Volkswagen gets busted.
- Thread starter Siddar
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I find it hard to believe the CEO didn't know. If he was the typical American MBA CEO I would buy it, but this guy is an engineer. There are tons of stories about how hands on he is, including personally taking apart parts at LeMans to find out why it failed. I don't buy this guy would accept a fairy dust answer for why it suddenly could pass emissions.
TJT
Mr. Poopybutthole
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The more I think about it the more ridiculous it becomes. Volkswagen effectively creates their own niche market in the Diesel sector with their "Clean Diesel" vehicles for about 8 years. No other auto manufacturer has a similar product to compete with them (a few 2016 models from other manufacturers and Jaguars apparently?). They were untouchable in this market with the other manufacturers unable to figure out how they were accomplishing this.
I'm going to go with their "secret tech" was kept under highest security and was just a technobabble kind of explanation. It seems that most people, even engineers, could take something like that at face value and not question it.
I'm going to go with their "secret tech" was kept under highest security and was just a technobabble kind of explanation. It seems that most people, even engineers, could take something like that at face value and not question it.
Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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CARB - the California Air Reaerch Board said they tested them in real world conditon (IE on the road) and the passed. Nobody knows.
Big Phoenix
Pronouns: zie/zhem/zer
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Cybsled
Naxxramas 1.0 Raider
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All this does in the US is hurt the already tiny Diesel market. The impact in Europe could be much larger, though, since they have a shit ton more diesel passenger vehicles than we do. I read that unlike the US, they taxed gas more and subsidized diesel, whereas in the US it was pretty much the opposite.
Szlia
Member
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The norm for emissions are also different and more stringent in the US. Partly for ecological reasons and partly for thinly veiled protectionism reasons. Apparently, to take a Euro compatible diesel car and make it US compatible, you really need to redesign the engine and that's a very costly endeavor for a market that is not that big. My understanding is that french auto makers decided it was not worth it and that VW decided to... get creative. In the end that might prove more costly than designing that new engine!
Siddar
Bronze Baronet of the Realm
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Diesel is taxed less then gasoline in both Europe and US because of its heavy use in industry, farming, transportation.
US regulation against passenger cars using diesel can be seen as measure for increasing tax revenue by forcing use of higher taxed gasoline.
US regulation against passenger cars using diesel can be seen as measure for increasing tax revenue by forcing use of higher taxed gasoline.
zombiewizardhawk
Potato del Grande
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Hoss
Make America's Team Great Again
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I'll admit ignorance of whatever EPA ratings you're talking about and how they work on used cars. But around here diesels don't get emissions tested. So what's the difference between this used VW we have and that black dodge rolling coal in the picture on page 1?
Fifey
Trakanon Raider
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The difference is the VW isn't Merica made where as that 15 MPG douchemobile supports Merica and freedom.
*Except for all the parts that are made in Canada, Mexico and China.
Big Phoenix
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Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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Depends on the county here. Here they don't do any emission test at all. You pay the $5.00 and get a sticker, that's it. In the adjacent state they do it for the larger metro areas but once outside the city limits there's no testing. That's also the defining line of where non ethanol gas is available. Having a gas station on the non ehtanol side has become very lucrative and makes a killing in gas sales to boats alone since Mercury announced they wouldn't cover warranties using ethanol gasoline.
I have seen a couple of people on other boards mention they would just not take it back to a dealer. You know no matter what they'll do a new software update to your car if you take it to a dealer.
I guess I'm old fashioned. I never saw the appeal to a diesel car. Of course I remember when GM tried it in the 80's and it was a gigantic disaster. I have a diesel truck made before they changed the rules on diesels and introduced ultra low sulfur diesel. It gets 19mpg highway, 17 while towing a pretty good size trailer and tow 10,000 pounds max. Torque, I just don't see the interest for that in a car.
Don't hold your breath waiting for the EU to get tough. Although the tests in the article are for CO2 rather than NO, it shows the attitudes that prevail at the top.
UK, France and Germany lobbied for flawed car emissions tests
UK, France and Germany lobbied for flawed car emissions tests
UK, France and Germany lobbied for flawed car emissions tests, documents reveal | Environment | The Guardian
Xequecal
Trump's Staff
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Can't you buy untaxed diesel for these things? AFAIK they sell untaxed diesel that's been dyed blue or purple so they can catch people that try to fill up their cars with it.
Borzak
Bronze Baron of the Realm
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I don't think it's taxed at a lower rate. Just dyed diesel hasn't had the highway tax paid on it for highway use. It's about $0.40/gallon depending on your state. They sell it here and it's like $1.60/gallon for off road use.
Every so often you see the state checking truckers for it. They have a long dipstick that will go down the tank with a little tag on it that changes color. They catch loggers and such who share the diesel with the skidders and loaders and try to go by unnoticed.
I have a 500 gallon diesel tank and even tho I use it off road for farm equipment and to run the generator I get on road diesel because if I'm low in the F-250 diesel I will top it off to make it to town.
Every so often you see the state checking truckers for it. They have a long dipstick that will go down the tank with a little tag on it that changes color. They catch loggers and such who share the diesel with the skidders and loaders and try to go by unnoticed.
I have a 500 gallon diesel tank and even tho I use it off road for farm equipment and to run the generator I get on road diesel because if I'm low in the F-250 diesel I will top it off to make it to town.