With all that's happening... what do you think about keeping/buying California diesels right now?

[ArunAlec]

I’m looking on the bright side ..... when cable tv was rolled out the contractors buggered up so many pavements that broken paving slabs were as cheap as chips and made excellent crazy paving.

 

[Amarillo]

The great getaways at Easter, Witsun, School holidays and Christmas will become a thing of the past. How would you manage with a Caravan. Sunny weekend and everyone heads for the Beach with the family.

Major,major social changes will be needed with a significant change to the standard of living and leisure life.

New technology...

 

[AlanC]

I saw a Mitsubishi PHEV being charged from a terraced house here in Bristol the other day. The cable was draped over the garden wall and across the pavement. Although it was thoughtfully in one of those yellow rubber conduits as it crossed the pavement, that cable was still a trip hazard to someone not so sure on their legs.

A mate of mine lives in South London, also in a terraced house and has a Volvo hybrid estate SUV. He can’ t charge it at home because he very rarely gets to park anywhere near his house. As he is a freelancer, he doesn’t get to use a work charge point either. He depends on the engine charging the batteries which, to my mind, defeats the object of the exercise.

All this technology and little or no infrastructure being considered.

And so it will go on...

Alan

 

[WelshGas]

I saw a Mitsubishi PHEV being charged from a terraced house here in Bristol the other day. The cable was draped over the garden wall and across the pavement. Although it was thoughtfully in one of those yellow rubber conduits as it crossed the pavement, that cable was still a trip hazard to someone not so sure on their legs.

A mate of mine lives in South London, also in a terraced house and has a Volvo hybrid estate SUV. He can’ t charge it at home because he very rarely gets to park anywhere near his house. As he is a freelancer, he doesn’t get to use a work charge point either. He depends on the engine charging the batteries which, to my mind, defeats the object of the exercise.

All this technology and little or no infrastructure being considered.

And so it will go on...

Alan

Just had my Central Heating system serviced. Asked the British Gas technician when would they be getting electric vans.
Next few years as the Managers already had the BMW E cars. That was fine , they all had drives on their houses and charging points. The Technicians take their vans home and none of his fellow technicians had drives and there isn't enough room at the Depot to park all the vans. Also if they have to go to the Depot to get the vans they'll be doing less calls etc:, and extra road journeys getting too and from work.
It just hasn't been thought through, all the unintended consequences of that one statement banning fossil fuel vehicles.
The manufacturers aren't helping, they will just be laughing all the way to the bank. They've jumped on the band wagon and now they can forget about emissions, that's someone else problem and make cheap electric vehicles, cheap in that engine innovation etc: will cease in that an electric motor is cheap compared to a fossil fuel engine, less moving parts, easily scaled up or down, easily controlled, easily swapped out so more profit in the longterm.
Even the batteries will probably end up as someone else problem. Win Win for them.

 

[Borris]

This is all a bit academic. If you want a Cali at the moment then diesel is the only option. So go buy and enjoy. I would!

There are already electric Transporter vans coming for use in towns and cities. However, I have my doubts that there will an ECali anytime soon. There are some obvious issues which I doubt will be overcome in the next few years and that's just with the van itself. So the diesel liveth on.

 

[TripleBee]

It is time for the governments, or Europe, that they give the 2 tonne plus vehicles some extra credit on diesel.
The electric choice is too small nowadays for replacement of all vehicles.
For smaller cars there are more options, like electric, CNG, petrol/LPG, phev, hybrid. But for heavier cars, that rely on torque, the use of petrol just causes more CO2, the other fuel types are practically unexistant.
So if they regulate that at least vans, motorhomes, and trucks may enter the environmental zones, but have heavier regulations, even on smaller petrol cars (because old petrol cars pollute more), then we and the manufacturers have some extra time to figure out a good solution for our vehicles where is no other choice than diesel.

A motorhome is not something you buy to sell after a couple of years. Normally they last much longer than normal cars or vans. At least, mine must go on for at least the next 10 years.

 

[BikerGran]

It's all a bit like the B word - no-one has a clue how the heck it's all going to work so there's not much point wearing your brain out thinking about it!

