Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2008/10/27
[Author Prev] [Author Next] [Thread Prev] [Thread Next] [Author Index] [Topic Index] [Home] [Search]I bought a Toyota Avensis last year with a 2.2 l, 150 hp diesel engine. The car runs great, does over 200 km/h and cruises on the motorway at 180 km/h without a hiccup. On my long drives, like the one I did to Bath last month, it gets about 15 km/l, or about 35 mpg, in the city about 30 mpg. The relatively low difference between city and motorway probably has to do with my driving style, if I drove at 120-140 km/h I would get better mileage on the motorway. In any event, it is pretty decent for a mid-sized, comfortable car. Some of you may recall that I also considered a Prius, but in the end went for this one because of better power and higher top speeds--and also I do not like automatic transmission, and that is the only option on a Prius. The sales rep at the Toyota dealership told me that the expected life of the Prius battery was 6 years, the examples on Toyota's web site notwithstanding. Nathan Nathan Wajsman Alicante, Spain http://www.frozenlight.eu http://www.greatpix.eu http://www.nathanfoto.com Books: http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/search?search=wajsman&x=0&y=0 PICTURE OF THE WEEK: http://www.fotocycle.dk/paws Blog: http://www.fotocycle.dk/blog On Oct 27, 2008, at 9:56 PM, Henning Wulff wrote: > At 4:21 PM -0400 10/27/08, Charles Hehl wrote: >> I just purchased a new GMC diesel truck and it requires ultra low >> sulfur diesel fuel as it is designed to meet the 2010 EPA standards >> for pollutants. I also understand that most states now only sell >> the ultra low sulfur diesel fuel and that it takes a bit more >> refining to make...hence the higher price. >> >> Charlie Hehl > > > That's the fuel that's been available in Europe for 10 years or > more, and why we in North America are only now getting the better > diesel engined European cars. > > About 2000 I asked a VW dealer here why we didn't get the more > interesting diesel cars, and he said that: > > 1. No one wanted diesels and he wouldn't be able to sell them > > 2. They (the oil companies) couldn't make that kind of fuel here and > > 3. The hybrids have a lot better fuel consumption numbers > > > All of these are only partially true, because > > 1. No salesmen could sell them because they didn't have any to sell > > 2. The oil companies had other priorities > > 3. Hybrids and diesel powered cars excel at different types of > driving, but hybrids tend to be more expensive up front, and rarely > repay the increased capital cost. > > > So bring on the better diesel cars! > > VW still doesn't get it; they will now offer one car, the Jetta, > with a diesel engine that gives the worst consumption/performance > combination of those they offer in Europe. Go figure. > > > -- > * Henning J. Wulff > /|\ Wulff Photography & Design > /###\ mailto:henningw@archiphoto.com > |[ ]| http://www.archiphoto.com > > _______________________________________________ > Leica Users Group. > See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information