Toyota Prius proves a gas guzzler in a race with the BMW 520d

[G. David Felt]

Prius Proves to be a Gas Guzzler compaired to BMW 520D

Could not have happened to a nicer company!

[Satty]

I've used one tank of gas(9 gal) in the last month. I'd love to see the BMW use only 9 gallons of gas on my commute over the course of a month. Except the only diesel BMWs one can buy in the U.S. start at $43,900 (335d) and $51,200 (X5 Xdrive 35d). So if we take into account the $15,000 or so price difference, the Toyota is still the better value, especially if the BMW only gets 2mpg better while using a more expensive fuel.

[Drew Dowdell]

Diesel is cheaper around these parts right now....

[SAmadei]

Top Gear also beat the Prius with a gas-powered 3 series... showing that its also how you drive. I drive closer to Top Gear than Ed Begley Jr.

[Intrepidation]

Top Gear also beat the Prius with a gas-powered 3 series... showing that its also how you drive. I drive closer to Top Gear than Ed Begley Jr.

M3 as I recall.

[Satty]

Diesel is cheaper around these parts right now....

$0.04/gallon less here, still a huge difference in initial price.

[A Horse With No Name]

Not a Prius basher myself, however...read my sig...clean diesel FTW...VW TDI...

A diesel car just drives more like a real car.

A Prius was perhaps the worst driving car I've ever driven.

CHRIS

[PurdueGuy]

You can't just compare the prices and say "the BMW loses because it costs more." That's like comparing fat content between a hamburger and steak and saying the hamburger wins because it costs less. Nevermind that the steak has less fat AND IT'S A STEAK.

[Satty]

These are cars, not food. Most people can stretch from a $10 hamburger to a $40 steak without too much trouble. Stretching from a $30,000 Prius to a $40,000+ BMW isn't as easy, you're talking a $150+ difference in monthly payment.

[PurdueGuy]

These are cars, not food. Most people can stretch from a $10 hamburger to a $40 steak without too much trouble. Stretching from a $30,000 Prius to a $40,000+ BMW isn't as easy, you're talking a $150+ difference in monthly payment.

You COMPLETELY missed my point. The cars aren't directly comparable. it's not like you're paying an extra $10-15k for better fuel economy. Sure there are going to be people that don't want or need, or can't afford the BMW. But that doesn't mean that the people that can afford the BMW aren't going to get more car in more areas than just fuel economy. Worth it or not is up to the buyer, just like someone thinking about a burger vs steak. It's not burger vs burger with cheese.

[Satty]

I agree most people aren't going to cross-shop the diesel BMWs or the Prius. This would've been far more interesting if it were Jetta TDI vs Prius.

[A Horse With No Name]

I think the current fad of hybrids will die back if we ever get decent diesel cars here in the US.

...although I actually like the Fusion hybrid...

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

I agree most people aren't going to cross-shop the diesel BMWs or the Prius. This would've been far more interesting if it were Jetta TDI vs Prius.

The Prius guys and the TDI guys "fight" like the Mustang guys and the Camaro guys.

Two very different cars for two very differetn types of buyer. Although I've known of families with both a TDI and a Prius.

But no, the Prius isn't any more popular with my local TDI VW club than it is here on C and G.

Chris

[ocnblu]

I am much hotter on diesels as well. Hybrid = complication.

[Satty]

Hybrids have been hyped too heavily, and diesels have too negative a history for diesels to overtake hybrids as the economy powerplant for a long time. If more diesel models were available, and if bio diesel were more heavily marketed, that would be different. But it is what it is.

[A Horse With No Name]

The TDI thing to me is really cool (and not to bash Satty's Prius) because as a whole car a TDI is just an order of magnitude better/more enjoyable to own.

Even the interior...the VW interior is MUCH more logical and comfortable. For a long trip of 600 miles I think by about eleventy billion to one I'd rather have the TDI for the interior alone.

Not to mention what a step up the BMW is from the VW.

Personally I'd like to someday own an old benz diesel.

Chris

[pow]

I like diesels, don't get me wrong, but internal combustion can only go so far in terms of improving efficiency. Downsizing, turbocharging, variable cylinder management, variable valve timing, direct shift gearboxes, direct injection, ethanol boost, HCCI, etc. might yield 20-30% improvement, but with electrification, you can get infinite MPG. Hybrids are a step towards that long-term goal.

By the way, diesels and hybrids aren't mutually exclusive.

[A Horse With No Name]

No, they are not. Nor are hybrids and performance.

Diesel cars have their limitations but they have performed brilliantly in Europe for decades.

And actually my younger son is a huge fan of the Prius. So we may well have one in the family yet when he gets his first car.

Chris

[ocnblu]

Oh my, I'm so sorry, 66.

[A Horse With No Name]

My son's are both into techy and unusual cars. My oldest (16) is into rotary cars...we call him the "rotard"

My youngest is being converted away from the Prius, slowly. I intend to fix that permanantly next year when I put a TDI in the driveway.

My oldest daughter (19) wants a Chevy truck and is saving her money to buy one. My youngest daughter ( wants a Mustang convertible. My 13 year old daughter lusts after the Solstice.

Did I ever say how much I love my daughters?

Chris

[A Horse With No Name]

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t...797&page=16

Oh, and an interesting link from the TDI club page.

Chris

[regfootball]

i wish gm made a car like my old chevette scooter or a crx, a small light simple 2 seater w phenom. mpg in a diesel version.

[Z-06]

i wish gm made a car like my old chevette scooter or a crx, a small light simple 2 seater w phenom. mpg in a diesel version.

GM needs a good diesel family for the US really bad. A trio of 4, 6 and 8 cylinders for application in all types of vehicles would be a good starting point.

[ShadowDog]

Top Gear also beat the Prius with a gas-powered 3 series... showing that its also how you drive. I drive closer to Top Gear than Ed Begley Jr.

Not only how, but what. For their test, they wrung the piss out of the Prius and just had the M3 play keep-up. Nobody buys a Prius to drive it like a race car.

Edited June 13, 2009 by ShadowDog

[ocnblu]

??? The M3 was taking a nap during that little demonstration, it wasn't even breathing hard.

[A Horse With No Name]

GM needs a good diesel family for the US really bad. A trio of 4, 6 and 8 cylinders for application in all types of vehicles would be a good starting point.

+1 x 1 million.

Chris

[67impss]

GM needs a good diesel family for the US really bad. A trio of 4, 6 and 8 cylinders for application in all types of vehicles would be a good starting point.

I'm thinking a turbo I 3 would be great with the spark maybe the cruze as a xfi model

[BrewSwillis]

I agree most people aren't going to cross-shop the diesel BMWs or the Prius. This would've been far more interesting if it were Jetta TDI vs Prius.

What about:

?

Those douches could be driving something other than stupid Priuses, and having a bunch of other copycat douches buying them because Angelina Jolie and Miley Cyrus drive them. I thought actors were in a union? Why don't they support other union members and buy and American car?