VW and health

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661-Pete
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Re: VW and health

Post by 661-Pete »

So Fiat produce a car that can't go uphill? Big surprise! But - pardon my ignorance of car-related knowhow - I thought the Fiat 500 was a sort of bubble-car with a 500cc 2-cylinder engine: not much more than a lawnmower, and much beloved of its devoted owners. Evidently I'm stuck in a time-warp, during which things have changed...

I presume this 1.2 litre version is a petrol-engined car, so the anti-diesel mantra won't cut any ice here.

Anyway, the moral of the story has to be, humanity needs to think seriously about moving away from the car - full stop. Surely this forum, and the people who make up this forum, are doing their best! But we can't rule the world...
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axel_knutt
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Re: VW and health

Post by axel_knutt »

I don't see what you're getting at, the car was reportedly quite capable of climbing hills until it was reprogrammed to meet the new emissions standards. What's the relevance of diesel vs petrol? Addressing problems with the environment involves lifestyle changes, and in the particular case of cars that means performance, petrol or diesel. The reason VW fiddled the tests is because they know full well that when their customers are given a choice between performance and the environment they'll usually choose performance. Similarly, the government turned a blind eye because they know that voters make the same choice. Society as a whole has turned a blind eye because people aren't willing to make the changes to their lifestyle. Electric cars are much cleaner, and the reason few people use them is because of the performance compromises.

I just think that much of the affected outrage in the media about the emissions will turn into real outrage about performance once the cars are 'fixed'.
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Mick F
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Re: VW and health

Post by Mick F »

Long story regarding the Euro6 petrol 1.2 4cyl Fiat 500.
http://www.fiatforum.com/500/339820-eur ... eport.html

The Euro5, 4, 3, 2 .............. were all fine, but to get the emissions down on a rather old-designed Fiat engine was a step too far.
As far as I know, Fiat have fixed it, but as far as I know, the Euro6 is the end of the 1.2 Fiat "Fire" engine.

We have a Fiat 500 Twinair 875cc twin cylinder turbo , and they pass Euro6 easily and go like a rocket. :D
Mick F. Cornwall
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Paulatic
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Re: VW and health

Post by Paulatic »

They've been at it with TV energy consumption as well.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-34412501
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Mick F
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Re: VW and health

Post by Mick F »

We have neither a VW diesel car nor a television. :lol:

I wonder what is next?
Garmin Edge GPS device batteries taking too much power? :lol:
Mick F. Cornwall
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661-Pete
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Re: VW and health

Post by 661-Pete »

This thread has drifted to the point where it's nothing to do with health & fitness: perhaps part of it should be split off?

Anyway, even if my car needs to be de-rated to comply, seeing as it's a diesel, I still expect it to get up hills! And here in Sussex we have plenty of steep hills - several 1:5's and a few 1:4's. That 1:10 which they (almost failed to) run the Fiat up would be a doddle. And I can live with a modest loss in acceleration or top speed. MPG? Peugeot haven't admitted anything yet - nothing's been said of their NOx emissions although their CO2 is now revealed to be worse than the lab test. Ho hum....
Suppose that this room is a lift. The support breaks and down we go with ever-increasing velocity.
Let us pass the time by performing physical experiments...
--- Arthur Eddington (creator of the Eddington Number).
bluemootwo
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Re: VW and health

Post by bluemootwo »

+1 for the fiat 2 cylinder 800cc twin air engine. In our Panda it is astounding. But it does have an "Eco" button which I assume is switched on for its emissions test, and which is switched off when we drive it because the car is far from astounding with it on. It is a slug, in fact. But VW could have done this too. So that another question - when a car it tested, shouldn't it pass the test in every driving mode that is offered?
axel_knutt
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Re: VW and health

Post by axel_knutt »

That's just my point, when it's optional people choose performance. The problem is that people also have the option of not voting for governments that make it compulsory.
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rmurphy195
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Re: VW and health

Post by rmurphy195 »

VW or not VW?

Here's a thought - there was a very interesting program televised a few weeks back that went into the history and use of Diesel engines.

It finished with a comment about where they are used
    All land and sea based public transport
    All transportation of goods by sea and land
Makes VW's contribution seem small, somehow.
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squeaker
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Re: VW and health

Post by squeaker »

axel_knutt wrote:We'll soon find out how much people care about the environment when they're issued with software upgrades that b*gger up the performance of their cars.

Fixes for the German market should start in January, but for the UK?
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rmurphy195
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Re: VW and health

Post by rmurphy195 »

squeaker wrote:
axel_knutt wrote:We'll soon find out how much people care about the environment when they're issued with software upgrades that b*gger up the performance of their cars.

Fixes for the German market should start in January, but for the UK?


I'll let you know - my car is affected! From a purely selfish point of view, being last in the line is best - that way any bugs in the fix stand a better chance of being identified and sorted.

EDIT - the linked article isn't about fixes for just German cars, it's about identifying a fix and getting it approved by the German government before rolling it out for approval/use elsewhere.
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""You know you're getting old when it's easier to ride a bike than to get on and off it" - quote from observant jogger !
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