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Braingears
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Vehicle(s): G320 & ML320
Posts: 1450
| Traveling in California...
I have been in the San Francisco bay area for the past week. so far I've 5-6 G-Wagons. Coming from Florida, I am purely amazed at the number of hybrids out here. There seems to be a lot of special perks and advantages given directly to hybrids only. I am also shocked by the total hatred of anything diesel that have planted into people's minds (even though diesel is more than 60 cents cheaper per gallon and is far more efficient than gas engines). Even though the VW & Mercedes tdi/cdi is more efficient, they are nowhere to be found... and also do not qualify for all of the government's fuel efficient benefits given to the drivers of fuel efficient gas engines (fromwhat I have been told while here).I can only imagine the prejudice held againt the 'big wasteful SUV' out here. |
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Boy G
Expert
Date registered: Feb 2007
Location: Bushveld, South Africa
Vehicle(s): Diesel G's: 617A and 602
Posts: 1683
| Re: Traveling in California...
Interesting observation Braingears,
For an outsider, what's with California that everything seems so strict there. Are Californians more environmentally conscious than the rest of the brethren, or is it really badly polluted and so needs more attention Are there major different laws in different states? If you had swamp gas in Florida could you use that in California and escape the anti diesel lot??
What does government give you for driving a hybrid? And hasn't that other Dust to dust thread suggested that the hybrids only make the drivers feel ok and that they are not that energy efficient "dust to dust".
(Oops maybe I should add something about a G. This thread could go the distance as a "G's and the environment.") |
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Braingears
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Vehicle(s): G320 & ML320
Posts: 1450
| Re: Traveling in California...
I just left Berkeley. while in the area, I saw three G-Wagons (all silver) in the area. I also saw several W123 300D's out there. |
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ewalberg
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Past: San Francisco. Present: Germany
Vehicle(s): 2000 g500
Posts: 1887
| Re: Traveling in California...
actually, in the SF bay area a lot of people are interested in Diesels. People somewhat routinely ask me if mine is diesel... despite being a shiney silver one (at least on the rare occasion it's washed).
I believe part of the reasons that only they hybrids get special priviledges (carpool lane access if you have the stickers which are no longer being given out) is because in addition to good mileage they are generally super low emission or zero emmission vehicles at certain times during their usage lilke bladders in the gas tanks the minimize vapor in the tank, and motors which shut off at low speeds or when stopped. I like the idea of granting special priviledges to super efficient vehicles, but i dislike that it requires spending extra money on a hybrid, i think the priviledges should be cost effective for poor people so they don't get punished for their lack of funds. Heck a geo metro (same as chevy sprint/daihatsy charade) of the days past was a 3 cylinder car which got 50mpg and it was CHEAP!
Granting some extra prigiledges i see as a little different than nasty taxes some folks suffer in europe on SUV's because if you drive a huge vehicle,... it does a better job of incentivising carpooling or efficient vehicles. That all said, hybrids are a fashion statement like anything else, prius in particular becuase they don't make a conventional version.
There's definitely a fair share of SUV hate around here, but ironically the stories of vandalism fall short compared to other locations and countries. go figure. I had an indie-rocker/hipster (a friend of a friend) get in mine... i was expecting sharp criticism... and i got "wow! this is my favorite car!" it's a strange land. |
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KERR
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| Re: Traveling in California...
a friend of mine lives in the bay area and he bought a gas truck becuase he said it was hard to find diesel... while ive never been there i have no comit on this.. but it makes sense... I know when we had a place in Myrtle beach, the closest station that sold diesel was 30 miles from the house... It was a Pain in the butt having to plan your diesel stops.
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Adoni
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: Sacramento, CA
Vehicle(s): '00 G500, '15 C300 4Matic, '06 L322 G4
Posts: 1283
| Re: Traveling in California...
The simple fact is that you can't get very many diesels in California due to the ARB and emissions laws. Many people in California would love to have a diesel. I've said it before, I know a MB dealership that has a branch in Nevada and they make a killing bringing in 7500 mile E and ML diesels into California for Clients. For many years it was impossible to get a VW Touareg V10 TDI in California and when you could, the premium on the price tag was so much that no one wanted to pay it. Niello VW in Sacramento had a brand new shiny black one I looked at, but not for $84k plus taxes etc.. For shits and giggles I walked into MB San Francisco yesterday over on Van Ness and told the guy I wanted a G320 CDI, could he get me one? To his credit, he knew what I was talking about and pretty much told me that it would be a cold day in hell before we ever got a practical vehicle like that. He told me my best bet would be to pay Russ to bring it in for me.
