Astounding discovery: new diesel engine invented

[nortones2]

I thought you guys might like a little amusement: - “John Matteson, the general manager of Palisades Volkswagen in West Nyack, said he believes "diesel is going to have a strong future in this area. Diesel has a lot of attractive attributes. They get better gas mileage and there are fewer moving parts, so diesel engines are known for their longevity," he said.”

From: http://www.thejournalnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061209/BUSINESS01/612090332/1066

 

[Lug_Nut]

Never mind bringing more sophisticated engines, we need to insist on improving the sophistication of the dealers and service at VWoA!

 

[Rico567]

All the irony and sarcasm in this thread assumes that it is necessary to understand the theory and relative efficiencies of internal combustion engines in order to sell them and service them. And it's not. End of story.

As for the more general question of how widely technological knowledge is distributed in the population, quick -without looking- explain how your television receiver works. This is a 1930's technology....now, what percentage of those selling or servicing TVs can explain it?

The answers here are obvious, and the functioning of our whole age depends wholly upon it, that of the Super Barbarian who can run around using all manner of sophisticated technology while understanding none of it. A miniscule number of the high priests of whatever scientific disciplines are involved DO understand it, along with larger numbers of their acolytes -the engineers- who understand it less perfectly. It remains for the rest of us to consume, admire, adore.

 

[nortones2]

Engineers acolytes to, therefore inferior to scientists? Thats news. Maybe you really mean technicians, but the chartered engineers I know would be offended, and Messrs Diesel, Lanchester even more.

 

[whitedog]

Dwight Dachnowicz, the owner of Tarrytown Honda, thinks demand will be high, particularly in Westchester County. He believes the combination of well-educated consumers and the region's urban landscape - since vehicles usually get less mileage in the city than on highways - will drive demand.

Hmmm I can see some problems developing from this guy. He may be thinking about the Honda Hybrids.

 

[Ernie Rogers]

We need more greasy fingernails

Sorry, Rico,

I just don't agree.

In my view, the great strength of America has come from those features that make us strong as individuals. One of those: We have always had a freedom to tinker, to make and fix things for ourselves. You have to understand the machine you are tinkering on for this to work. This spirit of self-reliance and tinkering has given the U.S. its technological edge.

It has also produced engineers (and scientists) that have an instinctive understanding of the natural world, and consequently a better understanding of machines. Up to the present day, many of the breakthrough inventions filed at the U.S. patent office come from people like the ones on this list. We are the heart of America.

We should try to understand the little details of our cars, and then we must teach each other. Get some grease under your fingernails. The next great innovation in automobiles could start right here.

By the way, Vickingrob just called. He is in major distress because his auto transmission just stopped working, and he has no clue what to do.

Ernie Rogers

All the irony and sarcasm in this thread assumes that it is necessary to understand the theory and relative efficiencies of internal combustion engines in order to sell them and service them. And it's not. End of story.

As for the more general question of how widely technological knowledge is distributed in the population, quick -without looking- explain how your television receiver works. This is a 1930's technology....now, what percentage of those selling or servicing TVs can explain it?

The answers here are obvious, and the functioning of our whole age depends wholly upon it, that of the Super Barbarian who can run around using all manner of sophisticated technology while understanding none of it. A miniscule number of the high priests of whatever scientific disciplines are involved DO understand it, along with larger numbers of their acolytes -the engineers- who understand it less perfectly. It remains for the rest of us to consume, admire, adore.

 

[Thunderstruck]

I don't understand why he says diesel VW's go for a $2000 premium. When I bought mine, the difference was about $1200 compared to a gasser. They must be marking them up to get the additional $800.

 

[deezuhl]

I don't understand why he says diesel VW's go for a $2000 premium. When I bought mine, the difference was about $1200 compared to a gasser. They must be marking them up to get the additional $800.

The local dealer in Gainesville has a $2,000.00 Market Adjustment on all their TDI's.

 

[Txst]

The local dealer in Gainesville has a $2,000.00 Market Adjustment on all their TDI's.

Rod East in San Antonio has no mark-up on his TDI's. Never has. But you will always pay close to sticker for one. I got mine for about 500 less than sticker. I realize his place is not the norm, but there are some places that refuse to gouge and end up gaining a life-long customer. And their service isn't bad either. I know that alot of VW's dealerships get a bad grade from many of you but Rod East does a fine job in sales and service. They haven't ruined my VW experience at all. In fact, they have been a dream compared to the problems I had with toyota sales and service (not to mention the problems with the truck).
Cheers

 

[Matt_OToole]

In my view, the great strength of America has come from those features that make us strong as individuals. One of those: We have always had a freedom to tinker, to make and fix things for ourselves. You have to understand the machine you are tinkering on for this to work. This spirit of self-reliance and tinkering has given the U.S. its technological edge.

It has also produced engineers (and scientists) that have an instinctive understanding of the natural world, and consequently a better understanding of machines. Up to the present day, many of the breakthrough inventions filed at the U.S. patent office come from people like the ones on this list. We are the heart of America.

We should try to understand the little details of our cars, and then we must teach each other. Get some grease under your fingernails. The next great innovation in automobiles could start right here.

Well said, Ernie!

One thing that concerns me is the garage tinkerer becoming an endangered species. With such high real estate prices in major tech centers, our brightest engineers can no longer afford garages! No room to tinker in an apartment condo, except with software.

--

 

[FredIA]

As for the more general question of how widely technological knowledge is distributed in the population, quick -without looking- explain how your television receiver works. This is a 1930's technology....

What kind, digital (8VSB ATSC, DVB, DSS, QAM over cable) or analog? I can give you a pretty good working description (on a top level) for modulation and even a simple explanation of MPEG2 and 4.

