Why Are Americans So Anti- Diesel?

[moonshinemadness]

Please dont turn this into a flame war im just interested, in the UK there is probably as many petrol as diesel cars whereas in the US even your pickups are petrol. Why? I would always consider a diesel over a petrol, Better economy engines, More pulling Power usually stock turbo, Hardwearing engines that will go on for 200,000 + miles trouble free (If maintained properly) so why the big ass petrol engine thing?

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Seems like tradition to me, basically. But I'm not a car nut.

Also, I doubt that a lot of people know that diesel is cleaner. When I think diesel, I think big huge semi trucks spewing tons of thick black crap into the air.

 

[Manzelle]

I like Vin...Big Daddy Cool sucked though...

 

[amdforever2]

because not as many stations sell diesel here

and because air quality stuff

and because diesel has bad perception here

gm didnt help in the 80s

 

[Eli]

Because the domestic manufacturers made some craptacular diesel engines in the past, and the stigma has stuck; loud, smelly, unreliable.

People will come around.

 

[moonshinemadness]

Why what did GM do?

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Originally posted by: amdforever2
because not as many stations sell diesel here

Don't you think it's more likely that the cause/effect relationships is the other way around?

 

[Shockwave]

Have you ever seen a deisel run 11.24 in the 1/4 mile?
We'll take out gas thanks.

 

[Barnaby W. Füi]

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Have you ever seen a deisel run 11.24 in the 1/4 mile?
We'll take out gas thanks.

How many people buy a car for the 1/4 mile?

 

[Manzelle]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Have you ever seen a deisel run 11.24 in the 1/4 mile?
We'll take out gas thanks.

How many people buy a car for the 1/4 mile?

I live my life a 1/4 mile at a time.

 

[txxxx]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Have you ever seen a deisel run 11.24 in the 1/4 mile?
We'll take out gas thanks.

How many people buy a car for the 1/4 mile?

Boy ricers ofcourse.

 

[T2T III]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey

Originally posted by: amdforever2
because not as many stations sell diesel here

Don't you think it's more likely that the cause/effect relationships is the other way around?

Actually, that's how I've heard it during a discussion on the radio a few months back.

- Car manufacturers don't want to build more diesel powered vehicles until they see more diesel pumps at the stations.

- Gas station owners don't want to add more diesel pumps until there are more diesel powered vehicles.

Kind of Catch-22. But, someone needs to make the first move for this to take place.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey

Seems like tradition to me, basically. But I'm not a car nut.

Also, I doubt that a lot of people know that diesel is cleaner. When I think diesel, I think big huge semi trucks spewing tons of thick black crap into the air.

Originally posted by: BingBongWongFooey

Originally posted by: Shockwave
Have you ever seen a deisel run 11.24 in the 1/4 mile?
We'll take out gas thanks.

How many people buy a car for the 1/4 mile?

Hmmm... Thats a good question.... I dunno...... :roll:

 

[moonshinemadness]

Im not talking about sports cars being diesel but things like your little run a round, pickups, suv's stuff like that.

 

[Shockwave]

Originally posted by: moonshinemadness
Im not talking about sports cars being diesel but things like your little run a round, pickups, suv's stuff like that.

What do your "little run around" diesel engines get for miles to the gallon? (Asking because I really dont know)

 

[0roo0roo]

well for many years diesels spewed tiny particulate matter into the air, lodging deep into human lungs causing health problems.

then theres the ick of filling it up..

then theres the fun of finding a station

 

[Eli]

Originally posted by: Shockwave

Originally posted by: moonshinemadness
Im not talking about sports cars being diesel but things like your little run a round, pickups, suv's stuff like that.

What do your "little run around" diesel engines get for miles to the gallon? (Asking because I really dont know)

Considerably better than a gasoline engine of the same displacement in a car that weighs the same.

One word: Volkswagen TDI.

The 1.9L Golf TDI gets 38/46 city/higway, ~2900lbs.

That's a pretty small car, though. How about the Passat TDI?

2.0L, 27/38 city/highway, ~3400lbs.

It appears that many Passat TDI owners are getting over 40MPG highway, though.

 

[Codewiz]

What I find funny is the comment, "There aren't many diesel pumps". My fiancee drives a diesel golf and we never have trouble getting diesel. We do sometimes have trouble finding pay at the pump diesel but that isn't a big deal.

I certainly wish there were more diesel cars. 50MPG and a hell of a lot better than these crappy hybrid cars.

 

[moonshinemadness]

N/m

 

[moonshinemadness]

ive never really worked it out but i think anything from 30 to 50 tops. My dads gets 18 tops in his V8

 

[Chaotic42]

Wow, I've never seen a station that didn't have diesel.

 

He was good in Saving Private Ryan.

 

[0roo0roo]

http://www.usatoday.com/money/autos/2004-08-17-fuel-econ-cover_x.htm

 

[Linflas]

Diesel was a lot more popular when it cost 10-20 cents less per gallon than gasoline.

And if it becomes popular once again there is this little problem to contend with.

 

[Pacfanweb]

Originally posted by: moonshinemadness
Why what did GM do?

Oldsmobile 350 diesel. That was really late 70's, early 80's.
Also, lots of people knocked the GM/Chevy truck 6.2 diesel, but I've seen many of those engines with hundreds of thousands of miles on them.