Furthermore, it is my understanding that MB Bluetec as well as other German marques diesel motors are capable of meeting California emissions standards, however, the environmental lobby is locked in a pissing match over how to get customers to refill their urea tanks. The extremists favor shutting off the car if the vehicle is driving over 50-100 miles with an empty urea tank. This obviously brings into play huge liability issues for the manufacturer and also begs the question; What if you are driving outside of California with your tank empty? Technically you are 100% compliant running your vehicle in Nevada without urea in the tank. It's a giant pissing match that is hindering progress in this state. The only reason we see any diesels at all is because heavy duty trucks such as Chevy, Ford and Dodge are exempt due to their GVWR and commercial vehicle status.
On another note, I asked the salesman at MBSF following our discussion of the G320 CDI if I was to buy a G500 if they could talk to NJ and get it for me with Artico interior, no running boards and 16" rims? He told me that NJ is not willing to budge on how G-Wagens come equipped into this country. He mentioned that he recently had a client who had purchased 15 vehicles from him in as many years, the client wanted his G500 with a standard MB interior color, but one that is not available on the G-Wagen. The client was informed that this was not possible, even if he was to pay extra. Whatever happened to the customer is always right? I mean, you can get a Lamborghini in lime green but you can't get standard equipment on your G-Wagen...
Edited by Adoni 5/29/2007 12:26 PM
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Braingears
Expert
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: St Petersburg, FL
Vehicle(s): G320 & ML320
Posts: 1450
| Re: Traveling in California...
KERR - 5/29/2007 10:41 AM a friend of mine lives in the bay area and he bought a gas truck becuase he said it was hard to find diesel... while ive never been there i have no comit on this.. but it makes sense... I know when we had a place in Myrtle beach, the closest station that sold diesel was 30 miles from the house... It was a Pain in the butt having to plan your diesel stops. 15 years ago, I know that this was an issue. With all of the larger trucks on the road (ie Ford, Chevy, Dodge), I never have a problem finding diesel any more (unless you are driving through a city at 3:00am). Every single truck stop along the Interstate will have diesel too. |
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j.edwards
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Traveling in California...
Braingears - 5/26/2007 1:33 PM
I have been in the San Francisco bay area for the past week. so far I've 5-6 G-Wagons. Coming from Florida, I am purely amazed at the number of hybrids out here. There seems to be a lot of special perks and advantages given directly to hybrids only. I am also shocked by the total hatred of anything diesel that have planted into people's minds (even though diesel is more than 60 cents cheaper per gallon and is far more efficient than gas engines). Even though the VW & Mercedes tdi/cdi is more efficient, they are nowhere to be found... and also do not qualify for all of the government's fuel efficient benefits given to the drivers of fuel efficient gas engines (fromwhat I have been told while here).I can only imagine the prejudice held againt the 'big wasteful SUV' out here.
I don't think SF is representative of the whole state. Here in the LA area there are probably more SUV's on the freeways that any other type of vehicle. Diesel PU's and fuel are abundant. In certain neighborhoods 463's are common sights. I don't think environmental activism is as rabid down here. |
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jcaine
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Traveling in California...
at some people's request, I'll keep this relevant to G's... I drive a diesel G (as well as a CDI and Ford F-250 diesels) in LA and constantly get asked where I got it, how, etc... I know for a fact that many of the current G owners in LA (and there are a whole lot of them) would get a diesel especially a CDI or bluetec if they could... and run them on bio... so much so, that I was considering making a business of making them available in LA...
San Fran (where my brother lives) is definitely the most forward environmental city in Cali , if not the U.S.... they've banned styro foam in the food industry, plastic grocery bags, etc... give parking and carpool priveleges to hybrids (as does LA)... I have talked to alot of San Fran people... techies, yuppies, etc and have been told first hand that they would LOVE a diesel powered G as long as it was efficient and could run on something (like bio, veggie, hydrogen, etc.) that was much less poluting than petrol
I have been told by a MB dealer that 5 models with Bluetec diesels (including the GL??) will be available in all states for model year 2009, which means August 2008...
I hope and prey that if demand is strong enough, they'll bring in a CDI or Bluetec G shortly after that... I know there are more than a few buyers for that right here...
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| New Diesels & Bio
The max that is allowed in the newer CDI engines - including BLUETEC's - is B5, if you want to keep your warranty coverage. See the attached PDF file. These new common rail diesels are not at all like your old diesels.
Attachments
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 20060608_Mercedes_Benz_bio_position.pdf (14KB - 6 downloads)
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jcaine
Date registered: Dec 1899
Location:
Vehicle(s):
| RE: Traveling in California...
I don't know about bluetec but the mid 06 and newer CDI's run fine on B100... I've heard MB is going to up their limit to B-20... as long as it meets the source requirements per the bulletin... it's just a matter of time.
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DUTCH
Administrator Doppelgänger
Date registered: Apr 2006
Location: US, GA, Atlanta
Vehicle(s): 2015 Audi Q7 3.0 TDI,2018 Sprinter
Posts: 9963
| RE: Traveling in California...
jcaine - 6/2/2007 1:06 PM
I don't know about bluetec but the mid 06 and newer CDI's run fine on B100...
Not if you want warranty coverage. B5 max. |
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