Diesel doesn't add up at today's prices

Q : Wake up. You said diesels are smelly and noisy but they aren't smelly or noisy anymore.

[GeorgeS Park RidgeIL]

Jim, this is in response to your May 11, 2008 response to a reader re: Diesel's Edge:

Honda has a lot invested in its upcoming FCX hydrogen/ electric fuel cell so naturally it has little interest in touting diesel for the future. Remember Honda discontinued it's own gas hybrid Accord after 1 year. At $34K it offered no better real mileage than the $18K 4 cylinder model. I agree that a fuel sourced in renewable energy is the only true solution to the dependence on a scarce commodity found in lands outside our sphere of direct control. GM credibly estimates 2020 as a target for offering mass marketed fuel cell powered vehicles (assuming that issues of a hydrogen fuel infrastructure would be in place).

However for the time being diesels are the only way to immediately double real world mileage, without consumers having to shell out 30% price premiums for the actual vehicle over gasoline models (as they currently do for gas hybrid models). Diesels command a bare 5% premium over gas fired models. This is why VW has a 6 month waiting list for its diesel version of the Jetta. BMW and Nissan will be selling Blu-Tec diesel powered mainstream 5-series and Maximas in the US next year. These same cars have been plying the roads of Europe (where gas sells for north of $6.00/ gallon) for over a decade.

Why do you think virtually all European taxis are diesels and run for well over 400,000 miles, with little more than a few oil changes? Which nickel metal hydride battery packs in the Prius will last 400,000 miles without replacement at significant cost estimated at $3000?

The Bear Stearns analyst should stick to evaluating how his company made such bad financial investments to require a $30 billion Federal Reserve bail out and a purchase by JP Morgan Chase for cents on the dollar.

George Straton
Barrington, IL

[Bob]

Don't let Jim shuck you along, readers. Many of the European vehicles that we Americans cannot have (thank you big .003), are Turbocharged, direct injected diesels that routinely get 55 - 65 MPG, more if driven by someone into hypermiling. If the Toyota Prius had one of these engines, it would definitely increase substantially the already great MPG the car gets.

BUT, having your cake and eating it too will be when foreign auto manufacturers come out with the plug in electric vehicle with a turbocharged, direct injected diesel. Now you are talking 70-85 MPG and the first 40 miles you use no gasoline at all!!!

I will be getting one of those when they come out next year. That is, unless the big three pay off more of our honorable congressmen to keep them out, like all the other high MPG cars they have been keeping out for years!

Democracy without morality just don't work!

[dave bonce]

I like their clothes , cologne, and watches. Very nice quality and look.

[George S]

As Bob points out above look at the following web addresses for the facts.

http://www.ford.co.uk/ns7/allnewmondeo/co2_md... -

http://www.vauxhall.co.uk/vx/configurator/con...

http://www.volkswagen.co.uk/#/new/jetta/which...

The latter includes the 62 mpg Jetta Blu-Tec which is coming to the US this summer.

These cars all have Air bags, crumple zones, power accessories, A/C, ABS, sound systems and available Navigation systems. The Vauxhall Astra is imported as the Saturn Astra, sans high efficiency diesel, and the Ford Mondeo is based on an updated version of the Mazda 3/ Volvo S40 Platform.

This summer I will be renting a car a 1400 cc VW in Greece. Although gas is 30% pricier than here (at 1.2E per liter) if I drive 1000 miles, it will cost $110 to fill up. Despite gas being 30% cheaper here filling an average CAFE conforming car, like a Nissan Altima or Toyota Camry, in the US for 1000 miles of driving would cost about $190.

That is why many of our "bread and butter" family cars manufactured by Nissan, Toyota, Hyundai & Honda are made solely in the US for US consumption.

These models aren't even offered in Japan.

Anyone still claiming Diesel is neither practical nor significantly more economical than gasoline for the average American consumer?

[Jim 2000VW TDI]

How about the best of both worlds? A diesel hybrid. Great in the city(electric), great on the highway(diesel). By the way, my Jetta TDI gets 45mpg easily 49, if I drive within 10 mph of the speed limit. I love the car. My friend with a Prius says they get about 39 to 41 mpg, sometimes less. I'm a hybrid fan, but diesel's the way to go. They last forever. Thanks.

[Clean_Burning]

Diesel vehicles are more than just "smelly and noisy." They're toxic! In case you didn't hear:
Diesel engines emit a mix of gases and fine particles that include more than 40 cancer-causing substances. Fine particles can be breathed deep into lungs, where they lodge. Short-term exposure to diesel exhaust can irritate the eyes, nose, and throat, and cause coughing, labored breathing, chest tightness, and wheezing. Healthy children and adults face more risk of respiratory diseases. People with pre-existing heart disease or circulatory problems are more likely to have a heart attack or stroke.
Alternative fuels like Natural Gas, on the other hand, are simply better for the environment and your health. Bottom-line!

[Built Ford Tough]

One of the problems with Diesel is it is not readily available in some parts of the US. You notice that you go to a fueling station in the US and and there might be 12-18 pumps of unleaded and maybe 2 pumps of diesel if any at all. The US is not ready for diesel cars yet at least not here on the East yet. I have seen stations around here that have one diesel pump and the tank is a small tank above the ground. There are truck stops, but most people would not be comfortable fueling up there.