IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Which is why, in part, we have such a limited selection of vehicles. Look at VW's UK site for contrast. Stuff we'll never see, some of which is really nice. Sad.
from the horse's mouth (EPA/CARB at SEMA)
- Thread starter KERMA
- Start date
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
VAG seems to be hedging all their bets for the North American market on EVs, which I think is a mistake. Not that I do not welcome the variety and diversity, but it is looking more and more like there will be hardly anything left for a lot of consumers here. There already isn't anything that would bring me to their showroom. Always liked GTIs, but not enough to think of one other than an extra "fun" car. Diesels are gone. The Americanized sedans and CUVs do little for me at all, but triple so with their current fragile engine offerings. 
jmodge
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2015
- Location
- Greenville, MI
- TDI
- 2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
All these points are why I think public transportation, rental, rideshare or something is going to exceed ownership at some point unless something drastic changes. Wages have to go up to cover the money pool to support all this. Don't see that happening across the board. Money has to go a lot more places than just to cover personal vehicles. American car companies got caught with their pants down during the gas crunch and downsizing of the seventies. It could very easily happen again with technology.
People and business will adapt, but there sure seems to be a gap growing between young people that can and can't afford this standard of living.
Or maybe it's because I'm getting old and most of the things people see nowadays as ordinary items of life look unnecessary to me.
Guess I will quit my rant, before I go to far off subject, and go enjoy my arthritis and tendinitis while I can still feel it.
People and business will adapt, but there sure seems to be a gap growing between young people that can and can't afford this standard of living.
Or maybe it's because I'm getting old and most of the things people see nowadays as ordinary items of life look unnecessary to me.
Guess I will quit my rant, before I go to far off subject, and go enjoy my arthritis and tendinitis while I can still feel it.
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
I still like GTIs, and for a while really wanted a Golf R, but the amount of electronic stuff (dampers, lane avoidance, collision protection, and the electronic cluster) just makes me think the car will be junk in 10 years, or laughably obsolete. I do like the Arteon, despite the automatic, but the engine issues would keep me away. And those electronics...
gearheadgrrrl
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2002
- Location
- Buffalo Ridge (southwest Minnesota)
- TDI
- '15 Golf DSG, '13 JSW DSG surrendered to VW, '03 Golf 2 door manual
That's the plan, make us junk our cars before they're a decade old. Car makers assume the consumer has bottomless pits of money with which to buy a new SUV every few years and then thousands more to keep it running. That's not a sustainable business plan, as most of the automakers will find out in the next recession.
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Speaking of useless and fragile electronic stuff, just had yet another Ford in here (this one a 2015 Transit Connect) with yet another dead audio unit. $870 part, and hour to install it, and it has to be programmed or it won't even work.
The Clarion radio (cassette deck and all) STILL works perfectly fine in my 1991 Jetta.
The Clarion radio (cassette deck and all) STILL works perfectly fine in my 1991 Jetta.
gearheadgrrrl
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Dec 15, 2002
- Location
- Buffalo Ridge (southwest Minnesota)
- TDI
- '15 Golf DSG, '13 JSW DSG surrendered to VW, '03 Golf 2 door manual
The automakers forget that us old timers used to put a transistor radio on the dash and that was good enough!
jmodge
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Jun 18, 2015
- Location
- Greenville, MI
- TDI
- 2001 alh Jetta, RC2 w/.205's 5speed daily summer commuter and 2000 alh Jetta 5spd swap, 2" lift, hitch, stage 3 TDtuning w/.216's winter cruiser, 1996 Tacoma ALh
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Fact is these days a head/nav unit is unnecessary. I use my phone for navigation, music, news, and sometimes phone calls. Don't need anything in the car.
Lightflyer1
Top Post Dawg
Yep, just a cradle and charger. BT is nice though. Just so the music and directions and phone come over the stereo. I bought a RNS315 to go into my 2015 Beetle tdi and haven't installed it so far as the phone and BT work just fine with the original plain stereo. Someday. AC is the only important thing for me. It is the only thing I miss when driving my 1935 Ford Sedan. It has the basics.
Last edited:
turbobrick240
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2014
- Location
- maine
- TDI
- 2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I'm a bit surprised that GDE kept selling delete tunes after CARB fired a $50k shot (fine) over his bow. I guess he figured he could just cut out the California tunes and CARB would leave him alone.
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
There was a segment on CBS This Morning about how technology in cars are making them unaffordable, and how manufacturers are no longer building simpler vehicles. The concept was that you basically can't afford to buy a new car if you have $400/month to spend. They didn't talk about leases.
Although the story was typical network lightweight nonsense, they do have a point. If your at a lower income level your option pretty much is to buy used, which isn't horrible.
Although the story was typical network lightweight nonsense, they do have a point. If your at a lower income level your option pretty much is to buy used, which isn't horrible.
oilhammer
Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Unfortunately, I think the general public is frightened of "used" cars. Possibly because they are unable to objectively evaluate them let alone take the steps to keep them functioning.
Fact is, EVERY car is "used" the second it is driven off the dealer's lot.
Fact is, EVERY car is "used" the second it is driven off the dealer's lot.
nicklockard
Torque Dorque
On this line of thinking, I would furthermore argue that the lack of world-wide harmonized standards for on road vehicle emissions also largely contributes to the truck-centric 'build-em-big-n-load-em-up-with-options' mentality here.
