The future of diesel fuel?

[Brickboy240]

I have know several people that owned Jettas and Golfs and paid prices for parts (like brake rotors and sensors) that were in line with what I paid for my old 318 BMW. Sorry, but economy car parts should NOT carry BMW price tags. True, VWs are alot nicer and less spartan than they used to be but why would someone pay the phaetons price? Its still a VW! I'd rather have an M7 or S Class for that kind of cake....not a VW.

I hate to tell you this, but so far, my 2 Volvos have my previous two Bimmers and VW beat by a longshot in the reliability and trouble free category! Parts are also not nearly as horribly expensive, either.

I beleve the reason the Europeans are so diesel-heavy today, stems fom the fact that fuels in general have always cost more in those countries, so diesels had more appeal. A while back, diesel was also less expensive than petrol...another incentive to go diesel. I read somewhere, that 65% of the Mercedes and BMWs produced for European drivers are diesel. This explians why they have so many diesels running there, today.

For the USA right now, I don't know if the diesel should become more prevalent. With higher diesel costs and the fact that the diesel cars cost more...the savings is not as great as it used to be.

You do have to laugh at the fact that most of the diesels offered are expensive mid and top line Bimmers and Benzes. Cars that start around 45-50 grand and go way up from there. Most people that can afford 5 Series Bimmers, E and S Class Benzes really don't have to worry about watching their pennies at the pump..do they? Doesn't a diesel 3 Series wagon or C-Class make more sense?

- Brickboy240

[Gravel]

I think those people are looking for the tax break..

I had a diesel A8 as a rental one of my times in germany, that car ****ing ROCKED!!

Volvo can't be all bad, my 16yr old daughter wants an S40 or S60 real bad...

[Sirius1963]

Originally Posted by Lazarus

My house in Baltimore use to take "oil" and my parents would pay like $100 or $150 for 100 gals of it. I dont know how much it would cost now but how long does that 500 gals last? I think we went through 200-250 gals of oil a winter.

That's one of the problems, we got 500 gallons, and it was gone in about 4 months (Oct-Jan) I think something was wrong with the furnace, it runs all the time. The guy that serviced it also delivers oil, so I think they are in cahoots there... [insert your own conspiracy here]

[Deadcenter]

I don't think its the oil companies doing all the price gouging, they are just reaping the rewards of the greed imposed by Wall Street and OPEC.

Their take is around 8 cents on the dollar, profits are up because the demand is up. Diesel has skyrocketed because the sulfur content needs to be down to 15 parts per MILLION, and that takes much processing.

Blame the *EWE's - its all their fault


*Environmental Wacko Extremist - the female sheep of the liberal crowd

[jtkratzer]

Originally Posted by Brickboy240

I have know several people that owned Jettas and Golfs and paid prices for parts (like brake rotors and sensors) that were in line with what I paid for my old 318 BMW. Sorry, but economy car parts should NOT carry BMW price tags. True, VWs are alot nicer and less spartan than they used to be but why would someone pay the phaetons price? Its still a VW! I'd rather have an M7 or S Class for that kind of cake....not a VW.

I hate to tell you this, but so far, my 2 Volvos have my previous two Bimmers and VW beat by a longshot in the reliability and trouble free category! Parts are also not nearly as horribly expensive, either.

I beleve the reason the Europeans are so diesel-heavy today, stems fom the fact that fuels in general have always cost more in those countries, so diesels had more appeal. A while back, diesel was also less expensive than petrol...another incentive to go diesel. I read somewhere, that 65% of the Mercedes and BMWs produced for European drivers are diesel. This explians why they have so many diesels running there, today.

For the USA right now, I don't know if the diesel should become more prevalent. With higher diesel costs and the fact that the diesel cars cost more...the savings is not as great as it used to be.

You do have to laugh at the fact that most of the diesels offered are expensive mid and top line Bimmers and Benzes. Cars that start around 45-50 grand and go way up from there. Most people that can afford 5 Series Bimmers, E and S Class Benzes really don't have to worry about watching their pennies at the pump..do they? Doesn't a diesel 3 Series wagon or C-Class make more sense?

