Ask the Car People.SM


Is This the "Day of the Diesel?" - READ ONLY

705 messages,  Last post on Feb 05, 2007 at 4:49 PM

You are in the Automotive News & Views-Archives Forum.

What is this discussion about? Diesel, Fuel Efficiency (MPG)

Messages Page 1 of 71

#1 of 705 Is This the "Day of the Diesel?" by kirstie_h HOST

Oct 16, 2006 (7:51 am)

Though popular in Europe, diesels are scarce in the U.S. Is that about to change?
Day of the Diesel (plus 10 diesels you can buy now)

#2 of 705 Re: Is This the "Day of the Diesel?" [kirstie_h] by bumpy

Oct 16, 2006 (9:06 am)

Replying to: kirstie_h (Oct 16, 2006 7:51 am)
Lord, I hope so. I'm still cheesed off that a 20-year-old Isuzu pickup with a diesel engine developed when dinosaurs walked the Earth got better mileage than any straight gas car sold in the US today. Heck, I've even thought about getting the front clip from a diesel Laurel and swapping the RD28T into a 240SX to get a diesel ride.

#3 of 705 Diesels are great ... by highender

Oct 16, 2006 (2:10 pm)

I just considered the hybrids for about 2 years now...really did research on them the last 6 months...and finally,,, bought a diesel !!
 
The diesel 2002 jetta TDI that I got gets really respectable mileage...around 38 in town, and up to 49 mpg highway. IT has lots of power in low end....and I have a tow hitch on it.
 
Only negative was the relative bad diesel smell....so I am using biodiesel from BioFuel Oasis in Berkeley, which has ASTM biodiesel at $3.70 per gallon. Yes...it costs a lot...but it is non toxic, cleaner than alot of vehicles, and a renewable resource.
 
Diesels are great also because the engine lasts a long time....meaning you save the EARTH by using the engine for a long time....you save many resources and energy...versus a gas or hybrid engine, which may not last as long.
 
To be fair, more and more gasoline engines are lasting longer..with 150,000 miles plus being common. I think hybrid technology is great also...but the thing about replacing batteries is just too environmentally unkind, and makes up for the gas and clean air savings.....
 
I am all for a hybrid drive (HSD) Diesel engine....if and when one becomes available and the car maker does not milk people for it...... Nowadays the car dealers are charging lots of money for the hybrids....
 
so I think diesel is the way to go....

#4 of 705 Me too.... by andys120

Oct 16, 2006 (3:29 pm)

-38MPG
 
-700 miles per tank
 
-0-60 in 6.6
 
Mercedes style.
 
They're dialing my Area Code

#5 of 705 Re: Me too.... [andys120] by nortsr1

Oct 17, 2006 (6:00 am)

Replying to: andys120 (Oct 16, 2006 3:29 pm)
They would be dialing in a lot more area codes except for the $3.70/gallon price.

#6 of 705 Re: Me too.... [nortsr1] by qbrozen

Oct 17, 2006 (6:18 am)

Replying to: nortsr1 (Oct 17, 2006 6:00 am)
$3.70??!! Sounds like you need to find yourself a NEW area code.
 
Current national average is over $1 less than that, and its reported as being $2.50 in my area.

#7 of 705 Re: Me too.... [nortsr1] by gagrice

Oct 17, 2006 (6:46 am)

Replying to: nortsr1 (Oct 17, 2006 6:00 am)
I believe the $3.70 biodiesel is in the Bay area of CA. Not known for bargain prices on gas or diesel. I think highender is making an environmental statement with using the VW TDI and biodiesel. Same as driving a Prius.
 
That said biodiesel should come down some as supply catches up with the demand. Green Star supplies that area with biodiesel. They just built another plant in Bakersfield according to the president will try to get biodiesel into other areas of CA.
 
http://www.greenstarusa.com/products/biodiesel.html

#8 of 705 Re: Me too.... [gagrice] by ruking1

Oct 17, 2006 (7:16 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Oct 17, 2006 6:46 am)
The real problem here is this article is TRULY the documentation of a miracle in CA, while nobody CARES !! The building of a plant in CA might not be considered noteworthy, but if this were an crude oil refinery plant(ostensibly to produce unleaded regular for CA use), the whole state of CA; if not the USA would come out of the woodwork to STOP it WAY before the planning stages. Noteworthy, a crude oil refinery is probably much more dangerous exponentially on many more if not ALL levels, such as; health and safety, than a bio diesel processing plant. Yet there are those (again on many levels) that INSIST on NOT deviating from the use of unleaded regular despites its known and demonstrated higher costs, higher dangers ON EVERY LEVEL. So kudos to the entreprenuerial spirit. Longer term, hopefully the price of #2 diesel and biodiesel goes down and dramatically.

#9 of 705 Re: Me too.... [ruking1] by gagrice

Oct 17, 2006 (8:23 am)

Replying to: ruking1 (Oct 17, 2006 7:16 am)
It looks to me like crude oil will have to be over $60 per barrel for biodiesel to be economical. I believe that GSPI is using mostly soy beans for biodiesel production. I am not sure if they are shipped in or CA grown. I think we will always pay more for fuel of any kind in CA. We may not have any higher fuel tax. We just have limitations on how and where we get our fuel. I did not know until a recent article that only CA produced diesel was allowed to be used here. Well that makes it tough to have any kind of competitive pricing. I just look at it as the price we pay to live in semi paradise. The prices are even higher in Hawaii, which IS Paradise.

#10 of 705 Re: Me too.... [gagrice] by ruking1

Oct 17, 2006 (8:34 am)

Replying to: gagrice (Oct 17, 2006 8:23 am)
Yes, given the MAX 2.9% demand (% of the diesel passenger vehicle fleet)and the system of highway taxation, it will be tied to the price of crude oil.
 
Truly that might have been the "deal with the devil" in the Faustian sense. If that is indeed true, then yes by structure almost guarantees at the very least, higher bio diesel prices.

Messages Page 1 of 71

Advertisement

Browse by Category

Browse by Vehicle
   View All Vehicles

Browse by Board
Browse by Topic
View All Topics

Edmunds Community

Advertisement