DIESEL

I believe it definitely SHOULD be in our future. The Europeans use them in large numbers and, when you see the price of gasoline over there, you can understand why.

The new breed of diesel cars are responsive, quiet enough, and well mannered. They are very fuel efficient.

At some point the fuel availability and price will shape our automotive choices moreso than the chrome, sheet metal, and fad buying habits that we enjoy so much today.

On Wed, 16 May 2007 07:34:29 -0700, rebooted the Etch-A-Sketch and scribbled:

Keep in mind that two of the big three have huge presences in Europe and Asia. A lot of the technology being developed for these European markets will be brought right back here.

We still are. In fact, Duramax is a leader in diesel engines. It was a joint venture between GM and Isuzu. Now, of course, Honda and many other manufactureres have diesel engines. I would have loved to have the 2.9L TDI in my Kia Sedona.

It is a bigger issue than that.

The US automakers sell a large percentage of their cars in California. California has this NAZI organization called the California Air Resources Board (CARB) which sets emissions standards for the state.

We don't allow any cars sold which don't meet those emmisions standards. Diesel cars - until now - don't meet those standards, so they can't be sold in CA. If the big three can't sell diesel cars in CA - roughly 10% of the US market - they won't bother producing them.

Now, GM and Ford are producing cars outside of the US in their various subsidiaries using diesel, and they are planning on bringing them over by

2009. I was just reading about a new Caddilac with a 2.9L TDI. pumping out 250HP and 400ft/lbs of torque. (I think.)

Keep in mind, the last time Cadillac had a diesel it was a spectacular failure in the minds of consumers.

This 2.9 will open up the market for 1/2 ton trucks as well. I went to look at the GMC Acadia the other day for my wife. (She currently has a Vue and wants seven passengars.) I mentioned to the sales guy how I'd love to see a diesel suburban, to which he replied that I only need to wait a few years.

Now, as for biodiesel...

...I'm not entirely sold on it. Of course, many people use waste veggie oil in their cars/trucks, and this is workable. However, most would want to run biodiesel. The problem is - producing biodiesel from new crops like soybeans may be more harmful overall than pumping oil from the ground.

The jury is still out on that.

I - for one - would like to get myself a 6.5L suburban. Unfortunately, they are few and far between here in California.

HTH!

#1 reason today is emissions. Diesel cannot (until recently) meet the regulations.

Diesels do have down sides. More frequent oil changes, hard starting in cold weather, noise, smell, rough idle. Some of this has been overcome. Now you add in the crappy diesel engines they tried to sell here and you have customer skepticism at best.

Diesel engines operate at higher compression ratios, thus, the engine block has to be stronger and more costly. When GM made a gas engine (mid to late

70's) into a diesel, it was a miserable flop and scared off potential diesel buyers.

I did own an '83 300D and liked it in spite of the downsides. I'd buy diesel again if they offered a decent one.

Go and try a BMW 3 litre straight six diesel of 200+ bhp. (eg

330d, 530d) when in Europe.

I had the earlier BMW 2.5 litre one (M51 engine) in a GM Vauxhall Omega (= Cadillac Catera) Even that was very smooth, with a wonderful growl and mid range torque and 37 miles per UK gallon (31 US miles per gallon?) in a 1.75 tonne Estate car which would do 120 mph.

Not saying better, but light years ahead of the diesels of twenty years ago.

In fact the ONLY real downside is the more frequent and messy oil changes.

Easy starting, pretty smooth idle, quiet - and above 10 mph you would not know it was a diesel.

CW, Luton area, England

SNIP

I owned one diesel Rabbit and never had trouble starting at cold temperatures. I mean around minus 25 Celsius, in Eastern Canada. I used good quality synthetics. Never plugged it.