Thread: Diesels in America

I heard it's the strict smog laws , but i could be wrong

Well, for a start they are only paying about $1 a litre for gasoline even though they complain mightily about the price.

Plenty of big diesel SUV's and pickups driving around. Top end Dodges have Cummins engines.

Went for a drive in a big Chev Suburban used by an acquaintance to tow around his 30' enclosed car trailer. This jigger has a 502 cubic inch big block and an Allison Duramax transmission. A lovely big car, quiet, comfortable, astounding HVA, and doesn't it get into the job. I would like one myself. Asked him why he didn't go the diesel route. No need says he. This has plenty power and is quiet and responsive, and doesn't stink, besides I can afford the fuel.



Well, he sure can afford the fuel. He runs a Kurtis-Offy Indy roadster, a Scarab sports racing car, a 1952 Mexico Road Race Mercedes-Benz 300SL, and a 1959 300SL roadster.

To keep the thread on track, I feel they simply don't particularly like or need diesel engined light vehicles. Like Australia, most Yanks live in big citys and are driving ever smaller cars. Country folk, particularly those in the snow belts, tend to drive big pickups and SUV's. Like anywhere in the world, if you can afford a bigger car you drive one. Lots of Cadillac, Lincoln, Buick, etc being sold. Used Caddys up to about 10 y.o. are easy to sell as a lot of people want to be seen driving a Cadillac, and damn good cars they are.

Plenty of Americans drive diesel cars - my brother, living in Houston, has driven diesel cars for most of the past thirty years. However, diesel cars are far less popular than they are here, primarily because petrol is cheap, helped by the fact that diesel pumps tend to be rare outside of truck stops, and California's emission standards mean that it is almost impossible for diesels to comply (although I think there are ones that do now). Another point that does not help is that the first locally made diesel car engines in the eighties and nineties left a very bad taste in a lot of mouths, and a lot of people think all diesels are tarred with the same brush.

John

[shrug] i drive a diesel truck everyday [/shrug]

Originally Posted by JDNSW

helped by the fact that diesel pumps tend to be rare outside of truck stops, and California's emission standards mean that it is almost impossible for diesels to comply (although I think there are ones that do now).

John

I hear this a lot.
What if you don't live in or visit California? I mean you buy a car made in Detroit and live in Rhode Island .
How do the Cali folk end up 'owning' everyone else?

I just don't get it.

Ralph

What about trucks in California, how do they pass the emission laws, do certain vehicles have exemptions??

Baz.

Originally Posted by Redback

What about trucks in California, how do they pass the emission laws, do certain vehicles have exemptions??

Baz.

I think that it is the same as here - different rules for trucks.

But the emission rules for California do discourage manufacturers from offering diesels, and customers all over the country from buying them even if available. My brother is currently driving a petrol VW (because at the time he bought it they did not offer any diesels), although this is after a string of VW diesels, and his daughter drives a diesel VW. His wife drives a Ford petrol van, with no suitable diesel available, at least when she bought it.

John

most of the big pick ups have big v8 diesels, what i dont understand how they sell fully rebuilt 110's and the like for over $100k