Money talks baby.....Ya' got the BIG money, CARB schmarb
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| From today's Auto Tech Daily http://www.lostjeeps.com/forum/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=42480 |
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| Author: | danoid [ Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:36 am ] |
| Post subject: | From today's Auto Tech Daily |
An article about the SAE World Congress keynote speaker had an interesting line near the end (italics mine)... Quote: Schwarzenegger, who owns 12 vehicles himself, has converted two Hummers to run on alternative fuels—one to hydrogen and one to biofuel—and put a diesel engine in a Jeep...
Yes, the keynote speaker was none other than the Governator. How come he can have a diesel Jeep® when CARB wants diesels (and maybe Jeeps® too) outlawed? |
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| Author: | BVCRD [ Tue Apr 21, 2009 11:53 am ] |
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The real ? is how come he can have a hydrogen Hummer? |
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| Author: | yakers [ Tue Apr 21, 2009 1:58 pm ] |
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BVCRD wrote: The real ? is how come he can have a hydrogen Hummer?
Well almost any engine can be converted to hydrogen the problem is finding fuel. I think there are only 2 fueling stations in all of the Los Angeles area. Had a Honda hydrogen car to play with for a couple days a year ago, great car but if I ran out of fuel I would have to flatbed it to the station, forget roadside assistance. The Guv can afford a conversion and there is probably one station in Sacramento, don't know how he could drive far in CA. Hydrogen is a great idea but there will need to be a big change in infrastructure and a cheap way of generating it. I expect it will happen someday. |
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| Author: | truckbouy2 [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 7:25 pm ] |
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Money talks baby.....Ya' got the BIG money, CARB schmarb
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| Author: | BVCRD [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 8:28 pm ] |
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yakers wrote: BVCRD wrote: The real ? is how come he can have a hydrogen Hummer? Well almost any engine can be converted to hydrogen the problem is finding fuel. I think there are only 2 fueling stations in all of the Los Angeles area. Had a Honda hydrogen car to play with for a couple days a year ago, great car but if I ran out of fuel I would have to flatbed it to the station, forget roadside assistance. The Guv can afford a conversion and there is probably one station in Sacramento, don't know how he could drive far in CA. Hydrogen is a great idea but there will need to be a big change in infrastructure and a cheap way of generating it. I expect it will happen someday. I see now I was thinking left field as in Fuel Cell hydrogen Hummer. That is a mouthful. |
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| Author: | danoid [ Wed Apr 22, 2009 10:15 pm ] |
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Well I've been (anonymously) bugging the VP of powertrain for four years about diesels on an internal (Chrysler) forum. My last question about diesels vs. range extended electric vehicles finally promted him to invite me to a personal meeting to 'show me the financials' (my interpretation - career limiting move to accept and get reamed). So should I ask Mr. Lee to show Arnold the 'financials' describing why Chrysler hates diesels? |
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| Author: | ATXKJ [ Thu Apr 23, 2009 2:14 am ] |
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Can outsiders join in the discussion? |
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| Author: | danoid [ Thu Apr 23, 2009 8:47 am ] |
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Don't think so. |
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| Author: | Joe Romas [ Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:21 pm ] |
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You can tell Mr Lee for me that the ONLY reason I would buy a new car, and the reason I bought this one, is if it has a diesel engine. Suggest that Mr Tata is about to release both a small pickup and an suv in the US to fill the void  My last three new vehicles had diesel engines. Two VW's and the CRD. I sure would like a Dakota size diesel pickup
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| Author: | Sir Sam [ Thu Apr 23, 2009 12:38 pm ] |
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danoid wrote: Well I've been (anonymously) bugging the VP of powertrain for four years about diesels on an internal (Chrysler) forum. My last question about diesels vs. range extended electric vehicles finally promted him to invite me to a personal meeting to 'show me the financials' (my interpretation - career limiting move to accept and get reamed).
So should I ask Mr. Lee to show Arnold the 'financials' describing why Chrysler hates diesels? It does sound like you might be about to get reamed. Though if you needed any exposure with higher ups, you might be able turn this into a good move and get some facetime with upper management. Course, I'm a pragmatic optimist, so I tend to have a weird view on things. |
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| Author: | geordi [ Thu Apr 23, 2009 3:38 pm ] |
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danoid wrote: Well I've been (anonymously) bugging the VP of powertrain for four years about diesels on an internal (Chrysler) forum. My last question about diesels vs. range extended electric vehicles finally promted him to invite me to a personal meeting to 'show me the financials' (my interpretation - career limiting move to accept and get reamed).
So should I ask Mr. Lee to show Arnold the 'financials' describing why Chrysler hates diesels? Something to also consider: Would it hurt to be able to discuss this in person with someone that might be able to affect the design directions of the company, when the future of that company (and by extension, your career) are in question anyway from 'the financials' of the current mismanagement? I would take the offer. At best, maybe you can suggest a SERIOUS mileage boosting vehicle that people would want to buy, which would get you accolades and help save Mopar from itself... At worst, you are limited in your potential advancement for a short time, while the ship continues to sink around all of the workers. Promotions are unlikely when they are laying off so many people anyway. And making suggestions about products that might enhance the company is hardly a worthy reason to fire someone. |
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| Author: | kdlewis1975 [ Fri Apr 24, 2009 12:45 am ] |
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danoid wrote: Well I've been (anonymously) bugging the VP of powertrain for four years about diesels on an internal (Chrysler) forum. My last question about diesels vs. range extended electric vehicles finally promted him to invite me to a personal meeting to 'show me the financials' (my interpretation - career limiting move to accept and get reamed).
