VW, now THAT is a major problem.

[chuck peterson]

oopps, this discussion just ran off into the weeds...

[Lannis]

speaking of unfettered, look at this guy.

He bought a company that sold critical meds for $13 and raised the price to $750.

sorta a pencil neck.


Hedge fund manager Martin Shkreli is 32 years old but he�s acting half that age on Twitter today after news broke that his company, Turing Pharmaceuticals, had raised the price of the life-saving drug Daraprim from $13.50 to $750 per pill.

Daraprim is used to treat toxoplasmosis, a condition caused by a parasite that exists in nearly a quarter of the U.S. population over age 12, but which can prove deadly for the unborn children of pregnant women and for immunocompromised individuals like AIDS patients. These vulnerable populations will now have to pay over 5,000 percent more for their treatment.




http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/21/martin-shkreli-is-big-pharma-s-biggest-asshole.html

Yep, bad day for Big Corporate everywhere.

The market and public opinion will kill this guy.   You can't do something that stupid, that affects this many people, with the weak excuses he's got, and get away with it.

Watch, I'll bet he DOESN'T get away with it .... !

Lannis

[LowRyter]

we can only hope.........

[Steph]

 

Same here Tris, mine is a 6 speed manual as well.  If I'm cruising on the highway, I can see upwards of 46 to 48mpg...a few weeks ago, I did Houston to Austin and back (around 350 miles) and averaged 46 mpg.  Not too shabby!

When the EPA forces VW to replace your ECU to provide the correct emmissions on the road, you'll still have an average of 46mpg but the Houston to Austin will take a little longer on your newly restricted 40hp car

[tiger_one]

I may get flamed here, but I don't see much difference in this and the way maps come from the factory already.  The factory does indeed program for a set of test parameters from the EPA, be it a certain speed or RPM do they not.  VW just took it another step and gave us the map as it should be without any tricks to pass emissions.

My 2012 Griso had a big flat spot below 3000rpm, turned out to be mostly retarded ignition.  That map was sold with the bike to pass emissions.

I for one like the way VW did it, no need to toss stuff off and get a remap to make it run!  Couse, EPA and governments will not buy it, but nice try anyway.

P.S.  Oh, and yes the KTM 1190 also has that flat spot about the same RPMs, but not as bad or noticeable.  Still you must climb above 3800 rpm or so to get in the real pull zone of the engine.

[rodekyll]

I already retracted the "ALL" in several posts up above, after sib said he had never done it either ..... But of course, you have to read the posts to see it ....

Lannis

Your comments are such an unrelenting torrent of pessimistic cynicism that they're impossible to endure in their entirety.  So I spot read occasionally rather than read the endless derivations of the same tedious sermon.  This one jumped out at me, and WG has beaten the EPS/DOT/hold my beer while I mod this/ to death long enough that you knew everybody doesn't do it before your wrote that they do -- but it would so suit your argument if they did . . . .  Perhaps if you didn't continually try to justify your warped life view by claiming I agree with it we wouldn't have these misunderstandings.

[Steph]

Do you think VW is really as arrogant as they appear?  Surely, at some point in the last six years, someone said, "What if we get caught?"  Do you think they have an out?  I can't help but think there may be some grand design we're not seeing.  I could easily be wrong.  Maybe I've been watching too many complicated TV/movie plots, but I have to wonder.

Your answer here, Hitler's reaction to the VW-EPA scandal:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dKef1JFpiCA

[Kentktk]

Your comments are such an unrelenting torrent of pessimistic cynicism that they're impossible to endure in their entirety.  So I spot read occasionally rather than read the endless derivations of the same tedious sermon.  This one jumped out at me, and WG has beaten the EPS/DOT/hold my beer while I mod this/ to death long enough that you knew everybody doesn't do it before your wrote that they do -- but it would so suit your argument if they did . . . .  Perhaps if you didn't continually try to justify your warped life view by claiming I agree with it we wouldn't have these misunderstandings.

I totally agree with you on this!

[sib]

     After causing the Colorado toxic waste release fiasco, the EPA is grabbing on to this with both hands as an ass covering/ deflection maneuver.  I wish VW well. I like that little diesel.

I sense a black helicopter new world order conspiracy theory blossoming here.

