America needs more diesels
01-15-2003, 12:37 PM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,540
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
America needs more diesels
Letter to the editor of Automotive News by Jim Siegel
I am troubled by the can't-do attitude I see at Ford Motor Co. in diesel development. Ford finds reasons why it can't market the V-6 diesel while DaimlerChrysler finds reasons to market the Liberty diesel.
Winners in this industry are leaders that take innovative risks. I wish more companies would provide diesels. You don't see Volkswagen offering incentives to sell every diesel it can send to the United States.
If we had more diesels, we could reduce the amount of oil we have to import from our "allies" in the Middle East.
I am troubled by the can't-do attitude I see at Ford Motor Co. in diesel development. Ford finds reasons why it can't market the V-6 diesel while DaimlerChrysler finds reasons to market the Liberty diesel.
Winners in this industry are leaders that take innovative risks. I wish more companies would provide diesels. You don't see Volkswagen offering incentives to sell every diesel it can send to the United States.
If we had more diesels, we could reduce the amount of oil we have to import from our "allies" in the Middle East.
i couldnt agree more, with bush all over fuel economy lately, why hasnt he struck this? (or has he? lol)
01-15-2003, 01:00 PM
#4
Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2002
Location: Oceanside, CA
Posts: 1,217
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Why do you think diesel is old way of thinking? Like anything, it can always be make better than what it start out to be. The cost of improving something is much better than the cost of creating a new thing. Diesel already have good milage, why not just expand on that. At least for the mean time.
01-15-2003, 02:16 PM
#5
Senior Member
Join Date: Mar 2002
Location: Frisco, Texas
Posts: 2,523
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by asianautica
Why do you think diesel is old way of thinking? Like anything, it can always be make better than what it start out to be. The cost of improving something is much better than the cost of creating a new thing. Diesel already have good milage, why not just expand on that. At least for the mean time.
Why do you think diesel is old way of thinking? Like anything, it can always be make better than what it start out to be. The cost of improving something is much better than the cost of creating a new thing. Diesel already have good milage, why not just expand on that. At least for the mean time.
01-15-2003, 02:19 PM
#6
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 13,540
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
Originally posted by yianni64
He's saying that any kind of internal combustion engine is old way of thinking. He meant that we need to look into real alternatives.
He's saying that any kind of internal combustion engine is old way of thinking. He meant that we need to look into real alternatives.
01-15-2003, 03:11 PM
#7
lots and lots of fail
Join Date: Dec 1999
Location: Deeeeeeeeeeeeeeetroit
Posts: 23,004
Likes: 0
Received 1 Like
on
1 Post
Originally posted by Tirod-slc
why is that not a real alternative?
why is that not a real alternative?
01-15-2003, 03:37 PM
#8
A little chin music
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Cleveland, Ohio - Rock 'n Roll capitol of the World
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
People in this country are used to:
1. Enough power to pass a truck on the highway quick and easy.
2. Heat within a few minutes of starting the engine when it's 10 degrees outside.
3. The notion that diesels are dirty -- even with the low sulfur grade in Europe, people associate diesel: dirty.
I have no problem with them giving it a shot, but don't be surprised if it flopps.
1. Enough power to pass a truck on the highway quick and easy.
2. Heat within a few minutes of starting the engine when it's 10 degrees outside.
3. The notion that diesels are dirty -- even with the low sulfur grade in Europe, people associate diesel: dirty.
I have no problem with them giving it a shot, but don't be surprised if it flopps.
01-15-2003, 03:40 PM
#9
Senior Member
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: Columbus, Ohio
Posts: 1,664
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
ya but look at biodiesel. you can run existing diesel engines on a 100% clean, renewable resource. its made from corn, which is plentiful in this country. maybe not as cheap as petroleum, but making a slow transition to it is definitely viable. ill try and find some more info on it.
heres a start:
heres some basic info
http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/biodiesel_basics/
www.biodiesel.org has a ton of info on it
ps my first car was a diesel, and my bros first car was a diesel too. and my mom drives a 2001 vw jetta turbo diesel, so im a pretty big fan. :thumbup:
heres a start:
* Pure biodiesel is biodegradable, nontoxic and essentially free of sulfur and aromatics. It is a renewable resource, based on soybean and other oil crops that are grown anew each year. It is produced domestically, reducing this country's dependence on foreign oil. It requires no engine modifications or changes in the fuel handling and delivery systems. Some vehicle hoses may need to be changed. Biodiesel delivers similar torque, horsepower and miles per gallon.
http://www.biodiesel.org/resources/biodiesel_basics/
www.biodiesel.org has a ton of info on it
ps my first car was a diesel, and my bros first car was a diesel too. and my mom drives a 2001 vw jetta turbo diesel, so im a pretty big fan. :thumbup:
01-15-2003, 03:54 PM
#10
A little chin music
Join Date: Jun 2002
Location: Cleveland, Ohio - Rock 'n Roll capitol of the World
Posts: 2,655
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes
on
0 Posts
How's getting the heat going on a day like today on your Mom's Jetta? I mean, buurrrrr! I've heard diesels can take up to 15 minutes to get up to peak running temp.