Diesels in Demand?

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Standardshifter
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Diesels in Demand?

Post by Standardshifter »

Diesels in Demand?
Automakers are readying new diesel-powered vehicles for U.S. consumers, with some models starting to arrive in showrooms during 2004.

http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.asp ... s=EditLead

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P911C4
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Post by P911C4 »

I think that producing more diesel cars might be a good idea, considering the gas price situation.

I went to Hess yesterday, and I could help but notice that diesel fuel was twenty-seven cents cheaper per gallon than the 87 octane I filled my Honda with ($1.75 vs. $2.02). Normally, I wouldn't give it a second thought passing another gas station that was 2 or 3 or 4 cents cheaper per gallon after I had filled my car...after all, what would you save? A dime? A quarter? Not more than a dollar, anyway. But 27 cents? That's over a dollar for every four gallons, and depending on how big your tank is, that extra money could buy you lunch.
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Epi
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Post by Epi »

Unfortunately, "Pollution rules in five states—California, New York, Maine, Massachusetts and Vermont—still preclude the 2005 E320 CDI as well as some of VW's diesel-powered vehicles from being sold there." :(

Oh, well, this is a price we have to pay for too much people having too much big cars here. :(
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Post by IMBoring25 »

Actually, that's the price you have to pay for low gas prices. Once the low-sulfur fuel is introduced in the states, those cars will probably be legal on emissions, but you will also be able to wave bye-bye to any price advantage diesel currently enjoys. (Here, there's no real logic to it; Sometimes the two prices are about the same, sometimes diesel is higher, sometimes gas is higher, often on the same day at different stations).
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Post by scionkid »

I heard that diesel, with their huge idle torque, is really easy to drive. Wouldn't it be nice to run a diesel with McDonald's freedom fry oil? It is very illegal but I strongly believe in the development of bio-diesel, more than hydrogen fuel cells.
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Post by IMBoring25 »

The only reason that's illegal (if it is; I don't think Bo Derrick would have gone on The Factor and talked about it if she wasn't at least reasonably within the law) is because the government hasn't figured out how to tax grease yet. When they get that figured out, that barrier will be lifted (though the economic advantage currently enjoyed by biodiesel will also largely be lifted).

The one problem I see with that is that, with all the fast-food establishments we have generating all the waste grease they do, I still don't see it being enough to fuel the nation's fleet of automobiles, let alone the entire transportation system. It is, however, certainly a step in the right direction.
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