OT: Diesels are the way to go
Matt Macchiarolo
Just got back from Europe yesterday, my first time to Germany visiting
friends, and we rented a BMW 3-series touring sedan with one of their diesel
v-6's with the six-speed auto. I'm guessing it was the 330, but not
sure...there were no tags on the car that indicated the model and the manual
was in German. Anyway, driving that car around for a week has me convinced
that the North American auto market is missing out big time on modern diesel
technology. Performance was excellent, it had great acceleration, it topped
out at about 140mph (228kph...I love the autobahn!) and I got a combined
6.8L/100km which translates to about 34.6 mpg while regularly running the
autobahn at 100-110mph. It was about as quiet as my wife's Saturn Aura,
though the engine did make a different sound, more like a four cylinder gas
engine. And never once did I catch a whiff of diesel exhaust stink.
Just thought I'd share...
--
---
Matt Macchiarolo
mlmacchiarolo at comcast dot net
Stupendous Man
>
I'll bet Bill smelled it from his home.
"Eurovans" have been around for many years by many makers, along with cool
small utility vehicles like this
http://www.stampshows.com/ascension-pm.jpg
--
Stupendous Man
Defender of Liberty, Advocate of Justice
L.W. (Bill) Hughes III
Forest?
God Bless America, Bill 0|||||||0
mailto:LWHug...@aol.com http://www.billhughes.com/
"Matt Macchiarolo" <ma...@nospamplease.com> wrote in message
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Matt Macchiarolo
http://www.kubiss.de/kulturreferat/reichsparteitagsgelaende/bilder/zeppelintribuene_2,.jpg
"L.W. (Bill) Hughes III" <billh...@cox.net> wrote in message
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Jeff Strickland
the trunk lid with the model, and there is a 330d rolling around Europe. The
330i that is in our market is an I6, not a V6, I'm not sure of the
configuration of the diesel motors, but I thought they were an I6 as well.
2.) Personally, I hold diesel motors in VERY low regard. Having said that, I
took note recently of the Audi TDI cars running in the Le Mans Series. They
kick ass. I need to re-think my position on them.
"Matt Macchiarolo" <ma...@nospamplease.com> wrote in message
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L.W. (Bill) Hughes III
Frankfurt and Luxembourg. So you haven't see the forest for the dead trees?
"Matt Macchiarolo" <ma...@nospamplease.com> wrote in message
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> No, but we did go to Nuremburg and we stood here:
>
>
http://www.kubiss.de/kulturreferat/reichsparteitagsgelaende/bilder/zeppelintribuene_2,.jpg
--
Matt Macchiarolo
"Jeff Strickland" <cr...@verizon.net> wrote in message
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> 1.) Are you sure it was a V6? BMWs are usually inline 6s. BMWs usually
> badge the trunk lid with the model, and there is a 330d rolling around
> Europe. The 330i that is in our market is an I6, not a V6, I'm not sure of
> the configuration of the diesel motors, but I thought they were an I6 as
> well.
I checked out the BMW-Germany website and apparently BMW 3-series cars in
Europe have two V-6 diesels available as well as two four-cylinder diesels.
There were no badges of any kind on the car except the BMW logo. Many cars
over there were like that, my friend I was visiting says you have to request
the badges when ordering. I'm even guessing at the number of cylinders
based on my fuel consumption and top speed, there was nothing under the hood
that told me how many cylinders it had short of taking the plastic engine
cover off. It did *sound* like a four, but I don't think it was.
>
> 2.) Personally, I hold diesel motors in VERY low regard. Having said that,
> I took note recently of the Audi TDI cars running in the Le Mans Series.
> They kick ass. I need to re-think my position on them.
This is not your father's diesel :-) I was pleasantly surprised at the
performance and smoothness of this engine. Incidentally, almost every car
that passed me on the autobahn when I was going a decent clip (110mph) was
an Audi, and was usually black and passed me as though I was standing still
:-)
Matt Macchiarolo
Frankfurt. All the trees I saw were alive. Driving to Salzburg looked like
driving through East Tennessee, with all the conifers.
"L.W. (Bill) Hughes III" <billh...@cox.net> wrote in message
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Matt Macchiarolo
them with the Mercedes V-6's.
After looking at the site a little closer, it very well could have been the
four-cylinder, in which case I would be doubly impressed. Nothing on the
registration indicated number of cylinders, according to my German friend...
