A great estimate vehicle

[perry]

I want one of these to do my estimates, better than driving the truck!.

http://www.popularmechanics.com/blogs/automotive_news/4219904.html

 

[TriHonu]

If they released them in the US, my wife's Beetle would most likely be the trade in on a Polo...

 

[Tom Brown]

If they released them in the US, my wife's Beetle would most likely be the trade in on a Polo...

I thought diesel vehicles were on the way out here? Several people I know who love diesels and make biodiesel told me they no longer bring the TDI into Canada and other diesels have disappeared too, other than the big truck diesels.

 

[perry]

I thought diesel vehicles were on the way out here? Several people I know who love diesels and make biodiesel told me they no longer bring the TDI into Canada and other diesels have disappeared too, other than the big truck diesels.

Tom, any diesel vehicle that get's 60-70 MPG will sell before it hits the lot!. VW has one diesel model selling in the U.S., as well as MB.

 

[Idoitall]

If they released them in the US, my wife's Beetle would most likely be the trade in on a Polo...

Diesel is not on the way out. In fact, they will become more common in the U.S. Why do think the big flip on diesel pricing took place a year or so ago?

GM will have a new 4.5L Duramax turbo charged diesel in late 2009 for the pickups, some SUV's, etc. At 310 HP and 520 ft. lb. torque, it will be a hit. They are targeting a 25% increase in fuel economy vs. the current gas models in these vehicles. The down side will be the $6000 option price.

With the price of diesel and that price increase, the calculator will be slow to slow a cost recap to break even. But what this will provide is a very strong tow vehicle for those who need one, but just can't justify a heavier truck.

 

[Tom Brown]

Diesel is not on the way out. In fact, they will become more common in the U.S. Why do think the big flip on diesel pricing took place a year or so ago?

GM will have a new 4.5L Duramax turbo charged diesel in late 2009 for the pickups, some SUV's, etc. At 310 HP and 520 ft. lb. torque, it will be a hit. They are targeting a 25% increase in fuel economy vs. the current gas models in these vehicles. The down side will be the $6000 option price.

With the price of diesel and that price increase, the calculator will be slow to slow a cost recap to break even. But what this will provide is a very strong tow vehicle for those who need one, but just can't justify a heavier truck.

I would love a small diesel truck but I need a small, fuel efficient car more. My lake house is a 120 mile round trip.

 

[19road_runner68]

I would love a small diesel truck but I need a small, fuel efficient car more. My lake house is a 120 mile round trip.

It would be nice if manufacturers tested thier vehicles in extreme climates for a year then came up with thier MPG rating. Ya, my hemi dodge ram gets 20 MPG with a tail wind on a mild/hot summers day, with a half tank of fuel, no passengers, no cargo, in the prarries. But where I live its -30C for 4 months and I only get 7 MPG to move that ice cube. Didn't the 426 hemi get 5 MPG in the winter? Good work dodge, 40 years later and 2 more miles!

 

[BobMelroe]

It would be nice if manufacturers tested thier vehicles in extreme climates for a year then came up with thier MPG rating. Ya, my hemi dodge ram gets 20 MPG with a tail wind on a mild/hot summers day, with a half tank of fuel, no passengers, no cargo, in the prarries. But where I live its -30C for 4 months and I only get 7 MPG to move that ice cube. Didn't the 426 hemi get 5 MPG in the winter? Good work dodge, 40 years later and 2 more miles!

Ya' know it really doesn't matter what Detroit can come up with, if they can't get the price down they won't sell anything anyway. I was car shopping 2 years ago. Looking for an economy type car. Got down to the Chevy Aveo and the Mini. Both similarly priced, but the Mini boasted 39MPG while the Aveo was at like 27 or so. That and many other factors made me decide on the Mini......till I priced insurance. When you weigh fuel economy vs insurance premiums, it's not even worth considering. Multi-car discount (3), safe driving, no tickets, etc.,.... Premiums were just stupid on both vehicles. All because of bodily injury, due to the car being so small. So I said screw it and put $1500 into my 1995 S10 that has 195,000 miles on it. Owned it since 98 at 30k miles, so brought it back up to snuff for another 160k. Its got a Vortec V6 and gets 20MPG if I can keep my foot out of it...... the old 1977 Ford extended cab pickup I had, had a 425HP 460 that I built and put in it. That got 7MPG cold, hot, uphill, downhill, backwards, didn't seem to matter. But it would haul anything I wanted, and go 140MPH........