Audi Mileage Marathon: Diesels are definitely efficient, will it matter?
Elvis checks out the Q7 TDI in Memphis
As we roll into Dallas to conclude day 5 of the "Great American Road Trip," it is clear beyond a shadow of a doubt that modern diesel engines are very efficient while still providing excellent performance. However, the dominant back drop hanging over the plates of ribs at BB King's Blues Club Thursday night was the continuing collapse of the financial markets. As those of us sitting around the table pondered the survival of the industry that we all write about, the cars and SUVs we were driving faded to the background. Unlike some of the more exotic alternatives out there, the TDI technology used by Audi is available now with more coming to the U.S. market in the coming months.
The question is will anyone be able to buy it or any of the future powertrains? Very few people buy new cars with cash. The industry relies on being able extend credit to drivers. The key element of what is happening this week is that financial institutions have become unwilling to loan money to anyone. After loaning way too much over the last decade to people who couldn't afford to pay it back, there is now nothing going out. That creates a great deal of uncertainty in product planning. Audi made the decision to launch their new diesels in the Q7 long before this ever started and it's unclear what their future path will be. The A4, Q5 and A3 have all been talked about as potential future U.S. diesel products, but without knowing where auto sales in general are going it's hard to choose a direction. With Toyota already having canceled its planned diesel for the Tundra and rumors of other product cancellations on the horizon, the only thing we know for sure is that we know nothing.
Our travel and lodging for this media event was provided by the manufacturer.
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
gorr 9:05PM (10/11/2008)
This situation remind me the titanic story, except that the boat is the car manufacturers and customers, the ice is the high cost of gasoline/diesel and the captain sit in washinton.
Manufacturers look like chickens without heads. They just realized that it take years to conceive a car on a computer and took it to a showroom floor and it take multi-millions investment and the market is changing each weeks and nobody know where we are going.
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Don 11:51PM (10/11/2008)
Gas prices are coming down. Diesel, too. It wasn't looking too appealing at $5.00 per gallon, but at $3.00 per gallon? Yesirree.
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ryan 11:56PM (10/11/2008)
I have long thought that the used car arena will start going gangbusters. There are plenty of perfectly good cars that could meet people's needs, short of keeping up with the Joneses.
It is really a shame with the timing of this financial crisis. Diesels need to come over to America, giving consumers more choice.
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why not the LS2LS7? 12:02PM (10/12/2008)
I don't think Americans are by and large ready to accept Diesel, nor sport the additional up-front costs for the high-tech, sophisticated powerplants required to get acceptable performance and emissions. This is before the additional costs in servicing.
They do make financial sense and are more efficient if you roll on a lot of highway miles. Around town the fuel savings aren't as stark, not greatly exceeding the 15-18% increase in energy (amount of hydrocarbons) in the fuel itself.
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dr61 2:17PM (10/12/2008)
Actually if you look at fuel mileage figures from the EPA for the 2009 Jetta TDI and Jetta gasoline models, city mileage is about 42% better for the Diesel, while highway mileage is about 32% better. Both are MUCH larger than the difference in energy between Diesel fuel and gasoline.
gorr 5:22PM (10/12/2008)
Diesel engines don't have restriction on the intake and the fuel is stronger then gasoline and burn a little bit longer because the engine is spinning slower and all in all it offer a sub-par driving experience then a good gasoline engine for car use because diesel engine cost more and are more heavy and the associated diesel transmission in heavier too because it rev slower with a bigger torque. Diesel are at best in big rigs with the exhaust at 10 feets high pointing upward to help breathing where the engine is used.
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jack 1:52AM (10/13/2008)
VW lost a customer this week when a dealer refused to back off on the $2,000 markup on a diesel Jetta over MSRP. If they price gouge when introducing new technology, consumers will find alternatives.
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montoym 12:56AM (10/14/2008)
Thankfully, nowadays, most people aren't chained to buy a vehicle from only one dealer.
Multiple dealerships and online shopping have greatly assisted buyers in purchasing vehicles.
Sorry that you didn't consider comparison shopping.
If, however, there were no other vehicles available(since the '09 TDIs are in short supply), then you just fell victim to supply and demand.
In either case, I don't feel very sorry for you. I wouldn't have sold it to you for cheaper either if I could easily sell it for $2000 more to another willing buyer.
Jake 8:08AM (10/13/2008)
Folks are still evaluating cars as if one car can fit all paradigms - it can't. If you drive mostly in the city, a prius type vehicle makes most sense. If you do a lot of highway driving, a diesel may fit you better. Right now, Honda is the only car company which seems to get that, though they are being a little slow to roll out the diesels. When diesels are available in cars like the Accord/Camry crowd, then you'll see a big change in people's opinion about them.
Jack - if the VW tacked $2000 on top of the sticker price, you are right to walk away - but let VW America know 'cause they are trying to stop this. However, know that from the factory, the diesel costs more. The cost is somewhat mitigated by the $1300 tax credit you'll get next year, so the additional may only be $700. It's a small price to pay for a 40% increase in mileage.
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JM 10:41AM (10/13/2008)
Yeah, but when you factor in the additional upfront cost in buying a car with a more high-tech diesel powerplant, the additional expenses in doing its regular maintenance throught time, plus Audi and VW's very poor reliability rating (btw, it IS EXPENSIVE repairing german cars), then it doesn't matter if it gives you 15%-30% mileage improvement, nor if diesel gas is cheap right now (at least for the time being).
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