RichC | February 9, 2010
I had to chuckle this morning when registering my vote on the Wall Street Journal poll for best and worst commercial during the Super Bowl – Audi was first in both (click for graphic of poll). See ad video below It’s "Green Police" ad was the sixth most popular in USA TODAY’S Ad Meter, in […]
RichC | January 25, 2010
Still waiting for the boxer Subaru diesel in the U.S. I know a few people who would enjoy a solidly built all-wheel drive diesel, be it one from VW, Audi or Subaru … or for that matter a domestic manufacturer. Subaru Impreza 2.0 RC diesel MENTION the Subaru Impreza and most people think of the […]
RichC | December 2, 2009
Volkswagen continues to entice those appreciating ‘green’ diesel vehicles with their UpLite concept at the LA Auto Show. The new design is said to use diesel electric combination to achieve 70mpg, while still offering a degree of comfort and styling. From the photos posted on Autoblog.com, the new VW also looks to be offering function […]
RichC | November 17, 2009
From Time Magazine’s How Audi is Cleaning Up with Clean Diesel‘s question and answer with Johan de Nysschen, president of Audi’s U.S. division: Audi is instead touting the benefits of diesel technology. How do you get around the negative perception of diesel cars in the U.S.? Clean-diesel technology represents an immediate technological leap — you […]
RichC | November 5, 2009
If you enjoy snapping your Volkswagen around a corner or stopping fast enough launch your sunglasses into the windshield, then you might want to consider the VW TDI Cup “Street” Edition. It’s closest kin is the Jetta GLI … but with a diesel engine. Volkswagen announced that the TDI Cup Edition Jettas should be in […]
RichC | October 24, 2009
Although the Science Channel program “How It’s Made” isn’t one of the most exciting television programs, it does offer a glimpse as to what it takes to manufacture complex items. I happened to watch an episode on how Audi builds its 6-cylinder TDI diesel engine the other day and found it interesting (video clip below). […]
RichC | October 2, 2009
Volkswagen diesel fans have been waiting a few years for the return of the Golf (Rabbit) TDI. It’s due arrive to North American shores as a 2010 model. Shockingly the four door 2010 Golf TDI will be priced $150 cheaper than the four door gasoline powered Rabbit: base price $19,890. See Motor Trend’s Wide Open […]
RichC | September 28, 2009
It has been frustrating for wannabe Volkswagen TDI buyers planning to purchase a new 2009 diesel late this summer or fall. Most have discovered that there are none to be had and that MSRP and sometimes above is required to get on a dealer list for a 2010 first off the boat (happening this week!) […]
RichC | September 17, 2009
The 2009 X5 35d and 2009 335d The Frankfurt Automotive show is one of the biggest in the world and is a good place for diesel vehicle makers to show their new ideas. BMW is no exception, having debuted a couple new and very impressive twin-turbo diesel in the U.S. this year — my comments. […]
RichC | September 16, 2009
At the Frankfurt Motor Show, Volkswagen debuted its ultra-efficient L1 Concept, which follows in the footstep of the One-Liter Concept from 2002. The L1 derives its name from the fact it takes around one liter of diesel fuel to propel the car 100 kilometers (62 miles). According to press reports, the car is said to […]
RichC | September 10, 2009
The conclusion many might make from a recent Popular Mechanic article is that diesel vehicles might be a good solution when fuel prices are high, but they don’t want to spend more for them when fuel prices are low. According to JD Power’s Omotoso, hybrids are projected to become 9.5 percent of the passenger-car market […]
RichC | September 9, 2009
Inventories for diesel vehicles in the U.S. are near ‘zero’ — it’s a frustrating time for a guy who has been waiting for his next Volkswagen TDI … or BMW diesel. Thankfully I can wait and am not in absolute need of a new car, but having to pay MSRP and above, “IF” one can […]
RichC | August 21, 2009
A 2009 Intellichoice survey compared the cost of ownership beyond the sticker price by factoring in depreciation, financing, fuel, Insurance, maintenance, repairs and state fees. By doing this, consumers should have a better idea of what a vehicle’s long-term ownership costs might be and better be able to decide which vehicle is a better overall […]
RichC | August 11, 2009
