Diesel prices droping....

[mikeinaustin]

Saw that diesel in austin, tx is now less than premium leaded but about 10c more then regular unleaded. As diesel prices fall, does this change your view on getting a car/truck with one of those clean diesel engines? [bmw, mb, etc]. i believe most of those clean diesels qualify for a tax credits as well (though the cost of the engine is higher than the cost of a gas engine).

Anyway, what are your thoughts?

 

[bepperb]

That's good to see. The difference here in WI is getting smaller, 1.79 vs 2.09 today. My guess is the warm weather of the last month is responsible, as Diesel and home heating oil are basically the same thing.

I was pretty disappointed that Honda has cancelled their diesel plans for now. A CRV with a 2.4 diesel would be a perfect match. It would also go well in the Accord wagon due out this fall.

So yes, very interested but the cars just aren't there. I don't need a compact car with a diesel, as the gas equivelant is already economical, so the Jetta is out. And everything else is too big or I can't afford it. We'll have to see what the 2010 model year brings...

 

[eljefino]

It's been ~ 5 years since diesel has been at this comparative price. The rest of the world seems to have enough of a diesel fleet that crude is being refined into distillates with gasoline being a secondary leftover.

For me, a diesel vehicle would have to have at least a 30% efficiency gain to cover the increased (yes, increased) maintenance... 3 gallon oil sumps in pickups, timing belts in VWs... as well as the point to where I think diesel will recover in price.

 

[mikeinaustin]

ha yes they do take a lot of oil don't they? but i just came across a gas mercedes-benz (2009 c350) that takes 8-9qts! that's a lot of oil for such a small engine (3.5l).

 

[Kestas]

I'm in the middle of doing my taxes and I don't see any credits for diesel engines... only for hybrids, solar energy installations, photovoltaics, geothermal, and windmills.

All Mercedes models I'm familiar with have large oil sumps in the 7-8 qt range.

 

[mikeinaustin]

here are 2009 clean diesel tax credits:

* 2009 BMW X5 xDrive35d - $1800
* 2009 BMW 335d Sedan- $900
* 2009 Mercedes-Benz GL320 BLUETEC - $1,800
* 2009 Mercedes-Benz R320 BLUETEC - $1,550
* 2009 Mercedes-Benz ML320 BLUETEC - $900
* 2009 VW Jetta Sedan 2.0-liter TDI – manual & automatic - $1,300
* 2009 VW Sportwagen 2.0-liter TDI manual & automatic - $1,300

 

[ClarkB]

It's good to see that diesel is coming down but it doesn't really help many people make the decision if they want a diesel engine or not. Fact is, there are very few options when it comes to buying a diesel engine. Now that Honda canceled it's plans I don't see the diesel family car coming to America unless you fall into the BMW/M-B tax bracket.

Clark

 

[Johnny]

I'm waiting on the 2010 F-150 with the new diesel engine. Depending on where it is priced, I plan on having one setting in my driveway.

I think to get that tax credit there is a special form you send in, separate from your income tax.

 

[Steve S]

I haven't seen it in socialist Kalifornia.

 

[SubLGT]

Originally Posted By: Johnny
I'm waiting on the 2010 F-150 with the new diesel engine. Depending on where it is priced, I plan on having one setting in my driveway.

I think to get that tax credit there is a special form you send in, separate from your income tax.


Isn't Ford vacillating about the diesel engine in 2010?

http://www.pickuptrucks.com/html/news/fo...esel-f-150.html

 

[Tornado Red]

AAA says the spread between ULSD and RUG is about 27 cents nationally. And 5.2 cents in California.

The Energy Information Agency, part of the Dept of Energy, says the spread is 15.3 cents between ULSD and RUG. In California, the ULSD is actually cheaper than RUG by 4.5 cents, 214.4 cents versus 218.9 cents.

The EIA uses the volume of sales in its calculations, I think, so the cheap station that sells 5000 gallons a day of diesel does not count the same as the expensive station that only sells 200 gallons a day. AAA does not care how much is sold at each price, only what the price is on the pump.

In early December, I predicted that ULSD would be cheaper than RUG, on a national average, by May 1st. Now I am almost certain it will happen sooner, possibly before April 1st.

I have also predicted that ULSD would be at least 30 cents and possibly 50 cents a gallon cheaper than RUG by the Fourth of July. I should be a little worried about this prediction, as some might think it is impossible for diesel to get that much cheaper than gasoline. Yet that's what I predicted, now we'll just wait and see if it comes true.