Re: SMART CAR is the Solution

Another point. The Atos is a Hyundai Santro.

Every time I'm driving and the stench of diesel pollution is coming inside it's because I've been unlucky enough to be behind some s*it-box jetta or golf and I'm pissed because the occupants of said s*it-box don't even get to experience the puke that's coming out of their exhaust.

Keep diesel cars the hell out of north america. There is NO price advantage worth driving a manually-shifted stench mobile that pukes out clouds of stench with each gear change.

a) Better fuel will reduce smell and pollution.

b) Better engines prevent black puffs, and reduce pollution.

The problem is that diesel technology in most implementations isn't very advanced at all. With tighter standards enforces, it can become much more environmentally friendly.

Not in Europe they don't.

Modern diesel engines, modern fuel.

WHY, pray tell me, are diesels so popular even in the UK, where there is no fuel price advantage?

DAS

Which manufacturer puts "all their eggs into the SUV basket"?

DAS

Both Ford and GM it would seem.

nate

Especially GM.

I am a driver of a Chrysler PT Cruiser in the UK. My Cruiser is a 2.2 Litre diesel with manual box. The reason we drive diesels on the UK is that they get 25% more mpg than petrol models and the government keeps the cost of fuel high. My diesel is modern and does not smell, clatter or produce smoke. It has better pulling power than the petrol version making for a more relaxing drive. The engine will last at least 50% longer than the petrol version and it is cheaper to service. With biofuels starting to take off over here, in the future it will be able to run on biodiesel thus not contributing to global warming.

My 300M has a 3.5 L gasoline-powered engine with automatic transmission.

The reason you drive diesels in the UK is BECAUSE the gov't keeps the cost of fuel high hence forcing consumers to seek out alternatives.

Don't diesel's product more NoX than gas engines?

My automatic transmission and 250 hp engine makes for an even more relaxing drive.

I've done nothing to my 3.5L V-6 engine in 4.5 years (49k miles / 78k km's) other than change the oil and clean the air filter every once in a while. Truth is, in the northern US and most of Canada, road salt will kill a car before the engine needs major work (unless you drive a VW).

If you want to be truely "green" or environmentally friendly, best thing you can do is not have kids. Recycle all you want. Drive a Smart car or a bicycle. Grow rice in your back yard, etc - You can do all that and still can't compare your environmental impact to living well, driving big cars, having a big house, having lots of toys - _and_ not having kids).

But they can be fitted with catalytic converters to lower Nox emissions. Since car companies won't voluntarily fit them, proper emissions legislation will get them in there. That's how gasoline engines evolved the way they have.

In a larger car, and while burning more fuel.

Your car is young. Come back at 350 000+ km.

True. Some areas use less salt than others, because they don't feel it is essential to keep an absolutely clear road 24/7. Cars age better there. Other areas don't use salt but use sand either because it is too cold, or ground water concerns. Unfortunately they pour on the salt here, and I live next to the ocean. Cars usually do rot out before mechanically dying.

In which case it will start falling apart when you drive it off the lot.

Population control is the solution.

Is it really cheaper to service? That certainly isn't typical with diesels. Most require more frequent oil and filter changes, require a more expensive oil filter, more expensive fuel filter (with water trapping capability), etc.

Matt

Some diesels are already VERY advanced (Cummins Ram, for example) and have very low emissions of POLLUTANT chemicals. That's the key- the diesel stench remains even if the pollutants are controlled. :-p

A couple of points:

2) The price of gasoline is ARTIFICALLY inflated in the UK.

Not even close to the same "pulling power" as a PT turbo!

So you really believe that by burning cooking oil your car will produce NO carbon dioxide, NO carbon monoxide, and NO oxides of nitrogen? Please tell me you aren't that duped by the biofuel hype. Of course it will still produce the same amount of CO, CO2, and NOx that it does now, and those are all contributors to global warming just as much as they are when they come out the tailpipe of a car burning petroleum-based diesel.

On Sun, 16 May 2004 21:26:07 -0500, Steve spake thusly:

While I don't believe any of the "global warming" junk science, bio diesel does not add any CO or CO2 to the atmosphere. Yes, carbon compounds exit the tailpipe but they just take the place of all the CO2 drawn by the plants that provide the oils that make up biodiesel. And no, diesels do not produce CO, never have.

It's actually quite the opposite if you've actually driven one. Small, fun, agile, and with the bigger engine, it has no problem getting to illegal speeds if you wish. The tiniest engine model is a joke, though - like the 3cyl Metro vs the 4cyl model.

The big deal, though, is that for the price of an Echo, you get a car with features and safety that you usually have to pay $20K for.

Thank you. My point exactly.

I don't suppose a diesel PT Cruiser is available in the USA.

DAS

Any CO present in any combustion process arises from incomplete combustion, does it not?

DAS

With respect to Europe and RoW I beg to differ.

Ford & GM/Vauxhall/Opel sell vast quantities of 'ordinary' saloons/sedans/estates (wagons in American?)

DAS

It might work as a city only car.

------------- Alex