auto makers the new "evil bankers"

http://www.foxbusiness.com/industries/20.../?intcmp=hplnws

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency said on Friday Europe's biggest carmaker used software for diesel VW and Audi branded cars that deceived regulators measuring toxic emissions and could face up to $18 billion in penalties

Saw that over the weekend. Amazing that VW would flout the law to the extent of a designed-in feature that conceals actual operating emissions. That is disappointing.

On the other hand, it's almost funny to consider VW "wiring around" onerous regulations. And, it's instructive to see our bureaucratic agencies which seem to be seen promoting themselves and all the "good they do." They "toot they're own horns" more stridently lately as if they feel an increased need to remind us that they are there and are thinking about us.

I do not believe in the EPA and all it stands for. Same goes for every other alphabet soup government agency that goes too far and takes "do-good-ism" into the realm of the ridiculous, diminishing American liberty.

The turbo diesel was recommended to me as an economical car for the 500 miles or so I drive a week. Guess I will wait a while.

Wow old man! That's a lot of miles for someone who has a lot of miles!

i'm actually considering a new TDI Passat...at 800+ miles per tank, yeah, i'm all over that. my old Jetta TDI had a 14 gallon tank and would get close to 700 per fill up

I'd totally look at a diesel VW right now, or very soon as I think they're going to be bargains.

Add this to the "evil automakers" file, however, this is legit:


http://www.forbes.com/sites#/sites/joann...ition-switches/

and they pay this money to the government, not the people who were injured or killed, or their families...sad indeed

The govt is an animal with an insatiable appetite for all things that will help it grow.

True that, MB.

A forum thread on this topic is running on a hobbyist forum I frequent. That bunch is all indignant over the flagrant violation of regulations and it is irresponsible of Volkswagen to do so. The thread on that forum has gone on all out of proportion to the topic at hand with everyone piling on in attempts to outdo each other in "righteous indignation." Never a peep about any notion that too much government might play a part in this.

“Many people want the government to protect the consumer. A much more urgent problem is to protect the consumer from the government.”
― Milton Friedman

I rented a Passat last week - had some "get up and go" working for it as well as excellent gas mileage. Very comfy too. Most of these cars seem dangerous when you need to move quickly - not enough power to get you out of harms way fast... Not the Passat.

I appreciate driving cars that can get out of their own way. No guts, no glory.

are the carmakers really evil? I read yesterday that VW reported this to EPA in 2014, who has since sat on it...who is really the evil ones here? And they have allowed VW and Audi to continue to sell these cars, what happens to the ones already purchased? and are the emissions tests really accurate if they can be worked around by an exhaust system?

I am sure that the EPA will devised a fix that will include detuning of the cars giving less hp and worse mgg.

Yeah Ed, they're good that way.

so this new "low sulfur clean burning diesel" they made everyone switch true is nothing but a ploy? and diesel still pollutes as much as ever? seems like the EPA has some splainin to do...

Bureaucracy in this nation has taken on a life of its own and is no longer answerable to either the voters or their elected congressional representatives. Neither voters nor congressmen recognize the impact that excessive bureaucracy and regulation has on this nation. Bureaucracy will never be required to 'splain anything. The EPA is the hallowed sacred cow of all the wretched excess with which this nation has foolishly burdened itself.

Speaking of the EPA ...

http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2015/sep/24/golden-hammer-epas-fondness-for-high-end-furniture/


"The federal agency that has the job of protecting the environment doesn’t seem to have too much concern for trees, at least the ones cut down to make furniture.

The Environmental Protection Agency over the past decade has spent a whopping $92.4 million to purchase, rent, install and store office furniture ranging from fancy hickory chairs and a hexagonal wooden table, worth thousands of dollars each, to a simple drawer to store pencils that cost $813.57."

Volkswagen had to be shaken down. Furniture and decorating costs money.

Can you say hypocritical?

I thought you could.