After reading and commenting on an article in the Wall Street Journal this morning regarding the upcoming Chevrolet Volt boasting 230 mpg, about all I can say is we (the EPA) needs to create a new system of calculating fuel economy. It’s a bit misleading for a family sized sedan to be able to claim […]
RichC | May 25, 2009
Memorial Day weekend was the first chance I had to get a close up view of the ‘new to North America’ V-6 TDI 3.0L version of the diesel Volkswagen Touareg 2. Most TDI advocates have been wondering just when the ‘realistic’ version of a VW SUV was going to arrive in the states … seeing […]
RichC | May 5, 2009
There’s an excellent new Volkswagen TDI Truth & Dare consumer blog and video marketing campaign attempting to educate American’s about ‘clean diesel‘ cars. Volkswagen seeks to build on diesels reputation for economy, longevity and resale value by putting to rest the connotation that they are also slow, loud and dirty. The great videos associated with […]
RichC | April 8, 2009
According to an “Wheels” article today in the New York Times, Stefan Jacoby, president and chief executive of Volkswagen Group of America talked and promoted clean diesel over electric and hybrid vehicles a the New York auto show. He was the keynote speaker at the annual breakfast for the press and took the opportunity to […]
RichC | April 8, 2009
Perhaps I’m offering up some free advertising to Sprint and their soon to be release Palm Pre smartphone, but I am pretty ‘geeky’ excited about getting my hands on this new gadget and don’t mind being used. Some expect it to show up this month (I doubt it), while others believe its release will be […]
RichC | March 31, 2009
Volkswagen Jetta TDI fans will enjoy seeing their long lasting and economical diesel being used in NYC as a taxicab. In the newer body style, rear seats have a couple more inches, so really the A5 Jetta makes perfect sense as a taxi. If you’ve ever looked at the trunk (boot), you’d know that luggage […]
RichC | March 30, 2009
Volkswagen has done a great job with the design of the new Golf GTD. Its design is similar to the popular Rabbit Golf although has a noticeable sporty edge. VW says it will stress fuel efficiency, clean diesel and better performance over the European Golf TDI. According to Motortrend, “under its hood is a more […]
RichC | March 6, 2009
TopGear.com American is working on their “triple 7” — $7000, 70mpg, 0-60mpg in under 7 seconds. They have purchase a VW Rabbit diesel in New York and are transplanting a TDI engine in Regina, Saskatchewan and have labeled the project the “Sipster.” The current video shows the engine transplant (below) although the project was announcmed […]
RichC | March 2, 2009
In my circle of diesel loving friends I have rarely heard that people have difficulty in deciding between the well equipped 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI or 2009 Toyota Prius, but that isn’t always the case for those listening to all the media hype praising hybrid cars. In case you are one of the few looking […]
RichC | February 23, 2009
For those that appreciate engineering and diesel automotive history, today was the day in 1893 that Rudolf Diesel was granted a German patent for his diesel engine design. Rather than burning gasoline in a cylinder with spark ignition, the diesel engine uses ‘fuel oil’ (or vegetable oil — peanut oil in Rudolf Diesel’s case) using […]
RichC | February 20, 2009
I called a friend of mine to check on his wife who was scheduled for surgery this week and after hearing that she was in recovery, our conversation shifted to the new 2009 BMW 335d that was sitting in front of the Akron area Dave Walter dealership. Although I know how the soft-sell enticement game […]
RichC | February 14, 2009
For those of us already familiar with the new clean diesel breeds, it will come as no surprise that long running PBS automotive program Motorweek selected the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI as the Drivers’ Choice Award winner. They previously reported positively on the VW TDI although on in February announced it along with all their […]
RichC | February 13, 2009
I’ve been using Fuelly.com to track the fills and gas mileage on my less than economical Honda Pilot. The web interface is a super easy way to track and add information each fill up or the even more convenient mobile interface can make adding the odometer reading (or number of miles), gallons and price a […]
RichC | February 6, 2009
