RichC | July 15, 2008
Although this is by no means a challenging milestone for Volkswagen diesel cars, it is a personal milestone for my daughter. Her first car, a 2001 VW Jetta TDI, has been treating her well for 100,000 miles now and she sent me an early morning photo from her Palm Treo Centro as it hit 100K. […]
RichC | July 14, 2008
The dealer demo TDIs have been slow to arrive to Cincinnati area dealerships, but today did get a chance to head over to Fairfield VW and test drive the new 2009 Jetta ‘clean diesel.’ Its basically the same body (A5) that has been part of the VW Jetta line up for a couple of years […]
RichC | May 17, 2008
The fuel price discussions continue as I made small talk with clients throughout the week; Friday was no exception. Petroleum traded at an all time high to almost $127 per barrel in the morning on strong demand and there is very little evidence that we’ll see an additional supply come online this summer … or […]
RichC | May 5, 2008
Back in 2006 I had a chance to test drive an all-electric “high performance” 3 wheel vehicle manufactured by Myers Motors in Tallmadge Ohio. I drove it on the public roads without a special endorsement, but the Cleveland Plain Dealer has reported that the Ohio DMV currently has a problem licensing them for Ohio road […]
RichC | March 11, 2008
The large 2008 Mercedes-Benz GL320 CDI SUV equipped with the 3.0 Liter diesel was reviewed on the PBS program Motorweek this past weekend. I took a test drive back in August (here) and was impressed with this expensive and large vehicle. It certainly benefits from the diesel powerplant which will be upgraded with Urea injection […]
RichC | February 28, 2008
Wired highlighted the new Audi TT 2.0 TDI, but can’t confirm if it will be available North America. Notice the comment “Roadster” below … might we see a TDI convertible? (LINK to full article) Behold the TT 2.0 TDI. The 2.0-liter four-cylinder engine (pictured above), matched to a six-speed manual transmission and Quattro all-wheel drive, […]
RichC | February 23, 2008
Demand for fuel is down, but prices are up to a near all-time high in the U.S., says a USAToday article. Diesel hit a record high of $3.54 per gallon, and unleaded gasoline is up to a $3.11 national average price, which is an increase of more than 6.2 cents in two days. The previous […]
RichC | January 25, 2008
How about an Exhaust Burger? I’ve cooked a meal under the hood before, but never heard of cooking with a grilling device like this using exhaust gas! Well the exhaust gas never hits the meat, but its probably hot enough to barbecue a hamburger — I wonder if I could fix a meal for two […]
RichC | January 22, 2008
Many diesel advocates are anxiously waiting to see just what new clean diesels will be arriving in the U.S. over the next few years. Hardly a week goes by now without some new announcement. For many of us, the Honda Accord 2.2L i-DTEC stands out in the hopes it will be an affordable and dependable […]
RichC | December 30, 2007
Popular Mechanics has a great article in their January issue on the coming clean diesels noting “Hybrids beware!” The author Ben Hewitt points out that the new breed of diesels from companies like Volkswagen are capable of better fuel economy (74.3 mpg for the VW Polo TDI) and produce fewer greenhouse gases than some gas/electric […]
RichC | December 23, 2007
The timing belt replacement is the bane of Volkswagen TDI ownership — partially due to the complexity and cost of servicing, yet it needs to be taken seriously as in any zero-clearance engine. Understanding what’s included in changing timing belts of any car can help one better understand what should be included in this service. […]
RichC | October 28, 2007
The Volkswagen Touareg has been impressive ever since its introduction back in 2003. It is a technology oriented 4×4 SUV that has developed an impressive pedigree over the last 4 years with races in Dakar, Baja, Pikes Peak and the unmanned DARPA competition. (race version of the Touareg2 to the right) The Touareg isn’t just […]
RichC | October 3, 2007
It has been a rare vehicle that has charmed me the way my 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDI has … but all good things eventually come to an end; today I sold my car. I’ve spent the last year trying to solve a sore leg/hip problem that has been aggravated by my regular four hour trips […]
RichC | August 29, 2007
Speedway in Brimfield Ohio is still selling 500ppm LSD In a previous post I commented to the effect that maybe my 2003 VW Jetta TDI’s fuel economy might go down after purchasing new tires with a more aggressive all-weather tread. After two tanks of fuel, one B-20 (20% biodiesel and 80% Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel), […]
RichC | June 26, 2007
No big deal … but this weekend’s graduation trip took me to western New York in my little diesel Volkswagen and my TDI turned the odometer over to the sixth digit … 100,000 miles. As far as modern cars go, the 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDI has treated me very well. It has operated pretty much […]
