rebel_horseman

The reason the small diesel trucks aren't available here is because of the EPA standards. All over the Mid-East you can find Ford Ranger's in the same configuration like the Mahindra with a 2.2L turbo 4-cyl. diesel that gets about 30 MPG.

Mahindra makes a very good product that is extremely reliable. If their automobiles are anywhere close to being that good then they will be a force to be reckoned with.

I'm debating on what I want to get the wife as a next vehicle. I'm at a toss-up between the Scorpion (Mahindra's SUV with the diesel) and a Jetta TDI. The cost will be close to the same. More than likely I'll have the 4wd SUV.

Are they the best styled? Nope. But the power train and the mentality behind the vehicle is what I like. As far as "buy American" give me a freaking break. I wonder how much crap is bought from China-Mart by those who espouse the "Buy American" mantra. This country is screwed six ways from Sunday and buying a car from a US corporation that has outsourced the majority of it's work so that it can maximize profits for the CEOs ain't going to do jack. I guess Hot Rod wouldn't buy a Nissan Titan even though the truck plant is in Mississippi.

Raspy

rebel,

I guess you haven't really formed a strong opinion yet.

All I can say is, I agree with everything you said.

Car companies that try every trick they can think of to deceive us and sell junk, then ask us to bail them out of financial ruin. No or almost no diesels. So called patriots telling us to buy American from companies like Dodge, that was until recently, owned by Mercedes and built in Mexico. Sheesh.

Am I supposed to believe that only Mahindra has the ability to produce a small diesel PU? Oh wait, what I really need is flashy 20" rims and a hemi badge on the side. Or a diesel made under a court order that is the biggest financial disaster Ford has ever seen. Or a huge truck capable of pulling 10,000 lbs just to run errands. Or am I supposed to be comfortable with a problem engine design and pulling the cab off whenever it needs an injector?

I say bring 'em on Mahindra and I hope they sell like hot cakes! Show the big three what practical is.

96_12V

Just as an example, check out this Ford page - it's in Protugese, however it's not hard to navigate you way to see the 3.0L 4-cylinder diesel engine...(you have to click on the "pick ups" tab.)

https://www.ford.com.br/showroom.asp?

Or take a good look at the 4-cylinder in the F250....

cbtumedic

Mahindra has a winner on their hands if they can keep the build quality up there with that of their tractors. I would def. give them a second look if I were in the market for a new vehicle, beats buying from gov't motors or Fiat/Chrysler. Ford is the only NA brand I would consider buying new from now, and I used to be a die hard chevy man and have had my fair share of Dodges as well, but the wifes taurus has been great and they have some good stuff out there now, if the upcoming diesel works out they will be solid. Back to mahindra, this isn't their first foray into cars/trucks, several years ago they introduced some jeeps, and they truly were jeeps, built using all the old CJ stuff, it was all for foreign markets, but they had quite a following. http://www.4wdonline.com/Mahindra/Mahindra.html

jfpointer

And President Dumbo's EPA isn't going to make that any better, that's for sure.

I wouldn't buy a Nissan Titan because, well, I wouldn't be caught dead in a truck that ugly...

rebel_horseman

I was talking to my wife about this very subject last night and she made a similar comment about "buy American." My response to her was that I am already buying American but I will never see a return on my investment. The tax dollars that are extorted from me each and every day are going to bail out those automakers (or maybe more accurately, to bail out the cotton picking unions.) All of this after the automakers refuse to build what the public demands and instead build marginal quality vehicles with a paltry warranty just long enough to keep the vehicle problem free, and once the warranty goes out the problems start.

The sad thing is my '93 Cummins was hechoed in Messyco and it's a good example of how long the corporations have been screwing us. And it's not just the auto industry, it's all of them. Retail, manufacturing, agriculture, etc. Cheap illegal workers, outsourcing to some third world crap hole, substandard components, etc. I'm not going to promote it anymore. I'm going to buy as cheaply as I can to get the stuff I need to live comfortably when the balloon finally bursts wide open.

RickG

This should enlighten you . http://autos.yahoo.com/articles/auto...can-made-index . Yes I realize it isn't that recent but a recent one would be similar . Toyota doesn't make anything here ? Yes they do . It's Chrysler that assembles foreign made parts . A lot of Toyota's revenue goes into their workers' pockets and community donations.
Come up with something from the "American" companies to match this . http://www.toyota.com/about/our_comm.../philanthropy/

olddodgetrucks

epa or not the small diesel trucks never sold when they where available,

klx650a2

I would buy one. For running around town and taking the dirt bike out the to the track it would be great. If I have to tow my TT or dump trailer, I use my Cummins. Chevy makes a 4 cylinder, inter-cooled, duramax turbo diesel and stuffed it into their Colorado styled truck and sell them in Japan and the pacific rim. Great fuel economy, 300 ft lbs of torque, over 30 mpg and $22,000.00. For us, that would fit the bill. I've emailed gm, ferd and dodge asking for that type of vehicle and never get a reply.

rebel_horseman

The old Isuzu diesel never sold because, even though it gave good fuel economy and was dependable, it had no guts. There weren't many other options. Back then, diesel was a smelly, noisy, smoky truck that was uncool to drive for the city types. That's changed nowadays and the focus on energy independence, higher fuel economy, lower emissions, etc. will likely drive up the demand for trucks and cars with small diesels IF they can make them affordable.

olddodgetrucks

the average joe wont buy them,not too long diesel was more than gas,gas trucks already get good mileage and it is hard enough to find a good gas tech let alone finding a diesel tech,this board is full of horror stories and any other diesel board is filled with them.

stinkindiesel

If you're concerned that buying a Mahindra means that you didn't "buy American", look up! You can buy that Mahindra with a clear conscience IF you pay taxes. If you're a taxpayer, you already bought a big piece of GM!

Like that guy who did those commercials back in the 80's "I liked Gillette razors so much, I bought the company!" ...except we weren't given the choice.

chaikwa

THat was a whole different breed of diesel too tho. Now with common rail, it's hard to tell what's diesel and what's gas unless you look at badging.

chaikwa.