Diesel Be Done For?

[Machpoint005]

 

 

I read once that it was closer to 30%. All those long distance underground transmission cables don't cool themselves, apparently!

 

That was the figure I had in mind.

 

Let's not forget that the efficiency of a thermal power station is nowhere near 100%, and neither is any IC engine in a vehicle, so let's draw only valid comparisons, please.

>> Me I'm staying with my VAG 2l diesel until a decent alternative that I can afford comes along, probably wont be in my lifetime.

 

same reasoning here (and the same engine)

[churchward]

 

Is that kWh at the power station, or at the point of consumption? A lot of energy is wasted in the transmission system.

 

 

I seem to recall (although it may be an urban myth) that no profit was ever made by the manufacturer from selling a real Mini (ie not a front-wheel drive BMW) because of the huge amount of labour needed to build one.

The point remains, however, that it is environmentally more sound to continue to use an old car, assuming it is properly looked after.

Whilst true that in the initial years that the mini pricing was low compared to cost and it may be that the car was sold at or below cost. This did not go on throughout its production life. After all millions of minis were sold and at some point you will pay for the tooling costs and make profits. So part true part myth.

 

It wasn't really that the mini took more labour or other cost to build than a comparable car from another manufacturer like Ford or Vauxhall it was just that the retail price was plain wrong and too cheap to start with. By 1965 BMC were making about £5 profit per mini sold so pretty close to the knuckle but not a loss.

Edited January 26, 2017 by churchward

[churchward]

The original Mini was too complex,it made the Ford Anglia look sensible.

 

CT

Billhooks!

 

The Ford Anglia was a more conservative and "agricultural" vehicle in design that the mini but the mini is hardly complex. They are quite easy to restore for one.

 

Ford themselves when wondering how BMC could sell the mini for the price eventually on two different occasions bought minis and stripped them down to the last nut and bolt to see what they thought the cost would be for Ford to make it. Both times they came up with the same value. The mini cost the same to make as a Ford Anglia. The difference being at the time the anglia was sold at £50 or £60 more than the mini, making Ford more profit per car than BMC.

Edited January 26, 2017 by churchward

[cereal tiller]

Billhooks!

 

The Ford Anglia was a more conservative and "agricultural" vehicle in design that the mini but the mini is hardly complex. They are quite easy to restore for one.

 

Ford themselves when wondering how BMC could sell the mini for the price eventually on two different occasions bought minis and stripped them down to the last nut and bolt to see what they thought the cost would be for Ford to make it. Both times they came up with the same value. The mini cost the same to make as a Ford Anglia. The difference being at the time the anglia was sold at £50 or £60 more than the mini, making Ford more profit per car than BMC.

The Mini had Subframes which rusted quickly

 

CV joints which failed frequently

 

The design of the Exhaust down pipe caused it flex excessively and fracture

 

Door Hinges that were too exposed to the elements so that the Pins rusted up

 

Sliding windows that rattled and created draughts

 

Rubber cone Suspension which caused a bouncy and uncomfortable ride

 

Charming car,fabulous cornering but maintenance was a headache due to the crammed Engine Compartment

 

 

Have owned both, a Brand new one and a used one

 

CT

[Robbo]

The Mini had Subframes which rusted quickly

 

CV joints which failed frequently

 

The design of the Exhaust down pipe caused it flex excessively and fracture

 

Door Hinges that were too exposed to the elements so that the Pins rusted up

 

Sliding windows that rattled and created draughts

 

Rubber cone Suspension which caused a bouncy and uncomfortable ride

 

Charming car,fabulous cornering but maintenance was a headache due to the crammed Engine Compartment

 

 

Have owned both, a Brand new one and a used one

 

CT

You missed distribution cap at the front exposed to all the weather!

[cereal tiller]

You missed distribution cap at the front exposed to all the weather!

Was just going to add that!

 

Also forgot to mention the excessively long and Woolly Gearshift

 

And the Automatic Transmission version was,IMHO, one of the worst ever.it needed replacing at modest mileages

 

CT

[churchward]

The Mini had Subframes which rusted quickly

 

CV joints which failed frequently

 

The design of the Exhaust down pipe caused it flex excessively and fracture

 

Door Hinges that were too exposed to the elements so that the Pins rusted up

 

Sliding windows that rattled and created draughts

 

Rubber cone Suspension which caused a bouncy and uncomfortable ride

 

Charming car,fabulous cornering but maintenance was a headache due to the crammed Engine Compartment

 

 

Have owned both, a Brand new one and a used one

 

CT

All your points doesn't make the mini more complex than an Anglia. Just that is suffered from various issues just like any car designed around that time.

 

Anyhow, who ever heard of a Ford Anglia NOT rusting away before your eyes? Every one I have come across has had serious issues to fix to restore them. Like every 1960s car pretty much the bodywork rusted badly as they did not do any rust proofing in cills and other enclosed boxed areas. I remember most Anglias went around the top of the wing near the windscreen along with the top of the A post.

