VW TDI's possibly discontinued in US

www.epa.gov/otaq/diesel.htm

Hi,

http://www.dieselforum.org/meet-clea...-diesel-facts/

I guess I am wondering why VW does not have a new version of their diesel for cars ready, given that they have known known for years that the low sulphur diesel and tighter pollution controls were coming?

Gary

Fuel Efficiency
In Europe, where fuel prices put energy conservation at a premium, diesel powers nearly 50% of all new passenger vehicles.
In France, Belgium, Austria, Luxembourg, and Spain, 60% of new passenger vehicles are diesel.
Light-duty (consumer) diesels use 20-40% less fuel than similarly sized gasoline engines depending on the type of vehicle and driving conditions.
Studies have found on-road heavy-duty diesels to be over 60% more fuel efficient than similarly sized spark-ignited natural gas engines (both CNG and LNG).
Diesel's superior fuel efficiency is also a result of the fuel's higher energy content: a gallon of diesel fuel contains roughly 11% more energy than a gallon of gasoline, 67% more than a gallon of LNG and 250% more than a gallon of CNG.
Clean Diesel’s Potential
The future holds great potential for further progress in all types of diesel engines.

Beginning in 2007, clean diesel trucks and buses will have reduced both particulate matter (PM) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) by 98% from 1988 levels – a virtual elimination of these emissions from on-highway engines.
According to the Department of Energy, a 30% penetration of clean diesel technology in the U.S. passenger vehicle market by 2020 would reduce net crude oil imports by 350,000 barrels per day.

Now if the EPA would do us all a favor and DEMAND gasoline engine makers make a cleaner more efficiant gas engine. We all could breath a little easier and live alot better with less fuel use.

Many AMERICANS have no clue they can have their gas engine programed (newer vehicals from 2000 on) for better fuel use. It may not have the pick up or horse power, but will get you there just as fast with better fuel milage. Almost any dealer can do this for you. Most come out of the factory for performance. Not milage.

Note. The exact same vehicals we export to other countries. HAVE TO GET BETTER MILAGE. Yet we set back and drive the same vehical burning more fuel. Go figure. Silly Americans.

anyone besides me read the article not a month ago on how the VW TDI actually beat those lil Prius by almost 5mpg in government studies???????

72% of the WORLD runs on deisal. We are the ONLY continent that uses gasoline as a main fuel for cars.

I would think with all the "educated" folks we have. Many would wake up. The educated are AMERICAN educated. That is the problem. More of that this is the best place in the world bull crap. Thats why YOUR doctor is from over seas. That is why the very rich send theid kids over seas for education.

THIS IS A COMMUNIST/SOCIALIST COUNTRY!

Semi trucks over seas in the UK get 10+MPG in the USA 6 mpg is adverge. Guess how that 6 mpg affects you every day.

MEGA fleets like SWIFT, JB HUNT and Schneider GOAL for 7 MPG min in their trucks. TEHY GET IT AS WELL. All they have to do is send a truck in a shop that get 6mpg and it come out getting 7+. THAT IS A FACT AND I HAVE YEARS OF EXPERIANCE WITH IT.

Many "not all" of the truck that run the best service levels are "EXPORT TRUCKS". They are not for sell in the USA. Once they are used they have to go to the export market. These truck will go to mexico for later service.

MANY AMERICANS CAN NOT buy these great running trucks that get great fuel use. They are for export only. Well, the enigines are.

WE ARE THE ONLY CONTINENT THAT USES GASOLINE as a primary fuel.

We use less solar, wind and geo energy then any one else, YET we hold the best prospects for wind, solor and geo energy.

ITS SIMPLE AMERICANS ARE TO LAZY.

Do not tell me we are not, because its simple. We are followers that will do what our government tells us to do.

My self as a elected official sees the problems every day. The problems is the American people. They do not care and take the easy way out. They go by what the "news" says and run with it.

Man very few under 1% come to city meetings. That 1% MAKE THE RULES AND CHANGES FOR EVERY ONE.

AMERICANS NEED TO WAKE UP AND GO BE ACTIVE. If your bitchin, go do something about it. Quit cryin and do something about it. Trust me. There is a politician that has been doing it for many years that will be more then happy to help you.

I am sick and tired of the normal american crying about fuel. THEY CAUSED THE PROBLEM.

They didn't give a dang when we drove for C.A.F.E. for the auto makers. Now all the sudded they want fuel milage.