 

[Anthony1]

An electric Cali based on the T6 or T7 in it's form it's been announced is (California) dreaming ...never will be on the market .
Petrol version is no longer availeble .
Diesel will be there for a loooong time .
Maybe LPG or other gaz ....?

Some reading:

California conversion to electric?

Common-rail diesel wasn't invented overnight.

vwcaliforniaclub.com

VW e-Transporter & e-California

I note that VW has registered the names “e-Transporter” amongst others that probably relate to an Electric variant of the T6 or future T7. They have shown their e-Crafter at a recent motor show and this is due for release later this year. It is only a matter of time before the California based...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

The New All electric California due in Autumn 2019. What are you thoughts?

Use my Cali mostly in Scotland, rarely in campsites, usually quite remote. 20 miles down a single track dead end. No charging points in these places, no mobile phone signal, no 4G and more importantly, no one else! I haven't read the details but I can only imagine the heating is also electric...

vwcaliforniaclub.com

Doesn't the i3 only have a range of 80 miles? With a range extender 150 miles.

 

[Jabberwocky]

This is all a bit academic. If you want a Cali at the moment then diesel is the only option. So go buy and enjoy. I would!

I did!!!

 

[Paul_W]

Did anyone watch the new series of Top Gear? Think it was episode 2 an electric car special. Paddy brought a second hand Nissan Leaf with 80k on the clock, problem was that fully charged it only had a 35 mile range The cost to replace the battery’s was massively more than the car was worth so it was basically scrap unless of course a 35 mile range is enough for your needs! Would I buy any sort of electric vehicle at the moment without some sort of battery replacement scheme or vehicle buy back, not a chance as second hand they are worthless, whereas my diesel California probably loses 1K per annum

 

[Borris]

I did!!!

Congratulations Rik. It sounds very classy indeed.

I look forward to seeing you both in your new bus soon.

 

[Hendrixx]

Yep same here in Germany. Massive criticism about Diesel cars but no other option when you go for a camper. My verdict: enjoy, today‘s engines are Euro6 and it will be a long way to ban them. Wondering what all the mechanics/painters/plumbers will be doing esp. in cities with their Fiat Ducs/ Renault Trafics etc.
Electric Cali? Not anytime soon.
Don‘t worry.
Save the planet, go by bus (VW bus of course).
Greetings from Munich.

 

[shudycamps]

We have a Cali that's less than a year old, we love it. We've been asked by others about whether we think it's a good idea to buy one now, given:
a) the electric version is out in the UK in Autumn '19
b) all the anti-diesel moves by the govt

We just don't know what to say. Would you say go for a Diesel or wait for the Electric if you were buying now? And if you have a relatively new one, is anyone spurred/worried enough to sell their Cali because of the electric offering and/or the anti-diesel moves (blocked from entering cities, higher rates of tax etc)?

What car manufacturers don't r-e-a-l-l-y elaborate on is the mileage achieved with all the bells and whistles turned on whilst travelling. AH! But might it be a hybrid so one CAN switch over to diesel? Take a look whilst travelling through Europe how many diesel cars are on the road. I have no issues driving a diesel car at all.

 

[Elmo3]

I did!!!

Me too. I was only browsing yesterday. A visit to Liverpool today and we’ve done the deal on brand new Ocean in stock. I’m still not quite sure what happened but it was daft not to really!

 

[Hendrixx]

Me too. I was only browsing yesterday. A visit to Liverpool today and we’ve done the deal on brand new Ocean in stock. I’m still not quite sure what happened but it was daft not to really!

Elmo - Congrats on the new family member, no other car can ever be.

 

[Elmo3]

Elmo - Congrats on the new family member, no other car can ever be.

Indeed! We sold ours a few months ago and have really missed it. Didn’t intend to buy another just yet but the deal was too good to ignore.

 

[Heckle]

We have a Cali that's less than a year old, we love it. We've been asked by others about whether we think it's a good idea to buy one now, given:
a) the electric version is out in the UK in Autumn '19
b) all the anti-diesel moves by the govt

We just don't know what to say. Would you say go for a Diesel or wait for the Electric if you were buying now? And if you have a relatively new one, is anyone spurred/worried enough to sell their Cali because of the electric offering and/or the anti-diesel moves (blocked from entering cities, higher rates of tax etc)?