[johnmck]

Cars might be forced to use AdBlue like trucks, to cut down on NOx emissions. Emission regs will get tighter and tighter but I don't think diesels will go away nor will we be forced to change our engines.

Funnily enough, my Skoda Yeti has an AdBlue tank.

[mross]

Do you have to put Adblue in or is it optional? How much? What's the cost?

[WotEver]

The original Mini was too complex,it made the Ford Anglia look sensible.

 

CT

Issigonis redesigned the mini to use something like 50% less components but BL in typical BL fashion refused to pay him and re-tool. A wasted opportunity.

 

Every Mini Cooper sold (and they sold very well, actually making a profit on every one!) generated a payment (think it might have been a tenner) to Cooper's company. BL objected to paying this license fee so dropped the Cooper shortly after the Mini mk3.

 

BL were a wonderful company.

[cereal tiller]

Issigonis redesigned the mini to use something like 50% less components but BL in typical BL fashion refused to pay him and re-tool. A wasted opportunity.

 

Every Mini Cooper sold (and they sold very well, actually making a profit on every one!) generated a payment (think it might have been a tenner) to Cooper's company. BL objected to paying this license fee so dropped the Cooper shortly after the Mini mk3.

 

BL were a wonderful company.

Did hear that BMC/BL refused to allow a discount for the many cars supplied for 'The Italian Job 'Film and that the production company had to pay full price!

 

That Fillum must have increased the sales of Mini Coopers more than a bit?

 

CT

[Robbo]

Did hear that BMC/BL refused to allow a discount for the many cars supplied for 'The Italian Job 'Film and that the production company had to pay full price!

 

That Fillum must have increased the sales of Mini Coopers more than a bit?

 

CT

Fiat did the opposite, that's why every other car in the film is a fiat! Think they also did something on the factory roof as well?

[Athy]

On the other hand, international film companies are not renowned for their poverty, so I'm sure they could fork out for half a dozen, or however many they used, without breaking their accountant's heart.

[Robbo]

On the other hand, international film companies are not renowned for their poverty, so I'm sure they could fork out for half a dozen, or however many they used, without breaking their accountant's heart.

One of the biggest earners for film companies is now product placement.

[cereal tiller]

Fiat did the opposite, that's why every other car in the film is a fiat! Think they also did something on the factory roof as well?

Yes, Fiat had/has a Test Track on their Factory Roof,part of the pursuit and jump sequence was filmed on it

 

Fiat offered the sporty Abarth version of their 500 model for free,but the producers insisted on the Mini

 

CT

Edited January 26, 2017 by cereal tiller

[widebeamboy]

Yes, Fiat had/has a Test Track on their Factory Roof,part of the pursuit and jump sequence was filmed on it

 

Fiat offered the sporty Abarth version of their 500 model for free,but the producers insisted on the Mini

 

CT

you can take tours of the track I believe.

[cereal tiller]

you can take tours of the track I believe.

Wonder if they let you try the Jump?

[johnmck]

Do you have to put Adblue in or is it optional? How much? What's the cost?

You have to add it, via a tank in the boot. Works out at about £2 per thousand miles.

[Athy]

One of the biggest earners for film companies is now product placement.

Now, yes. How old is that film? 40 years?

[WotEver]

On the other hand, international film companies are not renowned for their poverty, so I'm sure they could fork out for half a dozen, or however many they used, without breaking their accountant's heart.

But The Italian Job wasn't made by an international film company. It was a British made film on a very tiny budget. To get the minis to Italy they got some university students to drive them over for the cost of the trip back!

[Graham Davis]

Do you have to put Adblue in or is it optional? How much? What's the cost?

 

My Yeti, produced 2015, is the same because it has a Euro6 engine. It was not optional.

There is an AdBlue tank in the boot that holds about 5 litres and I have filled it once since April last year, having done about 8k miles

[blackrose]

 

So, I'm watching a (re-run) BBC4 documentary last night on the diesel engine, and there was mention of the fact that at the time, it was thought to be a cleaner fuel than petrol because less CO2 is produced in combustion, however now we know that it produces other noxious substances.

 

We knew about dirty diesel engines years ago. In 2000 I did a masters course in Environmental Technology/Pollution Management at Imperial. Students learned about low level air pollution - nitrogen oxides and particulate matter (pm10 and pm2.5) from diesel engines back then, and we didn't understand why the Govt of the time was encouraging the use of diesel cars. Ok, you might cut GHGs in the atmosphere over the long term, but the cost is impacts on public health in the short term, especially in our cities.

[system 4-50]

I worry about English Heritage declaring my Beta 43 a Grade II listed fossil and preventing me make any changes to it except with genuine authentic materials and much paperwork.

[Murflynn]

......... English Heritage declaring my Beta 43 a Grade II listed fossil and preventing me make any changes to it except with genuine authentic materials and much paperwork.

quite right too.

[Machpoint005]

Why would you want to make any changes to a perfect NB engine?