[sib]

Your comments are such an unrelenting torrent of pessimistic cynicism that they're impossible to endure in their entirety.  So I spot read occasionally rather than read the endless derivations of the same tedious sermon.  This one jumped out at me, and WG has beaten the EPS/DOT/hold my beer while I mod this/ to death long enough that you knew everybody doesn't do it before your wrote that they do -- but it would so suit your argument if they did . . . .  Perhaps if you didn't continually try to justify your warped life view by claiming I agree with it we wouldn't have these misunderstandings.

Idunno, I'm usually one of the first to jump on Lannis but I like to read his posts, and often they're not pessimistic or cynical at all. 

[AJ Huff]

Media willfoam at the mouth,  some heads will roll, stock will drop and bounce back, and when all is said and done it will be much ado about very little. We will all forget and move on.

-AJ

[jas67]

Jay , after a quick read of your explanation , still not sure where the 20% figure is coming from . Dang , what a great conversation , even a dummy like me is learning something 

  Dusty

Because TDI's regularly exceed EPA MPG ratings in real world use, where many, many other cars can't even return the EPA ratings (in real world use).     The 20% number was just a rectal number, but, based on real vs. EPA numbers, and seeing real vs. EPA numbers for other make & models, the difference is often as high as 20%.   To get EPA numbers out of most vehicles, esp. hybrids, you have to drive like a little old lady.   The TDI, not so.   I get EPA highway numbers at 75 MPH.   The EPA tests not just emissions, but, MPG under the same test conditions, which, in order to pass NOx emissions were running more EGR and more frequent DPF regens, both of which burn more fuel.

[jas67]

Media willfoam at the mouth,  some heads will roll, stock will drop and bounce back, and when all is said and done it will be much ado about very little. We will all forget and move on.

-AJ

Yes, unless you own one or more of the cars and lose the very thing (efficiency) that you bought your TDI for, and also lose thousands in resale value.     Then, you won't forget.

[PJPR01]

When the EPA forces VW to replace your ECU to provide the correct emmissions on the road, you'll still have an average of 46mpg but the Houston to Austin will take a little longer on your newly restricted 40hp car

  Good one...this might turn into a first.  I'll have to ride the Norge with 90 hp while towing the Passat with 40 hp!  Now wouldn't that cause a few double takes!  Pretty soon I'd have the  after me...and I could just refer them to Volkswagen AG for an explanation!

[Lannis]

Your comments are such an unrelenting torrent of pessimistic cynicism that they're impossible to endure in their entirety.  So I spot read occasionally rather than read the endless derivations of the same tedious sermon.  This one jumped out at me, and WG has beaten the EPS/DOT/hold my beer while I mod this/ to death long enough that you knew everybody doesn't do it before your wrote that they do -- but it would so suit your argument if they did . . . .  Perhaps if you didn't continually try to justify your warped life view by claiming I agree with it we wouldn't have these misunderstandings.

I hate having these misunderstandings myself, but if you see my posts as an "unrelenting torrent of pessimistic cynicism", there's not much I can do about that.   I don't think I see life as a pessimistic cynic, but somehow it comes across that way to you.   

I do read most of YOUR posts in their entirety, although you must admit that you get into tirade-mode yourself occasionally.    If I appear to be claiming that you "agree" with me somehow, that's another unintended consequence.

I've been trying to do my part to keep things peaceful - you'll notice that this is the first post of yours to which I've responded directly in several months, because this is the consequence every time.    I don't want it to be like that, but I don't have a lot of control over the responses.

So I'll go back to "half-duplex" mode on the communication thing, and maybe it won't raise so much ire ..... 

Lannis

[LowRyter]

Reading the news, I notice that VW has already set already aside some $7.3B.   I don't think locating the money and arriving at that figure was done out of the hat. 

VW must've had an indemnity value predetermined.  That indicates that this scheme was preplanned with "German Precision" (and lots of fingerprints).

[rodekyll]

Idunno, I'm usually one of the first to jump on Lannis but I like to read his posts, and often they're not pessimistic or cynical at all.

*shrug*

I guess if you share his reality that would be true.   

[Kev m]

Because TDI's regularly exceed EPA MPG ratings in real world use, where many, many other cars can't even return the EPA ratings (in real world use).     The 20% number was just a rectal number, but, based on real vs. EPA numbers, and seeing real vs. EPA numbers for other make & models, the difference is often as high as 20%.   To get EPA numbers out of most vehicles, esp. hybrids, you have to drive like a little old lady.   The TDI, not so.   I get EPA highway numbers at 75 MPH.   The EPA tests not just emissions, but, MPG under the same test conditions, which, in order to pass NOx emissions were running more EGR and more frequent DPF regens, both of which burn more fuel.

