Dear PriusChat.org, I'm searching high and low, and was hoping someone out there might be so kind as to point me in the right direction, locating an updated GDI vehicle roster for the 2012 to 2016 model year. Scouting used cars for a friend's daughter, we need a list of GDI vehicles. That direct injection (GDI) rapidly contaminates fossil petroleum beyond recognition, these GDIs require a specific type of synthetic, oftentimes a competition dry sump or remote oil filter, and the oil supply must be changed-out, oftentimes monthly, only at the dealership (e.g., key emphasis on the word "AND"). Direct injection vehicles, you can't use fossil based motor oil; you can't just use an off-the-shelf synthetic. Direct injection vehicles, you have to use a certain, particular type of synthetic. Taking your direct injection vehicle to the barrio brothers at your friendly local Jiffy Lube? Bless his soul, hope and pray their best 'n brightest chooses the correct synthetic! If Jiffy Lube's finest specs the wrong synthetic, could cost you upward of several thousand, void your power train warranty, void your emissions warranty, subject you to public humiliation on car culture fight club forums, post traumatic stress disorder, and such. On paper, GDI looks wonderful. In the vernacular, efficiency gains from GDI are, at best, ephemeral. You wind up paying at the pump a tax for detergent additive your car never uses. That conventional fuel additives never hit the back of the valves on GDIs, inevitable sooting, coking and caking soon to reverse all efficiency gains of direct injection technology can only be removed (1) replacing the cylinder head(s), (2) breaking OEM gaskets and cleaning the valves manually, and/or (3) introducing proprietary chemical detergent agents via the air intake likely to adversely affect emissions; throttle body; turbocharger; etc.; etc.; ad nausium. For you conspiracy buffs out there, scrolling down GDIs on the link below, an argument you could otherwise level automakers allegedly use GDIs to foist high maintenance vehicles upon an unsuspecting public -- you might just have a point; raise an eyebrow, or two: Winding Road | Direct Injection Buyer's Guide Authored 2011, the Winding Road people aren't keeping their direct injection vehicle roster updated. If anyone has an updated GDI vehicle roster, then many thanks to you if you would be so kind as to copy 'n paste, or provide a link - Samuel, '04.
... the marketing people liked direct injection, because they could inflate their sales literature with an astronomical fuel consumption statistic only relevant the first few thousand miles off the showroom floor, and they could slide otherwise dirty engines passed the EPA window, with a partial zero emission certification. Worse offenders: all those poor Ford, Mazda, Kia, and Subaru people. Those car buyers were unknowingly saddled high maintenance GDIs. Just 35 to 50 thousand miles on their odometers, those Mazdas are being towed back to their dealerships, in record numbers - Samuel, '04.
The icing on the cake is the auto industry created the concept of maintenance free cars until 100K ... oh man.....what a backfire & how ironic at that.
... young gal we're finding a car for fell in love with a Mazda 3, in mint condition. She took her mother down to the used car lot, so she could see for herself. Looked terrific. But, it didn't run quite right. Hard to start. Salesman told her don't fret; come on in; go ahead sign the paperwork, just a little tune-up; everything's going to be hunky-dory. Not for no good reason automakers are scaling back new vehicle warranties. High maintenance, short engine life, no way the automakers can afford warranting these GDIs, much beyond 50 thousand clicks. I suspect, looming somewhere just over our near horizon will be, a spate of ultra-low mileage vehicles found in near mint condition, on peculiar wholesale lots priced well below KBB dumb kids are most likely to unknowingly stumble upon. Your assistance requested if you please, we hope to source an updated list of late model GDIs -- Samuel, '04.
thought most engines were DI these days - all the ford ecoboost engines, the honda 4 and 6cyl, any of the hyundai turbos, all the BMW engines, the sweet audi/vag ea888, etc. etc. etc.
The first part is not true. DI has been used for decades in diesels and airplane engines without contaminating oil. Part two is correct in the past, but not the present. Manufacturers have made modifications to prevent inlet contamination. For example Toyota uses both direct & indirect injectors. The latter washes down the intakes with gasoline & detergent, so the problem is eliminated.