My Westie was born in 1990, so by my reckoning it will be 50 years old when banned so that’s good value

 

[Blue Yonder]

There will always be something new on the horizon. Charging batteries to run electric cars will be replaced with say hydrogen fuel cells (a much more viable technology ). Go for a modern diesel rather than the old smokers of yesteryear. But if you must go electric now and have plenty of cash why not go for a old school VW Camper that has been converted to electric. They should hold their value until something bigger more practical (but less cool) with an electric motor comes on the market. Forget buying electric to save money once a significant amount have switched to electric just watch the tax man slap extortionate revenues on electric car charging to recover lost fuel duty.

 

[Stoneybroke]

I never hear about targeting fifthly diesel trains built in the 90's that belch out fumes, or coaches that the council contract to take kids to school that are 20-years old?
The focus seems to be on privately owned cars, many of which are Euro 5 & 6 engines and, by comparison, somewhat cleaner than their predecessors.
I do think we have a growing pollution problem, but new diesel cars are not the biggest contributors.
When we go electric, the focus will shift to the particles from brakes, tyres and the like...

 

[soulstyledevon]

There isn’t a diesel Cali alternative. If an electric California were available, I still wouldn’t buy it.
It would be to expensive, have hideous residual values and most importantly not enough range.
Electric is not the future, it’s a money making stop gap...

The future is less car travel, more walking and cycling. We have to change how we use motor vehicles for the sake of the planet.
Driving is currently too cheap...!!!
Hopefully governments wake up and start making driving a very very expensive pursuit to cut out silly sub 4 mile car journeys.
I hope we see motorway tolls installed across the country and more congestion charges to help deter vehicle use.

 

[TOADY]

Over population not diesel particles is the main problem facing the planet.

 

[Jabberwocky]

Over population not diesel particles is the main problem facing the planet.

I think you may have a point!

 

[Ch1pbutty]

I never hear about targeting fifthly diesel trains built in the 90's that belch out fumes, or coaches that the council contract to take kids to school that are 20-years old?
The focus seems to be on privately owned cars, many of which are Euro 5 & 6 engines and, by comparison, somewhat cleaner than their predecessors.
I do think we have a growing pollution problem, but new diesel cars are not the biggest contributors.
When we go electric, the focus will shift to the particles from brakes, tyres and the like...

A lot of buses are already running on biodiesel or electric. A Bus, tube or train can carry a lot more people than a car and so help cut pollution & reduce congestion.

Approx 90% of goods worldwide are carried by sea. All ships must switch to less than 0.1 % Low sulphur marine gas oil fuel by 2020, (or retrofit expensive scrubber units to strip the sulphur out which is questionable as potentially not good for the marine environment depending on scrubber type).

Electric cars still pollute, but just in a different location. You still need coal, gas, nuclear, wind, wave etc to produce the electricity to run the electric car. Pollution and environmental damage is still caused building windmills / windfarms , solar panels etc.

The government will always find a way to tax the motorist whether you run an petrol, diesel or electric vehicle.

 

[Stoneybroke]

A lot of buses are already running on biodiesel or electric. A Bus, tube or train can carry a lot more people than a car and so help cut pollution & reduce congestion.

Approx 90% of goods worldwide are carried by sea. All ships must switch to less than 0.1 % Low sulphur marine gas oil fuel by 2020, (or retrofit expensive scrubber units to strip the sulphur out which is questionable as potentially not good for the marine environment depending on scrubber type).

Electric cars still pollute, but just in a different location. You still need coal, gas, nuclear, wind, wave etc to produce the electricity to run the electric car. Pollution and environmental damage is still caused building windmills / windfarms , solar panels etc.

The government will always find a way to tax the motorist whether you run an petrol, diesel or electric vehicle.

I agree with the reduced congestion and relative pollution per journey, but very few buses outside a few major cities have moved to cleaner buses.

 

[Nick Stubbs]

I work in R&D for a peto chem industry and I couldnt get to work on public transport, no buses anywhere near not even a weekly stage coach and too far to cycle, for me anyway..