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Hybrids & Diesels - Deals or Duds? - READ ONLY

5196 messages,  Last post on Oct 16, 2006 at 6:55 AM

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What is this discussion about? Alternative Fuels, Biodiesel, Hybrid Cars


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#2917 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [ruking1] by gagrice
Mar 17, 2006 (7:32 am)

Replying to: ruking1 (Mar 17, 2006 7:05 am)

The current model is 45,000 at invoice.
 
For the price of a GS450h you can just about buy a Honda dealership. They are supposed to start at $60k and go up from there. That is without the gouge factor. It is going to be built in such limited supply that the dealers will get what they want. I imagine most will go to Hollywood stars that are tired of driving the Prius and want their old luxury back with a green halo.
#2918 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [john1701a] by moparbad
Mar 17, 2006 (10:17 am)

Replying to: john1701a (Mar 17, 2006 5:40 am)

Did Lexus take the pole at Sebring?
 
No.
 
Did a diesel engine powered Audi take the pole at Sebring?
 
YES!
#2919 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [john1701a] by moparbad
Mar 17, 2006 (10:26 am)

Replying to: john1701a (Mar 17, 2006 5:40 am)

The newest hybrid from Lexus, GS450h launched yesterday in Japan, can go 0-62 MPH in just 5.6 seconds.
  
JOHN

 
E320 CDI 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds for only $51,825. 27 mpg city 37 mpg highway.
Thank you Rudolph Diesel.
 
GS450h mpg 27 city 28 highway mpg
#2920 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [moparbad] by gagrice
Mar 17, 2006 (11:50 am)

Replying to: moparbad (Mar 17, 2006 10:26 am)

Did we say the E320 CDI will go about 800 miles on a tank of diesel. You can bypass the high priced states. You can hypermile the Mercedes diesel and get close to Prius results.
 
Our turn to drive the E320 CDI comes in a contest to determine precisely how little fuel is required to propel a vehicle weighing almost two tons over a course of 108 miles charted through the Texas Hill Country. We find that our car burns 2.42 gallons of fuel, which works out to 44.6 miles per gallon along the course.
 
E320 CDI review
#2921 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [moparbad] by ruking1
Mar 18, 2006 (7:41 am)

Replying to: moparbad (Mar 17, 2006 10:26 am)

"E320 CDI 0-60 mph in 6.6 seconds for only $51,825. 27 mpg city 37 mpg highway.
Thank you Rudolph Diesel.
  
GS450h mpg 27 city 28 highway mpg "
 
Yes, I reacted by scratching my head (metaphorically) at how the much lower mpg (than EPA readings) conundrum has not been addressed, other than to say the EPA ratings are not real world, dah!!! , but just glossed over and now put on high end vehicles!!???
 
Yet on the other hand, the diesel continues to be vilified. In 5 states, the sales of new diesels are BANNED!! They not only gets the EPA readings but in most cases EXCEEDS THEM. In my own case the Jetta TDI EPA is 42/49, yet my range is 44-62 !!! This is really off the shelf technology at potentially lower costs AND a 37% fuel advantage over like for like gassers.
 
So really here is a real world situation for discussion.
 
Greater Metropolitan Boston, MA area during the "commute". For folks that do it, it is a rolling parking lot, or a parking lot that rolls.
 
NO hybrid advocates are willing to say how many hybrids are needed to even make a MEASURABLE difference in MEASURED air quality, let alone a STATISTICALLY significant correlated difference!!!!
 
Further, if they are so concerned about diesel, then they should immediately BAN the burning of emissions unmitigated home heating oil (not only is the sulfur content many multiple times higher than #2 diesel fuel, but is emissions unmitigated and burns 24/7 in the winter) !! Or force the implementation of emissions controls that current diesels are equipped!!!
Clearly, the realities are to put it mildly disingenuous!!
#2922 of 5196
03/18/06 National Biodiesel Day! by moparbad
Mar 18, 2006 (7:48 am)
Today is National Biodiesel Day and it is Rudolph Diesel's Birtday.
 
