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What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?
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While the TDI engine does its part FOR BETTER mpg (over like models gassers, a minimum of 30%), perhaps the diesel car thread might NOT be the most on-topic place to even discus the factors that ADD/MINUS MPG.
Suffice to say, one wants to put as many to combinations of ALL mpg factors in ones favor, the "green" or LRR technology being one.
I read an article in passing that after the Taylor's set their mpg record in the 12 Passat, they ran a green tire LRR (GY?) sponsored event and promptly broke their own record. I do remember they did not detail the testing protocols. If I remember correctly, it was 6 mpg BETTER. SO for folks like us, more like 1,2,3 mpg better (all things being equal). In your case (taller tire) MINUS- y for the bigger diameter ( - mpg unknown at this point).
My long trips are few. On the last 1000 miles only one trip to Orange county 200 miles RT. That was a lot of stop and go driving. The rest were 30 mile RT max. I used the Mobil on two tanks prior to this last fill. So not totally a fair analysis considering it was mostly on the new tires. Just two tanks under 23 MPG was unheard of for this vehicle. It will be good to get on the open road and try to break the former 32 MPG record.
Because a lot of folks do NOT have ONLY diesel and/or both diesel and gasser experiences, they tend to see folks who post diesel results as "suspect" @ best, aka WITHOUT gasser experiences. Indeed even with over 320,000 diesel miles, I still have WAY more gasser miles. I am guessing you also have more gasser mileage. So for me, when I post th SOS/DD trek, the point A to point B journey has the inherent capability of being incredibly BORING, albeit consistent ! Indeed another BORING example is the daily commute.
..." I have a total of 29k miles on 3 diesel vehicles not counting two diesel tractors or work trucks. Which is enough to convince me to never buy a gas vehicle again.
For me to get a (like model) gasser, it would have to offer a series of overwhelming advantages to get me to switch back to gassers.
I do like the fact that the 1994/1996 TLC's (gassers) are now 21/19 years old. But even when I bought them, I had wished they offered the TDI version in US markets. At the time, the RUMOR was TDI's got 25 mpg. (14-16 for gassers or app 67% better). The short term goal is the 25 year old mark.
So don't classify me as a "gasser lover" or a "diesel hater," just someone who hasn't found the perfect diesel car (yet).
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
So in the case of the MB GLK 250 B/T, it came standard (no option) with 4wd, aka 4 matic. The gasser (GLK 350) can be had in both 2wd/4wd. 4WD to 4WD the gasser costs $500 more. So the logic has defaulted to: IF you want the diesel, what is now the range of options, secondarily as compared to the gassers.
I really have a preference for 2wd in the GLK 250 B/T. Among other advantages, @ least 3 mpg BETTER!? I really owe that attitude to driving in one of the snowiest area's in the US for 2 winters (near Buffalo, NY), albeit 41 years ago, not to mention driving in the Sierra's for more years than I care to admit. I should not also overlook 5 months in the Rocky Mountains. But ultimately the 4wd is more about other people, than me personally. I do take advantage of it when the advantages presents themselves. Not that I can really tell you what they really are, other than the CA Trans chain control folks let me by (12 VW T TDI & MB GLK 250 B/T) I do however get "stuck" paying the premiums. I am led to believe they will make 4wd CARS chain up, despite "snow tires", whatever that means nowadays.
Slow news diesel day ! 38 mpg for 2 fills=23 gal @ 4.01 per gal (MB GLK 250 B/T, SHELL brand, 874 miles)
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
http://www.torquenews.com/1084/2014-forester-and-xv-20-liter-diesels-are-green-why-not-us
It seems it is all about lower mpg, while making oems front millions of $$$$'s for diesel engine certification and defacto keeping diesel (higher percentages) off the US markets. So with less than 5% (2.5%) diesel cars, the numbers indicated they are doubly successful and almost wildly.
IF we use VW TDI as an example (2.0 L ) the 50.4 mpg Subaru gotten in European markets nets @ best 43 mpg or 15% les in US markets. SO even if you GET a US diesel, you are using more fuel than a European/World diesel.
I had just a Cable TV video piece indicating we flare off more natural gas than we consume (yearly) !!!!!!! While this is figuratively and literally mind blowing, it is hardly surprising !!!!