RichC | May 20, 2007
My good friend Jeff has a contact with Midwestern Eurosports out of Chicago and invited my son and I up to Mid-Ohio Sports Car Course this past weekend. We had excellent weather and a great time hanging around their 18-wheeler/shop and getting hints into some of the tweaks made to these already great performing cars. […]
RichC | May 8, 2007
The Green Car Congress posted that the new Volkswagen Jetta Sportwagen that has been displayed at autoshows (see previous post) will also be heading to the US with a diesel option … eventually. The wagon model of the New Jetta is anticipated by VW TDI buyers who find the added versatility and cargo carrying capability […]
RichC | April 22, 2007
Happy Earth Day … I guess that’s what you’re suppose to say? (click for larger macro photo of Tullip) It has been a beautiful couple of days in Cincinnati and I’ve been lax in posting and instead I’m getting the swimming pool opened, tuning up lawn equipment (fixing actually) and finishing a first compete grass […]
RichC | April 4, 2007
A segment on the FoxNews program The O’Reilly Factor caught my eye last night in discussing American automobiles. Mark Laneve, Vice President of Sales for General Motors, was interviewed and promoted the fuel efficiency of GM’s vehicles. He presented the case that GM has been gaining ground and has passed their rivals in building cars […]
RichC | March 26, 2007
Volkswagens are often considered a ‘driver’s car,’ a vehicle that most car buyers can afford, unlike many European cars imported to the U.S. The engineering built into these vehicles is exceptional although they are not without their small quirks. Many go unnoticed until well into ownership or only when a problem occurs. One such quirk, […]
RichC | March 13, 2007
By now anyone following world news knows that President Bush took a six day trip to South America talking with the leaders of countries like Brazil and Uruguay. (link) The primary purpose seemed to be a U.S.-Brazil ‘pact’ that calls for studies in regard to ethanol production and use in Latin America. This agreement puts […]
RichC | March 7, 2007
Oh-la-la — gimme this in a diesel and I won’t even ask for 4-motion! I spotted these photos on the Cars.com blog from the Geneva Auto show and thought a couple readers would like to navigate over for more. I like it even though the folks at Cars.com commented that “the front and profile seem […]
RichC | March 4, 2007
Hey that’s my car! DieselBlog is featuring rotating headers on their website and has a photo of my Volkswagen Jetta TDI filling up at the Mt. Gilead Ohio biodiesel pumps! 😀 The site is a very informative site which includes updates on news relating to diesel vehicles and the technology which is making them superior […]
RichC | February 27, 2007
According to the Treehugger website, the Discovery Channel will air a FutureCar episode on Wednesday, February 28th … it might be worth recording. One of the cars worth considering is the Opel Eco Speedster. Its a concept car, but shows just was a sleek high performance diesel is capable of doing. The powerplant is a […]
RichC | February 21, 2007
The fog didn’t really disappear until about noon today during my careful drive up I-71 — no comments Tim. Thankfully by the time I was to exit 151, between Columbus and Cleveland Ohio, the sun was almost out and fog about gone. I couldn’t resist taking a photo of the fog while driving since I […]
RichC | January 12, 2007
Here’s a little more on fuel, particularly biodiesel being pumped in colder weather. On my way home from Northeastern Ohio I stopped to fill my VW Jetta TDI at my normal stop, the I-71 Sunoco renewable fuels biodiesel pump. (see previous posts) It wasn’t all that cold (40 degrees Fahrenheit) but the B20 ran very […]
RichC | January 8, 2007
At the CinciTDI group we had a discussion about “Tire Pressure Monitoring” and I continue to come across a few extra tidbits worth sharing. Back in December I made a comment that the information Motorweek produced wasn’t as complete as it could have been, and so low and behold Pat Goss had another guest to […]
RichC | December 26, 2006
Christmas has been hectic as usual around our house. We’ve been entertaining and enjoying the festivities including time with our extended families. (which isn’t going to end until after the New Year!) This year was special for my son as you might have noticed above; Santa brought him a ‘car’ … I’m not sure how […]
RichC | December 20, 2006
I finally pulled some 3 month old VW TDI “How-To” footage off the camera and encoded it last night before going to bed. I haven’t had a chance to put fresh eyes on it or even watch it through, so before I post it to the CinciTDI video section, perhaps a couple Volkswagen TDI oriented […]
RichC | December 19, 2006
