[V8] Hybrid Q5 or Q7 Diesels on the other side ...

[Etdmail at cs.com]

Hi All ...

Hopefully, to add some additional clarity...

I can report our diesel fueling experiences here in the Northeast 
more closely match those in Tony's area and John's in Baltimore.

Being more expensive and distribution away from major arteries
spotty. In MA we also have various bio-diesel mandates, which 
along with the cleaner diesel engine technology and no idle
laws, improve the air-quality in the area measurably.

Also here in the Northeast the cost of a clean used TDI or pickup
can be considerably more than its gasoline powered counter-part.

I was prompted to check out the price disparity on a new VW TDI.
Found a base 2011 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 L automatic lists out at
a MSRP of $15,365 with EPA figures of up to 24 cty/34 hwy mpg.
Pretty decent new car buy over-all, I think, but I'd likely look over
in the Ford camp, for more MGP.

Same page list the 2001 Volkswagen Jetta 2.0 L TDI automatic
with a MSRP from $22,995 and EPA estimates to 30 cty/42 hwy.

Some quick pencil work gives an MSRP increase of 49.66% and 
an EPA estimated MPG increase of 25% city/23.53% hwy. So
one way to look at it, is paying twice the % increase up front !
Or $7,630.00 US + tax + diesel cost premiums that apply - that 
can be a lot of miles to a break-even..  Is it justifiable?

The true carbon foot-print costs are beyond my penciling though.
If your local premium disparity is less, you are indeed, lucky!

It will be interesting, to see if we will all have to pay more, down
the road, for the newer more efficient cars under increasing EPA
mandates.. Likely, I think, that is until the Chinese cars hit the 
markets here, like they have been in Brazil - Once, they hit the 
necessary critical mass to pass the US safety and compliance
hurdles.

Hope everyone is having a great summer!

Best,

~Ed
(Cambridge)


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In a message dated 8/3/2011 9:27:57 PM Eastern Daylight Time, 
tonyandlillie1 at earthlink.net writes: 

> >Lucky you Ingo!  In my experience diesel has been running anywhere from 
> >$0.20 - $0.50/gal more than premium here.  It floats generally on the 
> >higher end of that, having briefly been a lot higher ($1 more) and 
> settled 
> >back.  But it's also not all that easy to find in Baltimore.  I guess if 
> I 
> >bought a TDI it would mean a lot of fill-ups on the East side of town 
> >where the industrial/trucking areas are.
> >
> 
> Though if you had a TDI it would mean fewer fill-ups than a comparable gas 
> 
> car....................weeeeeeeeeeee every time I pass the pumps. BTW, 
> mine 
> is not TDI, it's an old IDI, but I still exceed 500 miles on every 11 
> galon 
> fill-up :)
> 
> Tony 
> 

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