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What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?
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Another C & D article on what US markets are NOT getting.
http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2015-volkswagen-passat-euro-spec-first-drive-review
For starters, 10 engine options vs 2 !
But on the diesel front...
..."The 240-hp four-cylinder twin-turbocharged diesel is simply astounding. Blessed with a whopping 369 lb-ft of torque, it relentlessly pulls the Passat into triple-digit speeds. Despite it being both a four-cylinder and using compression ignition, the NVH characteristics are never harsh or intrusive. We suspect most customers won't miss the two additional cylinders available in the Euro-market Audi A4 diesel range. Especially since this Passat is rather efficient: We reckon it could achieve well into the mid-40-mpg range on the U.S. EPA highway-mileage test, and we wouldn’t be shocked if it could exceed that figure in real-world driving."...
The implication, the US market might get this 2.0 T TDI #369 # ft diesel and 7 speed DSG ! ?
Just to stay with the US "Passats," I am unsure which of the European specification Passats they most resemble.
The fact that a diesel Passat that is 800#s heavier than the GASSER and get probably better fuel mileage is ANOTHER advantage: diesel. The graphic is equally weird: that is like driving around with 5.33 150# adults more than a gasser, yet STILL get better fuel mileage.
Truck dealers must have always had fun picking axle ratios for their inventory; lots of choices there too.
Oooh, perfect truck, my color, big Black Friday sale. Ooops, 3.73 axle, that's a deal killer.
Happy Black Friday ! CNBC talking heads (from New Jersey) are broadcasting at one of the local malls.
For those that claim BLACK Friday is a "racial" thing, it is not. It (the historical concept, not the exact reality) is really the DAY in the year when a BIGGIE retailer is meeting their "NUT" and starts to be profitable, SO,...hitch a holiday to it, when folks are off work and.... sell sell sell to the end of the year. Internet shopping can also radically change this in the future.
Coinciding with Turkey Day's Black Friday are HUGE drops in both oil prices and oil stock prices. They are really indicators about what I have been saying all along. To the extent Obama is behind this, I say KUDO's !! , all disingenuousness aside.
According to some of the financial figures and talking heads, oil use GROWTH has been SLASHED 75%, ( down from 4 % year over year to 1%,) When real inflation is figured in, even MORE !! Interesting it was done with massive slashes in crude oil prices and not what is advocated (much higher oil prices) !! In theory it also FREES up billions in potential (consumer) dollars. It is interesting the so called American "energy revolution" is finally being manifest.
Why is this good for diesel ? Diesel would be even cheaper (over gassers) per mile driven fuel. I also can still be delusional about $1.85 ULSD @ the pumps !!!
After using Gas Buddy for a long time, I got the only heads up that if I can wait to buy, fuel prices are slated to go DOWN !!!
Diesel not looking too good in the the upper midwest right now. 50% premium over unleaded.
PUG $ 3.13
MRUG $ 3.03
RUG $ 2.93
RUG $2.55
Diesel $3.29
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Now to me the break throughs that would get me to consider going back (having been on the "DARK SIDE" for over 330,000 miles) to (LIKE MODEL) RUG/PUG options are: same TORQUE, PERFORMANCE, MPG, and resale value.
It has been clear and remains true that the ULSD prices of fuel are kept artificially high so City, County,State, Fed and World governments can EQUALIZE both the loss of the various transparent and opaque revenues AND more importantly loss of TAXATIONs.
My Touareg seemed to go down in mileage with the new Michelin tires. I have tried to calculate the difference in miles traveled as the OEM Goodyear Eagles were 29.5 inches in diameter and the Michelins are 30 inches in diameter. I come up with 672 revolutions vs 684 revolution per mile on the OEM tires. Which means I am traveling further than my Odometer shows. I use a multiplier of 1.02 on my odo mileage. The OEM Goodyear Eagle LS-2 were Size: 265/50R19 non LRR. The ones I got are Michelin Latitude Tour HP Size: 255/55R19
LRR: Green X. By all logic I should be getting better mileage. The Union 76 diesel in Oregon did yield 29.13 which is not too shabby. Just not up to the 30-32 MPG I got on TX diesel on our last trip to Indiana. Could be more open level driving also cross country. Rarely get over 27 MPG on California diesel. Still a heck of a lot better than 15-17 with the Sequoia.
