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What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?

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  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Great, but leave out the "[non-permissible content removed]" word. It vastly diminishes your argument.

    Emissions regulations have probably been the savior of the auto industry, don't you think? Every car lover now enjoying today's high performance cars owes a debt of gratitude to California for forcing the car makers to do something about their sloppy engineering...something the D3 absolutely refused to do without legislation.

    I mean, just compare the time frame for European adaptation of modern diesels and modern fuel injection with the US companies. The US was about 20 years behind!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,427
    edited December 2015
    Funny thing, emissions laws in Europe have historically lagged the US. I don't think catalytic converters were mandated there until the 90s. They've mostly caught up now. Completely different demographics and infrastructure result in different pollution profiles.

    The proper term is "eco-weenies", "greenies", "for me not for thees", etc :)

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    Speaking of (recent) political decisions having an intergral (& almost immediate) effect, I just got a Gasbuddy notification: fuel prices in CA are expected to rise!?! What a surprise!?

    I really do not make this stuff up!
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2015
    This blurb is about SoCal - "Gas prices are not dropping as quickly locally due to a refinery outage in Torrance that continues to affect supply." (mynewsla.com)

    They are mostly referring to the explosion last February but there was a big hazardous leak a week ago. Maybe y'all will get some relief at the end of 2016 when Exxon's sale of Torrance finalizes. I'm sure the new owners won't gouge any as they start making the loan payments. B)

    Reminds me of the bumper sticker I saw on a car a while back.




  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    fintail said:
    Funny thing, emissions laws in Europe have historically lagged the US. I don't think catalytic converters were mandated there until the 90s. They've mostly caught up now. Completely different demographics and infrastructure result in different pollution profiles. The proper term is "eco-weenies", "greenies", "for me not for thees", etc :)
    Nothing weenie about the Greenpeace people.

    Oh California! I'm so used to high gas prices I never presume lower prices are anything more than a glitch.  But you just reminded me to fill the tank on the 4x4.
  • carboy21carboy21 Member Posts: 760
    Whenever gas prices fall, refineries breakdown mysteriously or shut down for maintenance.

    Whenever gas prices rise, refineries double their production .

    Capitalism working at its best :smile:
  • PF_FlyerPF_Flyer Member Posts: 9,372
    texases said:

    stever said:

    Germany approves 30-minute software update fix for cheating Volkswagen diesels (arstechnica.com)

    "These measures apply to Europe (EU-28 markets),” Volkswagen Group wrote in a press release. "After the measures have been implemented, the vehicles will fulfill the duly applicable emissions standards, with the aim of achieving this without any impairment of engine output, fuel consumption, or performance."

    This makes no sense - how can the 'fix' be 100% harmless? Were the VW engineers that incompetent that they couldn't implement something this obvious and avoid this problem (in the EU at least) in the first place?
    Ever since we lived through "it depends what your definition of IS is", we've been staggering around in a world where words seems to no longer have set definitions. "Harmless" could mean anything you want it to mean... at least until you get to court!
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,427
    Well, they don't ever seem to face real accountability for their actions, and a lot of the loud ones don't seem to have real world lives at all.

    Prices are often in the same ballpark in WA, especially relative to the rest of the country. We pay high taxes for these awesome, ample, and well-managed roads.



    Nothing weenie about the Greenpeace people.

    Oh California! I'm so used to high gas prices I never presume lower prices are anything more than a glitch.  But you just reminded me to fill the tank on the 4x4.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    This call was made on this site sometime back ! GMTA ! But I did not put a condition on it! http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/cars/2015/12/17/vw-elon-musk/77512928/

    But in fact VW has had EV & gasoline hybrid products! In fact they have a very wide range of drive train options gassers, gas hybrid, diesel, EV. 6/8 speed A/T's, 6 speed DSG, 5/6 speed M/T's.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Heh, skimmed a similar story yesterday but the one I read didn't mention that Musk had recommended cutting VW some slack in exchange for the push for zero emission vehicles (another one of those "clean diesel" oxymorons). The Sierra Club had co-signed Musk's letter in the story I saw, hard to believe the Greens would want to let VW off the hook for seven years of cheating.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,107
    Of course, Elon will be MORE than happy to sell VW some batteries!
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    The Sierra Club had co-signed Musk's letter in the story I saw, hard to believe the Greens would want to let VW off the hook for seven years of cheating.

    Some of the greenies probably drive or have driven V-Dublu's and have a soft spot for them, eh?

