Yes, Ford builds it but will not sell it here

http://www.businessweek.com/magazine...e+with+readers

 

Nothing new really. I have been over to Europe quite a bit, and you might be surprised to find out that just about anything you can buy in gasser here is available in Diesel in Europe. I know that the official excuse is EPA regulations here, but I still think there is some sort of conspiracy to keep fuel efficient cars out of this country. At least I have a Jetta diesel.
mishkaya

 

Lame excuse if you ask me. Article further states one of the business reasons is Americans don't like diesels. Well if you gave them a chance, and they got 65 mpg to boot, I'm sure they'd learn to love diesels.
No wonder American car manufacturers are on the brink of bankruptcy, they make poor business decisions.

 

On edit...So I got a little long winded and rambling...

I agree...These are reasons why the big three aren't so big anymore.

Once contributor to this issue: GM converting the 350 from gas to diesel; STUPID! If they had done it right, the general public would have a different perception. Granted this is not a large percentage, but every little bit of bad press makes an impact.

On the other hand....I admit I was a die hard Ford fan, until they buggered up the 6.0 launch and subsequent warranty issues. Fortunately, I started looking at Dodge & Cummins.

Then fuel prices climbing back in '05, during days of Katrina. I 'saw' what the future held: got rid of an '03 Dakota (an absolutely FUN truck!) and bought my first diesel, a Jetta. 2 months later, the wife got a job involving an 80 mile round trip commute. She hated me for a month, then started figuring how much the Dakota would cost to drive. All of a sudden, I was right again!

FYI... we looked over the corrola, but at the time, the Jetta was ~$5k more, got ~3-5mpg better, but had a lot better fit & finish. I think I would still make the same decision today.

Fast forward to Fall 2007: I had my Cummins for 1.5yr and fuel is approaching $4 & $5. I REFUSE to give up my truck, but I can't afford to drive it everyday; I need a daily driver beater. That's when I came across a '96 Passat basket case (head off, needs suspension work, uglier than sin, etc). ~$7k later in repairs (all my work at home), I now have a daily driver that get >35mpg city and 44mpg fwy.

Those little german diesels are nothing short of impressive! And, the market for them seems to be growing! Dealers can't keep them on the lot. Less scrupulous dealers are charging premiums for them.

Toyota/Nissan can only get into the >40mpg range with hybrids; the nissan versa gets 35mpg fwy, and so on....

What am I trying to say??????

We are in a world of hurt with limited relief in the near term......

Tony

 

I read a article a while back where they pitted a full size benz diesel against a prius. I will try to find a link to the article. The benz came within mere points of the prius on fuel mileage and was an admitted better more comfortable car. Imagine if they brought out the prius with a diesel electric the thing would probably get 70mpg or better.

 

no excuse they should sell those here to

 

Would you guys really run out and buy one if they sold them here?? I mean seriously, there's gassers that get 45 mpg RIGHT NOW in the US; and they're not hybrids. Yet I don't see myself (or any of you) hurrying to the dealer to get one.

 

I have no need for a car, but my wife would love to have a benz diesel I'm sure.

 

what gas powered cars that are sold in the US get 45 mpg. The only one i can think of is the smart car but im not sure that even gets that much and its tiny.

 

Two different magazines road tested the SmartCar and it only averaged about 33 m.p.g. .

 

actually my wife old car, a '93 gram am 2.3L, got 43MPG..no bad..so why don't we have newer cares getting more??and it was GAS.. a diesel might have been close to 50.

if diesel is too much think about making your own biodiesel..is much cheaper.

-dkenny

 

Smart car sucks. It's actually not that fuel efficient contrary to popular belief. Current Civics get 45 mpg. Even a late 80's - early 90's model Civic DX hatchback with no power steering gets 50 mpg hwy.

 

My son lives in England. He has a Renault gasser that gets 60 mpg. I think thats pretty common over there. They have been paying these fuel prices far longer then we have so they're ahead of the game.

 

My wife falls into the "I don't like the way it smells" crowd but...........at 65 mpg she could learn to like it!!!

 

The problem is with the American consumer, not the manufacturer. I almost bought a mitsubishi diesel truck in '82. It was the ONLY one around the Long Island area and they were practically giving it away because no one wanted it. I lost out because I had no credit and my old man wouldn't cosign.
Most people think diesels are stinky, dirty, slow and heavy. gassers are cheap and little peppy ricers keep the fast image alive.
It will take time and propoganda to straighten them out.