The #turbo #diesel(s) of Southern #California series... One of my favorite Southern California cars arrives in the form of this 32/42 mpg rated #BMW #328d seen in a local making lot. I always give as thumbs up whenever I see an owner behind the wheel of one out here as well. This thing will best any gasoline fueled hybrid or non-hybrid including the 1st - 3rd gen #Prius out on the super slab when it comes to skipping the pump. It just does. PS: Diesel fuel has cost less than gasoline in Calif. for years. If people were serious about lowering their fuel consumption, emissions and total cost if ownership, there would be a lot more turbo diesels on the road today. #efficient #long #distance #traveler #CleanMPG
The #turbo #diesel(s) of Southern #California series... One of my favorite Southern California trucks arrives in the form of this #RAM 2500 HD w/ the 6.7L #Cummins as seen in the #Qualcomm parking lot while attending the #Fiat124Spider short lead yesterday. As mentioned yesterday, this truck can not only out tow, out haul, and out carry any half ton on the road today, it is more efficient than many gasoline fueled half-tons and in some cases, less expensive to buy and own. Diesel fuel has cost less than gasoline in Calif. for years. If people were serious about lowering their fuel consumption, emissions and total cost of ownership, there would be a lot more turbo diesels on the road today. #efficient #long #distance #traveler #CleanMPG
The #turbo #diesel(s) of Southern #California series... The most efficient by a long shot Commercial Cargo van is the #Mercedes-Benz #Sprinter lineup. The Sprinter #Worker starts at just $32,495 and comes standard with the magnificent 2.1L Turbo Diesel mated to a smooth 7-speed AT. It can tow 5k lbs, it can carry 3.5k lbs, it has an unbelievable cargo cap of 319 cu.ft., has a stand in height if 5'-6", and has an oil change interval (OCI) of up to 20k miles. Did you also know it consumes ~ 1/2 the fuel at idle of a far less capable 2.0L gasoline motor and one-third that of a 3.0L gas motor Commercial Van? Why would anyone even consider a gas engine #commercial van from anyone else when this is available today??? Diesel fuel has cost less than gasoline in Calif. for years. If people were serious about lowering their fuel consumption, emissions and total cost of ownership, there would be a lot more turbo diesels on the road today. #efficient #long #distance #traveler #CleanMPG
The #turbo #diesel(s) of Southern #California series... The most efficient pickup in the US is the 21/29 mpg rated #RAM 1500 with the 3.0L #EcoDiesel. Yes, even more so than the 22/31 mpg rated #Chevrolet Colorado with the 2.8L #Duramax if our drive of the 20/29 mpg rated 4x4 #Colorado with the Duramax a few weeks back is any indication. Another fine turbo diesel truck in its own right too! Here is one parked at a local Ralph's grocery store and another being driven just down the road from the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar earlier today. The 2016 RAM 1500 with the 240 hp and 420 lb-ft of torque 3.0L EcoDiesel mated to the std. 8-speed AT can tow between 8,240 and 9,210 lbs depending on if it is equipped with the 3.55 or 3.92 rear end. I have set some serious #Lowest #Fuel #Consumption #World #Records in various trims of thus truck and each time I drive one it amazes me more. What's more, in my favorite base #Tradesman trim with an 8' bed, you can find them for just under $25k brand new! This is the epitome of the Light Duty work #truck and buying anything else means the other #pickup truck owner(s) is a pure poser(s)... Diesel fuel has cost less than gasoline in Calif. for years. If people were serious about lowering their fuel consumption, emissions and total cost of ownership, there would be a lot more turbo diesels on the road today. #efficient #long #distance #traveler #CleanMPG
The #turbo #diesel(s) of Southern #California series... The most efficient car lineup in the US came from #VW with their 42 to 46 mpg highway rated 2.0L #TDI turbo diesel in their #Beetle, #Golf, #Jetta and world class #Passat. While the stop sale continues due to their emissions screwup, the #thermodynamic and real world #efficiency of the mighty TDI was and even today is not in doubt. Here is a previous gen Golf TDI on the 5 Northbound I spotted earlier today. I have set some numerous #Lowest #Fuel #Consumption #Guinness #World #Records in various models when equipped with the hyper efficient 2.0L TDI and I cannot wait to do so again once they have achieved Conformity status from both CARB and the EPA. Diesel fuel has cost less than gasoline in Calif. for years. If people were serious about lowering their fuel consumption, emissions and total cost of ownership, there would be a lot more turbo diesels on the road today. #efficient #long #distance #traveler #CleanMPG
Hi All: Besides the RAM 2500 HD taken yesterday at Qualcomm Stadium in San Diego, California, the rest were taken this morning in and around Carlsbad, California and the San Diego County Fair in Del Mar, California. Wayne
A gen 6 Golf TDI! Those are a rare sight in the USA. I wish someday that I could afford a 328d wagon, but I could almost buy two of my car for the same price.
