Diesel News: POST HERE

[Dan Grec]

Is the TransCanada Highway paved throughout? I remember driving for quite a distance on gravel in western Ontario many years ago.

Yes, it's very good quality paved dual-carriageway the entire way.

It's worth noting the speed limit is actually only 90km/h for the majority of highways in Canada, including the TransCanada - because that same limit has to apply in winter too.

-Dan

 

[haven]

Here's one guy's experience with a VW diesel:

"I love diesel, but I'm getting a bit fed up with the complexity of the emissions equipment. My wife's Touareg TDI has a urea tank, urea pump(s), urea heater, urea injector(s), particulate filter, two separate cats, and countless sensors. They keep finding bugs in the software to manage all this stuff (2 recalls so far), and the dealers don't know how to diagnose any of the codes thrown by the emissions system (they just want to tear the whole thing apart and replace each step in the urea chain....in a separate visit for each component). The urea itself is cheap, but the system is so complex even the VW-trained technicians don't have any clue how it works. "

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/13/mazda6-diesel-delayed-until-april/#aol-comments

The post is a comment in an article that says Mazda is delaying the introduction of its 2.2L diesel for the Mazda6 sedan until next April. The reason for the delay: Problems meeting the emissions and mpg goals.

 

[haven]

If you're looking for an all-weather, all-road AWD vehicle, BMW may have the best answer for 2014. The 3-Series now has a diesel sedan and station wagon with AWD, and their EPA numbers are impressive. The 2.0L turbodiesel is rated to deliver 31 mpg City, 43 Highway, 38 combined. The 3-Series 2.0L diesel produces 280 ft-lb, and has an 8 speed automatic.
http://www.bmwusa.com/Standard/Content/Vehicles/2014/3/328dxDriveSportsWagon/default.aspx
You may need to import some rims from Europe, however. For 2014, the 3 series uses 50 series run flat tires on 17 inch rims, not the best choice for use on bumpy gravel roads.

If you like a larger vehicle, Mercedes can help. The 2104 E series sedan with AWD is available with a 2.1L diesel producing 369 ft-lb, and EPA-rated at 27 City, 42 Highway, 35 Combined. No E-Series wagon with diesel yet.

 

[SSF556]

Here's one guy's experience with a VW diesel:

"I love diesel, but I'm getting a bit fed up with the complexity of the emissions equipment. My wife's Touareg TDI has a urea tank, urea pump(s), urea heater, urea injector(s), particulate filter, two separate cats, and countless sensors. They keep finding bugs in the software to manage all this stuff (2 recalls so far), and the dealers don't know how to diagnose any of the codes thrown by the emissions system (they just want to tear the whole thing apart and replace each step in the urea chain....in a separate visit for each component). The urea itself is cheap, but the system is so complex even the VW-trained technicians don't have any clue how it works. "

http://www.autoblog.com/2013/09/13/mazda6-diesel-delayed-until-april/#aol-comments

The post is a comment in an article that says Mazda is delaying the introduction of its 2.2L diesel for the Mazda6 sedan until next April. The reason for the delay: Problems meeting the emissions and mpg goals.

I wish he would direct his frustration to the EPA and CARB...time is coming for us to put our foot down. I work in the heavy duty diesel business....the engines are bullet proof...it is all the crap behind the turbo that sucks.

 

[Jr_Explorer]

I wish he would direct his frustration to the EPA and CARB...time is coming for us to put our foot down. I work in the heavy duty diesel business....the engines are bullet proof...it is all the crap behind the turbo that sucks.

Word.

 

[haven]

VW is planning to build a new people mover with a diesel-electric hybrid powerplant. The CrossBlue concept car shows the direction they're heading. It's a large crossover, designed to carry six or seven passengers. This vehicle has a four cylinder diesel plus electric motor driving the front wheels, and a separate electric motor available to drive the rear wheels when necessary. The diesel plus two electric motors produce about 300 hp and 500 ft-lb of torque. VW expects the hybrid powerplant to provide around 35 mpg.

With an overall length of 196 inches, the CrossBlue is similar in size to a 2014 Ford Explorer. Like the Explorer, the CrossBlue offers three rows of seating. It's six inches longer than two row SUVs like the Honda Pilot or Toyota Highlander. The CrossBlue sits 10 inches lower than these SUVs, hence the categorization as crossover rather than SUV.

