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

ruking1 · April 2017

We hit the Folsom, CA, Costco to fuel, for 36/37 mpg. (566 miles/15.3 gal) The low fuel lamp lit on the road. (code: brown eyes)

We pulled in to fuel behind a (charcoal gray) BMW 535 "D". (gorgeous) The wife asked the driver how she liked it. She responded that they had the gas version (BMW 535 i) that got 35 mpg. They literally loved the new "D" version and it gets 45 MPG ?!

The wife couldn't pass up the $1.50 Polish. ( code for...) So we split it, the drink and the new $5.00 Ciabatta 1/3 pound burger.

The wife got pass happy on the upgrade! Yee ha! (code for: eyes are blue again?

I just love passing the summit. On the down grade, the very scenic South Lake Tahoe, CA overlook never fails to inspire! The weather promises to remain gorgeous !

ruking1 · April 2017

Why I'd rather have the "NON" collision et al, options. https://www.wsj.com/articles/why-your-extra-safe-car-costs-more-to-insure-1491211803

Too much to too many more $$'s to insure. Durability, reliability, unknown & more to repair?, past a couple of years?.....

I was happy as a clam with Goggle Maps for many years. As a driver, I only listen for direction changes. It was/remains great ( as long as I did not compare it against anything). As "shotgun", I was able to run (A/B circa 2013) WAZE. WOW! I was about to visualize as well as hear direction changes. https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Waze

One example (before TMI), Waze notified of "debris" in the road. It was literally a flannel shirt wrapping what seemed to have been a cushion. (A bit less than torso size in the middle of two lanes on painted line divider) Google Maps? NADA.

Why would one knowing buy installed unchangeable software (navi in this example) that is 4 to 6 years obsolete, when you buy the car new?

xwesx · April 2017

Even the non-super-high-tech systems, like crumple zones and lots of air bags, cost a lot. We lost our 2010 Forester last month in a fairly low-speed impact mostly due to the "damage" caused by airbag deployment.

It's just too expensive to repair to make it a tenable option.

andres3 · April 2017

xwesx said:
Even the non-super-high-tech systems, like crumple zones and lots of air bags, cost a lot. We lost our 2010 Forester last month in a fairly low-speed impact mostly due to the "damage" caused by airbag deployment.

It's just too expensive to repair to make it a tenable option.

Was their damage from airbag deployment beyond glass and plastic trim pieces? I always thought it was the air bags themselves that cost big $$$!

ruking1 · April 2017

Yes, the 2012 VW Touareg TDI has proximity sensors in both front and rear bumpers. Snow/ ice buildup can trigger false close proximity indications. IF it is not cleared & kept so, the next time you get in either close front or rear bumper proximity, most likely it will not trigger ! While it can be "neat" standard equipment, I'd preferred the NON option.

Once again NHTSA.gov falls short! They spread the (speed and) lack of air bags kill scary bedtime story. Yet they fail to negligently/actually document how many lives were actually saved. Indeed they bury/ continue to bury the real story that air bags actually killed a lot of folks unnessarily!

xwesx · April 2017

ruking1 said:
Yes, the 2012 VW Touareg TDI has proximity sensors in both front and rear bumpers. Snow/ ice buildup can trigger false close proximity indications. IF it is not cleared & kept so, the next time you get in either close front or rear bumper proximity, most likely it will not trigger ! While it can be "neat" standard equipment, I'd preferred the NON option.

Same here. We had that happen on the Q7 when we drove through a blizzard in Utah on our way north last month. We had extreme ice buildup on the front of the vehicle (it looked like a giant white beard on the thing - the ice was more than 4" thick and hung about 1.5" off the ground), and it made those proximity sensors go crazy.

Let me drive the car myself, thank you!

xwesx · April 2017

andres3 said:
Was their damage from airbag deployment beyond glass and plastic trim pieces? I always thought it was the air bags themselves that cost big $$$!

