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Automotive News & Views What Would It Take for YOU to buy a diesel car?
1503 messages, Last post on Nov 14, 2009 at 1:11 PM
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Replying to: altair4 (Aug 11, 2008 11:38 am) That's a problem with diesel: it is too dependent on the same oil that all those folks east of the Mississippi use to heat their homes, so price fluctuations are more dramatic and less predictable than gasoline. An extra cold winter can cause those prices to go sky-high, and diesel is impacted also. The price of gas is now dropping as the "summer driving season" is nearing its end (Labor Day is only 3 weeks out folks!), but the diesel will tend to go up as winter nears, and with it already being $0.50 or more above regular unleaded, imagine how much the diferential could be by Christmas! We really need some diesel-powered cars that can achieve real-world mileage of 60 mpg or more. I don't follow diesels too closely, but as I understand it there are diesels in other parts of the world (small cars mainly) that can meet that standard. At 60 mpg, one is relatively immune from diesel price fluctuations, I think, even vs a hybrid.
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Replying to: nippononly (Aug 11, 2008 11:50 am) |
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Replying to: altair4 (Aug 11, 2008 11:38 am) Caught a "Autoweek"(?) program on t.v the other day. They compared a Mercedes diesel with Mercedes gasoline engine. The diesel was less costly to buy, own and operate over a period of 5 years. |
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As others have already observed, the big increase in diesel over gas has changed the equations quite a bit. However, I would buy a diesel NOW if it was in a car I could afford and actually wanted. I want an E320 cdi, but can't afford it. I don't want a Jetta ... or anything from VW at the moment. Hmmmm.... maybe a Jetta TDI with quattro. I just don't want FWD. Anyway, IF I could afford the Benz, according to the widget, I would save $239.58/year in fuel, using the current prices down the street from me at my regular Hess station. That, however, is comparing to regular. The E350 uses premium. But I'll let that slide for now, as I COULD use RUG in the E350 and suffer the consequences. At a $1k premium for the diesel engine option, I'm just about even in 4 years. I would do it. Basically, on a 5-year finance, you are looking at saving money on fuel. Not to mention the added benefit of stopping less to refuel. I'd like to see a C-class diesel to at least get more in my financial ballpark. Even better would be a BMW 120 hatchback. |
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and affordable. I'm even willing to pay a small price premium on the purchase, and I don't believe that the current price differential between RUG and Diesel is a real problem, in percentage terms. My only issue is that the only affordable diesel car soon to be available is the Jetta, and I've not yet warmed up to the thought of relying on a VW dealer service dept. The long waiting lists that dealers already have for these cars gives me reason to try and hold off and see when Acura, Honda, Subaru, and Nissan decide to produce their diesel models, and what their sales prices will be. |
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Replying to: nippononly (Aug 11, 2008 7:54 am) That was only a half truth. You already admitted if it didn't come with a manual you weren't interested in another thread.  But in this case I agree with you. A 43 MPG Jetta is not going to impress anyone that has a 45 MPG Hybrid. It won't even impress anyone that has a 40 MPG Civic or Yaris. First the Jetta would cost you more out the door and then in is another 75 cents a gallon at the pump. The new super low sulphur diesel will be even more expensive. When it was 11 MPG in a Pickup or SUV and 20 MPG with a diesel that seemed worth it even if it cost more to buy out the door. what I would expect is about 30 percent better fuel mileage that what I can get from a gas rig or why bother? I like diesel trucks and SUVs and if they made a diesel that got the same mileage as the old Rabbit diesel they would be in the ball park. I commuted with a man who had one and we got 49 MPG day in and day out.
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Replying to: jipster (Aug 10, 2008 11:25 am) In a cruel twist of fate, the type of car I tend to prefer used to be offered with a Diesel...intermediate and full-sized RWD cars from the late 70's and early 80's. But alas, we all know how that turned out.  I wonder how hard it would be to get a DuraMax into an '83 Parisienne? Or a Cummins into a St. Regis? Or heck, even a PowerStroke into a Crown Vic? 
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Replying to: boaz47 (Aug 11, 2008 4:02 pm) Yes, but so far non-luxury diesel models come with a stick, and I'm certainly not going to be buying a luxury car. The new super low sulphur diesel will be even more expensive We have had ULSD here in California for two years. I don't think prices will be going up in YOUR neck of the woods.  So what did they do wrong with the new Jetta diesel anyway? I have heard fables around here of mid-50s being routine mileage in a Jetta diesel. Did they power up too much with the new model and lose their edge over hybrids? From mid-50s to mid-40s is a big step backwards in the era of $4 fuel... |
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Replying to: larsb (Aug 11, 2008 6:42 am) Those numbers are wrong. The gasoline Jetta gets a combined 25 mpg. The diesel gets a combined 33 mpg. The difference is only 8 mpg, not 15. http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg
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Replying to: 1stpik (Aug 11, 2008 6:55 pm) Knowing how my driving relates to the EPA ratings, I suspect I would do about 29 mpg in the gas Jetta and about 44 in the diesel, so that sounded pretty right on to me. I might do a point or two better than each rating, but the ratio would be about the same. Correction to report: I did a tour of the town tonight looking for diesel pumps, and did find one station, a 76, with diesel. The other 7 are, as I thought, diesel-less. I should have noted the price for diesel at that 76, but alas I forgot. There is a Safeway gas staion just about to open up, less than a week out, that is also going to sell diesel, so then we will be 2 for 9 stations on our diesel sell ratio in my town. 
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