Its about time for my 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDI to receive her new timing belt. As I close in on 100,000 miles the recommended services is to replace not only the timing belt, but the serpentine belt, the idler rollers and the water pump. Thankfully the later models come from the factory with a long […]
RichC | December 16, 2006
In our local CinciTDI Volkswagen car club, this past week we had a discussion on ‘tire pressure monitoring.’ I’m not sure all of the answers were correct, but found it interesting that Pat Goss of Motorweek had a segment about it in this weeks program. Although I didn’t find the comments as complete as the […]
RichC | November 16, 2006
I stopped at unmanned Fuel Depot’s biodiesel (B20) pump today in Delaware, Ohio (central Ohio north of Columbus) … and noted that prices are few cents higher than the more convenient Sunoco’s B20 pump. Price at the pump was $2.68/gallon to the $2.63 in Mt. Gilead. (exit 151 off I-71) Even though I’m considered frugal […]
RichC | November 16, 2006
According to the online magazine Winding Road, BMW shared what it is planning to export to the US in 2008 — diesel related — and they will publish it in next months issue. According to Matt Davis from Winding Road, “we’ve just driven the 335d Touring – a thoroughly hot wagon with a bi-turbo version […]
RichC | October 29, 2006
The repair to my daughter’s VW Jetta TDI tallied at about $700, acceptable considering the initial body shop estimate was $1530. (see prior post) We were able to avoid a clear coat repair paint job by picking up a closely matching door at the highly recommended Brim Import Auto. (15363 County Road 140 East, Kenton, […]
RichC | October 27, 2006
While watching the end of game 4 of the World Series (9th inning), I noticed that there is a new Volkswagen sales campaign call V-DubsRock. The marketing approach is reminiscent of the “buy a car, get a bike” gimmick, but this time it is an FirstAct electric guitar. Nevertheless since the commercial has high-speed motion […]
RichC | October 25, 2006
Quick phone to blog post as I fill up my daughter’s repaired VW Jetta TDI with B20 at the exit 151 Sunoco. (damage to door) The new pumps at 6027 Route 95 Mount Gilead Ohio (for those with GPS) show E85 (octane 105) at $1.96, B2 at $1.59, B5 at $1.61 and B20 at $1.63. […]
RichC | October 5, 2006
It was a sad day for my daughter and her 2001 VW Jetta TDI after an Audi bumped into her door in a parking garage. Needless to say she was not happy and neither was the Audi driver; the door of the Volkswagen was no match for the Audi’s bumper. While stopping to see her […]
RichC | September 29, 2006
The rain and cold front passed, the sky cleared and the sun melted behind a scenic Ohio farm setting as I made my usual 4 hour drive home from Cleveland to Cincinnati last night. The soothing autumn sun set made for a relaxing trip as it disappeared behind fields of future renewable fuel. 😉 Fuel […]
RichC | August 27, 2006
Every once in a while I enjoy posting something that tickles my funny bone. The Crab vs. Element clip is definitely a cute 30 second commercial. Honda would be smart to bring the creative Element and Friends TV “Crab” TV commercial to a few select markets … if not nationwide. I think it would be […]
RichC | August 22, 2006
While on vacation I did keep my eyes on alternative fuel ‘happenings’ in Hawaii. (to the embarrassment of my family) Not many locals were aware of anything except that gasoline was about a buck more per gallon than on the mainland. The Maui rental fleet of VWs (Bio-Beetle.com) were not spotted, although we were not […]
RichC | August 13, 2006
A friend of mine sent me an article in Wired Magazine’s blog section on a mild hybrids, but the link that caught my eye was the BMW 2007 X5 preview article in Edmonds. I suppose I’m just dreaming that someday such vehicle with a diesel will be in the US? From what I’ve heard, RL, […]
RichC | July 26, 2006
I’m posting this particular Volkswagen TDI “How To” video clip here before I send it to Jim at DieselGeek or post to the CinciTDI website in hopes to have a couple extra eyeballs checking it out. I’m not all that concerned about filmmaking criticism (my ego can’t take that), but I want to make sure […]
RichC | July 19, 2006
A couple of days ago I commented that after donating our minivan to a family in need of a car and that we were need to replace it with something? I was not happy with my options since there were no commonsense ‘efficient’ diesels in vehicles with extra room; both my wife and I have […]
RichC | July 11, 2006
Diesel car lovers in the US are going to have a lean year in 2007 before several manufacturers have their North American ready diesels figured out. Volkswagen, the number one diesel car manufacturer announced that it will not be producing a TDI for 2007. The new common rail diesel will replace it and will not […]
RichC | June 30, 2006
Although the Smart car has been around in Europe since 1998, Americans have been reluctant to accept it here in the US. (government, consumers and importers alike) When you look at it next to most car and trucks on American roads you understand why … its tiny! Most I have asked about it say its […]