Damage to the inside of the car was limited to driver bag deployment and associated items. These include replacement of:

1. Front impact sensor system (one-time use, apparently).
2. Steering column (includes wheel and airbag, which were the "spent" portions of the system to my eye).
3. Seat belt system (whether there was an occupant or not, all pre-tensioners fired, rendering the belt system inoperable).

All told, this is approximately $3,000 or more (they never gave me a final estimate, as we all agreed to stop after they surpassed $12,000 on the car). The only way to get the cost on these (and other damaged) items down is to cut safety corners, and I was not willing to do that just to keep the car.

ruking1 · April 2017

http://php.prismcam.com/public/exposed/download.php?target=//storage.googleapis.com/prism-cam-00018/2017/04/03/11-29/1080-watermark.jpg&cam_title=Heavenly Observation Deck

South Lake Tahoe, CA, another gorgeous day! ?

Heavenly ski resort to close April 30, 2017.

andres3 · April 2017

We had a saying in the housing construction business around the turn of the Century that we were going to be building homes so safe in CA, that no one was going to be able to afford them. But sure enough, they'll probably survive a 100-year storm and a 100-year earthquake.

ruking1 · April 2017

When I chaired a planning commission sometime in the Stone Age, your two building & construction sayings were long ago regulations & practical realities. This city is near @ least one major earthquake fault line. The part I live on has 37 years to go on the chance of the worst case FLOOD scenario happening. So far so good ! They took our area off the flood insurance requirement. The fees are very high! $5,200 yr.

ruking1 · April 2017

Just for laughs here's a $40 M asking one!? Kudo's for the solar water system.

(Aka, they must not use much HOT water

) https://www.wsj.com/articles/spec-house-on-san-franciscos-gold-coast-seeks-40-million-1491321941

ruking1 · April 2017

On the downgrade (for 75 miles), the (14 MB GLK 250 BT) computer posted 48.5 mpg. Indications are a slightly higher MPG tank full. NON diesel 14 MB 350's can get a more normal 20/21 mpg.

It was interesting to be shotgun, observing the sides of the roads and the damages due to the winters season. We had to slow, @ the construction zone giving the opportunity to see the progress on the highway's three lanes that fell off the mountain due to snow and water damage.

ruking1 · April 2017

Slow diesel news day!

Diesel haters have never answered the question: what's going to happen to all of this (locally) produced diesel (13 gals to 19 gals of gasoline per barrel) ? The rest of the world relentlessly increases its barrel of oil production to satisfy its increased demand. Even the EIA.gov indicates the LOW USA consumption. Industry as well as government data indicates US 8 to 9% of world consumption. The math indicates that IF we have upwards of 50% of the PVF diesel, those % PVF's would crush the US oil consumption further DOWN ( from 8% /9% to 4% to 4.5 %).

For example, China could not have elevated 300 M (/1.4 B ) of its people to "middle class" without the use of oil. Keep in mind that this was done at relatively VERY efficient technological levels. Keep in mind 300 M is/are only about 21.4 % of the Chinese population, with the vast remaining majority of the rest being ...poor. Do/does the Eco conservatives environmentalist movement/s really think the vast majority want to remain dirt poor? The list of coarse goes on & on!

xwesx · April 2017

Not to dilute the value of diesel as a fine choice to propel a vehicle, there is no necessity in using it for this purpose (the same can be said for any fuel source). Diesel, perhaps moreso than some other options, has many alternate applications that can consume vast quantities. As an example, we have power plants locally that run on diesel, and most homes in Alaska (outside Anchorage) are heated by it. I'm sure we are not exceptional in that regard, so if we find there is a glut of one fuel commodity, the prices may just warrant higher consumption on a large scale.

If more and more vehicles do go to pure electric, demands on the power grid will continue to grow. I would prefer to see a diesel plant from time to time as opposed to having the entire landscape blanketed with solar or wind arrays!

ruking1 · April 2017

Well no, there would be no dilution to me. Then yes, there is a MASSIVE gasoline glut & world wide!!!