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I'm sure plenty do. Sounds good on paper, or did. ;)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    edited December 2015
    I'm not a V-Dub guy but as the 2016 Scion iA memories were completely fading away talk of great deals on 2015 V-Dub's was permeating Edmunds. Like 2015 VW Jetta's for $15,000 or some such thing. I started ta perk my ears up a bit - especially when you figure in manual transmissions. B)

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    stever said:

    Heh, skimmed a similar story yesterday but the one I read didn't mention that Musk had recommended cutting VW some slack in exchange for the push for zero emission vehicles (another one of those "clean diesel" oxymorons). The Sierra Club had co-signed Musk's letter in the story I saw, hard to believe the Greens would want to let VW off the hook for seven years of cheating.

    You heard it early and soon after the news (diesel gate fiasco) exploded, on this site! I was not hedged! Almost exactly what I said has come to pass!

    Diesel has been and will remain part of the solution ! It's almost that simple ! Again, it's a ratio thing. To use less gasoline in US markets, you HAVE to use more diesel! Specifically, if you use 19 gal of gasoline, you have to use 10 gal of diesel. (1 barrel of oil)

    For those that are new to the site or haven't been paying attention, or ignoring reality, ( Truncated for illustration) Suppose you need 29 gallons of fuel ( from a 42 gal) barrel of oil. (EIA.gov will tell you) 19 gal of gasoline & 10 gal of diesel are two major products. YOU do not want to use 10 gal of diesel (because of your religious beliefs, etc). But now, you still need 10 gal of gasoline (for the 29 gal that you still need) . Do you now need more oil to refine or less? If you refine more oil to get the 10 gal of gasoline you need, do you now have even MORE diesel (you can't use for religious reasons!) than the 10 gals you started with? More or less?
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    gasoline and diesel have the same parent, and their fate, whatever that is in the future, will be the same.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015

    I'm not a V-Dub guy but as the 2016 Scion iA memories were completely fading away talk of great deals on 2015 V-Dub's was permeating Edmunds. Like 2015 VW Jetta's for $15,000 or some such thing. I started ta perk my ears up a bit - especially when you figure in manual transmissions. B)

    You see very few greenies driving manual transmissions! ( to wit, how many Priuses have them? Math ratio joke here ) Manual transmissions are capable of better mpg, cost less, use less resources, more reliable& durable, etc. US markets are less than 20% manual. European markets are more than 80 % manual. So just on transmissions alone, can anybody guess who uses more fuel? Who uses less fuel?

    So for those who got the answers wrong, my 2003 Jetta TDI with five speed MANUAL transmission will get 50 miles a gallon. The A/T version gets 44 mpg or 12% less!

  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    You see very few greenies driving manual transmissions! ( to wit, how many Priuses have them? ) Manual transmissions are capable of better mpg, cost less, use less resources, more reliable& durable, etc. US markets are less than 20% manual. European markets are more than 80 % manual. So just on transmissions alone, can anybody guess who uses more fuel? Who uses less fuel?

    So for those who got the answer wrong, my 2003 Jetta TDI with five speed MANUAL transmission will get 50 miles a gallon. The A/T version gets 44 mpg or 12% less!


    Bingo-bango-boingo ruking1! Even though I'm not a dieseler, at this time anyway, I share your love for the manual transmission. I would not want another automatic trannied vehicle ever again. And, yes, I know, ever is a really long time!

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2015
    I like 'em but we typically share a car and my wife just had to have a few weeks of rehab from her left leg break back in 2009. It's probably better that we avoid them for our daily driver.

    Lots of studies say that automatics are more fuel efficient than manual transmissions. Be curious to see what the future take rate of manuals will be in the EU in another decade.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I don't think that's true anymore of manual transmissions---they really have little advantage over automatics nowadays. And let's face it--most of us who love stickshifts don't necessarily try to hypermile with them!
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    It is truer than it ever was! It is probably TMI to get into the details, despite A/T advances. EVERYTHING is "geared " to game the mpg EPA protocols! Real world be damned, just as long as the false narratives are seen to be advanced.
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    edited December 2015
    I don't think that's true anymore of manual transmissions---they really have little advantage over automatics nowadays. And let's face it--most of us who love stickshifts don't necessarily try to hypermile with them!

    When I "settled" for an automatic CVT tranny in my '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS, carmakers were already matching if not bettering manual tranny's for mpg with their automatic tranny's. And the "city" number for mpg is decidedly higher with the automatics of late.