Many get mad when they find out. MOST AMERICAN MADE VEHICALS ARE NOT EXPORTABLE BECAUSE THEY GET BAD MILAGE.

Yet, they sell the same exact vehical in the other markets with twice the milage as "export" vehicals.

Excursions getting 28 MPG is a min in the UK. The sell them there and they get it.

We also do not fall with the rest of the industrial world. W ethink we are better. We run at a much HIGHER level of polutants in the air then the rest of the world. We even have the gull to complain about the rest of the world when WE CAN NOT EVEN MEET THE MIN requirments. TO MUCH GASLOLINE BURNED!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Running gas engines is just like sucking on a cig none stop, yet we do it.

I may be boring those who remember me mentioning it before, but our absolutely stock gasoline burning 1992 Honda Civic VX hatchback gets over 50mpg on the highway (58 on a recent trip to Chicago), and it was EPA rated around 55 or so I think. Our old VW Rabbit diesel, an 81 or 82, got 50 to 55mpg. You would think that with advances in fuel injection and computerized engine controls, that they could make a new car that do bettere without the hybrid features, even with the added weight of air bags, side collission reinforcement, etc.

And speaking of discontinuing efficient cars, why did Chevy drop the Metro??

I guess "people" want bigger, more luxurious, faster, vehicles, and most follks really don't care about fuel efficiency or even vehicle life--at least not enough people to make a difference to the auto companies. Price has something to do with it--the labor to build a Metro can't be much less than the labor to build a Suburban, even though the Suburban sells for 3 times as much. Or is it just that some of the companies, like GM and Chrysler, seem to have their head in the sand (or maybe more unpleasant places)?

Yep the 81 chevette got 50 pretty much all the time the same year chevy LUV pickup got 35 my great big F-350 at 6500 lbs 4 X4 gets 21 somtimes. I deliver trucks and I have had a very tall F-750get 20 with a cat 3116 in it but just one! usually they get 12-14 and in semi tractors I can get around 8 all of these are deisels of course Ihad one of the new epamoters get 2.21 this year and was repeated ly checked out and told it was normal!

Our new truck is running fine so far on New fuels. I am very amazed.

The oil sample has turned out none fav ratings the last three times at 380k.

Yeah, that really fries my bacon, too.

DH and I are scouting around for a used diesel engine. We're talking about refitting the CJ7 with one. I know we'll have to totally beef up the front end to handle the weight, but it would be so cool to have a diesel CJ -- AND I'd use a conversion kit to run straight vegetable oil.

The only downside I can see is that I may have to give up my T-176. I love that tranny...

Oh, well. It probably won't happen this year, anyway. But I do love diesel engines.

Pony!

2008 TDI
As a card-carrying member of TDIClub.com, I refute the information the clerk gave you! VW is rolling out 2008 models of the TDI's with many updates, including larger engines (1.9 to a 2.0 litre). But, as I ONLY have about 97K miles on my 2001 Golf, and it loves the biodiesel I give it in warmer weather, I'll not be needing a new one for quite some time!

(singing) Kleiner Wagen TDI...

__________________
veni, vidi, volgavi

Actually it was true, they did not produce any 2007 TDI's, but it was my understanding that they actually continued production of the 2006's for two years, but not many were made in the 2nd year. However they are now preparing for production of the 2008's, which meet the new government requirements.
Dawn

Agreed, there were no 2007 TDIs in the US. Sorry, I wasn't clear enough. I meant that VW was not stopping production of TDIs indefinately. Entschuldigung!

__________________
veni, vidi, volgavi

And one wonders why the US Auto manufacturers cannot or will not produce a competitor.

The engines and cars LAST TOO LONG. No repeat sales.

I am a long time fan of VWs and I might as well put in my $.02. I have a '55 VW truck, '66 Beetle and a '99 Beetle with 99k mi. that I am going to hand down to my daughter. I have toured the plants at Wolfsburg & Hannover. I am fed up with VW keeping all the cool and fuel efficient stuff for the European market and sending us the crap. I went to look at the new Rabbit and it only gets 29MPG hwy with the base 2.5 engine and 5 speed stick. That is horrendous efficiency for a small car when a Camry is rated at 34 Hwy. I would buy a Passat wagon V6 TDI like what they have in Germany, but they don't ship that here. No luck with the Transporter TDI either. My friend in Germany has a Polo with TDI and would burn straight biodiesel. It smelled like french fries from the tailpipe. We cant get the Polo either. To me Volkswagen has lost it's way; and you only need to look at a Touareg or the ill-fated Phaeton to see that. They have certainly lost me as a potential customer. So much for the People's Car.