A couple nice looking BMW diesels recently available in the U.S. look to be edible for tax incentives this year. They have been added to the IRS list of cars using technology helping promote more fuel efficient vehicles. The new 335d sedan and X5 xDrive35d SUV fit the IRS Lean Burn Technology Motor Vehicle Tax […]
RichC | February 3, 2009
Volkswagen, a leader in clean alternative fuel technology, will be launching four new BlueMotion vehicles. Two of them will be super clean diesels, the Passat BlueMotion, Passat Blue TDI, one running on compressed natural gass — the Passat TSI EcoFuel, and the headliner a Touareg V6 TSI Hybrid. The Touareg with be be VW’s first […]
RichC | January 21, 2009
The long running weekly PBS automotive program Motorweek reviewed the 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI on last weekend’s show. As expected, they gave it a pretty decent review mentioning that it is now 50 state legal and clarified the emission control features that differentiates it from the “AdBlue” diesels. [flv:MW_2009VWJettaTDI090117.flv 480 355]
RichC | January 16, 2009
During a business call this week, a fellow who listens to streaming radio and knows my interest in Volkswagen TDIs, mention that a station he listens to was holding a sweepstakes offering a New 2009 VW Jetta TDI Clean Diesel as their grand prize. The station is KCPW in Santa Monica, California and features “an […]
RichC | January 11, 2009
Edmunds prepare an excellent video review of a 2009 Volkswagen Jetta TDI a couple months ago and thought I would post it here.
RichC | December 30, 2008
In the last issue of Volkswagen’s DasAuto Magazine, the “Ask Volkswagen” segment answered one of the most common questions I hear Volkswagen TDI owners ask. This as to do with how their TDI diesel vehicles run alternatives to petroleum, be it be SVO, WVO (Straight or Waste Vegetable Oil) or biodiesel. The “Can I use […]
RichC | December 11, 2008
A study in the online journal of the American Chemical Society’s (ACS) Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, reports that waste coffee grounds can provide a cheap, abundant, and environmentally friendly source of biodiesel fuel for powering cars and trucks. The study by Mano Misra, Susanta Mohapatra, and Narasimharao Kondamudi note that the major barrier […]
RichC | December 4, 2008
It’s hard to imagine General Motors going the diesel route again after their last go-around 30 years ago, but considering a number of vehicles desired by American purchasers are the larger SUV and light trucks, a clean, highly efficient diesel would make sense. Besides the fuel efficiency of a diesel engine mated to the GM […]
RichC | October 20, 2008
Although I’m a big fan of the new ‘clean diesels’ being produced by several companies, I’ve never like the idea that in order to meet emission standards that ‘some’ diesels require an AdBlue urea system. Basically the $4/gallon liquid is stored in a small tank and is slowly injected into the exhaust stream where it […]
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 | 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 | 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 | 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 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 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 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 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 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 | April 22, 2006
RichC | March 16, 2006
A fellow Volkwagen TDI driver emailed me a question about my fuel mileage, and in particular if I “noticed a change in MPG when I switched to the Sprint 520s? What about smoke?” He’s talking about the fuel injectors that I originally put in my Volkswagen Jetta TDI to increase performance. I answered basically “No” […]
RichC | October 15, 2005
October 14, 2005 was the day the US Department of Energy’s Clean Cities Program and the 80+ community-based coalitions celebrated the displacing of one billion gallons of petroleum across the nation. Kim Lahman (photo right), Tri-State Clean Fuel Network’s Coordinator, organized the local Cincinnati area event with many key participates at Cincinnati’s Ault Park. (what […]
RichC | May 1, 2005
I spent Saturday, April 30 at with a bunch of TDI owners at Jon Hamilton’s tuning session, driver for team rallyvw.com. The event was scheduled as a fundraiser for the race team around chip tunning by Jeff (Rocketchip) and injector nozzles from Charlie (KermaTDI). It was a busy day as there were 9 sets of […]