    Yeah, the Mrs. doesn't drive and our son was with us in 2007, too, and he only drives automatics, so the choice ended up being sound as a pound.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    You all might want to take a look at Nissan's taxicab website. (London UK vs NYC, NY) There are two nexuses here. 1. Small turbo diesel (50 mpg) vs small gasser (25 mpg) 2. MT vs AT. The avg miles per year metric in both are 70,000 miles.

    So would it be hard for anyone to guess what the London Nissan's taxi cab fleet consists of? Would it be hard to guess what the NYCs Nissan's taxicab fleet consists?

    To address the MT vs AT . Now you get an inkiling why things are soooo FUBAR ( WW2 technical term.) !? You have other wise sane and logical people saying stuff like 50 mpg is worst, to no better than 44 mpg!? Or 12% worse is nothing at all! ?

    Another fact of the matter is: I can hyper mile WAY better with an MT than I can with an AT. Do I do it? ONLY occasionally. So from AM logic we would look at the Brits and say why on earth would you want an MT for a taxicab in London ? From the Brits logic, they would say: why on earth would you want an AT for a taxicab in NYC !
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    I don't think that's true anymore of manual transmissions---they really have little advantage over automatics nowadays. And let's face it--most of us who love stickshifts don't necessarily try to hypermile with them! When I "settled" for an automatic CVT tranny in my '08 Mitsubishi Lancer GTS, carmakers were already matching if not bettering manual tranny's for mpg with their automatic tranny's. And the "city" number for mpg is decidedly higher with the automatics of late. Yeah, the Mrs. doesn't drive and our son was with us in 2007, too, and he only drives automatics, so the choice ended up being sound as a pound.
    If you buy a 2015 manual transmission car over the automatic, the only money you are likely to save would be the cost of the automatic.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2015
    ruking1 said:

    So would it be hard for anyone to guess what the London Nissan's taxi cab consists of? Would it be hard to guess what the NYCs Nissan's taxicab fleet consists?

    What's going to happen to those savings if London bans diesels? Paris is set to ban them in 4 years. (telegraph.co.uk)

    "London is the European capital most polluted by nitrogen dioxide" so something is likely to give.

    Here's a newer story:

    "Diesel car owners have been warned they could face charges for driving in city centres after campaigners vowed to bring a legal challenge to make the Government do more to tackle air pollution.

    Ministers on Thursday unveiled plans for ‘clean air zones’ in five city centres, where polluting old diesel lorries, vans and taxis will face charges for driving, but said private cars would not have to pay." (link)
  • iluvmysephia1iluvmysephia1 Member Posts: 7,709
    If you buy a 2015 manual transmission car over the automatic, the only money you are likely to save would be the cost of the automatic.

    True, and that cost for the automatic tranny runs somewhere around $1,000 in most cases.

    2021 Kia Soul LX 6-speed stick

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015

    If you buy a 2015 manual transmission car over the automatic, the only money you are likely to save would be the cost of the automatic.

    True, and that cost for the automatic tranny runs somewhere around $1,000 in most cases.

    Come on guys! 180,000 miles/ 50-44 mpg for my DIESEL is 491 gal! Even at today's LOW ULSD prices ($2.59 local) = an additional $1,272 ! The AT option, then was $1,200. So $2,472 cheaper cumulatively. Again @ today's prices that is 47,722 miles of commuting. For me, that is 3.18 years of commuting.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    Woo HOO ! Ford woke up! Is a diesel 150 in the cards? Well not really, Ram 1500 head butts Ford 150 PU !http://finance.yahoo.com/news/ford-f-150-going-hybrid-153424862.html

    But the 750# weight LOSS will work in diesels favor, all things being equal! By itsel it was not even close to being helpful for its economy V6 gasser. So Ram @ some time in the future unknown might have to drop up to 1,000 #'s ! Till that time thy remain ahead.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    So the real nexus of this article is how this converts to year on year new/used car sales or not? http://www.fool.com/retirement/general/2015/12/19/its-officially-time-to-say-goodbye-to-the-middle-c.aspx?source=foo-bar&utm_campaign=article&utm_medium=feed&utm_source=yahoo

    2015 US auto sales threatens to be a record setting banner year!

    Like I have been saying the sillies chugging along here is Range Rover 's TDI! http://mashable.com/2015/12/19/2016-range-rover-td6-review/?utm_campaign=Feed:+Mashable+(Mashable)&utm_cid=Mash-Prod-RSS-Feedburner-All-Partial&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed#fj0e93BUC8qlj

    Slow news diesel SOS/DD trek!

