How many members Priuschat have a Prius AND a Diesel?

You really can't import one legally..... But you can buy one "IN" the US from the legal owner and then register it. The owner has to drive the car into the US, someplace, and then sell you the car.

 

I missed that loop hole. If I may ask, what mpg US does your Diesel Smart get. Thought I read 60-70.

 

We have an '07 Prius, and a '08 Sprinter (mb) Van, 3 litre common rail diesel with DPF exhaust filter. You can't tell it is a Diesel. A over 20 MPG for such a big rig is pretty impressive.

Icarus

 

Yes I do!

Used to have a Jetta TDI and a Sprinter van also.

F250 Prius by ewxlt, on Flickr

 

I still have my good old Toyota iQ diesel next to my "Prius" CT200h, and looking at this thread, Prius+diesel isn't that uncommon.

 

My wife drives a TDI and I have the Prius v

 

I just saw this thread while looking for something else (related to the VW diesel scandal), and thought I'd resurrect it.

I still have my Prius - I've lent it to my brother-in-law. And I've got a Merc C220CDI BlueEfficiency.

The Prius returns better economy in the city, and the Merc is better on long-distance drives. So between doing the school run and regular trips to Canberra (the two main things I use a car for), they work out pretty much the same. Diesel is generally a little bit cheaper than petrol here (diesel is consistently A$ 1.19 per litre; petrol is on a two-week price cycle and varies between about A$ 1.20 and A$ 1.60 per litre). So the Merc is marginally cheaper to run, I think, but there's very little in it.

The Merc has a better stereo, though. And it's a lot faster.

 

I've been up to 160 km/hr. Is that fast enough?

Bob Wilson

 

But how long did it take you to get there?

Most people aren't talking top speed when they say faster about a car.

 

A caddy and two Mazdas passed me when I was doin' 70 mph on a Tenn Interstate so I sped up and joined the fun. I caught up with them. Then about 20 miles out of Nashville, traffic got busy and we all lost sight of each other.

Bob Wilson

 

I never took the Prius over 170. I doubt I'll take the Merc over that either.

Yes, precisely. It's nice to be able to accelerate on a slip road to match the speed of the traffic without having to worry. And I like the whole acceleration thing, because I am silly and immature. And it's fun.

 

DS5 diesel hybrid anyone? I'd be willing to try one if it was made by Toyota, but not when it's made by the snail eaters. But then if it was made by Toyota it wouldn't be half the car it is.

Just need to find a DS5 non-hybrid within my married with 3 kids and huge mortgage budget

 

Our family has had Citroens in the past. I was put off them in my teens: once by the time that I hit a bump in my Dad's Citroen BX and the whole roof lining fell off, leaving me with my head sticking through the hole for the sunroof; and once when I walked into the house and gave my Mum the handbrake of her Citroen AX - it had just come off in my hand.

So never again. It's a shame, because the DS5 diesel hybrid is a great idea. And it looks lovely from the outside and even better on the inside. But I don't think I'd ever buy a Citroen.

Do they sell the Mercedes diesel hybrids in NZ? They've just started selling the C300 diesel hybrid and the E300 diesel hybrid here: I suspect one of those might well be my next car, as long as someone buys a nice station wagon new now (preferably with cream leather and the upgraded stereo), and sells it in about two years.

But the whole diesel thing in NZ is so extraordinarily complicated.... Why is that?

 

Diesel in NZ isn't too bad. There's only 2 components:
Fixed annual registration fee: about $100 more than a petrol or hybrid.
Variable: diesel mileage which is costed based on the weight ( and axles) of your car - -comes to about 6c for $100km for a normal car.
What it means is you need to do more than say 12,000km per annum for diesel to be cheaper. We are paying roughly $1.20 for diesel and $2.10 for petrol.