I am also thinking about experimenting with the air pressure. VW recommends 33 PSI front and 39 PSI rear. Which I try to maintain. The Michelins are quieter, smoother and better handling than the Goodyear Eagles. I would not trade back.
So given the (your) tire choice, (after a baseline mpg AVG with OEM 19 in size and tires) the upshot version: go to the oems' manual recommended highway/sustained speed driving +3 PSI as a minimum. I run it as a base line under ALL conditions and temperatures, ergo, 36/42 psi instead of 33/39 psi. My guess/projection is .5 to 1 mpg better. If you get .5 better, the issue is it is barely measurable.
TMI would be to be mindful that one is still operating @ the temperatures one did the fill @, say fill @ 75 F degrees, but now operate @ say 35 F degrees. In this example, one is actually MINUS-4 PSI UNDER !!! ??? Needless to say this would undercut the maximization effort, in most cases unknowingly.
While I am mindful that MANY folks experience mpg and performance differences for DIFFERENCES in brand of D2 (RUG/PUG also) , for the environments, conditions and how I drive, I am (in that sense tone) deaf to the differences. I continue to buy on price and the least out of my way to get the best price, which is not always the CHEAPEST. I do buy Shell, Chevron, Valero, 76 on rare occasion and other indy's. Safeway's and Raley's (grocery stores) being notable ones. Rotten Robbies and other ones might come under TMI.
By Lynn Doan and Dan Murtaugh November 28, 2014
Gas Buddy analyst thinks $2.00 gas almost a certainty (in some places by Christmas ?
http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-11-28/2-gas-in-sight-for-some-u-dot-s-dot-drivers-as-opec-resists-cut
http://wallstcheatsheet.com/automobiles/the-7-safest-small-cars-of-the-2015-model-year.html/7/
I also think adjusted for (future) PVF cars population, aka per capital, 2013/2014/2015 NHTSA figures will show LESS average miles (than the last posted figures) rather than any GAINS, even as IF TOTAL estimated miles MIGHT go up.
http://www-fars.nhtsa.dot.gov/Main/index.aspx
SIDEBAR:
Vehicle Miles Traveled (billions) / (divided by) Registered Vehicles (thousands) and or Registered Licenses Drivers (thousands)= (avg miles). 2012 posted 11,177 miles / 14,017 miles respectively. So if anything it will be interesting what the next 3 years figures will show.
Something in my gut tells me the real reason for cheap gas is that enough oil producing countries are trying to hammer Putin. Was the OPEC fix in?
That's more fun than simply looking at supply and demand, lol.
This won't help out gas prices but could lower the diesel fuel bill:
France to rank cars for pollution, wants to phase out diesel fuel (reuters.com)
Too funny, while they are @ it, they should mothball all their nuclear power plants !! The two mothballings should help them reach the $10 per gal goal.
Here is a touch of GREEN (BLUE) propaganda. http://www.triplepundit.com/2014/11/vw-track-meet-2018-think-blue-factory-sustainability-goals/
It may be warmer in some places. Just not the USA. Coldest winter on record. And we could be going for a twofer.
NOAA's National Climatic Data Center said that the period from December 2013 through February 2014 was the 34th coldest such period for the contiguous 48 states as a whole since modern records began in 1895.
http://www.weather.com/news/news/winter-ncdc-state-climate-report-2013-2014-20140313
Maybe if we quit sending all our diesel to the EU, our prices will come down.
Back to the weather, and who do you trust to tell the truth?
As I always state, I’m not a scientist. The climate is dynamic and complex and I believe that no one fully understands it. But it doesn’t take a scientist to understand the fact that the data isn’t even remotely lining up with alarmists’ projections. Because of this, it stands to reason that, perhaps, we should stop putting quite so much stock in what they have to say.
http://poorrichardsnews.com/post/85724214833/global-warming-alert-2014-coldest-year-on-record
The last CC source I trust is anyone on the Federal government payroll. Too much money involved to have any integrity.
Energy Minister Segolene Royal announced earlier this year that drivers scrapping diesel-powered cars to buy an electric one would be entitled to a bonus of up to 10,000 euros ($13,500).