Or do you mean the sets themselves? Analog CRT, or newer technologies such as DLP, Plasma and LCD? I could probably, at a high level describe how all work off the top of my head.

The real short answer for a traditional CRT is it's a dot at a time generated by an electron emitter that's focused and positioned on the screen at a rapid rate by two magnetic fields.

It helps, if you do something for a living, to at least have a high-level, basic understanding of what you are working with.

But in this country, we don't need to "produce" anything anymore.. we are an all "service" and "intellectual property" (like there is such a thing in reality, geeze) economy now, right?

It absolutely drives me insane that the Average American can watch four hours of TV a day without having any understanding of what the TV is doing.. same applies to cars. We are going to "dumb" ourselves right down the toilet unless something changes soon.

Sorry, but you inadvertantly hit a "pet-peeve" of mine with that example.

Fred

 

[n171cd]

I don't understand why he says diesel VW's go for a $2000 premium. When I bought mine, the difference was about $1200 compared to a gasser. They must be marking them up to get the additional $800.

I bought my Jetta from Palisades VW and I paid less than sticker (quite a bit less). Granted it was in 2003 before gas shot up so I guess there just wasn’t as much of a demand then. I have also had my car serviced there and I have no complaints other than it is just way too expensive. I will be seeking out a guru for all future work.

 

[FloridaMutt]

What kind, digital (8VSB ATSC, DVB, DSS, QAM over cable) or analog? I can give you a pretty good working description (on a top level) for modulation and even a simple explanation of MPEG2 and 4.

Or do you mean the sets themselves? Analog CRT, or newer technologies such as DLP, Plasma and LCD? I could probably, at a high level describe how all work off the top of my head.

The real short answer for a traditional CRT is it's a dot at a time generated by an electron emitter that's focused and positioned on the screen at a rapid rate by two magnetic fields.....

....Sorry, but you inadvertantly hit a "pet-peeve" of mine with that example.

Fred

Fred

You are an exception, so his point still stands.

FM

 

[NextExit]

It seems like an innocent mistake to say that a TDI gets better "gas mileage" unless you know that he might have been quoting the VW web site. When I pointed out the offending line to them they still couldn't see what was wrong with it.

 

[Mulad]

[regarding the inability to understand how TVs, cars, etc., work...]

Hell, I blame the manufacturers in many cases. I'm biased toward thinking about how computers used to be versus how they are now, so I don't know if this applies to everything, but it used to be that a manual for a printer or whatever would have vastly more information on how it worked, how it could be fixed, and even how it could be programmed. So many companies want to hide the inner workings of their devices and force them to be thought of as black boxes. Sometimes this is inevitable -- miniaturization makes repairing a cell phone all but impossible, for instance, but is there a need to hide how the thing works? Not really, it's only so that they can make more money by forcing you to get ringtones, graphics, programs, and so on through channels that the manufacturers and service providers control. The profit motive beats out the education motive, and I personally think our culture is suffering for it.

 

[nh mike]

Sorry, Rico,

I just don't agree.

In my view, the great strength of America has come from those features that make us strong as individuals. One of those: We have always had a freedom to tinker, to make and fix things for ourselves. You have to understand the machine you are tinkering on for this to work. This spirit of self-reliance and tinkering has given the U.S. its technological edge.

No, what has given the US its technological edge has been:
1. better intellectual property laws than most other countries, that encourage "inventors" (whether researchers at universities, scientists/engineers at companies, or backyard/basement inventors) to work hard to develop new technologies,
2. Substantial funding from the government for research at universities and companies, that made our universities tops in the world in most research fields. Continually dropping performances of homegrown students though has made our research institutions highly dependent on grad students and researchers from other countries.

Unfortunately item 2 is changing substantially, with the US giving a pittance to some of the most promising and important research fields (alternative energies, stem cell research, etc.) compared to other countries - in particular China. The fundamental problem here is that our government is controlled far too much by lobby groups, who now have vested interests against some of the most important research fields.

It has also produced engineers (and scientists) that have an instinctive understanding of the natural world, and consequently a better understanding of machines. Up to the present day, many of the breakthrough inventions filed at the U.S. patent office come from people like the ones on this list. We are the heart of America.

That's a nice romantic view, but unfortunately not accurate. SOME breakthrough inventions have been made by relatively untrained people - the examples of that are overly touted though, giving the mistaken impression that they are greater in number than they really are.

We should try to understand the little details of our cars, and then we must teach each other. Get some grease under your fingernails. The next great innovation in automobiles could start right here.

Yes, it could. Especially given how little funding the government is focusing on options that actually make sense (instead focusing it on fuel cells and the like).

 

[nh mike]

What kind, digital (8VSB ATSC, DVB, DSS, QAM over cable) or analog? I can give you a pretty good working description (on a top level) for modulation and even a simple explanation of MPEG2 and 4.

Or do you mean the sets themselves? Analog CRT, or newer technologies such as DLP, Plasma and LCD? I could probably, at a high level describe how all work off the top of my head.

The real short answer for a traditional CRT is it's a dot at a time generated by an electron emitter that's focused and positioned on the screen at a rapid rate by two magnetic fields.

I think most CRTs made in the past decade or two have used strong electric fields rather than magnetic fields to aim the electrons. Easier to control.

It absolutely drives me insane that the Average American can watch four hours of TV a day without having any understanding of what the TV is doing.. same applies to cars. We are going to "dumb" ourselves right down the toilet unless something changes soon.

Yup.

 

[bhtooefr]

And #1 is going away, now, too, thanks to patent barratry. Unfortunately, nobody's patented patent barratry as a business model, or there'd be a lot less of it.

 

[1998993C2S]

RICO 567, Well said!! And, three cheers to the consumers on this Earth.