IF gasoline were so GREAT, the mandate should be gasoline: manufacturing, big rig trucking, small rig trucking, power plants, off/on road construction, home heat, etc.,etc,. A switch to gasoline would make a "dent" in the gasoline glut. Even 10% to 15% US ethanol removal would be a rounding error in WW oil consumption LOL everybody knows gasoline is CHEAPER tha diesel anyway!?

Then,... all of those should be then electrified FIRST!!!!

You would rightfully notice, those segments are NOT being implemented first!!!??

So here is a modest proposal, build & retrofit) high rise construction in NYC, ONLY IF the site is energy self sufficient ! (Any construction really) Even practical people can wave magic wands

Does anybody else sense the Hollywood fairytale here?

Actually it is not magical. The technology exists off shelf right now! It's been around for 60 + years & SAFELY powers ....(Jeapardy style) Who is Hyman Rickover?

xwesx · April 2017

Gasoline.... what foul stuff.

Lacking the stability and energy content of diesel, it's no wonder that it is not preferred for these types of applications.

andres3 · April 2017

I like solar arrays....... that shade my parking spots.

ruking1 · April 2017

Even if I want them, the eco conservative environmentalist groups & cities where property is/are located will NOT let me put them in! In addition, the last thing they want is for a large percentage of folks to be off the grid. They also literally hate to buy energy way above wholesale from "nit noy" "wanna be" suppliers , like me & you!

andres3 · April 2017

I still like my idea of putting in bicycles that generate the power to charge "for free" those Teslas and other EV cars that get special parking spaces. That way the driver can actually break a sweat for their own free power; now that's clean power!

ruking1 · April 2017

So, ...let me understand this. You want some lady dressed in a $15,000 pants suit to sweat?

People like that like to be in the back seat of a chauffeur driven (E 85, GM ) extra long giant SUV, with armed guards? Don't forget similar escorts & decoys. Hey 12 mpg is better than 10 mpg! * what 20 SUV's? Indeed under the rules, if it uses E85, it/they gets/get 100 mpg, whether gets it or not

fintail · April 2017

That's a good idea. In my area, "Soulcycle" (kind of ironic name, as you won't find much soul there no doubt) is a fad among the monied Stepford set with plenty of idle time who is also attracted to the Model X. Hook up those bikes to the power stations in the building, and do something good for once.

andres3 said:
I still like my idea of putting in bicycles that generate the power to charge "for free" those Teslas and other EV cars that get special parking spaces. That way the driver can actually break a sweat for their own free power; now that's clean power!

ruking1 · April 2017

They could turn that into a charity event! Call that event "cycle for climate change" Hook up every stationary cross-country & exercise bike to kWh battery storage array systems and donate the $$ dollar amounts generated to charity. Hm.... I see a non profit entity in the making.." & a deduction for yoga pants here!? "Hamstah heaven? "

andres3 · April 2017

so how much hamsterpower does it take to make one horsepower? They are both abbreviated HP. Maybe that's what Kia/Hyundai was using for HP claims that turned out to be overly optimistic?

ruking1 · April 2017

Do you know WATT you're asking ? http://www.mapawatt.com/2009/07/19/bicycle-power-how-many-watts-can-you-produce

gagrice · April 2017

andres3 said:
I like solar arrays....... that shade my parking spots.

If I added Solar a carport or greenhouse would be the only way. I am not putting solar on my home to cause a leak. We may be finally catching up with Europe on Solar greenhouses.

https://www.universityofcalifornia.edu/news/solar-greenhouse-could-change-way-we-eat

ruking1 · April 2017

Go Banana Slugs!

We all knew sooner or later they'd come off Jimmy Hendrix's "Purple Haze" & make contributions!

But, I'm reminded that (medical) marijuana is legal in CA. Thanks CIA for trail blazing!

