Volkswagen exec reaffirms commitment to diesel: ‘Now it is absolutely clean’

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Sadly, with the exception of the trucks, all those diesels are discontinued at the end of the 2019 model year.
 

wonneber

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Oct 12, 2011
Location
Monroe, NY, USA
TDI
2014 Jetta Sportwagon,2003 Jetta 261K Sold but not forgotten
Just yesterday I was talking with my local guru about the return of VW diesels. He believes that VW won't do anything until the buyback cars are all sold. We're getting close to that. And then he thinks they may bring the EA288 back, as it will meet EPA standards without difficulty. We were also wondering why VW doesn't seem to be doing much in the way of gasoline engine development. Perhaps that indicates a desire to add diesels to the lineup instead of new gasoline engines.

Or we could be dreaming...
VW salesman indicated to me that not bringing diesels back to the US was part of the settlement.
Don't know how accurate his info is.

I prefer to look at it as wishful thinking. :)

Personally I think they will be back at some point.
 

BeetleGo

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 1998
Location
Cambridge, MA
TDI
5-door, 5-speed Golf GLS replaced BeetleGo.
Nope. We’re going electric. Don’t let them fool ya. Internal combustion engines are looking more and more like horse drawn buggies with each model year.

Once they make them sip electricity without having to plug in (yes, and self paying too), diesels will lose their once a month fill up advantage. Mercedes is already offering it! https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/next/e-mobility/concept-eq-mobility-revisited/
 

tikal

Veteran Member
Joined
Apr 18, 2001
Location
Southeast Texas
TDI
2004 Passat Wagon (chainless + 5 MT + GDE tune)
Nope. We’re going electric. Don’t let them fool ya. Internal combustion engines are looking more and more like horse drawn buggies with each model year.

Once they make them sip electricity without having to plug in (yes, and self paying too), diesels will lose their once a month fill up advantage. Mercedes is already offering it! https://www.mercedes-benz.com/en/next/e-mobility/concept-eq-mobility-revisited/
Once the price of gasoline fuel goes up and up and stays up and up for years (maybe decades) there might be an incentive to pay a premium price to buy an all electric vehicle such an SUV or a truck.

Take an medium size SUV, that lets say costs on the average $30,000. Electrify it completely and try to sell it for $45K to $50K with a range of 250 miles. With price of regular unleaded averaging $2.65 nationwide, how popular will it be?

Now wait until the price of RUG is like $3.50 to $4 (average nationwide) then that electrical SUV is looking a lot more sell-able!
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I still look at EVs as being the next step from hyper efficient ICE vehicles... and we (Americans in a statistic sense, present company excluded of course) are not embracing hyper efficient ICE vehicles. We just aren't. The sales figures reflect this. The manufacturers' offerings reflect this.

When these pump sucking trucks and SUVs start to gather dust on dealer lots, and the few small efficient vehicles left to choose from are in high demand, THEN the EVs will fall into the next logical step for a lot of people. But until that happens, they will remain a slowly climbing but largely a niche vehicle in this country in great numbers.

And yes, I know that better efficiency is happening in most all (but not every) segment, but this is largely an optional choice often paired with exceedingly expensive option packages. The F150 starts at $26k. If you want the most efficient engine choice they have, the 3.0L V6 diesel, that starting price jumps a whopping $20k. Seriously. If you want the next efficient engine choice down the line, the 2.7L Ecoboost V6, the starting price still jumps about $6k. So yes, we can even make the big pigs like F-trucks more efficient, but most won't do that. If they are going to buy a truck, they'll get either the 3.5L Ecoboost V6 or the 5.0L V8 instead.

The new Silverado is another one, same thing. You want the more efficient engines, get ready to pay.
 

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.
Add to that, most of the car companies are killing off sedans for North America. It's going to be hard to convince people to give up their large trucks and SUVs for a small economy car when (if) fuel prices get high enough to have to weigh gas money versus food money.

I will admit to being one of those. I had a Sentra for a rental car this week and nothing made me happier than climbing into my Ram at the airport.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
I still look at EVs as being the next step from hyper efficient ICE vehicles... and we (Americans in a statistic sense, present company excluded of course) are not embracing hyper efficient ICE vehicles. We just aren't. The sales figures reflect this. The manufacturers' offerings reflect this.
This makes a lot of sense. If consumers aren't willing to buy a 35 MPG ICE sedan or a 40 MPG ICE hatchback, what would compel them to make the trade-offs in cost and convenience to go electric? I grew up with small cars, and I prefer them. I honestly don't think of my MKIVs as truly small, although they are now among the smallest cars on the road.

I'm glad that not everyone is giving up on sedans. Hyundai, Honda, and Kia are still at it. VW won't sell many Arterons, but at least they brought it here.

I'm not sure what the fuel price point is where people will start to hurt. I don't think $4/gallon is it any longer. Maybe $5?
 

scooperhsd

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Aug 19, 2003
Location
Kansas City KS
TDI
NB, 2000, RED(5 Speed conversion) 2015 Golf SE
I haven't owned a truck since I sold my 1983 Ford Ranger in 1990 - for about 99.99 % of the time, I haven't missed it. There have been the rare times when it would have been nice for hauling something. Now , since I have to haul a string bass around - a larger vehicle of some sort is looking pretty good. But it is probably not going to be a brand new one.
 

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'm glad that not everyone is giving up on sedans. Hyundai, Honda, and Kia are still at it.
I was laughing last night at the Hyundai, or maybe it was Kia, showing their line of now five or six SUVs with the big to little dog comparisons in front. So even the Koreans are bring over what the public is demanding.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
Actually, they are not "bringing anything over". They are built here, for here. The Kia Telluride (weird name, big ugly thing that looks like scrapped designs for a Volvo in the '90s) was designed by Tom Kearns (an American) and is built in their plant in Georgia. The Koreans have likely never seen one on their streets.