MB's are too expensive here, and I don't see the value in cars considering I have a short trip to work followed by the school run, and the odd escape to the hardware shop on the weekend. But the DS5 just appeals to my inner boy: what could be better than toggle switches in the roof console - who cares that 3 of them are for the HUD. The watch strap leather is gorgeous, but it makes the seat heaters ineffective. There's no cup holders, nor anywhere to put your keys/cellphone save for a silly pocket beside the steering wheel. But none of that matters because it feels right. It's the only Citroen a middle aged man can drive without having to grow a beard. And best of all is Citroen depreciation: a low mileage 2 yr old car is nearly within my budget!

I've owned 3 Landrovers and an Alfa, so I'm well used to essential parts prematurely falling off without warning. I figure there's a 5 year window when I can have something that looks like a car. Once the 3 monsters hit their teens it'll be back to a boring reliable peoplemover.

 

I agree - I'd never buy a Merc in NZ. Your Japanese grey-import thing just makes Japanese cars a much better deal than anything European. I do like good cars, and I drive a fair bit. I think I'd get a nice hybrid Lexus if we had the same import rules as you.

I've been to NZ a couple of times this year (on holiday and for work). I was initially amazed when I saw the pump prices of petrol vs diesel. But then I found out about the registration and fee thing. It sounds like a lot of paperwork.

And yes, the DS5 is lovely, but poorly-thought-out. As you'd expect from a Citroen. But yes, wait a couple of years, let someone else take the depreciation hit, and it could be a fun thing to have. Do they have them in NZ? They don't have the diesel hybrid (or, I think, any DS5) here.

I did go in a Citroen when I was in NZ on holiday in June. And a very nice one it was too.

It was this very one.



We were driven around a load of Hawke's Bay wineries in it. It was an excellent day out. And nothing fell off - I think it was from back when Citroen built cars properly.

If you're ever in Napier, I'd highly recommend it. They have loads of other cool vintage cars too, which you can either get with a driver, or drive yourself.

 

DS5 hybrid4 and all other diesel hybrids from PSA will be discontinued by the year 2017:
LHYBRID4 DE PEUGEOT ARRETE EN 2017

Prius has limited top speed simply because electric motor does not have a higher gear not because of lack of power, that is differnet than a normal car where top gear can get you to top speed. The differnece is also tat Prius can get to limited top speed quite fast, where in normal car it takes long long time to get there.

On topic, I also own Hilux Pickup 3.0 diesel, it's Euro4 spec so it's emitting tons of particles and NOx the problem is that in EU you just can not get a petrol Hilux, the closest you can get is to import Tacoma from US.

 

Thanks Gasper, an interesting read. Reading between the lines, did they just say they couldn't get the tech to work and was going to cost far too much money so they decided to ditch it for the proven petrol hybrid?

Even down here, V8 pickups are dead. Probably still alive and kicking over the ditch with the bogan Australians though.

And to hkmb, I'd never again buy a jap import: too many dodgy odometer wind backs and no service/accident history. Far too much risk. the good thing about them is they pulled down the authorised import pricing. But now they've got even dodgier: we get your late model insurance write offs being shipped over, rebuilt, and then flogged as a low mileage near new import.

Used DS5s in NZ
Motors search results - Find vehicles on Trade Me Motors
Citroen / Peugeot are imported here by Sime Derby Motors, but I know that the major Auckland Citroen & Peugeot dealership which is part of the Sime Derby empire is about to shut down

Chauffeur driven vineyard holidays - now you're just showing off.

 

Ah, revision, one Prius, no tdi, one Ram, longhorn with the 3.0 diesel, getting 28 mpg on road and 24mpg around town, great power, pulls the kubota diesel effortlessly.
Can't wait for a diesel hybrid, or at least regeneration while slowing And breaking.

 

2006 Prius and diesel Kubota tractor.. I call the Kubota my orange convertible.. :<)

 

Or could it be that it was just too expensive?

How is the plug in diesel hybrid Volvo doing? They couldn't keep it is stock when it first arrived, but I know Volvo is going with gasoline for the American market.