Instead of wasting money on EV incentives they should be trying to kick start their economy. They have twice the unemployment of Germany. Germany just keeps popping out the best diesels on the planet.
http://www.dailyforex.com/forex-fundamental-analysis/2014/11/German-Unemployment-Falls/37238?utm_expid=3673405-7.v9TXkD4lS1aCSQjYnNh02w.0&utm_referrer=http://l.facebook.com/l.php?u=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.dailyforex.com%2Fforex-fundamental-analysis%2F2014%2F11%2FGerman-Unemployment-Falls%2F37238%3Futm_expid%3D3673405&h=1AQEov-H4&enc=AZN2l8uWVzIiUTM0UwmFUIAGeE0R82lVGdwqbGZrgpgdGY7XGmMZIgRYrpkArc-9wsWg6oGRZ9LI26cpUV0xsVwy9LB-RK0WNTjrWchjrGxkOqlcXc3x1bDzlx2PKaYf9YsMtRzaKeT52aovVZGhVBoK0E8ZCWcYQKKUyUBdCYI9Vw&s=1
The narrative really is: the costs to mothball each and EVERY one will be utterly staggering !!
It will be also exponentially more utterly staggering to replace the "nuck clear" plants with solar, wind or more cost effective, natural gas products.
They think taxes are high now, given their predisposure to high and ever increasing taxes.
This does not even account for the fact/s that energy produced from "nuck clear " has been, is and remains FAR cheaper... than from solar wind, natural gas, etc., sans the capital costs of (religious) CONVERSION/s.
Slow news diesel week
The prices of ULSD have only dropped app 9.3 % ($3.98 to $3.61 per gal with RUG/PUG @ $2.93/$3.13, local prices). WHILE the so called "underlying driver" price per barrel oil has literally been CRUSHED !!! (MINUS - 34%, past 6 months).
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
There is some diesel news.
60,000 Deaths from 'Dirty Diesel' Pollution in UK Each Year (ibtimes.co.uk)
Well then, the answer is deceivingly EASY. Simply stop ALL UK diesel use: planes, ships, construction, agricultural, individual, commercial, industrial, power generation, etc etc ??????
Now that we have CRUSHED ( economically, socially, etc etc.) the "island" , what other world problems can we solve?
It reminds me of that IRISH joke. Outside of IRELAND "proper," what "county" has the most (actually MORE) IRISH population?
(SIDEBAR: that is a pretty weird/ironic result for a foodstuff (blight ) that was indigenous to South AMERICA??? )
Good/BAD news??
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102228450
The new "basket case" can be Venezuela? (not covered are Iran, ISIS, etc.)
http://www.cnbc.com/id/102228450
So I guess as a diesel fuel "user", I will have to do my patriotic duty and continue to buy that " OVERPRICED" , "made in America" ULSD ! ?
The back story here is ULSD/LSD is EXPORTED (causing a price padding in addition to higher taxation ) that helps the US balance of payments... POSITIVELY. So the real question would be: will ULSD/LSD EXPORTS go UP from app 20 to 25%, remain the same, or ...shrink ????
I found this interesting as well as misleading:
Up to 60,000 people may be dying prematurely every year as a result of air pollution caused by "dirty diesel", according to a panel of scientific experts quoted in the Sunday Times.
No mention of diesel powered buses and lorries being the problem. Who could afford their $18 per day charge to drive in London. You may also get robbed or beaten in London. Don't they have 1 pickpocket for every 3 tourist in the city. I think the odds are lower on dying from a modern German diesel car than 100s of other causes. Smoking is the highest cause of death in the UK. So how many of those POSSIBLE diesel deaths were also smokers or lived in a home where people smoke. Best bet stay out of cities PERIOD. Bad for your health.
And of course, no mention of the actual vehicles doing the polluting. A new E250 is looked at like a 1994 semi truck.
2013 LX 570 2016 LS 460
Not much of (a) percentage drop @ 9.3% ( from $3.98 to $3.61), given that the government (EIA.gov) says most of the price of diesel ( RUG/MCUG/PUG also) is/are from the cost of a barrel of oil, that has dropped 34% PLUS !!!
SO,... a 34% drop should put ULSD @ 2.63 !!! (well I can dream) Makes one wonder where these profits (tax credits, deductions, etc.) are going!?
Projections are up to three inches of rain San Francisco, CA area. Up to three feet of snow projected in the CA/NV Sierra Mountains.
It will be interesting to see the fuel mileages under snow conditions for this year. While I do not expect the Touareg TDI to be much different from last year, it will be the first winter for th MB GLK 250 BT.
