Posted on 10/09/2015 5:11:10 PM PDT by Sean_Anthony
Lions, and Tigers, and Volkswagens! Oh, my!
We’re under assault by a Teutonic Terror. About half a million US diesel cars and 11 million worldwide sold by Volkswagen AG, including VWs, Audis, Seats, and Škodas, appear to have software that tricks emissions tests. Actual emissions are “40 times higher” we’re told. And people are dying.
“Quatsch!” as they say in German. Nonsense! It’s just another car mass hysteria, like “runaway” Toyotas a few years ago and runaway Audis before that. At least one freaked-out occasional car reviewer engaged in public self-flagellation: “I was fooled by Volkswagen’s diesel hype—and I’m sorry,” she blubbered. She went on to attack the entire notion of clean-running diesel cars and concluded, “Two of my closest friends are asking me what will happen with their cars; I have no idea.”
No, you really don’t, lady. Owners will take their VWs to a shop where the sensors will be fixed. The End.
Sell unfixed ones in Kansas. No checks.
I don’t think there is any reason why you would have to take it in for the recall. Hopefully it would not effect your warranty. If you don’t live somewhere that they smog test your car, I wouldn’t do it.
About 40 years ago I had a small diesel BMW. I was alone on the high way one day and a guy in a faster car started chasing me and trying to run me off the highway. I could not get away from him. Scared me half to death and I have never wanted a diesel car since.
The USEPA has made no secret of the fact they want to eliminate diesel from light duty vehicles.
If you are in an inspection state, that will get you.
If you need to visit the dealer for a warranty repair, I’d think the only way you’d avoid the “repair” is to be on exceptionally good terms with the dealer management.
The dealers will incur big fines if they get caught skating on this, because of all the hype. And you can bet the first one to get caught will be made an example of.
I assume American diesel vehicles pass the tests, so evidently the push to get rid of diesel is as ill advised as is the push to get rid of coal.
Will taking my diesel VW to the dealership injure the mpg of my vehicle? If so, I don’t want them to touch it.
VW: Diesel Owners Should Get EPA Mileage After Fix https://www.cars.com/articles/vw-diesel-owners-should-get-epa-mileage-after-fix-1420681342830/
Performance will probably suffer.
I assume revising the software to make it full time compliant with the EPA regs will reduce performance and fuel economy.
Without doubt there will be all kinds of media reporting on this whenever the change rolls out so stay tuned.
If you live in a non-inspection state, and never need warranty work at the dealer, you may be able to skate on the update.
I’m holding off then. My performance is great and the mileage is great. Injectors cause that thing to jump like a little sports car when you punch it. It’s a great ride.
I’d just enjoy it and let things play out.
There will be wall to wall media coverage of what the “fix” is and how it affects real world performance. If you have any existing warranty issues, I’d suggest hitting the dealer now, before the “fix” is available.
You just got to know how to build’em like Maddog.
118 mph in the 1/8th!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0HH0Wkbr5Us
As for me, I run a measly 400hp Cummins.
40 years ago that diesel BMW was SLOW! It had NO pickup!
“40 years ago that diesel BMW was SLOW! It had NO pickup!”
The first diesel BMW in the US that I remember was a 524 TD, in the mid 80s. For only a couple of years, too.
I remember fairly well, since I had a new 1986 528e, at the time.
Audi dominated the 24 Hours of Le Mans for many years with various turbo diesels, most recently in hybrid form.
That winning streak helped build a reputation, which has been destroyed.
When winning Le Mans, higher fuel economy reduced the number of fueling stops, aiding them in overall time. They were not the fastest rabbits, but they were highly reliable tortoises.
Watched them at Laguna Seca. The big Audi had a low pitched sound, because it ran at lower rpms. It didn’t “sound” fast, but it was fast.
On the street, turbos are fun to drive for the low rpm torque, and stoplight to stoplight zero to 50 getaways.
Have had Saab and Audi gas turbos before, and VW TDI now.
I don’t care whether VW duped the Feds. I have been driving diesel cars since 1982. They are so much cleaner now than then that it really obvious this is a case of government over-reach.
So what. So do a lot of things over time. This hyper-sensitivity to all things dangerous has reached the point of absurdity and the pearl clutchers who think that way should be scorned. Anyone who has driven a TDI knows that it is an amazing feat of engineering — true performance and great mpg.
Maybe it was a diesel Mercedes not a BMW and it was longer ago than 40 years. My oldest child was born in 63 and he was small then.
Diesels with urea injection systems in the exhaust do not have this VW-type problem, which seems to be limited to the smaller, cheaper diesel engines, which I think includes the Chevy Cruze diesel.
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