- Brickboy240

The diesel 3 series is coming to the states this year I've been told. The diesel appeal to some folks is not the cost of fuel, but the power you get from a smaller engine which also happens to consume less fuel.

The 300 hp twin turbo 3.0L straight six BMW has right now still gets close to 30 on the highway and over 20 in the city. That's amazing to get V8 power out of a turbo 6 with that kind of gas mileage.

The Volvo in your case may be more reliable, but honestly, which one was funner to drive in the twisties? There are very few cars under $75,000 that handle as well as or better than a BMW with an M suspension.

Everything comes in diesel in Germany...everything from the tiny VWs to the few SUVs...

There are also extremely high taxes on fuels in Europe and I've heard they tax them so hard to get people to drive less and use the public transportation. Cuts pollution and traffic down.

Originally Posted by Gravel

I think those people are looking for the tax break..

I had a diesel A8 as a rental one of my times in germany, that car ****ing ROCKED!!

Volvo can't be all bad, my 16yr old daughter wants an S40 or S60 real bad...

Volvos are nice. My wife and I tested a 6 speed manual V70 T5 and it was a blast...2.5 L turbocharged 5 cylinder. I thought the 16,000 they wanted for it when it already had 80,000 miles on it was too steep.

Originally Posted by Deadcenter

I don't think its the oil companies doing all the price gouging, they are just reaping the rewards of the greed imposed by Wall Street and OPEC.

Their take is around 8 cents on the dollar, profits are up because the demand is up. Diesel has skyrocketed because the sulfur content needs to be down to 15 parts per MILLION, and that takes much processing.

Blame the *EWE's - its all their fault


*Environmental Wacko Extremist - the female sheep of the liberal crowd

It's not all females. It's not the oil companies. The environmentalists want you to think that and demonize the oil companies, but when oil hits over $110/barrel, it's the supply, not the refinery. Doesn't make me happy that the oil companies make record profits when we have no options on other fuels for our cars at this time, but what can you do? Really pisses me off that we are the Middle East of coal and we won't mine it. Ticks me off we won't drill for our own oil.

It's the evil environmentalists claiming that we're going to run out of fossil fuels...well, guess what cupcake, they aren't fossil fuels and they are renewable. A 500 mile high geyser of hydrocarbons was found somewhere in space this week which means we aren't the only place in the universe with carbon based fuels...

[jnclement]

It's my understanding that Chrysler has sold a diesel minivan in Europe for several years, so I don't think they have to do much to introduce them here. I wish someone would introduce a 1/2 ton diesel pickup that got great mileage.

[shadow6274]

My wife has a 2005 VW Jetta TDI and that little car gets 42 MPG on the road. Has held up very well at over 108,000 miles so far. Plenty of power when needed as well. Matter of fact, I am looking to trade the 2004 Stang in a new 2009 model when they hit the street, forcasted to get even more MPG (around 4. Saw a sign today for $3.94 a gallon. Have been doing some research for a long time now into bio fuels. Good point of reference to start with is HomePower.com; been reading their mag for years. Look up the Ester Machine as well. I am about 2 months off from purchasing one and brewing my own!

[DIRTY HARRY]

I DONT KNOW WHY BUSH HAS NOT RELEASED THE GAS THAT IS IN STOCKPILE LIKE HE DID IN 2004 IT WOULD BRING THR PRICES DOWN TO AT LEAST $2.00 A GALLON FOR A WHILE, THIS SUMMER IS GOING TO BE MURDER ON THE TRAVLERS AND THE LOCAL FARMERS WHO USE GAS FOR THEIR CARS LAWN MOWERS TRACTORS ETC. WE SHOULD OF JUST TAKEN OVER THE OIL FIELDS IN KUWAIT AND IRAN WHEN WE WENT IN THERE FROM THE BEGINNING, WHAT BS