"Matt Macchiarolo" <ma...@nospamplease.com> wrote in message
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L.W. (Bill) Hughes III
"Matt Macchiarolo" <ma...@nospamplease.com> wrote in message
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> We stayed most of the time outside of Schwienfurt, about an hour from
> Frankfurt. All the trees I saw were alive. Driving to Salzburg looked like
> driving through East Tennessee, with all the conifers.
--
Earle Horton
as the four cylinder Renault I rented another time. There are plenty of
trees there, except in the dry central part which is a little like Western
Colorado. I could smell the Golf, but it was early morning, just after I
had rented it, and while it was warming up. The Avis guy and I were
standing right back of the rear bumper, shooting the breeze, and it was just
a faint smell you could barely detect. I would have no qualms about letting
these cars in the States, except for the block heater I would probably need
in Silverton.
Another time I was in the Bus Depot in Burgos, and a guy from LA started
having breathing difficulties. I was trying to remember the Spanish
equivalent of "911" but he just stuck his head down by the bus exhaust, and
was OK in a minute or two. (Third time I've used this story. Have to go
back soon and get another one. You old coots won't notice anyway.)
Earle
"Matt Macchiarolo" <ma...@nospamplease.com> wrote in message
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DougW
> I rented a four cylinder Golf when I was in Spain. It was almost as
> peppy as the four cylinder Renault I rented another time. There are
> plenty of trees there, except in the dry central part which is a
> little like Western Colorado. I could smell the Golf, but it was
> early morning, just after I had rented it, and while it was warming
> up. The Avis guy and I were standing right back of the rear bumper,
> shooting the breeze, and it was just a faint smell you could barely
> detect. I would have no qualms about letting these cars in the
> States, except for the block heater I would probably need in
> Silverton.
Keep in mind the diesel fuel they have over there is more refined
than what you find in the pumps here. They will still run on it
but the smell will be just like any other diesel on the road over
here.
I've driven the 4cyl Golf before, but I like the BMW +1 because
you can park four in a one-car garage. :) It's like riding in
a pimped out gocart.
--
DougW
Earle Horton
news:8AVUh.113834$nh4....@newsfe20.lga...
Earle
Jeff Strickland
Geez Matt, what's wrong with you?
If you had the 6-speed trans, I'm all but certain you had a 6 under the
hood. I do not think the 6-speed is available with the 4 banger. Having said
that, if you squoze 130+ mph from a 4-banger diesel, I'd be impressed so
much that I suppose my eyes would water when I raised the hood -- I mean,
bonnet.
"Matt Macchiarolo" <ma...@nospamplease.com> wrote in message
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DougW
> "DougW" wrote:
>> I've driven the 4cyl Golf before, but I like the BMW +1 because
>> you can park four in a one-car garage. :) It's like riding in
>> a pimped out gocart.
>>
> You'd like the Smart Car then.
>
> http://www.smartcar.com/
looks like the same vehicle. Gonna have to dig through the photos
and see if I had one of the rental.
--
DougW
The Merg
> Another time I was in the Bus Depot in Burgos, and a guy from LA started
> having breathing difficulties. I was trying to remember the Spanish
> equivalent of "911" but he just stuck his head down by the bus exhaust, and
> was OK in a minute or two. (Third time I've used this story. Have to go
> back soon and get another one. You old coots won't notice anyway.)
>
> Earle
Don't worry Earle, I noticed. Before I saw your disclaimer, I was
thinking "hey, he's told this story before. I'm definitely calling him out."
Let me know when you go back. I'm down for a trip to Spain.
Matt Macchiarolo
in Europe the sulfur content used to be way lower. Not anymore, since ULS
diesel was mandated in the States this year.
"DougW" <post.r...@invalid.address> wrote in message
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Matt Macchiarolo
"Jeff Strickland" <cr...@verizon.net> wrote in message
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> When the bonnet is raised, one is allowed to count the exhaust tubes.
>
Not when there is a huge plastic engine cover obtrsructing the ENTIRE
engine...I didn't have time to look too closely, I was too busy enjoying the
beer and schnitzel...
> Geez Matt, what's wrong with you?
>
> If you had the 6-speed trans, I'm all but certain you had a 6 under the
> hood. I do not think the 6-speed is available with the 4 banger. Having
> said that, if you squoze 130+ mph from a 4-banger diesel, I'd be impressed
> so much that I suppose my eyes would water when I raised the hood -- I
> mean, bonnet.
>
It was the 6-speed manumatic, and that would be my guess as well. It took us
ten minutes to figure out how to start the damn thing, there is no standard
key...you fit the key fob in a slot in the dash, foot on the brake, and
press the start button. Then we had to figure out out to get the navigation
system to speak.display English instead of German...