So should I ask Mr. Lee to show Arnold the 'financials' describing why Chrysler hates diesels? As much as we all would like for you to state your case and convince them to give us some cool diesels, this really comes down to the company culture. Some companies, as in my employer, have a relatively laid back culture. Here, being Dow Corning, this would usually be okay. It would really come down to the personality of that particular "manager." We do have a few managers who will come down on employees who disagree and don't tow the party line. Most of them, though, prefer that we give a little push back when it comes to project decisions and such. I would suspect that with all the stuff going on, you probably have an updated resume already. If it were me, and I was serious about doing this, I would have a talk with my manager (and maybe manager's manager) to determine to what degree this would be a career decision...maybe even invite them along if you were to have the meeting. Accountants can do some magical things with financials, so having an extra "filter" or two wouldn't hurt. If they were on board, they would have a little more street cred to challenge the numbers along with you. I have to say, my inlaws do extract a good bit of joy by giving me grief about the Jeep, and I've gotten many suggestions to trade it in. When I paid the extra $2K over the cost of the gasser version, I viewed the purchase as essentially buying two cars...the intent being this one would have the longevity of two cars. Given the crap I take, I'm now determined to keep it for a very long time just to show 'em...as some point, I'm going to start telling that I intend for my 5-month old daughter to drive it to college when that day comes.  I actually had to do some spreadsheet calculations to show them that it would cost me a whole boatload of money to get something else...between the extra 3 years of payments, and they the extra cost of fuel due mpg differences (even with diesel being higher typically)...it just didn't make sense.
With there being a big push to make things "greener," I can understand the concept behind hybrids and the electric vehicles. Something that I don't see mentioned in the discussion is the aggregate amount of energy and resources required to make a car/truck; be it gas, diesel, electric, gas-hybrid, diesel-hybrid, etc. I don't know if they are done, but I just don't see cradle-to-grave cost estimates for a particular type of vehicle. If a diesel car lasts twice as long as a gas car and gets 25% better fuel mileage, it seems that there should be a sound environmental and economical argument in favor of the diesel car, and both vehicles are equally recyclable. For a diesel versus hybrid/electric, it's hard to know that the difference in longevity will be...equal??? The battery packs will have some end-of-life costs associated with them in terms of disposal or recyclability. If they were lead acid, it's an easy question to answer. However, I under the impression that the newer battery technologies are too complex to have a simple recycling program take care of them, so there would be an "environmental cost" due to having to dispose of them. If all of these things were considered, I think diesel would have a very strong argument. Good luck in whatever you decide to do. I still like being employed myself, so I certainly don't blame you for any trepidation you may have. |
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| Author: | ATXKJ [ Fri Apr 24, 2009 1:27 am ] |
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If the VP doesn't like your attitude - it's not worth pushing. Management isn't always interested in other points of view. |
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| Author: | retmil46 [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 1:24 am ] |
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I'd tell the in-laws the same thing I told some of my relatives - when you make the payments on it, you can suggest what should be done with the vehicle - otherwise STFU!!! 
I wouldn't risk the meet either - most likely with the present situation, as was the case with Freightliner prior to leaving, they're looking for any reasonable excuse to get rid of people in a way to minimize their long-term obligations regards health care, retirement, pension, etc. 
BTW, I AM alive and well, living and working in San Antonio now. |
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| Author: | geordi [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 12:55 pm ] |
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Meeting or not, NOW is the time to get your resume out into the populace. It is looking more and more like MOPAR will be forced into chapter 11 restructuring, to rapidly progress to chapter 7 liquidation. Its sad, but I don't think there is much chance with the trifecta of agreements that they have to have inked in ONE WEEK. And since one of those deals is a merger with Fiat, when Fiat has already said that they will NOT be putting any money into Mopar... I'd say that deal is doomed even if it IS completed. Time to start stocking up on CRD parts. Thankfully the engines aren't supplied by Mopar. |
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| Author: | moto-scoot [ Sat Apr 25, 2009 8:53 pm ] |
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geordi wrote: Meeting or not, NOW is the time to get your resume out into the populace. It is looking more and more like MOPAR will be forced into chapter 11 restructuring, to rapidly progress to chapter 7 liquidation.
Its sad, but I don't think there is much chance with the trifecta of agreements that they have to have inked in ONE WEEK. And since one of those deals is a merger with Fiat, when Fiat has already said that they will NOT be putting any money into Mopar... I'd say that deal is doomed even if it IS completed. Time to start stocking up on CRD parts. Thankfully the engines aren't supplied by Mopar. where can i buy timing belt items besides mopar?? |
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| Author: | geordi [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 12:06 am ] |
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VM Motori built the engine, look for a local (hopefully) supplier that they sell through. That will be the only way to source parts. When I finally get my CRD back, I will be determining about rebuilding the engine myself with pricing from the supplier in NC. I don't remember the exact name, but I think it was like "Allied Diesel" or something like that. We should be able to get everything forward of the transmission from them, as these engines are also used in stationary generators and boats. So they are out there. |
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| Author: | Joe Romas [ Sun Apr 26, 2009 8:24 am ] |
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On a VM Motori forum I belong to it's been said that the Merc Crusier diesel engine is a VM. So if your near a large body of water that's another prospect. |
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| Author: | danoid [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 8:34 am ] |
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Joe Romas wrote: On a VM Motori forum I belong to it's been said that the Merc Crusier diesel engine is a VM. So if your near a large body of water that's another prospect.
Yeah, but if there's anything more expensive than car maintenance, it RV / Boat maintenance... |
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| Author: | geordi [ Mon Apr 27, 2009 9:25 am ] |
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Do you have a link to that forum? It might be great for those hunting parts... |
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