Hi All: To complete the series, this is a typical pricing spread between gasoline and diesel across California... Wayne
I found the "secret" lot where our local VW dealer is "hiding" all their unsellables (TDI's). Maybe 25 cars. It was fun to ride my bike thru the lot and think "Ooooh , I want that one. No, THAT one ! This one's nice, too." At a local ( Aurora IL ) BP yesterday , 87 E10 was $2.799 and diesel was $2.489.
That's if you can find diesel out there...maybe it has changed, but when my Dad had his '79 300SD in the early-mid 90s, we always had to keep some in the tank and know where to get consumer diesel. It was a huge revelation to move to Texas where diesel is nearly as completely ubiquitous as gasoline.
Hi Jcp: About one-half of the the stations here in California have diesel. Here is a retail report describing the same with reporting estimates? California Energy Commission - Energy Almanac For Diesel, a few Costco's offer it but not the one near me. Costco always has the lowest cost fuel. Wayne
Here in Virginia, Diesel is more than gasoline, however the gap has been closing. Some stations are within $0.10 between 87 E10 and Diesel.
I recently realized I'm not a fan of diesel vehicles. I LOVE the performance and efficiency. I've praised them for years here and elsewhere, lamenting the lack of options here in the US. But they're not for me. It's the smell. Yeah, I know. Get over it. It's just a smell. But I have a history with the smell. I grew up in a remote village in the south pacific. (see my username and icon) The main transport was a little boat with a putt-putt diesel engine sitting open in the cabin. It was slow, noisy, and smelly. Mix that with sometimes rough seas and you get a bad association with that smell and seasickness. Nice cars, just not for me.
Hi Andrew: I have not smelled any diesel exhaust from a modern car in over a decade. The Tier II emissions controls took that out of the equation. At the pump is a different story however. Both gasoline and Diesel vapors can be overwhelming but only for those of us that have to top off. I find gasoline vapor to be worse but if diesel gets on your hands, yuck. Wayne
The smell is there for both, but gas doesn't bother me the same way. I don't have the negative memory association with it like I do diesel. Smell is strongly tied to memory, for better and for worse. Driving behind old work trucks and new bro-trucks are both a problem as well.
Why would I want to be in a 2016 Range Rover Sport HSE with the 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque 3.0L V6 Turbo Diesel with Auto Start/Stop mated to a smooth shifting 8-speed this week? This pic is one reason.
From the Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 Presentation in Sedona, AZ this past January. #efficient #long #distance #traveler #CleanMPG
Hi Mike: The 2016 Range Rover Sport HSE Td6 - 254 hp and 443 lb-ft of torque 3.0L TD - costs just $2,000 more than the gasoline fueled 2016 Range Rover Sport with the 340 hp and 332 lb ft of torque Supercharged 3.0L V6. My final calibration fill at a Shell in Del Mar, California on Friday afternoon showed these prices for gasoline and diesel. Shell on Del Mar and the 5 - $2.80 for diesel, $3.30 for gasoline. The gasoline fueled Range Rover Sport's 3.0L V6 requires even more expensive $3.499 premium fuel. Wayne