Given that much of our best diesel technology comes out of Europe, this isn't good news for the future of diesel cars in America, seems to me. What do you think? An evil portent of the future, or just eccentricity within the EU?
RE: Corporate taxes---that is correct, the USA has a higher *statutory* RATE but in practice, due to a very generous depreciation schedule, US corporations actually pay far less than the statutory rate. Corporations do not have a sovereign allegiance, and especially not energy corporations. The actual pay rate is elusive, because it differs so much among the types of business. If you group certain coporations, you'd get about 19%, but if you cherry-pick other lists, you can show a 27% rate actually paid. So somewhere in there is the real number, and that puts it lower than much of the EU.
RE: Global Climate Change --- the pendulum seems to be swinging toward acceptance of anthropological climate change in 2014, as new data pours in month to month, so I think anyone in the business world had better get on the bandwagon ASAP, even if they are still somewhat skeptical, just as a good hedge bet. The "debate" is pretty much over, ( "debate": being defined as the use of actual evidence gathered in the field, within the scientific community, not opinion outside of science) although the particulars of the science evidence is still being worked out, as are the cost vs. benefit calculations. In other words, some proposed solutions may be too expensive to implement, while others are feasible. So I see the debate shifting from "is it true" to "what are sensible vs. wasteful solutions"
All new scientific discoveries are challenged very rigorously, which historically has been a good thing to do. Even great scientists were debating whether radioactivity was real, as late as 1930s.
I think just about all the automakers are on board with climate change challenges and solutions. Seems like they are taking it seriously.
RE: Where is the auto industry going with this? I'm seeing a trend toward plug-in hybrid as the immediate future response. I don't see why diesels technology can't be part of it
Sure the oems are "on board" with this. They have NO business IF they do not. Even ISIS machine gun platform small trucks have emissions controls.
Yeah, why is that?--terrorists seem to prefer Toyotas and car thieves like Hondas.
Let's roll up our sleeves and encourage people to STEAL AMERICAN!
I think car thieves like Honda's because parts are in high demand and in price, and to a thief, easy to break into and discomboomerate.
Where you a Solyndra investor? Walmart was able to get its initial capital out and left the taxpayer holding the bag !!
Even the Oracle of Omaha has said that solar and wind (energy) makes little to NO sense without (the MASSIVE & more massive than oil) tax credits, write offs and governmental wealth transfers. Indeed governments make more off a gal of RUG/PUG than oil companies !!!!
The GM bailout didn't happen that LONG ago !! ??
If Dodge/Chrysler/RAM were not sold to FIAT, the US tax payer would have been on the hook for TWO bail outs.
Insofar as encouraging people to STEAL AMRICAN, No NEED !! It is already a gang busters industry and growing. China (for one SMALL example, is in it HEAVY and has been for decades.
What we now know as the Internet was a government funded initiative way back when.
If America ceased investment in new technology, America is going to lose big time. China and the EU certainly aren't going to stop betting taxpayer's money.
All investments are a bet. Anytime you or I invest in anything, it's a bet. Nothing more.
And now we're hearing that the Chinese government is actively engaged in trying to hack into American corporations in order to steal our technology.
A new form of warfare, being carried out across the internet. Scary.
You may have seen media stories, but I've not yet seen hard scientific evidence (not based on computer models) that man-made warming is confirmed. The world has not warmed in 18 years;100% of scientists recently polled agreed on that (using the same flawed methodology as the famous "97% agree to man made warming", so often quoted). I'm afraid the fact of the matter is that folks are seeking data to support an answer they already have, rather than using the scientific method. Unfortunately, nobody told the satellites to change their temperature readings, so the lack of warming continues to be documented. I hope the warming folks are right; it would be a disaster if the globe was actually cooling. But so far I've just not seen the evidence.
Not to mention the fact that all suggested ideas will have basically zero effect on any temperatures, at an inordinate cost.
I still have an open mind, but I have yet to see the world wide temperature go up, to match these fancy models. Right now the curves are nowhere near right, so if temperatures don't rise soon, the models are going to be proven wrong.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/economy/as-oil-prices-plunge-wide-ranging-effects-for-consumers-and-the-global-economy/2014/12/01/904984b2-7971-11e4-9a27-6fdbc612bff8_story.html?hpid=z5