Yes this pisses me off

[jessaca]

I have a 99 jetta Tdi. Ugly as sin. But, it gets 45 mpg. I have a little over 325k on the odometer. Love that car!

 

[bikeama]

We have not got better on MPG. My frist new car 1975 Honda Civic CVCC ran on leaded gas or unleaded. Got the fancy 5 speed and 13" wheels

Got high 40's MPH all the time best was 52 MPG. Yes it was a light tin can and parked next to a Mini it makes the Mini look big. I wish I still had that little car.

 

[Killroy1999]

Its not a conspiracy.
There are many things in play here:

1. Diesel is a cheater fuel
2. US EPA Fuel Economy substandard are more realistic.
3. European emission standards are dirty and different, preventing cars from being imported.

To expand:

1. Diesel is more dense in pollution, oil and energy and $$$ per gallon, so it has to have ~12% more MPG to be equivalent efficiency. That is why I call it a cheater fuel because it tricks consumers if they don't understand the chemistry. I've been looking forward to some diesels beating hybrids, but they don't if you drive any city.

2. Back in 2008, the EPA lowered MPG ratings because drivers complained that they could never meet those MPGs. So, EPA ratings are changed to be more realistic. That has do with the fact that people speed and don't drive efficiently or other factors like roof racks or heavy loads. Today, if you don't get your EPA ratings, than your driving is more extreme than the the EPA, your auto maker lied to you, or your driving is just too fast or you driving needs adjustment. Ford, Hyundai, Kia and more have been in hot water lately because they fibbed on their fuel economy rating. Yes, the EPA does not test every car, so the automakers get to give there own numbers.

Euro fuel economy duty cycles are weak. They are much slower and not realistic for the US. There are also stories of fake test with taped door seems, thin oils, drastic weight reduction, ect.

3. The reason that Euro diesels do not come over to the US is mostly dirty fuel standards. Americans drive way too much and Americans are fat and sick because of it. Cut back the driving and the emission standards dont have to be so stick. Euro has dense cities with good transit. I blame the commuters. Sprawl just makes taxes go up and more government. The sad thing is that the Euro and the US EPA standards could align in the future and it would be good for everybody, but I have looked into it and there is no plan for that.

Euro cars are also practical, but gutless by today's standards. People don't use all the power in there cars to drive, so what is the point.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

The 5speed 1.4l Citron that I drove around France was neat but it felt good to get back to the power of my own car when I got home.

The Citron would have sucked hard with an auto though.

 

[Kornholio]

Yes you did-you were trying to diagnose it at hooters

All I saw was a video rant, which I ignored.

I thought that was Mike's old truck that Nick is now driving. Didn't realize it was yours.

There was no video in that link when I posted it. Hmmm...

 

[Killroy1999]

Total Sold in 2012

Diesel 103,822
Hybrid 355,806
Gas 11,949,690

Rip roaring. Might even see as many as two diesel pumps at the fuel station.

Yet, in California the Prius is the most popular car in the state. You don't have to like the Prius, but I thankful someone is saving gas for the rest of us. Without the EVs and other hybrids think of how much higher gas demand would be and how much higher the price would be.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

I'd like an electric car, but I am hesitent because I worry about something going wrong while charging and having my house burn down.

My experience with large batteries has a mixed track record:
http://www.staradvertiser.com/news/breaking/164684136.html?id=164684136

 

[Killroy1999]

Hate on it all you want. Hybrids still cost more to operate than a small diesel. I'll take the diesel all day, hands down.

Not if you own a Prius. Check out 5 Year ownership cost from Consumer Reports. Its a wash.
Small Cars
Toyota Prius C $5,000
Chevrolet Cruze ECO 7,500

Mid-Size
Toyota Camry Hybrid 6,500
Volkswagen Passat TDI 6,500

Wagons
Toyota Prius V $6,000
Volkswagen Jetta Wagon TDI 6,250

I would argue that hybrids are better for the USA because they use less overseas oil and dirty oil and pollute less.

Even the old fashion Car Czar/ Corvette Man Bob Luts thinks that electrification of cars is the future and that the Gas Tax should go up rather than CAFE standards in his address to the 2013 World Congress.
Bob also is not fancy on Diesels.

 

[Kornholio]

Wait until you have to replace the battery pack.

 

[OldFatGuy]

Wait until you have to replace the battery pack.

We have a bunch of Priuses at work (some close to 10 years old) and we haven't had to replace a battery pack yet. Hell, not one of them has required anything but routine maintenance.

 

[Kornholio]

We have a bunch of Priuses at work (some close to 10 years old) and we haven't had to replace a battery pack yet. Hell, not one of them has required anything but routine maintenance.

My sister already had to do it on her 2008. YMMV

Correction...just checked with her on Facebook. It's a 2005. I guess I thought it was newer.

 

[wazzuFreddo]

We have a bunch of Priuses at work (some close to 10 years old) and we haven't had to replace a battery pack yet. Hell, not one of them has required anything but routine maintenance.

A former coworker of mine still had the original brake pads on his Prius at 270k due to the number of freeway miles and most of the braking energy going into regeneration under normal driving.

 

[Killroy1999]

Diesel is not a "cheater fuel". It is a different fuel than gasoline. Most consumers are concerned with how far they can get on a dollar of fuel, not how much energy a gallon of fuel contains.

I call it a cheater fuel because most don't understand that equal MPG for gasoline and diesel, then the diesel is less efficient. People don't factor in the appropriate premium cost of diesel.

Compare the Bigger Prius V (ugly and uncool as it is) to the VW Jetta SportWagon TDI Diesel (bloated looking) and the TDI costs $0.86 more to fuel every 25 miles.

If you really care about $/mile that you would get a Battery Electric or a Plug-In Hybrid like the Chevy Volt, Prius Plug in, C-Max, Accord, Fusion, ect.

Cost to Drive 25 Miles in California:
Volt $0.35
Prius V $2.32
Jetta TDI $3.18

 

[MrIncredible]

I call it a cheater fuel because most don't understand that equal MPG for gasoline and diesel, then the diesel is less efficient. People don't factor in the appropriate premium cost of diesel.

Compare the Bigger Prius V (ugly and uncool as it is) to the VW Jetta SportWagon TDI Diesel (bloated looking) and the TDI costs $0.86 more to fuel every 25 miles.

If you really care about $/mile that you would get a Battery Electric or a Plug-In Hybrid like the Chevy Volt, Prius Plug in, C-Max, Accord, Fusion, ect.

Cost to Drive 25 Miles in California:
Volt $0.35
Prius V $2.32
Jetta TDI $3.18
MrI's truck: $17.80

arty

 

[Kornholio]

A former coworker of mine still had the original brake pads on his Prius at 270k due to the number of freeway miles and most of the braking energy going into regeneration under normal driving.

That's actually kind of awesome.

 

[Gixxergirl1000]

I am not about fuel efficiency at all. I actually have TWO trucks... a Tacoma 4x4 (not efficient), and a Dodge Ram 1500 (also not efficient). The Tacoma hauls all sorts of small crap... the Dodge hauls the crashed/broke down bikes BARFers have, quite efficiently, I might add, as well as trailer and race bikes, also quite efficiently.
No POS Prius is going to do the things I need trucks to do.
Also, rolling HazMat site...