i hear you get quite a bit of low end grunt these days from a decently sized turbodiesel.
Member
i hear you get quite a bit of low end grunt these days from a decently sized turbodiesel.
www.myspace.com/kasaky
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Because the mental picture of dirty, smelly, polluting dump trucks and late-70's diesels are stuck in the buying public's mind.
Add to that Kalifornia's Nazi-like CARB, and the 4 other states (and 5 others considering adopting it), and you have cars that could potentially not be sold in 1/5 of the states. Mainly the ones where the most cars are sold.
[O o)O=\x/=O(o O]
The things we do for girls who won't sleep with us.
Patrick says:
dads is too long so it wont fit
so i took hers out
and put mine in
Fanatic
What's CARB?Originally Posted by Quiggs
Faster, faster, faster, until the thrill of speed overcomes the fear of death...
– Hunter Thompson
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California Air Resources Board.
'76 Cadillac Fleetwood Seventy-Five Limousine, '95 Lincoln Town Car.
Enthusiast
What the Governator drinks for breakfast.
Member
As an American I absolutely agree. We should by more diesel cars and suvs especially now that diesels are cleaner then they ever have been. Unfortunately as Quiggs mentions the stereotypical diesel image in the US is the smoky, smelly, and slow diesels of old.
Another reason is that the US has the same standards for cars with diesels and petrol whereas in Europe there are separate standards for the two fuels (correct me if I am wrong). Furthermore the CO2/km ratings of diesels are less then comparable gas/petrol engines so why is the EPA and CARB boards so stupid as to think that diesels are worse for the environment? Even the Mercedes E320 Blutec diesel that is finally being sold in the US still doesnt meet the emissions requirements of 5 states even though the comparable E350 consumes more fuel and spews out more CO2 (although less NOx gases).
Since Americans seem to have a taste for large SUVs and trucks a complete switch to diesel in large vehicles would partly solve fuel efficiency problems in this sector.
In general we have stupid emissions laws that are counterproductive and don't encourage manufacturers to sell diesel passenger cars and trucks in the US.
Fanatic
Ford is actually addressing this by making a Diesel F150 option on the next gen. It's not a total fix, but it is a start.
[O o)O=\x/=O(o O]
The things we do for girls who won't sleep with us.
Patrick says:
dads is too long so it wont fit
so i took hers out
and put mine in
Supporting Member
you also should realise that proper "almost" sulphurfree has only become available in the USA at the beginning of this year. Another excuse gone of the big three not to develop suitable diesel technology for themselves (Ford went to PSA, Chrysler can use Mercedes and GM runs a little bit behind with Opel/Isuzu technology.
"I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams
Fanatic
Absolutely. It was supposed to be out last year, but after Hurricane Katrina, the oil companies bitched and moaned about production hardships, and the government let them delay the roll out.
That, along with the new CARB and EPA standards, have made the current gen TDI's and Mercedes diesels impossible to sell for the 07 model year. They're supposed to be back in 08 though.
[O o)O=\x/=O(o O]
The things we do for girls who won't sleep with us.
Patrick says:
dads is too long so it wont fit
so i took hers out
and put mine in
Furniture
GM motors also uses VM Motori diesel engines in some of their cars.
Lack of charisma can be fatal.
Visca Catalunya!
Enthusiast
Actually, I think diesels are a fantastic idea, and I believe are actually a better solution than hybrids in many ways. I love low-revving engines, and diesels fit the bill nicely, with extra fuel economy, to boot. You see quite a few here in Texas, I would estimate fully 1/3 of the VW's I see here are TDi models, and of course diesel pickups are popular here too.
The rest of the nation, I think, has a bad taste in their mouths largely because of that GM 350ci diesel abomination that they foisted on the public in the late 70's/early 80's. There were other pretty bad diesels in this era, but none quite so under-engineered and widespread as the aborted boat anchor that Oldsmobile built for GM.
Also, the EPA has an outdatedly negative view on diesel emissions, although ironically, they are partly to blame! American diesel has a relatively high sulfur content, mostly because the EPA never told anyone not to refine it better. It's a self-fulfilling prophecy by now.
CARB is...well, it's CARB, and they're nutty, what more can I say. To some degree, it's because of CARB that I got into classic cars (which admittedly pollute more) in the first place, so I wouldn't have to deal with them, and I know others who have done the same and also make quite a living dodging CARB regulations. That's what you get when you not only have such strict regulations on things, but regulations that don't always keep pace with new developments and other potential solutions to problems.
An it harm none, do as ye will
Approximately 79% of statistics are made up.
Novice
CARB opposition to diesels was based on particulate emissions. It is probable that with the new low sulfur fuel and urea processing that the newest diesel cars will be approved by CARB. However, in many parts of the U.S., diesel fuel is considerably more expensive than even premium gasoline so there is little economic incentive to make the change. Furthermore, if diesels are so hot why don't we see them in the Mercedes 600SL?
Furniture
We will, once american start buying diesels. There were talks of a diesel V12 from Mercedes-Benz based on two V6 blocks and Audi have recently introduced the Q7 V12 TDI as a concept car. First it will be big saloons and SUV and I fear it won't be long till we see the first diesel engined sportscar.
Lack of charisma can be fatal.
Visca Catalunya!
Supporting Member
have a good look here....
"I find the whole business of religion profoundly interesting, but it does mystify me that otherwise intelligent people take it seriously." Douglas Adams
Member
Let me ask a straight forward question, and i hope that none of you will look at me badly,
what is up with carlifornia and car regulations, i had even heard about it in africa, their own laws in racing, their own emissions stardard and now they hate the hummer so much that you cannot be elected gorvener if you have one,and the horific stories of people and their cars being broken into by the police just for having a "non-compliant" part in them
to tell you the truth now that i am modifying my car, i do not plan to drive into carlifornia, id rather take the bus.
Once fanboyism infects you it impares all your judgement.
It's like being drunk, you lack common sense and everyone laughs at you.
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