Trucks in NA are just lifted commuter cars that can do light duty carrying of small items. Hell, the vast majority are short beds that can't even carry plywood for chrissakes. It's a weird situation ripe for being shaken up. Manufacturer's are addicted to trucks like a junky is addicted to drugs.
And the stupid, fractured standards keep the status quo locked in.
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
More like they're archaic body on frame designs that were amortized decades ago, but with bloated bodies and lots of electronics and chrome. Every time I ride in a "modern" pickup I'm mystified as to how someone can live with one of those as a daily driver. My 26 year old Mercedes drives far better.
MPLSTDI
Veteran Member
I really do think the truth is right in Oilhammer post!Unfortunately, I think the general public is frightened of "used" cars. Possibly because they are unable to objectively evaluate them let alone take the steps to keep them functioning.
Fact is, EVERY car is "used" the second it is driven off the dealer's lot.
Most people now days can't fix their own car, house, or anything else....
I used to just think they were lazy or busy. But most people can't figure out basic troubleshooting and are afraid to figure things out on their own.
And that plays right into the hands of manufacturers as they make cars more complex and build crummy home appliances that last five years if you are lucky....push more product out the door and fleece consumers.
jerrymander
Veteran Member
lmfao
how about the department of defense destroying millions of acres of land with tri-chloro ethylene? and the thousands of turbine engines, diesel engines, and nuclear engines they maintain and operate?
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
This morning I received an email from one of our shipping companies which in part reads:
The maritime industry is facing great changes: Starting January 1, 2020, vessels will only be allowed to use fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5 percent. The current standard is fuels with a sulphur cap of 3.5 percent. The new IMO2020 regulation is the first in a series of International Maritime Organization (IMO) measures to reduce marine pollution. Using low-sulphur fuel oil will be the key solution for the shipping industry.
My understanding is that ships are a huge, if not the largest, source of pollution of all types. Spend any time around the Los Angeles Port and you'll find a fine coating of soot on everything.
The rest of the letter describes how the company will be increasing prices to pay for the fuel. Rumor is this will increase over the road ULSD prices, too, because of increased demand of similar fuel for ships.
The maritime industry is facing great changes: Starting January 1, 2020, vessels will only be allowed to use fuel with a maximum sulphur content of 0.5 percent. The current standard is fuels with a sulphur cap of 3.5 percent. The new IMO2020 regulation is the first in a series of International Maritime Organization (IMO) measures to reduce marine pollution. Using low-sulphur fuel oil will be the key solution for the shipping industry.
My understanding is that ships are a huge, if not the largest, source of pollution of all types. Spend any time around the Los Angeles Port and you'll find a fine coating of soot on everything.
The rest of the letter describes how the company will be increasing prices to pay for the fuel. Rumor is this will increase over the road ULSD prices, too, because of increased demand of similar fuel for ships.
Lightflyer1
Top Post Dawg
Wait till they put a giant dpf on them! Man what a regen.
jackbombay
Top Post Dawg
What does the TCE contribute to air pollution?
Their diesel engines have intact emissions control systems on them.
What is a "Nuclear engine" LMFAO! And how much soot and NOx do they produce when operated? doubleLMFAO!
scooperhsd
Top Post Dawg
So far as I know, "nuclear engine" is just a nuclear reactor making steam for various uses. A bit impractical for use in passenger cars / light trucks, but could be useful for OTR semi's (if you can shrink the reactor enough and still get a useful amount of power to move the load.). In this application, until it's time to refuel the reactor, you would have practically zero emissions.
turbobrick240
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Nov 18, 2014
- Location
- maine
- TDI
- 2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
I think nuclear reactor semi trucks are still a few years out . Much more sensible to have electric semi's charged from a stationary nuclear reactor plant. But nuclear power is on it's way out. Too expensive.
. Much more sensible to have electric semi's charged from a stationary nuclear reactor plant. But nuclear power is on it's way out. Too expensive.
jackbombay
Top Post Dawg
I know, I was making fun of the absurd statement I quoted.
compu_85
Gadget Guy
Many ships have something like this... they bubble the exhaust through water.
kjclow
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2003
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- TDI
- 2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Early to mid Sept is when GDE got raided by the EPA. GDE is now sending out CARB violation notices to anyone that bought one of their tunes. Since their basic tune did not require removing any hardware, I call BS on the EPAs comment that they are only going after the full delete people.
IndigoBlueWagon
TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
I think "raid" is a strong term for EPA agents showing up and checking vehicles for hardware deletes and tunes. But since GDE was doing both I think the tunes got painted with the same brush. Also, they are contacting customers in CA that were tuned and offering to return them to stock. I think that's part of the settlement with the EPA, in addition to a fine.
kjclow
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2003
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- TDI
- 2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
Reading the threads on Ram1500diesel.com, it looks like part of the agreement with CARB was to not offer any tunes to Ca registered vehicles. Probably why GDE got off with a $50k fine versus others that forced bankruptcy.
kjclow
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2003
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- TDI
- 2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
I thought the regulation change was for fuel used only while in port. Or maybe that's what is in effect today. If all those supply ships change from bunker oil to ULSD, that will have a large effect on pump pricing. At least until the refineries get things balanced. Then all fuel prices should be up.
kjclow
Top Post Dawg
- Joined
- Apr 26, 2003
- Location
- Charlotte, NC
- TDI
- 2010 JSW TDI silver and black. 2017 Ram Ecodiesel dark red with brown and beige interior.
The letters have gone out to all GDE tuned owners in the US. The first posted copy was from someone in Florida.