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What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?
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Amazingly most folks (in the TDI community) just IGNORE the facts and still do the 10,000 (if they are "edgy"). A fair population think 5,000 miles OCI's are just peachy.
20,000 miles+ OCI? No way?
There are a few interesting back stories, albeit arcane if anyone is interested. The stories actually have a widespread application. I will admit most folks eyes just glaze over. BIG dividends if one stays awake, GRASSHOPPER.
Besides, as I've mentioned before, it's really a good idea to "get in there" under the hood at intervals shorter than 20,000 miles.
20K OCI gives one this false sense of invincibility I think.
I would agree that the need to keep up with "inspections" remains. So for example regardless of 5,000, 10,000, (yes I know this next one starts to freak people out) 15,000, 20,000, 25,000 miles, 30,000 miles OCI's, I still clean my snorkel screen every 5,000 miles. Even as I am running the air filter to 80,000 to 100,000 miles. There are other back stories here.
I think you would certainly agree the results are not sound bite able and might be even considered vague and confusing.
So I just change it @ app 30,000 miles and begin the whole game over again. Coincidently the oem filters are rated for 30,000 miles/50,000 kms, so when I change the filter I might as well change the oil also.
The cost percentages are NOT small, even as the total costs might be considered minimal.
(for the gassers I use normal mobil 1 for 10k, 15k with the mobil 1 "extended range").
lately I drive so few miles that one of 2 cars had 8k miles after a year. 1-year interval is a maximum I'd thought reasonable but maybe 2 years is just as reasonable !?!?! !!!?
On the topic of oil changes, I have seen some news articles in the local rag (front page and vehicle sections) where the CA state regulatory agencies are noting that most Californian's change their oil WAY too often. While I happen to agree, I would wholeheartedly disagree with legislating LONG OCI intervals, as they are talking about !!
Then again, they've about regulated public smoking out of existence so maybe forcing oil change hobbyists to sign a disclaimer or pay a fee every time they dump good oil wouldn't be a bad idea.
Civic Hybrid, truly one of the best of the breed
Off topic, on a 2004 Civic (NON hybrid) with 135,000 miles, the mpg range has been/was/remains 38-42 mpg. @ the time the hybrid was app a $7,500 premium.
Also maybe the CR-Z handling is better than the old civic hybrid?
The reason I would buy the diesel would be the torque & manual transmission. Since CR-Z is manual, again it is interesting to me...
Another reason I would buy a diesel over a hybrid would be if I did mostly/only highway/distance driving.
Indeed local electricity rates would penalize increased usage (aka volt etc.) a minimum of 139 %. This is not adjusted per mile driven. Right now it is hard to get a straight answer even from the electrical car vendors as tocost per mile driven electricity.
The USA has no coherent energy policy--"free market" is not a policy, that is merely an economic idea--it does not "govern".
As for the cost to use an electric vehicle, this depends on what you have to pay for a Kw.
in some states, you'd be better off driving a diesel, cost-wise, than an electric.
Torque.
My buddy has a Civic hybrid but he says he has to step on it to get around, and is tired of waiting for the result. He's shopping for a CTS, a nice step up.
27mpg, lots of toys to play with, comfy and roomy.
I would take it to the Deleware shore once just to say I did. LOL
Mercedes is working on a carbon fiber E-class, emphasis on light weight, which is also appealing to me. Give it AWD and I just may be joining you in looking for depreciated Benz sedans.
I read about that CF E-class, supposed to weigh under 3000lbs! Put a diesel hybrid or something wacky in it, sky's the limit.
You sure? I'd think the GLK was more female, while the ML is more male in terms of demographics. Especially a diesel. Especially with the off road package.
supposed to weigh under 3000lbs!
*drool* :shades:
PS
The RX is still the Trophy Wife top seller.
A midsize sedan in the 21st century at a ton and a half? Hard to imagine. Hopefully it won't cost 100K.
Safe bet.
Hopefully it won't cost 100K.
It will. S-class price levels, I heard. Wait couple of years, let the former Enron exec pay for 70% of the depreciation, then nab one used.
For as long as the Germans have been making cars they still do not do well in the "low maintenance cost" department.
what do you think? Am I about to get rich?
E63 has 518 horses pulling 4084 pounds, so each horse is burdened with just 7.9 pounds. Yowsah.
If the carbon E uses the 302hp E350 engine but weighs 3000 lbs, each pony carries 10.1 pounds.
So not as quick in a straight line, but...
Think about braking and handling. The potential would be huge. I bet at least a small power boost would be likely, too.
http://www.autoblog.com/2012/01/06/chrysler-hiring-1-100-new-workers-to-build-di- esel-jeep-grand-che/
I do remember some major issues with the TDI used in the past. Minor to major missteps or issues would not bode well for diesels, going forward, if they don't get it right.
We should see a lot of high-output diesels coming soon, though, particularly from Audi, then other German makes.
Maybe it's because my roommate had some diesel pickups when I was in college.
These were slow back then (very slow), but durable.
The V6 VW TDI has 225 hp/406 # ft of torque !!! Actually I'd love to have it in my Jetta !!??? The BMW 335 D has 265 hp/425 torque (that second turbo must provide the extra 40 hp and 19 # ft.) and it is a literal MONSTER !! I think it has the tire foot print close to, if not bigger than my Z06 Corvette.
For the EU market, there are already quite a few high power diesels, and I suspect they could be made even more powerful with minor tuning. I'd take a performance diesel.
Hopefully, by the year 2012-13, American technicians won't find dohc engines and 5-speed transmissions as exotic as they were on 1970 Fiats. The mechanics didn't know how to shim valves for adjustment, for instance, or how to torque alloy engines.
On the other hand, there was something to be said for the mysteries of Italian electrics, but now---hey, even Harley Davidson uses Italian electronics.
Same here, if I could afford it.
I shouldn't be asking for performance, though, just got 3 speed cam warnings in the mail, yikes!
It was the one on Canal Rd in DC, before I realized it was there. Limit is 35 but most people drive it like a parkway, 60-65. I got ticketed for 47, which means they must be distributing about one billion tickets.
All 3 were warning so I got lucky. I'm not trading my Miata for a Prius any time soon, though, even if I have to pay $40 a day to drive it. :shades:
http://www.algaeindustrymagazine.com/algae-in-san-diego/
The real issue are the retail bio diesel prices already under cut the supposed cheaper oil infrastructure. Perhaps the real miracle is turning a totally non oil producing (desert)property into 1 M gal, per year , per acre. x 4.$ per gal (retail) .... So even with great abundance, This is almost limitless OVERABUNDANCE !?
Would bring new meaning to "my car runs like crap". :P