NM anyway?
Probably could make it with one stop if you had that diesel.
I didn't think there was an EPA when your Quest was new?
LOL, you've been sniffing those fumes at the pump again eh?
Found free camping tonight. :-)
804 miles, about 11.5 hours. There is a lot of 75 MPH between LA and ABQ.
The TDI is rated around 730, so it takes one fill up.
One BIG variable is what actual mpg per tank full (all else being equal) .
While oem capacities are known, i.e., 14.5 gal tank 26.4 gal tank, 15.6 gal tank, one can do the mental gymnastics, or the easiest: just fill when the low fuel lamp/buzzer lights/ sounds.Then, do the mental gymnastics when you are under no threat of running out of fuel.