VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

[Mega]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-34857404
MIKW

[GRG55]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

I am wondering who really cares?

Nobody I know that owns a VW diesel, including one of my nieces, has stopped driving it. The dealers will recall the cars and install a "fix" in due course. VWs financials will take a short term hit, and if there was any danger of the company going under the German government will doubtless provide assistance. VWs other brands seem uneffected (SEAT, Skoda, Audi).

The BBC should go back to spending its money on those spectacular Attenborough documentaries, or more stuff like Bronowski's Ascent of Man.

[lakedaemonian]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

I am wondering who really cares?

Nobody I know that owns a VW diesel, including one of my nieces, has stopped driving it. The dealers will recall the cars and install a "fix" in due course. VWs financials will take a short term hit, and if there was any danger of the company going under the German government will doubtless provide assistance. VWs other brands seem uneffected (SEAT, Skoda, Audi).

The BBC should go back to spending its money on those spectacular Attenborough documentaries, or more stuff like Bronowski's Ascent of Man.

I just had a ride in a new VW SUV in LA.

My friend didn't even know about it, or care when I brought it up.

She really liked her new car and I was quite impressed.

[Mega]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

[Mega]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

This was sometime ago...............tonight we had a MEGA BBC 1 Program...........am awaiting it being loaded upto Youtube, but its shows that EURO cars were also fitted with the device!.............& GM were at it as well................

[GRG55]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

I just had a ride in a new VW SUV in LA.

My friend didn't even know about it, or care when I brought it up.

She really liked her new car and I was quite impressed.

As most here know, as I have gotten older I have evolved to being a fan of the good ol' full size, immensely comfortable and equally versatile American pick-up truck. But one vehicle that tempts (and is not available in North America, alas) is the V-10 diesel VW Touareg. I got a ride in one some years back on the autobahn between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, driven by a retired professional racing driver. If only...

[lakedaemonian]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

As most here know, as I have gotten older I have evolved to being a fan of the good ol' full size, immensely comfortable and equally versatile American pick-up truck. But one vehicle that tempts (and is not available in North America, alas) is the V-10 diesel VW Touareg. I got a ride in one some years back on the autobahn between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, driven by a retired professional racing driver. If only...

Scariest ride of my life was in a brand new armoured Lexus Landcruiser in Kabul at about 3am. Went well for being a fat pig.

The Porsche Cheyennes (2nd hand only) have a growing appeal.

What I found interesting is how Toyota has over time Americanized it's US made pickups. Maybe not as noticeable to folks living in North America, but they've exploded in size compared to the rest of their global product range(HiLux).

A friend told me he saw $1.60 per gallon of freedom the other day. Not sure what state.

At those prices a V10 Vw would be the sensible choice and a V12 S class Merc just slightly extravagent.

[EJ]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

As most here know, as I have gotten older I have evolved to being a fan of the good ol' full size, immensely comfortable and equally versatile American pick-up truck. But one vehicle that tempts (and is not available in North America, alas) is the V-10 diesel VW Touareg. I got a ride in one some years back on the autobahn between Frankfurt and Wiesbaden, driven by a retired professional racing driver. If only...

I'll drive my BMW 335D until the steering wheel is pried from my warm, live hands. By myself... when a find a better diesel passenger car.

Seriously. How does BMW keep the performance and cost advantage a secret for so long?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRfknAoVfNM

Oh right. They stopped making these in 2012.

Will wait for the next diesel rocket car.

I also love my truck.

[GRG55]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

Scariest ride of my life was in a brand new armoured Lexus Landcruiser in Kabul at about 3am. Went well for being a fat pig.

The Porsche Cheyennes (2nd hand only) have a growing appeal.

What I found interesting is how Toyota has over time Americanized it's US made pickups. Maybe not as noticeable to folks living in North America, but they've exploded in size compared to the rest of their global product range(HiLux).

A friend told me he saw $1.60 per gallon of freedom the other day. Not sure what state.

At those prices a V10 Vw would be the sensible choice and a V12 S class Merc just slightly extravagent.

They "Americanized" the Tundra (and make them in Texas) specifically for the USA and Canadian market. Their previous effort at a "full size pickup", also called the Tundra, was a sales flop because it was a 4/5 scale pickup that cost more to buy, and could not compete against Ford, GM and Dodge for either the work fleet/farm vehicle market or the private passenger vehicle truck market. In fact, in 2003 Mrs. GRG55 chose a full size GMC Sierra half-ton over an almost identically priced Toyota Tundra because the GMC had more interior room and was better appointed (SLT). As for build quality and longevity, that GMC is still in daily use by her and presently has 405,000 kilometers on it and I haven't yet had to pull the heads.