Peace Man. Funny, solar panel application to hot/green houses always ( well not always, maybe 40 years) seemed a no brainer to me, rather than a happy serendipity!? The issues always seemed to make it as productive as possible. Harold, stop sampling the "product"!

More seriously, it's about WAY more production "per acre", lower costs, as close to 24//7, 29,30, 31/mo, 12/365, the better., faster turn around time (more & even sunlight past sun up/down.) etc.

Perhaps one policy in a 40,000 ft " cruising altitude look at it"in the green/hot houses, it's about how many farm acres we can let go "fallow", getting the same to higher productions @ less cost & environmental damage. To me, that would be hugely short sighted. Make the whole infrastructure way more productive.
http://finance.yahoo.com/m/48746c5a-0b3f-3279-bef8-d1fa4fb0701b/gm-joins-fordworrying-about.html
Got to thank "whomevever" for freezing prices @ September 2015 levels, in the VW "diesel gates" 2.0 L, 3.0L brouhaha! GM/FORD & pundits think lower new car volumes, & used car prices will be a going forward landscape. http://finance.yahoo.com/m/48746c5a-0b3f-3279-bef8-d1fa4fb0701b/gm-joins-ford-worrying-about.html

ruking1 · April 2017

I'm jazzed about the Jaguar F Pace ! In a utube Motor Trend video, it was compared against the Porsche Macan: both in dead of winter snow driving; @ altitude no less. The testers both liked the F Pace slightly more.

Naturally, there are some qualifiers. Here are four off the top of my head. First off, the Macan was so good, Jaguar had to again hit the drawing board for the F Pace, just to ever so slightly edge out the Porsche Macan. Second, in US markets the F Pace offers a diesel. Third, the already compact Macan's backseat might be uncomfortable even for small children. Fourth, the comparison was done in YIPPEE YAHOO mode, ala riproaring sportscar mode. They are FAR from Huey Lewis' " Hip To Be Square".

https://youtu.be/54p_IaGUJqQu

gagrice · April 2017

If the Touareg goes the F-Pace diesel will be on the list. Still have hope that VW comes up with a fix that CARB will certify. Jeep does not seem to be delivering any 2017 GC diesels. I called the dealers that say they have them and it is wishful thinking. I think they are trying to prove themselves clean as advertised.

ruking1 · April 2017

Chain controls are in place Ap 07, 2017 ! ? Heavenly Lake Tahoe, CA Ski Resort posts 620 in so far this season. 3 in are predicted overnight.

xwesx · April 2017

Wowzas! That snow total is unbelievable. I sure hope it doesn't all decide to melt at once!

xwesx · April 2017

Those TM guys talk a lot about the stylish appearance of the F Pace, and how this is the first SUV to accomplish that. Honestly, I'm not seeing how it looks all that different from a Q7...

ruking1 · April 2017

For sure, the trees on the property have been soaking it all in.

Indeed, Audi has been there ahead of a load of competitors.

gagrice · April 2017

xwesx said:
Those TM guys talk a lot about the stylish appearance of the F Pace, and how this is the first SUV to accomplish that. Honestly, I'm not seeing how it looks all that different from a Q7...

Are you going to have to sell the Q7 TDI? I thought it was funny how those guys tried to distance the Porsche from the Audi. When Audi has done much of the R&D for SUVs. and especially diesel engines.

ruking1 · April 2017

ruking1 said:
For sure, the trees on the property have been soaking it all in.

Indeed, Audi has been there ahead of a load of competitors.

A 12 OEM list listed in "Browse diesel cars" on/in Edmunds.com gives the context.

V12 TDI in a 24 hrs @ Lemans context! One can actually hear the car & the environment instead of the incessant whining & whiney gasoline engine. Don't forget the LACK of noise & effort with far less up/down shifting! TMI might include: more stable & far less tricky vehicle dynamics in acceleration/deceleration, braking & cornering.

https://youtu.be/_0R5kbWU7YQ

xwesx · April 2017

gagrice said:
Are you going to have to sell the Q7 TDI? I thought it was funny how those guys tried to distance the Porsche from the Audi. When Audi has done much of the R&D for SUVs. and especially diesel engines.

