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What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?
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There has to be a joke here somewhere with a lead in like: you don't need a computer, its more like 1 mile after the warranty period?
New Chevrolet cars will predict when their parts are going to fail
By Chris Ziegler on January 4, 2015 07:00 pm
http://www.theverge.com/2015/1/4/7489581/new-chevrolet-models-will-predict-when-parts-are-going-to-fail-ces-2015
You all have been busy typing. Propane filled Saturday @$3.17 LPG. Total $431 since October 1st last fill-up. Considering this is the coldest winter in 8 years living here that is not too bad.
I think the solar deals where you just buy the electricity and they own the equipment makes the most sense. Are you wanting to climb up and clean off the panels after every dust storm? I still worry about screwing up my roof.
Car shopping. If I was buying a gasser it would not likely be a VW. Got a Jetta loaner for a day and it handled ok, just not up to my comfort level in any way. If you can live with the rubber band drive in the Subaru, that would be my first choice in gas wagons on a budget. Thankfully I can afford the Touareg TDI, which will take a heck of an SUV to replace.
Our Costco diesel is holding at $2.59 same as their PUG. It will be a few weeks before I need to refill. My go to stations between here and Roseburg seem to be holding close. The price difference across the USA seems to be varied a lot. Very rare that we have the cheapest diesel on the West Coast. I cannot find anyplace in CA with a lower price on diesel than Costco. And the town we spend some time in Roseburg Oregon seems to have the cheapest diesel in the state. No complaints here. With current prices and 15,000 miles a year I am saving right at $1000 per year over driving the Sequoia. And only have to visit a gas station 25 times vs 50 times with the gas guzzler. Diesel would have to be over double the price of gas to make me think about going back.
PS
Who does Ford think they will fool with their new 2.7L Eco-Boost engine? Bet a person would be lucky to get 19 MPG average. Give me the Ram diesel and get it all, power and great mileage.
On CHEAPER RUG/PUG
The most interesting geopolitical risk of 2015
Daniel W. Drezner
By Daniel W. Drezner January 5 at 9:25 AM
Daniel W. Drezner is a professor of international politics at Tufts University and a nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/01/05/the-most-interesting-geopolitical-risk-of-2015/?hpid=z3
It is intesting BO POTUS is NOT "spiking the football", colloquially !! Kudos this time for BOTH !
So, (using the same ratios) IF 30 mpg is the new forward looking LOW mpg (it is NOT obviously) , the AVERAGE forward looking mpg will be 48 mpg (practical 2025 target is 47 mpg) !!!! My 2003 Jetta TDI would have had higher mpg for @ least 2 decades.
Brad Tuttle @bradrtuttle 10:55 AM ET
Is the Prius slipping? Evidently Toyota might be preparing for the worst ? Why is the VW TDI GOLF video intergrated with this article?
http://time.com/money/3654905/toyota-prius-hybrids-sales-decline/
..."Researchers factored in the upfront costs of the Prius and a similarly equipped gas-powered Chevy Cruze, and then did the math on how long it would take for the pricier Prius to pay off via savings on fuel. The answer was that with $2 gas prices, you’d have to own the Prius for 28 years to break even compared with the overall costs of the Cruze."...
I have used the 04 Prius against the 04 Honda Civic and have (long ago) come to similar conclusions (with a series of popular commute cars) with even GREATER number of years to B/E.
(sidebar: the 2004 Honda Civic has 175,000 miles. We have been running 20,000 miles OCI's . To state the OBVIOUS, I am not anti gasser or diesel ONLY)
I certainly would probably not have selected the 2003 Jetta TDI over the 04 Prius, IF it were more compelling. In effect, the COMMUTE is STILL a requirement.
It makes me wonder if the HOLLYWOOD STARS (like DiCaprio) still have their 2004 Priuses? At the time mpg was 43 mpg. With the 2003 VW Jetta TDI (STILL) getting 50 mpg AND @ current prices RUG 2.59/ULSD 3.19= CPMD: FUEL .06023/.0638. I broke even in the first quarter 2003. So in effect in 187,000 miles cost $667.59 MORE @ todays prices. I STILL would be working on BE, IF I had gotten the 2004 Prius.
They didn't even make a TDI Prius hybrid? Let alone a PU? I have even said more than once, a DIESEL Prius hybrid would do FAR better than a Prius GASSER/Hybrid, specifically 30% + PLUS better? NADA in a DECADE PLUS ??? Meaning NO disrespect: UNDERWHELMING !!! ????
