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

9337 messages,  Last post on May 22, 2013 at 2:26 PM

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What is this discussion about? Car Buying, Biodiesel, Diesel, Hybrid Cars, Coupe, Hatchback, SUV

Messages Page 1 of 934

#1 of 9337 What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car? by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Aug 10, 2008 (11:11 am)

We're talking passenger cars and SUVs here, not pickups.
 
What criteria would be necessary for you to seriously consider buying a diesel car?
 
You might consider one or ALL of the list below:
 
price of the car
price of fuel
practicality (seating capacity, # of doors, etc)
MPG
manufacturer
performance (0-60, noise, ride, handling)
 
Or if NOTHING would convince you, please tell us why you came to that conclusion.

#2 of 9337 Re: What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car? [Mr_Shiftright] by jipster

Aug 10, 2008 (12:25 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Aug 10, 2008 11:11 am)
Most of the cars I would be interested in aren't offered in diesel.

#3 of 9337 Diesel car you'd buy? [jipster] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Aug 10, 2008 (1:18 pm)

Replying to: jipster (Aug 10, 2008 12:25 pm)
Well okay then -- could you suggest to the manufacturer of the car you like, what type of diesel car from their factory you WOULD buy?

#4 of 9337 Re: Diesel car you'd buy? [Mr_Shiftright] by boaz47

Aug 10, 2008 (1:52 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Aug 10, 2008 1:18 pm)
Diesels will have to get a lot better fuel mileage to get me to buy a diesel car. That didn't used to be the case but if I am now paying almost 20 percent more for diesel and I am only getting 12 to 15 percent better fuel mileage I would be going backwards by getting a diesel.
 
When gas powered full sized SUVs got 12 MPG and Diesel SUVs got 19 or 20 that was different. But now a full sized Denali can get 17 and it would take just over 21 MPG for a Diesel Denali to break even. If I have to consider a compact car nothing much less than 60 MPG would offset the price difference or the fuel cost difference.

#5 of 9337 Re: Diesel car you'd buy? [Mr_Shiftright] by gagrice

Aug 10, 2008 (2:04 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Aug 10, 2008 1:18 pm)
I would like to suggest to Toyota a diesel Sequoia or Land Cruiser. Not a fire breathing V8. Just a nice mild 6 cylinder CRD. I want one I can order without any of their substandard NAV Stereo systems. I want leather and all the niceties, and will put in my own NAV, CD, XM system.
 
I doubt they get around to it before I end up with a new X5 diesel from BMW.
 
PS
I am confident the X5 will get 30 MPG on the highway. Not real concerned around town.

#6 of 9337 Re: What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car? [Mr_Shiftright] by fintail

Aug 10, 2008 (2:09 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Aug 10, 2008 11:11 am)
There are many cars I would like to see in diesel, that exist elsewhere in diesel, that we are not blessed with on these hallowed shores. I think something like a new style Honda Fit/Jazz diesel would be pretty cool, moreso if it could exist with AWD. I like diesel engines, but what we have at the moment in the NA market is pretty bland.
 
I also wish MB diesel could be equipped with sport/AMG trim. They are only offered in boring base trim now. I don't understand this.

#7 of 9337 Re: Diesel car you'd buy? [boaz47] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Aug 10, 2008 (2:12 pm)

Replying to: boaz47 (Aug 10, 2008 1:52 pm)
So what MPG on a full-size diesel SUV would tempt you?

#8 of 9337 Re: What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car? [Mr_Shiftright] by steve_ HOST

Aug 10, 2008 (2:18 pm)

Replying to: Mr_Shiftright (Aug 10, 2008 11:11 am)
Diesel currently costs $.70 cents a gallon more than RUG in my area. I won't even buy a car that requires premium, so the fuel cost differential is a deal killer (unless you know of one that gets 100 mpg?).
 
My wife also has mild asthma so exposure to diesel exhaust isn't a happy thought either - everything I've read indicates that while diesel can emit less CO and CO2 than gas, they can generate 100 times more particulates than gas engines. And those particles aren't healthy. I'm holding my breath on the new emissions standards.
 
Then there's that whole business about the smell when you pump it, spill it on your hands or shoes, etc.

#9 of 9337 Re: What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car? [steve_] by Mr_Shiftright HOST

Aug 10, 2008 (2:21 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Aug 10, 2008 2:18 pm)
sounds like you're OUT, no matter what the automakers do?

#10 of 9337 Re: What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car? [steve_] by gagrice

Aug 10, 2008 (2:33 pm)

Replying to: steve_ (Aug 10, 2008 2:18 pm)
You're not supposed to spill it on your shoes. I think diesel smells much better than raw gas. At least in CA they seal the gas spouts so you don't get nauseated by gasoline fumes. According to BMW their new diesel engine is as clean as the cleanest gas cars in CA. That would give it a PZEV rating. No ratings yet on the EPA website for the 50 state legal diesels. Don't let your wife hang around the bus stop, those are pumping out lousy air.

Messages Page 1 of 934

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