Pretty sure there are no Sequoias or Armadas cruising down the streets of Tokyo either.

So yeah, catering to the US market to the extreme.
 

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.
Kind of like the North American Passat.
 

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
When I do the numbers on my next new car I quickly figure out that even at 25 MPG fuel ain't a budget buster. The real budget busters derive from original price of the car, stuff like depreciation, license fees, and insurance. But looking at it from a different angle, 40 MPG vs. 25 MPG means I can drive a lot more for the same transportation budget $$$.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
I have been driving VAG diesels just about since I have been driving, I really know of no other means to go from A to B with a minimal amount of fuel used.

While I have owned, and do own, other vehicles, for the day to day use these cars are really hard to give up for anything else. They check all the boxes for me.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
It would have been a standout in that segment with a TDI, but that ship sailed (and sank, evidently).
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
Wednesday I drove from NJ to NC on $43 of fuel in my MKIV Wagon. Even a small SUV would have cost 2-3 times that much, especially when running at 75-80 MPH. Is that a huge deal? No, but it buys a couple lunches or a dinner for me and the friend I'm visiting. And for me there's no downside. I love driving the MKIV.
 

BeetleGo

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 1998
Location
Cambridge, MA
TDI
5-door, 5-speed Golf GLS replaced BeetleGo.
Wednesday I drove from NJ to NC on $43 of fuel in my MKIV Wagon. Even a small SUV would have cost 2-3 times that much, especially when running at 75-80 MPH. Is that a huge deal? No, but it buys a couple lunches or a dinner for me and the friend I'm visiting. And for me there's no downside. I love driving the MKIV.
Your stick shift MKIV. Absolutely. An automatic? Not so much! :)!
 

Mythdoc

Veteran Member
Joined
Jan 28, 2017
Location
Tennessee
TDI
2011 Touareg, 2015 Q5, 2015 Golf
Buddy of mine who knows how much I love the TDI asked me what my next car would be after the Q5. I couldn’t come up with an answer. That sucks.
 

turbobrick240

Top Post Dawg
Joined
Nov 18, 2014
Location
maine
TDI
2011 vw golf tdi(gone to greener pastures), 2001 ford f250 powerstroke
Most people probably couldn't say with confidence what their next vehicle will be. I'd just enjoy that Q5 as long as the warranty lasts, then worry about it.
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
I have my next car. And the one after that. But since IBW seems to refuse to die I am at not need them.
 

BeetleGo

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 1998
Location
Cambridge, MA
TDI
5-door, 5-speed Golf GLS replaced BeetleGo.
I thought that’s why be buy TDI’s! I’m waiting out the first years of electric, letting them build more charging stations and getting things like Maxwell technology (faster charges and more TDI-like range, 500 miles per charge), and inductive no plug in charging.

But in the interim I get 750 mile tanks and a fun stick shift. The one-speed electric transmission is next! One speed yes, multi-$peed (they’re up to 10 now), no thank you.
 

oilhammer

Certified Volkswagen Nut & Vendor
Joined
Dec 11, 2001
Location
outside St Louis, MO
TDI
There are just too many to list....
FWIW, many of these "many speed" autoboxes do not actually use all the ratios all the time. It depends on load demands, but they can and often do skip gears. They've also got shift mapping pretty darn good, and in most cases well matched to the engine. I was suprised just how well behaved Ford's 10sp slushboxes are in the new trucks.

I'd still rather row my own gears, though.
 

BeetleGo

TDIClub Enthusiast, Pre-Forum Veteran Member
Joined
Oct 21, 1998
Location
Cambridge, MA
TDI
5-door, 5-speed Golf GLS replaced BeetleGo.
FWIW, many of these "many speed" autoboxes do not actually use all the ratios all the time. It depends on load demands, but they can and often do skip gears. They've also got shift mapping pretty darn good, and in most cases well matched to the engine. I was suprised just how well behaved Ford's 10sp slushboxes are in the new trucks.
I'd still rather row my own gears, though.
You can repair them WHEN they fail. Gimme my stick until I go one-speed electric.
 

tadawson

Veteran Member
Joined
Jun 14, 2013
Location
Lewisville, TX
TDI
2013 Passat TDI SEL, 2015 Passat TDI SEL
57 years old.

Family always had autos as a kid.
Owned 2 manuals on my watch, and a number of autos.

The *ONLY* transmission failures I have ever had have been in the manuals.


Nissan Maxima shredded bearings, and a clutch failure. The autos rocked on well over 100K on all other cars . . .



So, I politely call "BS" on that statement, at least as an overall claim. (Might be true withing a given brand though . . . ).



And, frankly, I am about as interested in becoming "electrotarded" as I am in contracting an STD . . .
 

IndigoBlueWagon

TDIClub Enthusiast, Principal IDParts, Vendor , w/
Joined
Aug 16, 2004
Location
South of Boston
TDI
'97 Passat, '99.5 Golf, '02 Jetta Wagon, '15 GSW
For older cars I think it's a widely shared belief that automatic transmissions don't last as long as manuals. Couple examples:

  • Mechanics agree that auto transmissions are a weak link in older Mercedes Diesels, which are othewise pretty hard cars to kill.
  • VW has experienced nearly 100% failure of their 01M 4-speed automatics. Their manuals just last and last.
Because of these (and other) failures, plus dual mass flywheel failures on VWs, which are common with both manuals and automatics, but not replaceable with single mass flywheels on automatics, people here are apprehensive about the durability of automatics.

Clearly you have had a different experience. But in the TDI world 100K miles is just getting started.
 
Top