I won't know about that for a while, yet. Mine is second generation, so the only thing "on the table" right now is the emissions compliance option. They basically have until the end of January (2018) to get approval before it defaults to the buyback (eligible, not forced). At this point, I am hoping for the buyback to happen, as I don't really want to keep it long term. It just isn't the car I thought it was going to be in terms of interior utility.

It's beautiful, efficient, and it can easily tow ridiculous loads, but that's just not enough for me to want it around long term.

gagrice · April 2017

I am kind of on the same fence you are. I do love the Touareg TDI. Best vehicle I have ever owned. With the check engine light coming on the last two trips, I am not sure I want to own this vehicle after the warranty is up. Both the O2 sensor and Adblue heater are not cheap if not covered by warranty. The price they are showing would be about what I paid for the vehicle. I will try to get a couple more road trips in before I hit 4 years. Finding something I like better may not happen.

ruking1 · April 2017

Defacto, the same is true for two diesels (of mine, 09,14). EPA/carb-forced.

ruking1 · April 2017

Correction: 14 to 12.

"Apple's new $5 billion campus has more space for parking than offices"

(It's the LAW!!!) http://finance.yahoo.com/news/apples-5-billion-campus-more-144157614.html

This is the same city that used to want $20,000 in fees to consider a residential solar installation.

Do the math on how much each costs!

For those who have ever parked a vehicle in a Las Vegas casino parking garage (non VIP, valet, etc.), I would not be surprised if it will take as long to reach one's destination @ Apple's Space Ship.

So, IF the math is correct, Apple will spend app $357,000 per employee. The AVERAGE office size = 12 ft x 20.37 ft. Common space, etc will probably be taken off the length metric. I have absolutely no fore knowledge, so it will be interesting to see what reality comes out to be.

andres3 · April 2017

ruking1 said:

ruking1 said:
For sure, the trees on the property have been soaking it all in.

Indeed, Audi has been there ahead of a load of competitors.
A 12 OEM list listed in "Browse diesel cars" on/in Edmunds.com gives the context.

V12 TDI in a 24 hrs @ Lemans context! One can actually hear the car & the environment instead of the incessant whining & whiney gasoline engine. Don't forget the LACK of noise & effort with far less up/down shifting! TMI might include: more stable & far less tricky vehicle dynamics in acceleration/deceleration, braking & cornering.

https://youtu.be/_0R5kbWU7YQ

As Audi's head TDI engine engineer explains well in "Truth in 24," noise is just wasted energy. The TDI is sexy in that it makes less noise and produces more power and efficiency.

ruking1 · April 2017

I think it's particularly telling that it took another (Peugeot) diesel to give an Audi diesel neck to neck competition.

ruking1 · April 2017

Logistics!? https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2017-04-10/vws-pile-up-by-thousands-awaiting-fix-or-scrap-yard-in-buyback?ref=yfp

ruking1 · April 2017

All the emotions & brouhaha aside, it seems like the most logical progressions (after buy backs- frozen @ Sep 2015 prices & hand slapping) would be to let these "affected" TDI's get at least a year older (2018/2019) Then, let EPA/CARB approve them for sale/release; on the used market. (2018/2019 used car prices)

ruking1 · April 2017

Trust in VW? http://finance.yahoo.com/news/volkswagen-just-made-big-move-215225404.html

6 year/72,000 mile warranty hardly seems like a game changer? Unless you happen to have gotten a (very remote) statistical lemon or happened to be unlucky in getting one with some type of failure. I say this just having come off 2009 VW Jetta TDI VW 10 years and 100,000 miles (transmission) warranty. (After 36,000 miles) I had know nothing would go kaflewie, & nothing has.

