Price of diesel

Originally Posted by torifile

I haven't driven a gasser in 7 years so I'm out of the loop with cars that use regular gas. Is it really the case that any high-ish performance car will require mid grade or premium? I didn't not know that.... But the fact remains, diesel is lousy expensive right now.

Most "highish performance" cars for quite sometime have specified premium fuel. Although with that said I think a number of the domestic offerings have for awhile been setup to run fine on 87. They will run better with up to 93 thanks to the joys of intelligent computers. A lot of the non domestic cars generate their power via turbos or superchargers, I am unsure if any of these are sold without a premium fuel warning. Actually has me wondering what the C250 and 328i require these days since they are both turbocharged.

Getting a 335d for fuel economy is not really the best choice. I had a diesel New Beetle with a manual 5 speed and averaged 42 mpg. The 335d is a hot rod with a bonus feature of freedom from the high price of fuel and compares favorably to many other cars.

Gasoline has become a byproduct of diesel refining as it was originally. What an irony, since even jet fuel is closer to diesel and more valuable than volatile gasoline.

The particulate matter that gasoline cars produce in their newly found direct injection form will be a sticking point for the morally bankrupt environmental lobby, since now we know a clean diesel is much safer than the cleanest gasoline car, and on a par with any current electric vehicle that gets its power from coal-fired generator plants.

So we will have diesel for a while and pay more, but not enough to erase the economic advantage. Wait until the 2 liter BMW 320d comes over to North America and then start comparing. Its barely a contest now with the relatively thirsty 335d but forget about it with a much more frugal 8 speed transmission in an F30 body with the smaller diesels.

PL

I am just assuming here that anyone who bought a 335d for fuel economy reasons bought it because they wanted a certain level of performance with certain vehicle options but also cared about fuel consumption. So with that being the case I'd imagine not many of them compared to a Bug or any VW offering.

The last two times I bought a car I looked at a wide range of vehicles as possible options. Each appealing to different desired completely. But I don't know many people who go after vehicles like I do. I always throw off the salesmen when they ask what other vehicles I am considering and I list of things that are in no way a direct competitor with their car.

Yeah, my choices were a base Boxster, a Mercedes E350 Bluetec, and the 335d. I wouldn't consider an M3 because of the horrible fuel economy and high price. I was looking for a sports car but loved diesel low end torque and economy.

Funny, but does anyone consider their 335d the closest thing to a diesel sports car on the market??

PL

I bought the 335d because I felt it was a great compromise between a "fast" car and typical "diesel" car. If it were any slower or less responsive then if never even considered it.

I came to the d from a different direction. My tdi was getting long in the tooth and I really wanted another diesel vehicle. I looked at the VW TDIs and I found them to be quite boring and uninspired. I needed bigger than the Golf I was driving but I had a really hard time enjoying the Jetta sportwagen. I still really dislike the way it looks. I drove the A3 and liked it ok. One day, I was surfing the web when I read about the 335d and had a couple hours to swing by the dealership. That was the big mistake.

But I wasn't sold on the 335 until the dealer got a CPO with extended maintenance at right about the price I was willing to pay for a car. I was really close to buying an A3 tdi but it was too close in price to the 335. A side note: Audi dealers really are nuts with the prices they try to command for the A3 tdi. It's just a smaller JSW. I don't know what they're thinking. I notice the A3 tdi is missing from their diesel lineup and the long-rumored A4 never made it over either. I think VAG is probably having difficulty differentiating those offerings from the VW TDIs. Why buy an A3 when you could get the JSW for 5-7k less? Or why buy an A4 TDI when you could get a Passat for thousands less too?

But no new diesel from BMW kinda sucks.

Originally Posted by torifile

But no new diesel from BMW kinda sucks.

There are reports about My 2014 having lot of diesel offerings. I hope that is true.

I never could get interest in the a3 because it seemed to me to be a glorified VW Sportwagon

Originally Posted by Snipe656

I never could get interest in the a3 because it seemed to me to be a glorified VW Sportwagon

It is. I prefer the hatchback styling to the longer wagon style though. Ultimately, it is the same car with a gussied up interior.