One thing most people don't realize is that in field work over here any vehicle that has a track narrower than a standard full size American pick-up doesn't work. In rutted, muddy conditions on lease roads, or in the deep snow in the winter, a "junior" sized truck with even a slightly narrower track width ends up riding with one side in the tracks made by the more numerous full size pick ups and the wheels on the other side part way up the high ridge in the middle...and once you get up any speed it will tend to oscillate side-to-side between the two wider tracks. Toyota finally got it right with their American manufactured effort and the sales figures prove it. I don't think they care if they sell any of them anywhere else since the HiLux has such a good reputation in virtually all other markets.

[gugion]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

I'll drive my BMW 335D until the steering wheel is pried from my warm, live hands. By myself... when a find a better diesel passenger car.

Seriously. How does BMW keep the performance and cost advantage a secret for so long?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iRfknAoVfNM

Oh right. They stopped making these in 2012.

Will wait for the next diesel rocket car.

I also love my truck.

Hi EJ. This isn't related to diesel, but I am wondering what your thoughts are, currently, about natural gas prices? Years ago you called a bottom at the prior major low in natural gas and now prices have come close, but not penetrated that low on this retest. Do you still think natural gas has bottomed and this is another great opportunity to go long? Thanks for reviewing my inquiry. Happy Holidays.

[lakedaemonian]

Re: VW Diesel...............BBC on the case.

They "Americanized" the Tundra (and make them in Texas) specifically for the USA and Canadian market. Their previous effort at a "full size pickup", also called the Tundra, was a sales flop because it was a 4/5 scale pickup that cost more to buy, and could not compete against Ford, GM and Dodge for either the work fleet/farm vehicle market or the private passenger vehicle truck market. In fact, in 2003 Mrs. GRG55 chose a full size GMC Sierra half-ton over an almost identically priced Toyota Tundra because the GMC had more interior room and was better appointed (SLT). As for build quality and longevity, that GMC is still in daily use by her and presently has 405,000 kilometers on it and I haven't yet had to pull the heads.

One thing most people don't realize is that in field work over here any vehicle that has a track narrower than a standard full size American pick-up doesn't work. In rutted, muddy conditions on lease roads, or in the deep snow in the winter, a "junior" sized truck with even a slightly narrower track width ends up riding with one side in the tracks made by the more numerous full size pick ups and the wheels on the other side part way up the high ridge in the middle...and once you get up any speed it will tend to oscillate side-to-side between the two wider tracks. Toyota finally got it right with their American manufactured effort and the sales figures prove it. I don't think they care if they sell any of them anywhere else since the HiLux has such a good reputation in virtually all other markets.

everyone down here who likes/owns "Utes" are mad jealous over North American pick ups.

Theyre huge, powerful, and increasingly refined.

I had had a chance to closely inspect a few new and very late model units owned by friends and acquaintances during my long trips there in recent months.

i guess since they represent the biggest chunk of profit for auto makers(last time I checked) they need to protect their money spinners.

Its good to see fuel economy has improved a bit since the last price spike. I know I'll be keen to see how they handle and respond to the next energy price spike.

A bit like Uber putting to use all that idle private capacity, someday surely something will be done about all that excessive metal moving around won't it?

i never thought much about track ruts.....wherever I've been in the world going thru deep ones(the worst being deep sun baked and hardened ones) has usually been of HiLux width. But HiLux width after Russian Kamaz truck convoy width isn't much fun.

But what is lost in track width riding comfort(I guess that's a bit like sailboat length wave height to wave height) you gain in parking accessibility.

North American exurb big box retail parking spaces seem big and plentiful. Comparatively down here and even in Australia our parking spaces are a fair bit narrower.

i wonder if North American pickup truck sales highly correlate to red/blue states?

On a related note, as a fan of things build to last, I saw a few really cool old 50's/60's American Chevy and Ford pickup trucks on a movie set in the California desert near Joshua Tree last month.

We have a nice collection of old US pickups here. I've always thought about grabbing one and trying to retrofit a diesel motor into it.

Almost like a retro American Diner on wheels. And not too big either!