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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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#2950 of 5196
Re: Diesel attention getter! [gagrice] by ruking1
Mar 20, 2006 (7:29 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Mar 19, 2006 9:28 pm)

Again even in the full light of day, one major diesel advantage over gas goes unrecognized: "37% fuel efficiency advantage over like gassers.
 
Do folks remember that woman rookie almost winning the Indy 500, sans a man's math miscalculation on the fuel MPG?????
 
So say an Indy car gets 4 mpg. A 37% advantage pumps that up to a whopping 5.48 mpg. She would have made history.
#2951 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [gagrice] by winter2
Mar 20, 2006 (7:57 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Mar 18, 2006 5:10 pm)

Your point about the cost of bring a VW TDI or any diesel to SULEV compliance is not really meaningful.
 
To bring any car, gas or diesel powered to SULEV compliance costs money. I am sure that if you took off all of the emissions systems from any car, the price of that car would drop several thousand dollars. Gassers have had emission systems for years and we have become accustom to paying for them. I believe that a good portion of the yearly price increase in new cars/trucks is related to the increasingly stringent emissions requirements.
 
I feel that if diesels were presented to the public as nice green cars/trucks with great fuel economy, performance, durability and simplicity then they would probably sell like hot cakes.
#2952 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [winter2] by ruking1
Mar 20, 2006 (8:08 am)

Replying to: winter2 (Mar 20, 2006 7:57 am)

"I believe that a good portion of the yearly price increase in new cars/trucks is related to the increasingly stringent emissions requirements. "
 
While I understand and actually agree with the point you are making, of which the above is a part, the increase in new cars/trucks (year to year) is really the cost of "SEX". This is in addition to the fact the auto oems want to keep up with the cost of inflation. Generally year to year presents no radical design changes. This would be in stark contrast with say the 2006 Honda Civic vs the 2005 Honda Civic. (next generation)
 
So what you are saying about the "costs" would be true if they were trying to jump one category, i.e., have to meet more stringent requirements.
 
I would make this swag and please note I am no where near an emissions guru, but I would dare say the emissions for the Prius it NOT radically different from the Corolla. However since the Prius engine is smaller and combine with they hybrid action that makes the gasser engine run app 20% less, that is probably enough to let the Prius get the numbers it does.
#2953 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [winter2] by gagrice
Mar 20, 2006 (8:35 am)

Replying to: winter2 (Mar 20, 2006 7:57 am)

I totally agree with you. A catalytic convertor for a Prius is $2000 plus. It's only purpose is emissions. I think the article was showing VW's concern about adding another $1000 or more to the TDI with nothing but improved emissions to show for the money. I don't think the average buyer would pay the difference if it was an option on any car. For example Toyota does not offer SULEV II on the Corolla. I wonder what the difference in price would be. Their Scion line does not even offer any EPA rating over a 3. What would the additional cost be to upgrade a Scion xb to SULEV II. I would guess at least a couple grand.
 
The safety and emissions is probably 35% of the cost of a vehicle.
#2954 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [ruking1] by winter2
Mar 20, 2006 (8:36 am)

Replying to: ruking1 (Mar 20, 2006 8:08 am)

If you put autostop on a Corolla my guess that emissions wise, it would be nearly as clean as the Prius.
 
Many years ago VW put an autostop feature on their diesels. It helped with fuel economy and probably with emissions too.
 
If an autostop feature were put on every vehicle including diesels, fuel economy would improve as well as emissions.
 
As to the emission systems of a Corolla being similar to the Prius, you are probably right. The combustion cycle on the Prius is different and a little cleaner.
#2955 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [gagrice] by winter2
Mar 20, 2006 (8:51 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Mar 20, 2006 8:35 am)

A catalytic converter on any vehicle is a pricey item. EGR valves are not cheap either. On my old Dodge Dakota it cost about $90 (parts alone). I was able to install it myself.
 
On my CRD, the EGR is watercooled and has some electronic controls applied to it. I am sure it costs several hundred dollars as a part sans labor to install it.
 
Talking about EGR valves, my wife's 1998 Chrysler does not have one.
#2956 of 5196
To combine #'s 2953 and 2954... by ruking1
Mar 20, 2006 (8:56 am)
Perhaps this might be hard to graphically visualize but CAFE standards might indeed be instrumental in keeping OUT higher mileage vehicles like the VW TDI and Honda cTDI's.: economy of scale and cost per unit. Any current upgrade to say a Corolla/Civic/whatever type vehicle can be literally spread over hundreds of thousands ie multiples of 100,000) of vehicles. And the cost per unit is FAR less
 
VW and Honda TDI's can barely get traction say over 10,000 vehicles.
 
Now I can really not fault the range of 36-41 mpg I get in the Honda Civic. By most measures I should count my blessings. However since I also have real world experiences with the TDI or more to the point 44-62 mpg AND having a HOOT doing it, I do wonder out loud!
#2957 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [winter2] by w9cw
Mar 20, 2006 (11:38 am)

Replying to: winter2 (Mar 20, 2006 8:51 am)

Most catalytic converters, built to OEM spec, can be had much cheaper by purchasing from mass distributors such as Advance Auto Parts, AutoZone, etc. For example, one of my car's catalytics cost $700 from the dealer. An exact duplicate by Walker Muffler Corp. cost $80. And, the latter is not a "univeral-fit," rather an exact drop-in replacement.
 
Unless it's your only option, I would never buy a part like a converter from the dealer. The mark-up is absolutely huge.
#2958 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [w9cw] by ruking1
Mar 20, 2006 (11:46 am)

Replying to: w9cw (Mar 20, 2006 11:38 am)

This 700 vs 80 actually generates two other questions. The answers of which I am SWAGging will graphically show the point. 1 How much is a Prius (dealer) CC vs an after market? ie Walker Muffler?
 
Again a very well known but probably unfactored is the 150,000 mile guarantee of the Prius CC vs how ever long for the Walker Muffler one?
#2959 of 5196
Re: TDI may be slow, BUT, [w9cw] by winter2
Mar 20, 2006 (11:59 am)

Replying to: w9cw (Mar 20, 2006 11:38 am)

When I can get good after market parts I will buy them. You are right, they are generally cheaper. As to aftermarket catalytic converters, I have had some bad luck using "exact duplicates" including one that did not fit as advertised. In one case, the car failed emissions even though it was the correct replacement part. We installed a dealer part and the car passed with flying colors. Go figure.
 
When I had to replace the EGR valve on my Dodge truck, the dealer was $30 less than several after market vendors. Not always the case though. I have also found that using dealer PCVs and thermostats worked better than aftermarket vendor parts.

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