Originally Posted by torifile

It is. I prefer the hatchback styling to the longer wagon style though. Ultimately, it is the same car with a gussied up interior.

Oh, I love the looks of the A3 but the price difference and fact it is just a well dressed TDI Sportwagon killed my interest. Actually the T-egg TDI and diesel Porsche SUV have an almost similar effect on me.

Originally Posted by bimmerdiesel

There are reports about My 2014 having lot of diesel offerings. I hope that is true.

I'll believe it when I see it. I don't know how long you all have been following diesels in the states, but I've been reading the news about diesel models coming (or not) to the States for the better part of a decade. I keep waiting for the flood of diesel models to come over this way but it never seems to happen. I've been a huge diesel fan since driving my first diesel when we visited Spain years ago. Since then, I've been jealous of all the options our euro friends have over there. Great, fun cars to drive that are also somewhat Eco friendly and responsible.

Originally Posted by torifile

I came to the d from a different direction. My tdi was getting long in the tooth and I really wanted another diesel vehicle. I looked at the VW TDIs and I found them to be quite boring and uninspired. I needed bigger than the Golf I was driving but I had a really hard time enjoying the Jetta sportwagen. I still really dislike the way it looks. I drove the A3 and liked it ok. One day, I was surfing the web when I read about the 335d and had a couple hours to swing by the dealership. That was the big mistake.

But I wasn't sold on the 335 until the dealer got a CPO with extended maintenance at right about the price I was willing to pay for a car. I was really close to buying an A3 tdi but it was too close in price to the 335. A side note: Audi dealers really are nuts with the prices they try to command for the A3 tdi. It's just a smaller JSW. I don't know what they're thinking. I notice the A3 tdi is missing from their diesel lineup and the long-rumored A4 never made it over either. I think VAG is probably having difficulty differentiating those offerings from the VW TDIs. Why buy an A3 when you could get the JSW for 5-7k less? Or why buy an A4 TDI when you could get a Passat for thousands less too?

But no new diesel from BMW kinda sucks.

The other thing that bites with the A3 TDI is you can't get it with quattro. Only A3 gasoline and auto trans can get quattro atleast when I was in the market 15 months ago. Now an A4 TDI would likely have quattro avaliable. I agree the A4 TDI is likely a unicorn in the NA market though. Its been a long term tease.

Originally Posted by torifile

I'll believe it when I see it. I don't know how long you all have been following diesels in the states, but I've been reading the news about diesel models coming (or not) to the States for the better part of a decade. I keep waiting for the flood of diesel models to come over this way but it never seems to happen. I've been a huge diesel fan since driving my first diesel when we visited Spain years ago. Since then, I've been jealous of all the options our euro friends have over there. Great, fun cars to drive that are also somewhat Eco friendly and responsible.

Maybe soon: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/f...-plans-leaked/

Originally Posted by Sadi

Maybe soon: http://www.autoblog.com/2012/11/06/f...-plans-leaked/

I really wouldn't mind a 520d. At all.

PL

Okay, I finally got a decent deal. $3.519/gallon at local chevron with cash card. Regular around here is about $3.059/gallon but super is $3.459/galllon. The spread between diesela nd super had been about 30 cent/gallon. Some of the other stations keep holding to $3.759 though.
@bayoucity, i know that Chevron close to you always has a better deal. What's your going rate lately?

I pulled into a Buc Ee's south of sugarland last week and it was 3.39 if you got a car wash. Had I needed fuel then I'd done that even though it was raining. But a 30 cents per gallon savings works out to a decent amount when in my truck.

3.799 at the Texaco while everywhere else it's at 3.99 and up!

Diesel appears to be relaxing prices a bit. $3.729 at last fillup in South Florida.

Regular was in the $3.45 range. Still loving the MPG!

Quick Trip is selling diesel for$3.76 to $3.78, while my favorite Chevron Station is selling it for $4.00. I'm going to have to brave the crowds at Quick trip if the Chevron station doesn't drop the price.

Cheapest diesel I have found is $4.19 at a Shell station. Premium was $3.89.

around my area (N.Boston) price ranges from 3.99 to 4.19 and premium is around 3.69-3.89. I guess because of winter heating oil demand. From spring difference is usually -5 to 10 cents.