Members Scott Fonseca Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 {censored}, if we could get diesel BMWs here in the US, I would have dug into savings and dealt with the higher cost. Supposedly the are bringing/have brought the 335d here http://www.autobloggreen.com/2008/07/11/us-bmw-335d-be-automatic-transmission-only/ Edit: The Woodlands, TX has two! http://www.autotrader.com/fyc/ncal.jsp?ncal_id=3664415&ct=n&car_id=257021946&dealer_id=54370352&car_year=2009&make_desc=BMW&search_type=new&distance=100&model_desc=335d&origuri=%2Ffind%2Fnew-BMW-335d-cars-for-sale-Houston-77002.jsp&address=77002&cardist=31&standard=false Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesboy Posted June 16, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 There's a reason for that. Have fun with your upcoming Hybrid purchase. I never said i was buying one, did I? I wanted some info because i was curious, that's all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Uncle_Milton Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 Explain that to Toyota who hocks it's entire diesel line across the rest of the world. Hybrids are a cluster{censored} of {censored} marketed to the American public as a fashion statement. "Oh go me!! I bought a Hybrid!!" Keep in mind that the Jetta TDI is quite a bit bigger than a Prius. If more car makers put diesels in their compact car lines, we'd see a lot more impressive numbers. Look at the Camry Hybrid. 33mpg city and 34mph highway. Not so impressive when you get outside of the tiny, plastic cars. I guarantee tech developed for the current gen hybrids will live on into the next fuel source, be it H2 or whatever. Especially since battery technology is going to be making big strides in the next 50 years. MIT has been producing some impressive, preliminary, stuff as of late with regards to new energy storage, and energy transfer tech. Bottom line is, the hybrid tech has generated some pretty ingenious ways to increase efficiency, no matter what your consumable fuel source is. Bio-diesel or new turbo diesel, is only a temporary technology as time is limited for all crude oil based fuels. Both the current gen of hybrid gas/battery and bio-diesel will not be lasting technologies. So, if you're buying a new car, it's best to consider them short term investments. As far as how good a product they are, it's close but you have to take the long view, and estimate how the world will change around the car you buy. Turbo-diesel probably won't ever be convenient since it would be folly to infastructurally invest in expanding Diesel distribution, for the reason I gave above. As for hybrids, the fears about replacing expensive batteries in hybrids is legitimate, but details are completely unknown and very hard to predict. It's certain that, the more prevalent battery based hybrids become, the cheaper servicing batteries will be. I expect the technology to survive into the next fuel source, so I expect the use of these type batteries to increase, and as stated the result will be the cost associated with them will go down. Following that line of reasoning, hybrids do seem like a better investment to me. To me, the impressive bit about the Prius was the design of the vehicle. It was small but very roomy for driver and passengers, with lots of cargo room depending on the configuration. Everything was moved around so as to reduce the waisted space in conventionally designed vehicles. And since it's so much car in such a small, light package, it works very well with Hybrid technology. The design of cars is really undergoing a revolution, and the prius is a great example of it, hybrid technology aside. Decreasing weight in vehicles, and more compact designs has been the trend for 30 years, and will continue to be the trend. So, claiming that it only works in light weight vehicles, and therefor doesn't really work for "real cars", is a false problem as cars in the future will no look like do now or how they have in the past. Also, I expect more specialization in cars in the future. Less "jack of all trade" truck/suv/minivan monsters that are designed to be everything, and more "just for work trucks" and "just commuting and passenger hauling cars". So, the later will mix very well with low powered hybrid type tech, the former might benefit some, but not as much. Robo-speculation: Complete Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 46&2 Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 you can make 300HP with a lot less than 6 liters these days I do it with a 2.2 liter 4-cyl twin turbo Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 46&2 Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 I had an '07 Prius Touring for about a year before somebody rear-ended it and totaled it. I ended up getting a used Jetta TDI to replace it because the Prius were very hard to get at the time, plus I banked about $12k of the insurance money If I could have easily found an exact replacement for my Touring then I would have done it. Anyways, I seriously miss the Prius. Fantastic car. Prius got 40mpg city & highway, Jetta TDI gets 32mpg city, 48mpg highway if driving 60mph, 30mpg highway if driving 80mph (my usual highway speed). I spent more time driving in the city, and up until the last month or so diesel has been more expensive than regular gas so the Prius was cheaper to operate (for awhile it was significantly cheaper). And the Prius had cleaner emissions than the diesel. You can find lots of info at Prius Chat. Be careful, though: when I researched prior to buying the Prius I found that *both* sides of the debate can be misleading and downright full of {censored}. There is a lot of conflicting info and it is hard to know who to believe because you simply get tired of chasing stuff down. It is really funny to compare what is said at Prius Chat to what is said at the TDI Club forums. The only real negative for me was the very cheap interior plastics. Even after a year it still smelled like a new car... it can't be good breathing that {censored} all the time. BTW I love my Jetta TDI as well Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members tmdguitar Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 what do you dislike? no HEMI Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 46&2 Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 It's really indicative of the entire problem with people in the US. Fundamentally they're idiots who don't actually seek truth. Riiiiiigggghhhhhttttt. We also have a monopoly on making butt-ignorant stereotypical a-hole judgments about large groups of people. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 46&2 Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 Keep in mind that the Jetta TDI is quite a bit bigger than a Prius. You were making an argument about size/mileage but regarding the interior: the Prius actually feels way bigger & roomier than the Jetta TDI. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Phishmonkey Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 I never said i was buying one, did I? I wanted some info because i was curious, that's all. Someone mentioned it before, but at low speeds the prius is silent which is a bit weird, but as soon as the engine kicks in its pretty much a normal car. They did make some interesting design choices though, for example the speedometer is recessed pretty deep into the dashboard at a weird angle. It works once you get used to it though Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Armitage Posted June 16, 2009 Members Share Posted June 16, 2009 And out of all the responses, only two or three people have actually driven/owned a hybrid car. Remember the arguments a month back about North American auto companies not making the cars people want to buy like Hybrids? They are, and no one is buying. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Uncle_Milton Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 Remember the arguments a month back about North American auto companies not making the cars people want to buy like Hybrids? They are, and no one is buying. Yet, they're buying the Japanese ones by the boat load, hmmm.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mike moriarty Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 Smug Alert Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members jaytee123 Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 what do you like about it? how often do you have to charge the battery? what do you dislike?just curious You do not need to physically charge a battery in a hybrid. The assistance from the combustion motor does that. There was an all electric car that could go 300 miles per charge, but GM squelched it. I for one would LOVE an electric car. If GM stuck to that idea they wouldnt be bankrupt now. If you want the engine patent, you need to talk to Chevron. GM sold it to them after they decided to bury the electric car. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members bluesboy Posted June 17, 2009 Author Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 You do not need to physically charge a battery in a hybrid. The assistance from the combustion motor does that. yeah, i guess i was thinking of a fully electric car Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Armitage Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 Yet, they're buying the Japanese ones by the boat load, hmmm.... Actually, they're not. And the new Ford Focus beats'm! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ron Burgandy Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 You were making an argument about size/mileage but regarding the interior: the Prius actually feels way bigger & roomier than the Jetta TDI. Personally I wouldn't read into any of the nonsense I spouted on about today. It was stressful to say the least, and I just popped in, made random posts, and left. We're restructuring 2 departments at work right now, and part of my job is process improvement. I couldn't even remember what I was talking about in between posting. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zoomzilla Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 American Muscle FTW! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members 46&2 Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 American Muscle FTW! I sold an '05 F150 Super Crew complete piece of {censored} to buy my Prius Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members zoomzilla Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 I was laughing when I was reading it I sold an '05 F150 Super Crew complete piece of {censored} to buy my Prius Ford is synonymous with piece of {censored}. Not shocked you sold it. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members OverDriven Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 Since they are actually worse for the environment than normal cars (due to the battery manufacturing process), no. Plus most of them don't get better mileage than a Honda Civic and cost a fortune to repair. Biggest scam in the auto industry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members NITROHOLIC Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 {censored} hybrids. lame pieces of {censored}. TDIs FTMFW or you could just properly build a 60s beatle and get 35+ mpg and still run 12 second 1/4s Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members satannica Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 There was an all electric car that could go 300 miles per charge, but GM squelched it.I for one would LOVE an electric car. If GM stuck to that idea they wouldnt be bankrupt now.If you want the engine patent, you need to talk to Chevron. GM sold it to them after they decided to bury the electric car. Just to clear up this little factoid you've stumbled upon. GM dropped the traditional lithium design for several reasons, including reliability, the technology was expensive to produce and maintain in the real world. That and lithium deposits around the world are currently in the border fences of countries that are less desirable to do business with. Such countries have already made rather insane demands from the offset without even being approached yet. GM instead went ahead with the Hydrogen-powered cell vehicle which worked very well. They haven't "buried" the technology, there is no secret corporate scam aimed at you and yours, last I read, the H2 technology is still there and under research. Hydrogen fuel is far safer, reliable and less expensive than almost any other fuel type being considered! Of course with the recession, every company including GM have had to make changes to survive. If that means shelving off bloated technologies like the lithium power cell, then so be it. If Chevron or whoever you say has it now can do something with it, then all power to them. But the fact remains every company on earth has had to make some sacrifices so it doesn't take a genius to figure that things like their H2 cell isn't quite ready yet. GM has spent billions on alternative fuel technology. Are you saying that if they had spent MORE money on a technology they have yet to earn from, they wouldn't be bankrupt now? Really!? Depsite sales of american muscle cars not showing signs of slowing until the credit crunch? Of course the future of GM will directly impact what happens to this technology. Time will tell. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members satannica Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 Oh and for all those guys demanding electric cars, here's one for you http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=862209267908733642 Enjoy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members mc_carlini Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 my annoying as hell girlfriend drives one and likes to flash it around Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Members Ballfuzz Posted June 17, 2009 Members Share Posted June 17, 2009 I'd drive one of those Camry hybrids. Why not? All black, fully loaded, pretty sweet! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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