OT: VW Diesel

[davids]

Originally Posted by nm87710

FWIW, If I needed new high mileage wheels for biking/racing( drive ~25K yr) a '08 Honda Fit or '08 Scion xB would be top contenders. You can buy a lot of gas with the ~8K difference between a Sportwagen and those vehicles.

John
'05 TDI Jetta Wagon

P.S. If you want some inside scoop on TDIs(past, present and future) you'll find it here http://forums.tdiclub.com/

Two of the three (currently available) high-mileage, bike-carrying cars that jumped out at me at the car show were the Honda Fit and the Scion xB. The third is the Toyota Prius. The Prius is more along the lines of the Sportwagen - higher mileage, higher cost. But, d@mn, that thing is roomy...

[pjm]

Honda supposedly has a diesel CR-V in the works. A diesel with Honda reliability sounds like just the ticket.

[JAY33]

Honda has had a diesel in Europe for some time now...I would think VW doesn't want to see Honda bring a diesel to North America.

[musgravecycles]

Yeah, rumor on the street is that Honda will have a diesel Odyssey in North America within 2 years. I'm holdin' out for one of those...

[JAY33]

I read an article in the local rag that the "BIG 3" are throwing tons of money into the R&D of lighter more efficient cars as well as diesels.

[pjm]

Originally Posted by JAY33

I read an article in the local rag that the "BIG 3" are throwing tons of money into the R&D of lighter more efficient cars as well as diesels.

Yeah, 10 years behind the Japanese and Euros.

[Pastashop]

http://www.fruitlands.net/tdi/

No connection, etc.

[goonster]

Originally Posted by musgravecycles

Yeah, rumor on the street is that Honda will have a diesel Odyssey in North America within 2 years. I'm holdin' out for one of those...

Don't hold your breath. Seems like Honda and Toyota have been threatening this for ten years, or so.

[musgravecycles]

Yeah I know, and to make matters worse Toyota already makes some of the worlds most reliable diesel truck engines (featured in the venerable Hilux' and Land Cruisers). Oh how I wish I could get my hands on one of those for my FJ-62...

[yarsec]

Honda is releasing a diesel accord for MY2009. Supposedly larger diesels for the Ridgeline and Odyssey will follow a year or two later.

New diesels are having such a hard time coming to the states because of our emission laws. The new Tier 2 Bin 5 emissions standards are actually stricter than Europe's standards. We finally got clean, low sulfur diesel last fall, but that does not fully solve the emission problems. Urea injection solves it, but its costly, complicated, and the government does not like it due to high maintenance and the ability to not fill up the Urea canister when required and having your car run dirty.

The Honda diesels will be using a new style catalytic converter without the need for urea injection.

[RPS]

Originally Posted by goonster

Don't hold your breath. Seems like Honda and Toyota have been threatening this for ten years, or so.

Don't know much about Toyota except that they seem to be more committed to hybrids, but Honda is serious about diesels in US. Everything I've read suggests that 4-cyl versions (updated version of European engine) will come out first in Accord, Civic, and CR-V and then followed by V-6 versions in Pilot, Odyssey and Ridgeline.

[xlbs]

they are releasing a new TDI engine for 2008. It has a urea-based filter (Mercedes calls it bluetec) which reduces emissions considerably. the torque and horsepower numbers are elevated.

The (new) US diesels are also supposed to use this new technology.

Try a gander at ww.vwvortex.com for some longer term discussion.

The delay is, from all that I've read and discovered, based on new low-sulphur content regulations for diesel fueling, and therefore emissions too.

I'm driving my third TDI and I get about 55 mpg against imperial gallons. The US gallon is smaller than the imperial gallon, so the mpg ratings get posted differently, but the efficiency is definitely there. So is the torque and related fun factor. An added bonus up here in snowland is the additional traction one gets with a heavier engine up front.

[andy mac]

Originally Posted by RPS

Don't know much about Toyota except that they seem to be more committed to hybrids, but Honda is serious about diesels in US. Everything I've read suggests that 4-cyl versions (updated version of European engine) will come out first in Accord, Civic, and CR-V and then followed by V-6 versions in Pilot, Odyssey and Ridgeline.

toyota diesels are very popular in australia. my old man gets around in a turbo diesel prado - similar to the 4runner. great rig.

http://www.toyota.com.au/prado

[RPS]

Originally Posted by andy mac

toyota diesels are very popular in australia. my old man gets around in a turbo diesel prado - similar to the 4runner. great rig.

http://www.toyota.com.au/prado

Yes, a lot of great companies have extensive experience building diesels. The problem now seems to be dealing with latest US diesel emission standards which require much R&D.

Honda seems committed to the "lean" concept more than others IMHO -- it's been part of their company goals for decades (at least since the early 70s as I recall).

Diesel is just the first step ATMO. I expect new engines that will operate much like diesels (i.e. -- Combustion Ignition Engines) but on gasoline are right around the corner. Some are starting to go in that direction already.