I have B20 in my tank to celebrate.
#2923 of 5196
Re: 03/18/06 National Biodiesel Day! [moparbad] by ruking1
Mar 18, 2006 (8:04 am)

Replying to: moparbad (Mar 18, 2006 7:48 am)

YUP ! George Washington Carver, and to celebrate the American Hero, the famous Tuskegee professor that found biodiesel can be gotten from (among others) soy bean crops!!!!!
 
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/George_Washington_Carver
#2924 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [ruking1] by john1701a
Mar 18, 2006 (8:25 am)

Replying to: ruking1 (Mar 18, 2006 7:41 am)

> In my own case the Jetta TDI EPA is 42/49, yet my range is 44-62 !!!
 
Wow! What an incredibly vague & misleading comment.
 
Where is your actual data?
 
What is your lifetime average?
 
Why didn't you identify the transmission type?
 
JOHN
#2925 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [ruking1] by gagrice
Mar 18, 2006 (8:51 am)

Replying to: ruking1 (Mar 18, 2006 7:41 am)

In 5 states, the sales of new diesels are BANNED!!
 
My understanding is the laws surrounding diesel are the brain child of one man at CARB. The repressive laws are putting the CA trucking industry in a position of comply or die. The largest has already died. Clean diesel was mandated in CA back in 1993. So we have had a lower sulfur diesel for 13 years. We have paid the price at the pump. When the new laws take affect in 2007, I would anticipate two things. The truck manufacturers could go out of business for lack of sales. The cost to operate a truck under current California rules is killing the operators in this state. They haul cross country and never fuel up in CA.
 
CARB also mandated the ill fated ZEV car fiasco. It cost taxpayers and GM billions and now they are all crushed sitting in a storage yard.
 
When will the EPA/CARB folks learn restraint. They need a dose of reality. Not everyone can afford to jump on the latest craze to save a few ozs of gasoline and clean the air to what it was at the time of Columbus.
 
I just watched a new Ford PowerStroke being accelerated at high speed. He belched out a huge cloud of back smoke. This is not characteristic of a new diesel in CA. In the back of the truck was a big fuel tank. My guess is he crosses into Mexico and fuels up all his tanks for about a buck per gallon less than San Diego prices. That is what happened during the early 1970s down here. People would drive their Mercedes diesels across the border to fill up and save a lot of money. I doubt the Mexican diesel has the designer label required by CARB.
#2926 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [john1701a] by ruking1
Mar 18, 2006 (8:55 am)

Replying to: john1701a (Mar 18, 2006 8:25 am)

Range? What does that mean to you? Vague and misleading? From the guru of vague and misleading? Actually vague and misleading is what a population of Prius owners say about the mpg claims for the Prius. Me? I would take theirs and your word for the mpg results. If I just substituted hybrid (Prius instead of diesel, you'd be slapping me on the back and giving me high fives.
 
The point has been made here numerous times. I am sure you will totally ignore the repeat of the point, but you do not have to drive the diesel like an old lady, as you would a Prius to get GREAT fuel mileage. So yes if I cruise at 90-100 mph, I can expect mid to high 40's. What can you expect with a Prius? You probably will refuse to answer. If I want to drive like an old lady at 55 mph (or less) I can expect 62 and higher. Again what can you expect with a Prius?
 
Lastly, I really have nothing to prove by getting better or even worse mileage, whereas seemingly, YOU do!!??
 
I am just calling it, under different conditions. I really have to say however that even after 71k miles in a diesel, it still amazes me the mpg this diesel does in reality get. Of course, it is way cool that I am able to go 25,000 miles between oil changes. My oem tires look good to go till 100-125k!??? Brakes aren't even close to being half worn. It is also a source of amazement that a 3 year old car with 71,000 miles can be sold for (close to) what I paid for it new!

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