    The youngest daughter is back from Georgia for Christmas. She's used to taking the 94/96 TLC's up to South Tahoe, CA and back! She took the 2012 VW Touareg TDI in the snow, chain control station up, late @ night! She & a passenger got up there in normal summer time times! She was so totally blown, away that she called me early this morning to tell me that. She also told me I had been holding out on her! :D So natch, I HAD to ask her what the mpg computer posting was: 35/36 mpg. ( me- 33 mpg) So I told her @ that rate 26.4 gal should post 900 + miles before filling :DB) She was incredulous, as she normally sweats it one way with the TLC. (210 miles) Normally, she is passed by many on the way up! She was further blown away by effortless upgrade mountain road passing ( highest point 7,300 ft, Lake Tahoe sits @ 6,224 ft? )
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    And the dip will follow - there's a lot of people looking for cars and 30% of people are leasing now, but it's hard to think that the sales numbers will stay this high. Not sure what that has to do with your middle class link.

    Next up - some consolidation? FCA and VW anyone? ;)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    "Late Friday, California regulators said they planned to act on Volkswagen’s plan for recalling and fixing diesel-powered vehicles with two-liter engines by Jan. 14. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency is working closely with California regulators in evaluating the auto maker’s plan and continues to review it, said a person familiar with the matter.

    Volkswagen on Dec. 15 had sought an extension to its plan for the vehicles. California regulators will respond to that extension request by Jan 14, according to a letter from a state official to Volkswagen. For Volkswagen’s more than 650 U.S. dealers, a solution can’t come soon enough.

    The emissions crisis adds to Volkswagen’s already challenged efforts to make inroads in the U.S. Volkswagen for years sought to ramp up U.S. sales, with diesel vehicles as a linchpin. But the cars proved too expensive and out of step with consumer tastes. Diesel vehicles still make up a sliver of U.S. car sales."

    VW Dealers Suffer as Diesel-Car Sales Stall (WSJ - may be a registration link).
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    edited December 2015
    “The diesel market is already structurally weak because of large supplies from the Middle East while demand has been soft,” said Richard Gorry, a director at consultant group JBC Energy Asia. “Any new addition will only be negative news for diesel prices.”

    Chinese Diesel Floods Onto Global Markets (Another WSJ link)

    (I don't think they meant negative news for consumers. :) )
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    One more link and I'll quit for a while - if this came about, it'd make a great comparison study:

    "Ford CEO Mark Fields says the company will launch a hybrid pickup truck before the end of the decade, but that may not be the only efficiency-focused powertrain Ford is planning. Rumor has it that there’s a diesel F-150 prototype puttering around the carmaker’s Dearborn, Michigan, hometown."

    Ford’s F-150 Is Going Hybrid, But Could It Go Diesel Too?
    (digitaltrends.com)
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    For Volkswagen’s more than 650 U.S. dealers, a solution can’t come soon enough.

    I talked at length to the VW salesman while getting my 30K mile service. They are not very concerned about Dieselgate. No one has traded in their TDI on a gas vehicle. And the only people bitching are not TDI owners. Looking at the states with the most VW TDI vehicles, CA was not on the list. With only 30 TDIs on hold they just push their gassers.

    I got my letter saying the EPA thinks my car may not be in compliance. VW has not admitted or agreed with the EPA. They mostly wanted to let the owners know there is no problem with driving our TDI. Which I would do anyway until they pry my cold dead fingers from the Steering wheel. B)
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    B)
    stever said:

    “The diesel market is already structurally weak because of large supplies from the Middle East while demand has been soft,” said Richard Gorry, a director at consultant group JBC Energy Asia. “Any new addition will only be negative news for diesel prices.”

    Chinese Diesel Floods Onto Global Markets (Another WSJ link)

    (I don't think they meant negative news for consumers. :) )

    Yippee! ULSD @ $ 2.09 ($ 1.82 in GA) No cash discount? Guess we would be forced to take a 2, 3, 5% CC discount? :DB)
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    >Looking at the states with the most VW TDI vehicles, CA was not on the list.

    Kind of surprising. I would have guessed that California would have been in the top three in diesel adoption.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    We're talking about modern automatics, though. The last 5 years alone have seen some amazing improvements in efficiency.
    ruking1 said:

    If you buy a 2015 manual transmission car over the automatic, the only money you are likely to save would be the cost of the automatic.

    True, and that cost for the automatic tranny runs somewhere around $1,000 in most cases.