I need a small truck anyway and VW wont ship that here either. I will either buy a Chevy Colorado or Toyota Tacoma. I am done with VW until they get back to what made them so successful in the first place.

__________________
-Paul

"If women don't find you handsome, they should at least find you handy." -Red Green

There is a reason OUR vehicals are inland use only not for export. Export vehicals MUST meet much higher standards.

The US auto makers DO MAKE these vehicals for export, BUT WE CAN NOT BUY THEM. Yes, Ford dose make a F-150 that get 35 MPG gas. ONLY WE CAN NOT BUY THEM IN THIS COUNTRY.

The same is done with SEMI trucks. In the states 6 mpg is good for a truck. In germany the SAME TRUCK gets 13 mpg. SAME US MADE TRUCK!

I had a rabbit diesel and a golf diesel... The rabbit was sold when the golf came along. The golf I gave to dad a couple years back. Not that I don't like it- it had some body issues and he needed a car and I had found a deal on a "cherry" car that was better for me goin to church n stuff and space and insurance on two personal cars and three trucks was not good. I would like to replace the VW diesel. I have worked in drive throughs and saw a couple vw diesel rabbits with over 300,000 on em... I used to love the 500 plus mile one tank trips I used to make When fuel was 1.00 or so a weekend on the coast was CHEAP for me.

I believe only Mercedes has a 2007 diesel passenger car, but prepare for a flood of diesels in 2008. The lower emissions and higher fuel economy of diesels is going to be increasingly popular.


Dave

We have a 2000 VW TDI Jetta and it averages 42-56 miles per gallon. It has 82K on it and they are rebuilding the transmission under warranty as we speak. Only issue we have had with it is the MAP sensor? Some Mass air flow thingie that husband knows about.
There were a few states that did not sell Diesels this year. They will start making them again after the new emssions are in place. I would in a heartbeat get another TDI VW. We have a 95 Chevy Diesel Silverado that doesn't get diddly (12-17 MPG) for fuel mileage and they fuel system electronics have been replaced twice in the 73K miles on it.
Can't wait to see TDI's come back to our state new so we can look into getting another one and parking the beastly truck.

Marsh

I cannot speak for all European countries, but while I lived for a year in Spain I learned that the way vehicles are taxed on the annual registration is based on the engine displacement, that is how big the engine is. For Spain there was a fairly low tax on vehicles with engines of 2.0 liters and less and a much higher tax on those larger than 2.0 liters. Consequently most cars have engines of 2.0 liters or less and had a very high power to weight ratio as well as a large passenger compartment volume to body size ratio.

While gasoline and diesel fuel prices were comparable, within a few pesetas of each other while I was there per liter, the diesels were much prefered on long trips due to their exceptional fuel economy, power and service life.

The equivalent Ford Motor Company products in Spain for the same model year as the American models blew my mind in fuel economy. A Ford Escort at the time I was there, with a gas engine obtained about 45 mpg versus the same 27-29 miles per gallon for the American version. There was also a diesel Escort version that obtained around 56-58 mpg while I was there. Even the Kombi style bodied Escort (front seats to front bumper looks like a Ford Escort, behind the driver seats to the rear bumper looks like a utilitarian minivan type body) that had a payload capacity of 700 kgs (1540 pounds) using a 1.8 liter diesel engine and a five speed manual transaxle yet stil obtained around 45-47 mpg.

If the European vehicles can obtain that much performance and payload capacity out of a 1.8 liter diesel and a five speed transaxle in a compact car package, why is it difficult to obtain the same performance out of similar domestically produced vehicles here? Imagine a Ford Ranger pickup with a payload capacity of 1540 pounds with a 1.8 liter diesel. Now imagine how much a Ranger diesel in a 2.3, 2.9, 3.0 or 4.0 liter diesel engine could haul?

It is not that our country lacks the ability, we simply lack the backbone to do what needs to be done. By the way, even the Ford Model T car obtained between 27 and 30 mpg back when it was the state of the art. That from a car that had a top speed of 40-45 mph, primative engine design and was not exactly aerodynamic.

__________________
I would challenge anyone here to think of a question upon which we once had a scientific answer, however inadequate, but for which now the best answer is a religious one. – Sam Harris