It took TOYOTA INXS of 5 years and who knows how many redesigns to hit 50 mpg, aka overcome the brouhaha over the 2004 Prius mpg debacle. This was NOT from DIESEL owners, but its own PRUIS CUSTOMERS ??????? ? We also need to keep in mind the hybrid portion offered 20% dividend in the mpg regard?
Again, meaning NO disrespect: UNDERWHELMING !!! ???? Keep in mind I am a VERY long time Toyota FAN !! ???
So the issue (lessen foreign oil usage) has been more than moot and for a VERY long time. This is true EVEN IF RUG/PUG use REMAINS @ 95% + for the PVF !!!! ?????
You have to wonder about Toyota wasting money on Hydrogen? Didn't they see the dismal failure that Honda had with their program? It may work for a fleet vehicle where you have a hydrogen plant to recharge. I don't think anyone makes a home unit. CNG is mostly dead for non commercial use. I think the company building the CNG home units went belly up. I think I read that 80% of hydrogen comes from Natural Gas. And the lion's share becomes fertilizer to grow bigger corn crops. What a screwed up energy policy we have.
That would for sure be a handy unit to have. Gas to Liquid (GTL) diesel is extremely clean burning. I believe both Shell and Exxon have huge processing plants in Qatar, where the largest know gas reserves are located. If enough diesel flows into the World market we may see cheaper diesel here. Just dreaming. My guess is gas will be back over $3 by April.
"The Mayor seems to have a love affair with diesel that must end."
Hard to believe the quote is in reference to the Mayor of London, where Air pollution in London's Oxford Street has already breached the legal limit for the whole of 2015 – in just four days. (independent.co.uk)
(Newer diesel cars emit more NO2, per an airqualitynews.com link.)
Probably cost too much to convert those double deck buses to CNG. And all the lorries are likely diesel. They could ban the buses and get rid of all those pesky tourists. Only allow horse drawn delivery and rickshaws for transport. Or just abandon the stinking city. They cause nothing but trouble and crime.
http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/city_result.jsp?country=United+States&city=Las+Cruces,+NM
Been seeing a lot of interest in the Touareg TDI in several posts today - might be a good time for you to upgrade to a new one.
I cannot find any changes from my 2013 to the 2015. I still have almost 3 years of service and 28,000 miles. For sure they will have to offer NAV with Google maps like they have in the Audi. Not much else I would change.
PS
It was 81 degrees here today. If that holds I may get by with with just two fills for the year on Propane. Yours is too cheap.
http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=United+States&city1=Seattle,+WA&city2=Las+Cruces,+NM
Strangely, my suburb, which is more populous than Las Cruces, isn't on the list.
http://www.numbeo.com/pollution/compare_cities.jsp?country1=United+States&country2=United+States&city1=Brooklyn,+NY&city2=Las+Cruces,+NM
Don't you just LOVE statistics?
I am sure also that Las Cruces is not a major and GREAT US PORT city LIKE.... SEATTLE, aka MASSIVE UNMITIGATED BUNKER oil EMISSIONS ( 25,000 ppm sulfur vs a massively smaller DIESEL passenger car @ 15 ppm sulfur nominally delivered @ 5 to 10 ppm and FULLY emissions mitigated !!! ??? YET pollution is FAR LESS !!! ???
And yeah, I wouldn't mind if Cruces was 200k instead of 100k. But it's easy to get to El Paso if you need a Costco or tapas fix. Or a flight. Really like the Hispanic and Spanish influence here. The overflow of the artsy crowd from Taos and Santa Fe is about the best part. My wife is working on a curve-billed thrasher with her pastels right now and her watercolor class starts next week. Her loom has been neglected due to all over company we've had since Thanksgiving. Mine's still under rehab out in the garage.
Y'all come. Just don't idle your TDIs in the driveway please.
Seattle will get better if they ever dig up Big Bertha and figure out how to open up the waterfront to more people. When more people see the black smokers steaming into port, they'll really start complaining.
Then you really understood my point/s !!!!!! Of course, environmental conservatives will now blame YOU for "CRUSHING emissions" for.... farting in the wilderness !!!
So you want my answer to those POOR polar bears? Make all those failed city sushi chefs move to areas like yours and prepare RAW fish. You know get the liberals to support something like a "PEACE CORP's ,"
On a more serious note,
..."Over 90% of the coal produced in the US is used for electricity generation."...
..."Electricity storage is expensive. Most of the produced electricity is consumed instantaneously. So, electricity generation mirrors consumption."...
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/electricity-generation-lowest-5-weeks-181501753.html
GO EV !!! ???