It's not clear when the diesel hybrid powerplant will be made available in USA. VW does have a strong following for its conventional diesel vehicles here, so VW is likely to offer a diesel-hybrid in USA at some point. Both Range Rover and Volvo have plans to sell diesel-electric hybrid vehicles in Europe first, with sales elsewhere to follow.

 

[haven]

The car magazines are getting a chance to drive pre-production versions of the Ram 1500 with 3.0L diesel. Results show low to mid 20s mpg fuel economy in mixed city/highway driving. That doesn't sound great, until you compare with the gas engine Ram 1500s. The Ram 1500 with 3.6L gas V8 and 8 speed transmission is EPA-rated to provide 20 mpg in combined driving using regular gas. The 5.7L gas V8 with 8 speed trans, 17 mpg using mid-grade gas. So the diesel will be 20% to 40% more fuel efficient.

Since diesel costs about 10% more than regular gas, there will be fuel cost savings running the diesel.

 

[Clutch]

The car magazines are getting a chance to drive pre-production versions of the Ram 1500 with 3.0L diesel. Results show low to mid 20s mpg fuel economy in mixed city/highway driving. That doesn't sound great, until you compare with the gas engine Ram 1500s. The Ram 1500 with 3.6L gas V8 and 8 speed transmission is EPA-rated to provide 20 mpg in combined driving using regular gas. The 5.7L gas V8 with 8 speed trans, 17 mpg using mid-grade gas. So the diesel will be 20% to 40% more fuel efficient.

Since diesel costs about 10% more than regular gas, there will be fuel cost savings running the diesel.

What is the upcharge of the diesel engine over the petrol unit on the Ram? Any idea what mileage the 5.7 gets with 91+ octane?

 

[Kaisen]

What is the upcharge of the diesel engine over the petrol unit on the Ram??

$2850 more than the Hemi

 

[haven]

Here's an article that claims the 1500 with diesel, 8 speed automatic and 8 foot bed will start at $30,180. The base price of the 1500 long bed with V6 is $25,295. So the diesel costs almost $5000 extra than the entry level vehicle. (I find it difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison of pickups. The manufacturers tend to add more goodies as standard equipment to the more expensive trucks.)

http://wot.motortrend.com/2014-ram-1500-ecodiesel-priced-at-30180-base-57l-v8-at-24605-382129.html

​

 

[haven]

While the German manufacturers are embracing diesel for vehicles of all sizes, the Japanese auto makers tend to employ gas-electric hybrids. Case in point: Honda has announced a gas-electric version of its high volume Accord sedan. The four door sedan looks like any of the thousands of Accords you might see on any given day. The EPA rates the Accord hybrid to deliver 50 mpg city / 45 mpg highway / 47 mpg combined.

Prices of the Hybrid Accord range from $29,155 to $34,905 for the Touring model. The gas V6 Touring model starts at $33,480, so you don't pay much of a premium for the hybrid. The gas V6 carries an EPA rating of 21 city / 34 highway / 26 combined.

 

[Clutch]

$2850 more than the Hemi

But not really according to haven, yea?

Here's an article that claims the 1500 with diesel, 8 speed automatic and 8 foot bed will start at $30,180. The base price of the 1500 long bed with V6 is $25,295. So the diesel costs almost $5000 extra than the entry level vehicle. (I find it difficult to make an apples-to-apples comparison of pickups. The manufacturers tend to add more goodies as standard equipment to the more expensive trucks.)

http://wot.motortrend.com/2014-ram-1500-ecodiesel-priced-at-30180-base-57l-v8-at-24605-382129.html

​

Thank You

 

[Navman]

But not really according to haven, yea?

Thank You

It's $2,850 over the hemi but $4k+ over the standard gasser.

 

[Clutch]

It's $2,850 over the hemi but $4k+ over the standard gasser.

Whoops...now I see that, sorry was out in the sun too long these past couple days.

 

[haven]

Car and Driver got some time behind the wheel of the 2104 Mercedes GLK250 BlueTec compact SUV. The 2.1L turbodiesel produces 360 ft lb of torque at 1600 rpm. A seven speed automatic and AWD are standard equipment.

C&D says the GLK250 diesel produced 27 mpg during their 800 mile test drive. That's about 6 mpg (28%) better than the GLK350 gas engine model they tested last year.

Prices for the GLK250 BlueTec start at $38.5K. The best news: Mercedes is pricing the diesel $500 lower than the GLK350 with AWD.

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/2013-mercedes-benz-glk250-bluetec-diesel-test-review