RichC | June 28, 2006
An article in Edmonds.com tickled some Volkswagen diesel lovers with new information on the 2008 VW common-rail diesels. As most VW TDI (diesel) fans know, Volkswagen will not be producing a 2007 diesel model for North American. (link) Although they have dropped the Jetta and New Beetle TDIs for 2007, the article is encouraging for […]
RichC | June 14, 2006
I know several readers of this blog are also Volkswagen TDI owners that come from a variety of diesel and biodiesel groups. The local club, CinciTDI, that I participate continues to create “How To” video clips that help with TDI related maintenance and modifications. I’m sitting on couple new “how to’s” and need to get […]
RichC | June 7, 2006
I just drove the Jeep Liberty diesel (again) last week and was planning to make some comments on the vehicle … unfortunately a blog post in AutoBlogGreen mentioned that the Detroit News indicated Daimler Chrysler would be killing the CRD. According to the articles, the new tougher federal emissions standards coming next year make it […]
RichC | May 30, 2006
Although we have been hearing about it for sometime, I’ve still been hoping that the news of Volkswagen not having US diesel in 2007 was not true. Unfortunately I’m not able to bury my head in the sand any longer after reading Mark Phelan’s Detroit Freepress article. I kept thinking that the “German engineering” (see […]
RichC | May 27, 2006
This is going to be a very quick Saturday morning update as the ‘honey-do list’ takes priority today. I’ve had a chance to run the battery down in the Palm Treo 700p yesterday after coming home with my new ‘toy.’ (yes I suffer from “gadget addiction”) The photo above is from the new and improved […]
RichC | May 14, 2006
Chrysler is ‘diesel-izing’ the hot selling 300 for the European markets while North America waits … 2008 maybe … who knows? Nevertheless, those of us wanting a few more US diesel options are speculating what cars besides the Mercedes Benz 300E CDI will be ready for the US market. Joseph White reporting for the Wall […]
RichC | May 6, 2006
Car and Driver Magazine has a “Short Take Review” of the 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI written by Tony Quiroga this month which does a fair job of detailing VW’s only current US diesel. To be fair, the photos posted were taken by Nick Say and are also displayed in a slide show fashion in Car […]
RichC | May 4, 2006
This post is for Jason who commented that he enjoyed the Vee-Dub television ads that were posted in February (or was it the VW TDI ad?). If you like them you might like this one; besides being a creative ad, the 2006 Citroen C4 was voted 2006 World Car Design of the Year, at the […]
RichC | April 23, 2006
Mark Groves had another great VW TDI GTG on Saturday. The central location just 30 minutes from Columbus, the great weather and the many helping hands of experienced owners helped to make this “Spring Dust Off” an enjoyable event. Mark and his wife’s hospitality was appreciated by all; what a great host. (too many things […]
RichC | April 22, 2006
RichC | April 8, 2006
John Neff and Chris Paukert talked at length today on their podcast about a 2003 Volkswagen Jetta TDI (diesel) vegetable oil conversion. (See Autoblog Podcast) John met with the owners in Lorain Ohio and spent some time checking out their vehicle. The two brothers, Chuck and Tom Norton, had their car converted to run on […]
RichC | April 2, 2006
An interesting segment on the PBS program Motorweek compared the driving style of two very different drivers. One driver was Henry Kopacz, one of the program’s staff test drivers who has a heavier foot and simulated an aggressive driving technique. The other was the director of the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities program, Dennis […]
RichC | April 1, 2006
It’s been a long week and before I run out of steam I wanted to get this clip posted for April 1. Its ‘no joke’ and amazing these guys walked away uninjured. Click the Quicktime clip to watch the ‘rollover’ from three different angles: driver-cam, spectator video and the car mounted camera. It does makes […]
RichC | March 29, 2006
There was an excellent program on public television’s NOVA Tuesday night detailing the DARPA Challenge that I mentioned back in October of 2005. I’ve included the intro video clip below, but the program is well worth watching as it introduces the different teams, individuals and strategies. Considering none of the ‘driverless’ vehicles went farther than […]
RichC | March 21, 2006
Volkswagen is one of those companies that seems to get a tad ‘edgy’ in it advertising campaigns. From the “Vee-Dub” and “German Engineering, ya-man” ads mentioned a couple weeks ago, to the latest Hispanic targeting ads featuring the cartoon mouse ‘Speedy Gonzalez.’ I posted a comment a week or so ago on the CinciTDI group […]