ULSD $3.09
RUG $ 2.79
MG $ 2.89
PUG $ 2.99
We have CA Thrashers nesting in our Pride of Madeira bushes. They love to flick the seeds out of the feeder onto the deck with their curved beak. Fun birds to watch, mostly running everywhere. Skittish hard to get good pictures of.
Maybe the buzzword will come to me at 3 am and I can get up and post....
"90% of the coal produced in the US is used for electricity generation"
It'll be even higher now that the steelmills are cutting back a bit. But that's a far cry from saying that 90% of our electrical generation comes from coal. That's shrinking last I hear.
Saw $2.99 diesel here at the Valero downtown. Right across the street from the Bradley, which had RUG for $1.73.
Less dense areas can be real nice for driving or riding, or for owning a little place with some land, but aren't often workable for the typical private sector worker - these days, many people just go where the jobs are, whether it be the dense jams of Seattle, the sprawl of Dallas, the insanity of SF and LA, etc. As grinds go, it's not so bad here, just adjust to the weather and enjoy the most comfortable summers in the country.
Some examples of "walkable" are to live within 1.5 miles of almost literally most of what you have to do. Since you mentioned jobs, to live within 1.5 miles of ones' job. Assuming a job in the area that say I would like to live , or where I grew up, that would take $ 2 m, IF I were lucky enough to even get a place. Even @ that I would be FORCED to build parking spaces/garages (new place) . @ todays building costs per sq ft that would be app $160,000. This does not include app $ 2,800 per year annual taxation or a min of $82,000 over the life of a 30 yr loan and beyond. So if I CHOSE to not have a car, I will still pay for NOT having one or two.
They even frown on one doing a business in ones own house, if one is lucky enough to be able to do that. Again there are exceptions, but one can hardly get one built nowadays, even as there are still examples from bygone eras.
Now, if we moved to California, in 14 years, we could take advantage of the fancy new high-speed rail service. Powered by advanced clean-diesel technology.
Not a city in the USA I would feel safe at night walking in. At least unarmed. There was a time when San Diego was safe at night. Not anymore.
Steve: Now, if we moved to California, in 14 years, we could take advantage of the fancy new high-speed rail service. Powered by advanced clean-diesel technology.
They cannot get the right of ways for the first leg to NOWHERE. They Cannot get the financing for that boondoggle. Only way it will EVER be built is if the Chinese come in and build it for the state.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/readersreact/la-le-0107-wednesday-high-speed-rail-20150107-story.html
The 29 mile train to NOWHERE.
http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2015/01/07/california-bullet-train-most-expensive-public-works-project-in-us-history/
You're assuming the price of gas will STAY a lot cheaper.
It won't.
And if you spend any time driving on the highway, the diesel is much nicer to live with.
End quote.
Actually, we don't know the future of diesel vs gas prices or much else.
And past trends do not seem to match the current situation.
Gas V8s remain better for highway driving than any of the 4 diesels I've owned, whether stick shift or DSG or slush box. It would be fun to compare a V8 2-reg to a TDI. Or a V8 BMW 5 series to a diesel 5 series, or V8 A6 to diesel A6, but pretty sure V8 models of those BMW/Audi cars aren't available. (?).
I've heard that recent V10 gas engines are even better for highway driving than gas V8s ! Maybe V12 too, but I really don't hear great things about those V12 Jaguars.
in California last week i rented a 2015 Cruze Lt with the turbo motor. No surprise that it was way faster than my 1.8L cruze.
I'd buy another Cruze! They are very nice cars. Thank you GM for not making a stick shift diesel cruze, because I would have had to buy one, costing me an extra $10k .
Truth is if you read between the lines of me saying for a very long time, fuel prices are artificial and fuel ABUNDANT, you probably would have reached far DIFFERENT conclusions. Be that as it may, IF one couches most things as unsolvable or unknowable, it would hardly be a surprise when one comes to those conclusions, most times.
Actually, why would you insist on anything other than a same cylinder 4,6,8,10 12 diesel/gas comparison?
To beat a dead horse, I have posted about a small block V8 turbo diesel for a Corvette.
V12 Jaguars are malaise relics or vintage cars now. They are great if you like low oil pressure, or engine fires, so I hear. I think high cylinder engines are going to end up either obsolete, or anachronisms.
Conditions were beautiful (sunny but colder) to dicey (overcast) with mountain roads wet to maybe icy coming off the nights 25 degrees F. Car is very dirty, but it was a yippee, yahoo upgrade trip.