The Diesel discussion thread

Jetta sedan TDI
Touareg TDI
ML350 BlueTec
GL350 BlueTec
R350 BlueTec
Q7 TDI
X535d


so what's the pick of them all? i'm thinking E-class bluetec, or jetta sportwagen.
 
Jetta sedan TDI
Touareg TDI
ML350 BlueTec
GL350 BlueTec
R350 BlueTec
Q7 TDI
X535d

Don't forget the Jeep Liberty CRD and Grand Cherokee CRD (used of course...:p)
 
Well then, in that case, you can't forget these honeys:
VW Rabbit 1.5L Diesel
golfrabbit.jpg

That's a brilliant engine! My first two cars were Mk II Golfs with the same Diesel engine, and even though they sounded and vibrated like a tractor in idle, especially when cold, they are tough little engines that will last forever if you top off the oil regularily.
 
Well then, in that case, you can't forget these honeys:

'85 Seville (LF9 5.7L/350 Diesel V8)
85-seville.jpg

Most . awesome . 'go fuck yourself mother Gaia' . vehicle . ever.

Did it belch out enormous amounts of black smoke and get 2mpg? Please tell me it did :p
 
Mostly it belched out smoke and didn't work, period. When it did work, it got 30mpg - which wasn't often.

That's a brilliant engine! My first two cars were Mk II Golfs with the same Diesel engine, and even though they sounded and vibrated like a tractor in idle, especially when cold, they are tough little engines that will last forever if you top off the oil regularily.

Except for the fact that they didn't. They got to about 150K, as I recall, and then usually committed suicide by necessitating repairs that cost more than the car did new. This after not exactly being low maintenance for their prior lifespan. Weren't very good, cost a lot to maintain, were annoyingly loud and did much to hasten the demise of diesel as a viable mainstream option in US market cars.
 
Last edited:
Most it belched out smoke and didn't work, period. When it did work, it got 30mpg - which wasn't often.

QFT.
"Worst engine ever."
comicbookguy.gif


Except for the fact that they didn't. They got to about 150K, as I recall, and then usually committed suicide; after not exactly being low maintenance for their prior lifespan. Weren't very good, cost a lot to maintain, were annoyingly loud and did much to hasten the demise of diesel as a viable mainstream option in US market cars.

Also QFT. This killed the '90s diesel car market, that and the lack luster W140 300SD that I pictured above. The W210 and W124 diesels were alright, but not enough to stage an all out buying fever like the W123 and W126 of the '80s. Also, the link that first pops up when googling "W140 300SD" says it all.
 
I'm one of those "wish the U.S would get more diesel compact cars" guys. There are some really nice ones available to other countries that we aren't allowed to have for no apparent reason.

We aren't allowed to have them because they don't meet our particulate emissions regulations (among other emissions regs). Diesel particulates stick to damn near everything and are usually really ugly levels of carcinogenic. Believe me, the pollution regs that keep them out of the US are some I actually agree with - they're based on actual medical science and not the religion of CO2 Is Evil (or anything equally stupid).

Europe is only now starting to wake up to the problem. We figured this out more than twenty years ago. Should be amusing to see what happens when they figure out what all their push to dirty diesel has actually done to their cities.
 
Last edited:
Just get a Euro5 diesel then, it fits into bin 2 (the lowest non-zero emissions bin) by its particulate matter emissions. That limits you to 10mg/mile, the EU5 regulation is even more stringent at 5mg/km.
 
Last edited:
And how many Euro5 diesels do you have on the market there at the current time? And IIRC, doesn't Euro5 also allow an increase in NOx? (which isn't good, either.)
 
Last edited:
All of them. No new car can be introduced with a lower emissions standard than Euro5 after September 1st, 2009. Existing models may still be registered during the next week. In other words, any Euro4 diesel is virtually unsellable. Would have to be registered to the dealer and sold used.


For example, every Skoda model on the market matches and exceeds the EU5 regulations.
 
Good, you're finally catching up there so maybe you can bring acceptably clean diesels over soon.

Put it to you this way: At one point in 2008, there were no Euro diesel cars that would pass our emissions, which is why the TDI went away for a little while and even Mercedes had to stop selling the E320 CDI until they could get BlueTec on it.
 
Last edited:
You can even get an EU6 Audi Q7TDI. That standard will only be mandatory for new models introduced after September 1st, 2014.
 
Keep in mind that I don't hate diesel, I'm shopping for a diesel vehicle at the moment myself. I do hate the results of dirty diesels (after living in LA) and therefore don't have a problem with keeping out what used to be the super-polluting Euro diesels.
 
Except for the fact that they didn't. They got to about 150K, as I recall, and then usually committed suicide by necessitating repairs that cost more than the car did new.

Well, i just looked again and i had the 53hp 1.6 liter diesel, which is know to regularily rack up 500000+ km over here. I don't actually know a thing about the Mk1-only 1.5 liter engine. You did get a 1.6 liter engine, too, but i don't know if it was the same used in Europe.
 
The only issue I see with diesel is that the fuel could become quite a bit more expensive over the next 5-10 years, since demand for it is going to increase by quite a bit (while gasoline will pretty much stay the same), due to an increase in diesel consumption by India and China, along with tighter bunker fuel (bottom-of-the-barrel stuff used by big ships) specifications causing a lot of cargo ships to switch to diesel.
 
The best sound in the world :D


feelin' right at home<3

Also, it will pretty much last forever.
 
The best sound in the world :D


feelin' right at home<3

Also, it will pretty much last forever.

Yes it's a lovely sound, it's a shame about the microphone on that camera though. I personally like the noise of the older Isuzu-units that Opel used. They still have the option of Izusu engines in the new Astra but it's been updated and doesnt sound so much/nice anymore.

Diesel at idle is wonderful.
 
Last edited:
Top