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
Even at high 30s/low 40s, I'd be all over it. I would literally trade in my '10 Forester tomorrow on a diesel variant (assuming MT available, and after removing the new HD springs I installed earlier this summer). Yet, the point clearly reinforces the fact that there remains lost potential.
Aren't politics grand?
Especially in Alaska you have a lot of guys who well remember the gelling days and won't nothing else to do with a diesel.
For example, the Germans (pick your poison here) are "smart enough" to meet or exceed the gasser specifications to import or sell gassers in the US market? YET (or so goes the enviro con narrative) they are absolute dunces on the diesel side? Further, the costs of gasser/diesel manufacture is app EQUAL !!! This would defacto give a HUGE advantage to diesels. They want to impart no such advantage to diesel some form of "equalization, "to be PC. I think we are used to a lot of fairy tales, substituting for realities !!!
Of course, those memories of mine are over 15 years old now too.
If one need tow up to 30,000 #'s (or whatever it is now) 5th wheel, 35 ft house trailers, 3 horses, gear, or BIG and HEAVY boats, etc, the 2/3/4/5 series are the huckleberry.
It's kind of like the old GM diesel passenger cars and how some of us remember those tales and keep dragging that perception into the 21st Century. Still reliving the Civil War (which is on my mind since I've moved near the capital of the Confederate Arizona Territory).
I'm starting to feel a bit sorry for diesel - even the good news headlines read like this gem:
Diesel trucks and buses belch cleaner fumes (orlandosentinel.com)
And this one from HuffPo is more of the norm kind of story - a real love/hate relationship (or need/hate):
Waiter, What's This Diesel Fuel Doing in My Coffee?
Still waiting, except for VW. The winning combination is a "right-sized" diesel with a manual transmission. BMW is introducing more diesels, but they're either too big or don't have a manual transmission, usually both.
I had high hopes for the Honda (Acura) TSX diesel 5 years or so ago, and we all know where that ended up. CARB and other nannys hate diesels in general and especially don't want the people driving them to be able to shift when they want to.
We're screwed.
The sad part is the Honda and Subaru both will pass the emissions with manual transmission. But the powers don't want to go through the hoops for a few people wanting MT. Subaru has the added problem that their CVT will not handle the diesel torque.
He's decided to sell the boat.
Any VW TDIs up there?
The sad part is the Honda and Subaru both will pass the emissions with manual transmission. But the powers don't want to go through the hoops for a few people wanting MT. Subaru has the added problem that their CVT will not handle the diesel torque.
Essentially the diesel engine increases ancillary costs from the "parts" bin. Two examples would be having an MT where none is offered in gassers and having to source a much BEEFIER M/T AND A/T on a series of outlier models that may or may not sell and @ predictably higher prices.
So for example theTSX posts 170# ft. A 2.0 L TDI would post a minimum of 236 # ft. The Subaru posts even higher # ft.
Things would further be out of wack if they had a 2.1 L T TDI posting 369# ft.
406 # ft and UP would probably cause massive heartburn. The VW T TDI has a transmission with max torque handling capability of 627 # ft.
I know (and respect) you are a DIE HARD MT guy. Unfortunately, I'm willing to bet if you want a Honda or Subaru diesel, that you'll be considered fortunate (by the manufacturers) that they will even offer one here in the US. They'll cite the small percentage of MT sales overall would reflect an even smaller amount of diesel/MT sales and won't be worth the cost of crash testing the diesel/MT model here in the US. Subaru & Honda will also tell you that they don't have a clutch to handle the diesel's abundance of torque (just like MB did when they started dropping monster motors in their AMGs). Then last, but not least, they'll show you that the diesel/automatic (CVT, DSG, Conventional Slushbox) can produce better EPA fuel economy numbers.
2001 Prelude Type SH, 2022 Highlander XLE AWD, 2025 Camry SE AWD
ULSD $3.99
PUG $3.91
Mgug $3.81
RUG $3.71
Did a fill for the 09 Jetta TDI @ 39.5 mpg.
D2 @ $3.95
PUG @ $3.91
Mgug @ $3.85
RUG @ $ 3.71
Long story short, local road slough, stop and go and delays and obstacles, even with the upgrade SOS/DD (209 miles 36.5 mpg on the way up) mpg, posted 35 mpg for 389 miles with the A/C blasting at altitudes exceeding 6,225 ft. http://tahoe.usgs.gov/facts.html
Took a drive around the "obstacle laden" local roads. Right now seems to be the heart of ROADS repair and maintenance season. There are almost too many two lanes necked down to one lane (for two way traffic scenarios) to count.