TMI story
I spent some time in a relatives brand new, fully loaded, Honda CR-V. It was seemingly a no brainer either way with only a $1,500 difference between 2017/2016. They are far from being car information junkies, so we were going on about the "intoxicating" new car smell. They appeared to have sold a Honda Pilot. Perplexing was they are gone 3 to 4 months out of the year, so why the new CR-V? Why not just keep the Honda Pilot? They've a Jaguar Sedan also.

So this is the city where I fill on the way to/from South Tahoe, CA. Never have gotten stuck in Lodi either. Since the Govenor/ legislature passed the extra & already high .20 cent diesel tax, I will probably look more to fuel out of state.

https://youtu.be/Z_d87Pv9DuM

https://youtu.be/H3OJ03BECBU
Some one has got a weird sense of humor rating Folsom Prison 4/5 stars on Yelp!?

ruking1 · April 2017

http://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/cr-v/2016.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/cr-v/2017

Honda 2.4 L CVT 27/28 mpg, with 22.4 mpg to 32.7 mpg range, I'm wondering how it would do on the South Lake Tahoe, trip.

For me, a deal breaker without TDI/8-9 speed AT.

ruking1 · April 2017

Speaking of Tahoe, we just had 10 inches of snow in the last 24 hours. April 13, 2017. So far, snow= 648 in this season, so much for the global warming narrative.

ruking1 · April 2017

ruking1 said:
http://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/cr-v/2016.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/honda/cr-v/2017

Honda 2.4 L CVT 27/28 mpg, with 22.4 mpg to 32.7 mpg range, I'm wondering how it would do on the South Lake Tahoe, trip.

For me, a deal breaker without TDI/8-9 speed AT.

Needless to say, the 2017 Honda CR-V is highly rated! The 1.5 L turbo gas seems to be the ticket? https://www.edmunds.com/honda/cr-v/2017/#edm-entry-build

Even @ 179 # ft of torque (119 # ft per L), for me I'd have 369 # ft l(176 # ft per L) lurking in the (memory) background, no matter how stellar.

gagrice · April 2017

Not even a chance I would own one of those wimpy gas rigs. Driving the Subaru 4cylinder CVT was enough to run me off forever. I am planting the seeds with my wife if the Touareg TDI goes away. I am thinking a GM Canyon/Colorado diesel might satisfy. They seem to get an easy 25 MPG on Fuelly. Plenty of room, with a Snugtop shell on back for Stuff. May be better for off road than the Touareg TDI with better ground clearance.

ruking1 · April 2017

While I would like each oem & model/s to have the modular choice of power plants (gas,premium, diesels, hybrid, E85, natural gas, EV, etc., & power trains ( M/T, A/T, CVT, etc), like Europe, it is at the very best a pipe dream.

The realities THEN/ergo, etc. limit diesels to very good vehicles! GM's Canyon/Colorado in the small PU truck segment, one example. The Jaguar F Pace (TDI, small CUV) got an almost total redesign to be a hair better than the stellar Porsche Macan. The Macan does not have an American TDI option. The TDI F Pace appears to sport the 8 speed A/T. I say yee ha if it fits what you want or need.

ruking1 · April 2017

This morning! 13AP2017.

One local TV channel said some resorts have had 600 inches of snow. Tommorrow's forecast, a foot of powder ! Yahoo! The picture is not @ a ski resort.

CA is going to "benefit" from this!? Locally we are app .17 cents away from this benefit. http://www.upi.com/Gas-at-3-per-gallon-could-hurt-US-economy/1491492075484/?ref=yfp

One fairly local VW dealeris advertising over 22- 2015 TDI's for sale!

gagrice · April 2017

With another 20 cents in tax on diesel, it will make my planned move to NV even more of a no brainer. CC price today in Pahrump, NV is $2.39 at several stations. Cheapest within 15 miles of me is $2.84. Most stations close to me are over $3 now. Gas is a few cents more. Got to bail out the bankrupt Pension plans.

http://www.latimes.com/politics/la-pol-sac-jerry-brown-gas-tax-side-deals-20170409-story.html

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

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