    Come on guys! 180,000 miles/ 50-44 mpg for my DIESEL is 491 gal! Even at today's LOW ULSD prices ($2.59 local) = an additional $1,272 ! The AT option, then was $1,200. So $2,472 cheaper cumulatively. Again @ today's prices that is 47,722 miles of commuting. For me, that is 3.18 years of commuting.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    edited December 2015
    California is, I think, 2nd in diesel vehicle registrations which includes cars, SUVs and light trucks.
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Just not VWs it seems.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    Yeah I think a lot of people forget that the big three (MB) has been selling diesels for a very very long time. Not to mention VW has a big unaffected diesel market share.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,427
    It seems 2 out of 3 MB W123/116/126 diesel has at least spent time in California, if it isn't still there.
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Biggest diesel state is Texas--obviously pickup trucks leading the charge there.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015
    Both states are relatively rust"less".
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    Not sure where that list came from with the top 10 VW TDI states. This report has CA as tops for the offending cars. If I was forced to accept lower MPG I would just move to a state with less repressive regulations. At least buy a home in a free state and make that my residence. Save me about $11k a year income tax. CA has some pluses, not enough to let them neuter my VW TDI.

    The cars, some 482,000 Passats, Golfs and Jettas sold in model years 2009 to 2015 in the United States, are peppy and fun to drive, owners say. Because fixing the cars is likely to result in lower performance and fuel economy, some drivers will decline, even though their cars would continue to spew 40 times the smog-producing emissions permitted by some states. If they do, there are few enforcement levers in place.

    In the three states with the most VW diesel cars caught up in the emissions scandal, only California withholds registration renewals from cars that fail to comply with recalls. In Texas and Florida, which have the second- and third-highest number of VW diesels after California, there are no emission standards in place for diesel vehicles.


    http://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-consumers-insigh-idUSKCN0S20CK20151008
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    Emissions regulations aren't really any more "repressive" than speed limits or building codes..unless of course one views all of those as repressive, which is arguably not unreasonable, in which case one might have to move to someplace where everyone does as they please....which might create its own set of problems.

    There's no more Easy St. I don't think, if there ever was. In the case of recalling my VW, (if I had one), I'd rather just conform. I don't think the MPG or performance "hit" is going to be all that great anyway. It's not the hill I want to die on at any rate.

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015

    Emissions regulations aren't really any more "repressive" than speed limits or building codes..unless of course one views all of those as repressive, which is arguably not unreasonable, in which case one might have to move to someplace where everyone does as they please....which might create its own set of problems.

    There's no more Easy St. I don't think, if there ever was. In the case of recalling my VW, (if I had one), I'd rather just conform. I don't think the MPG or performance "hit" is going to be all that great anyway. It's not the hill I want to die on at any rate.

    It's the EPA/CARB that has the potential for chicken littling & threatened repression. They have the power to blow it out of proportion!, not any of the affected CA owners! So truly it is bas ackkwards. Very few to almost a not measurable % of affected TDI drivers intended wrong doing ! They have already said it is safe & legal to drive as it has been all along! It truly is not the affected owners (my fault), call because the EPA/CARB is, was , were not doing their jobs & now want to penalize affected owners who not only believed THEM, but whose cars were/ are and continue to be subjected to biannual smog inspections & certifications! We are in effect, already in total compliance !
  • Mr_ShiftrightMr_Shiftright Member Posts: 64,481
    It's VW that's screwing you, not CARB. You are barking at the wrong intruder seems to me. Without VW's malice, you'd have no problem.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    edited December 2015

    It's VW that's screwing you, not CARB. You are barking at the wrong intruder seems to me. Without VW's malice, you'd have no problem.

    It would appear the " force" nuances are not understood! But really it is all premature. Neither the EPA/ CARB have fixes nor have they given approval for fixes. They also have no precedence in forcing compliance recalls @ the consumer levels. Indeed they can not force consumers even in cases of real death & destruction! . Also their approvals could literally take years.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Speaking of lighter environmental impacts! http://www.wsj.com/articles/gas-leak-fuels-frustration-1450653059
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    edited December 2015

    It's VW that's screwing you, not CARB. You are barking at the wrong intruder seems to me. Without VW's malice, you'd have no problem.

    I will disagree. I pay taxes for the EPA/CARB to enforce pollution laws. They claim to test 15% of all models sold in the USA. VW/Audi have at least 10 models and 7 model years that are in question. That means VW put out 70 models of diesel cars and the EPA did not test one of those models. What does the EPA do besides pollute rivers in WV and CO?
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