BUT, wild fires are the HOTEST things around !! This area is triangulated by two major ones (King Fire, Pollock Pines, CA being the closest, 11 total in the general region), but the smoke and ash are hitting Reno, NV. Of course, winds might shift, or God forbid another wild fire breaks out somewhere.
Mentioned over in the local gas prices discussion that a station stuck in the middle of a bunch of road construction is selling gas for $2.99 and diesel for only $3.59. Cheap!
Yeah, VWs are not uncommon. Closest dealership is Anchorage, though.
http://fox40.com/2014/09/18/king-fire-more-than-doubles-in-size-overnight/
(71k acres is huge)
Size isn't everything. The Boles fire in Weed is under 400 acres and burn't 200 buildings. Including two Churches and the Library. Happy Camp Fire West of Shasta is 125K acres. They have arrested someone on Arson Charges. $10 million bail means they are pretty sure he started the King fire.
http://www.nbcbayarea.com/news/local/10000-Reward-For-Information-Leading-to-Cause-of-Boles-Fire-in-Weed-275445151.html
This is old news, but another metric on the SIZE of the fire: actually over 111 square miles burnt/consumed. (app 640 acres= 1 square mile, Siri)
IF anything deserves the death penalty, one is arson.
Even @ 200 acres, the scale is mind boggling.
This Wiki piece hints (by way of comparison only) at some of the numbers of devastation (indirectly) in WEED, CA
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Angora_Fire
Recovery to the El Dorado National Forest area burnt ( aka 2007 Angora Fire ONLY
More than 76,000 acres
(/640 per 1 sq mile=) 119 square miles.
As of 540 pm. EDT
SLOW news diesel day, posted 40.9 mpg for app 265 miles. 14 MB 250 BT.
I decided to get down the mountain using Highway 50, passing Pollack Pines, CA. The smoke was almost surreal. The 14 MB GLK 250 BT's ventilation system and fan were turned off. That seemed to keep all but the smoke that was let in, before turning it off. In places, one could see maybe 25 to 50 yards ahead. This was an obstacle and delay filled "LONG commute". Four mtn. lanes were closed to 1 each way. A "hats off" to all those working to kill the fire !!
It must have been sobering to almost all the drivers, as no one did anything weird. We all passed one small area ( Fresh Pond, CA area 200 yards long?) where the fire seemed to threaten to JUMP the 4 lane freeway. It was tended by maybe 2 trucks (water filled) with 10 in reserve just in case the fire jumped their positions.
Climate Science Is Not Settled
We are very far from the knowledge needed to make good climate policy, writes leading scientist Steven E. Koonin
Dr. Koonin was undersecretary for science in the Energy Department during President Barack Obama's first term and is currently director of the Center for Urban Science and Progress at New York University.
Perhaps when D2 was classified as such, the enviro cons never dreamed it would actually DO what they advocate. (use less foreign and domestic barrels of oil, less pollution, etc. ) Perhaps the real danger (to them) is it actually is "catching on" with lower consumption and prices being the "victims"
Diesel fuel has so many OTHER paths to market than refining RUG/PUG.
(Doesn't explain my 8,000 miles in two or three months though.
How did you make out in Odile, looked like LC was right in the path?
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Got a lot of rain here (2.63 inches), but the house we are trying to buy is not in the flood plain, although some of the neighbors "below" us are. Nothing much happened here other than some dirt on the roads.
The home inspector was great although he stunk up driveway when he arrived the other day. Was driving an F-250 diesel. Then we open the garage and there's a tiny propane leak going into the water heater and it smells like a dead rattlesnake in there. Gotta go solar.
Diesel prices hit lowest levels since mid-2012, EIA says (dcvelocity.com)
For 298 miles, it posted 41.39 mpg. (for a H EPA of 33 mpg)
I am not unhappy.
RUG $ 3.71
MGUG $ 3.81
RUG $ 3.91
ULSD $3.77
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-g-king-fire-in-eldorado-national-forest-20140918-htmlstory.html