Related tangent.

In the past almost decade since the EPA mileage revisions most of our NA gas card have been able to meet or exceed standards, ESPECIALLY when not running winter reformulation fuels.

This includes mostly Subarus and Jeeps, but even our 2.5 ton Jeep GC rated at I think 16/23 but that regularly returns around 20, but with a range of 18-26.

In contrast I've read reports that late-model small gas turbo motors regularly do better in EPA tests than can be duplicated in the real world.

Our only personal data point is our 1.6L DIT Juke which, at about a full ton lighter than the Jeep) only returns an average of about 24 mpg with a range of 22-27, but a rating of 25/30.

[AJ Huff]

Yes, unless you own one or more of the cars and lose the very thing (efficiency) that you bought your TDI for, and also lose thousands in resale value.     Then, you won't forget.

I don't think it wil be that drastic.

We'll see!

-AJ

[Kev m]

I don't think it wil be that drastic.

We'll see!

-AJ

If it's not that drastic, why would they risk billions in fines?

[Penderic]

Cheating the system to get better emission readings is sneaky.

I got one of the trucks with a grenade brand air bag - well it is the passenger side only according to the safety notice.

If the accident dont kill you the air bag will. Lives verses money.

One guy here in Canada was caught rebuilding airbags with black powder and they were found to be sometimes lethal!

[canuguzzi]

I'm kinda wondering why the EPA doesn't test vehicles on a closed course but mimicking some real world examples of driving, surely the technology exists to do that. If the fines go into the billions of which there seems to be little doubt, that can't buy the technologies to do that?

Then, it would be nearly impossible to detect a test mode as there would be in some static place. There would still be some standard which could be repeated.

Obviously VW puts a value on bragging rights or they wouldn't have done this. Some people might say it doesn't matter to them but they did buy them and the specs and claims had to have something to do with the purchasing decision. If the VWs drove like slugs compared to other cars, that would probably affect sales since performance was a big part of the marketing.

Dash Auto ist flasch.

[canuguzzi]

My prediction is that each person who bought a VW diesel with the enhanced features will be offered a check of $3750.00 plus the fix. That amount could be in the form of a credit, some cash or an option to trade in or return the car for the original purchase amount.

VW could remove the feature and resell the car .

[trippah]

Well, being a New Englander (for two more days) my experience with deflating the numbers is biblical in nature and I say bully* bully to VW.  Or perhaps, try- try again?  Sehr gute.  I also have some video equipment I can let go really cheap.   

[tris]

Can you tell what speeds you drive at to get those figures?

Are you going off the trip computer or actually doing the calculations at the pump?

70 MPG (UK) is on the motorway at 70 MPH in 6th

However, its all off the trip computer in the car. Still I filled up to day so its about time I did the calcs properly!!

[Zoom Zoom]

<snip>And there is no tailpipe testing of a car running on the road, for obvious reasons. $$$$ for a start. So some clever person figured out that a certain suite of sensor inputs would occur only during certification testing, and took it from there… <snip>

cr

Although a few times around here, I have seen a van set up on the edge of a merge ramp onto the highway with a sign out and a sniffer along the edge of the road. There is technology out there being used today. How accurate it is, probably open for debate. But they're not chasing anybody down after they go by, so I'm assuming it is a study being conducted. Something like that could easily raise a red flag and get someone to look harder at vehicles that continuously fail to meet emissions.

John Henry

[jas67]

If it's not that drastic, why would they risk billions in fines?

 :1:

 

[Zoom Zoom]

What I have been hearing is the emissions exceeded the standard by around 35 times. I would call that drastic. (Note that is the standard, not against how the car performs in testing which may be below the standard.) I'm also assuming the "standard" is what vehicle manufacturers are expected to meet.

John Henry

[AJ Huff]

If it's not that drastic, why would they risk billions in fines?

That isn't what I said. I said that I don't think that the problem for current owners and loss of resale value will be as drastic as Jas67 described.

-AJ

-

[cloudbase]

Given this incident, I don't think it's much of a stretch to think that the proprietary software in electronic voting machines may be similarly corrupted.