Eugeosyncline
Member
- :
- 2001 Protege ES
Cars and issues of personal transportation have interested me for quite a long time, with memory spanning even back to the late 70's and the oil embargo that ensued in that decade.
Were nearing fuel prices (adjusting for inflation) that are to match or even surpass the true cost that was realized in the late 70s, and with that all the price increase hardships that ripple through all commerce-- Read, inflation.
While Ive long respected auto purist/enthusiast needs for gasoline engines and the associated high revving capabilities they render, I for one have always liked diesel engines. Theyre clearly more efficient, last longer than conventional gasoline engines, and these days are vastly improved over previous generations in terms of emissions. Theyre an excellent alternative if youve an interest in trying to save money and resources in these increasingly horrible times.
In the aftermath of the 70s oil embargo, my parents bought a 1980 Mercedes 300D, and it was a great car for over a decade. For its time, the car served our needs with comfort and excellent reliability (things have changed a lot at Mercedes since then), not to mention the outstanding fuel economy we enjoyed. She obviously wasnt the most powerful or fast of cars, but I dont recall that ever being a problem since, as is the case with pretty much ALL people, this was a CAR-- As in, it gets used for transportation, not street racing.
Ive long been most irritated with the fact that only Mercedes and Volkswagen offer diesel cars in North America-- Two makes of the worst reliability you can buy; to say nothing of the offensively expensive nature of trying to secure one of those things in the first place. You can get cheesy diesel pickup trucks from Ford and Dodge, but sedans/coupes? I think not.
I say its well past time for Japanese makes to offer their diesel driven cars to the U.S.. They sell diesels up the ass in Europe, for pretty much ALL of their models but here!?
Diesel cars, as said, are vastly improved over the way they used to be even 10 years ago. They have more power, emit fewer emissions, and are even more efficient than ever. And with fuel costs that will never be cheap again (this is a finite resource, and limited supplies mean high costs-- Dont kid yourself about fuel being cheap ever again), diesel is a superb technology that we can use right here, right now to get us through to the time when hybrids come to maturity, or other alternatives are developed.
Im hot on the trail of buying a new car, and only have to wait about a year while I save up enough to afford one. If there was a reliable diesel car out there that offered the refinement and style I demand, Id buy one without hesitation. But with only Mercedes and Volkswagen to choose from, the market is a joke. Both of those makes insult me with their callous lack of respect for dependability, and I will NEVER buy one of their cars-- Not until theyve proven they can be trusted. So that leaves NO viable options in terms of a diesel car, and that pisses me off.
Mazda, Honda, and Toyota all have excellent diesel engines; same as the reliable nature of their gasoline designs. ITS FRIGGIN TIME FOR THESE MANUFACTURERS TO BRING THEM TO NORTH AMERICA, DAMMIT! BASTARDS!!!
And oh yeah-- It wouldn't take much effort to get used to a diesel, anyway, since the FS-DE already sounds like one when you first start it up in the morning. We'd be right at home!
Were nearing fuel prices (adjusting for inflation) that are to match or even surpass the true cost that was realized in the late 70s, and with that all the price increase hardships that ripple through all commerce-- Read, inflation.
While Ive long respected auto purist/enthusiast needs for gasoline engines and the associated high revving capabilities they render, I for one have always liked diesel engines. Theyre clearly more efficient, last longer than conventional gasoline engines, and these days are vastly improved over previous generations in terms of emissions. Theyre an excellent alternative if youve an interest in trying to save money and resources in these increasingly horrible times.
In the aftermath of the 70s oil embargo, my parents bought a 1980 Mercedes 300D, and it was a great car for over a decade. For its time, the car served our needs with comfort and excellent reliability (things have changed a lot at Mercedes since then), not to mention the outstanding fuel economy we enjoyed. She obviously wasnt the most powerful or fast of cars, but I dont recall that ever being a problem since, as is the case with pretty much ALL people, this was a CAR-- As in, it gets used for transportation, not street racing.
Ive long been most irritated with the fact that only Mercedes and Volkswagen offer diesel cars in North America-- Two makes of the worst reliability you can buy; to say nothing of the offensively expensive nature of trying to secure one of those things in the first place. You can get cheesy diesel pickup trucks from Ford and Dodge, but sedans/coupes? I think not.
I say its well past time for Japanese makes to offer their diesel driven cars to the U.S.. They sell diesels up the ass in Europe, for pretty much ALL of their models but here!?
Diesel cars, as said, are vastly improved over the way they used to be even 10 years ago. They have more power, emit fewer emissions, and are even more efficient than ever. And with fuel costs that will never be cheap again (this is a finite resource, and limited supplies mean high costs-- Dont kid yourself about fuel being cheap ever again), diesel is a superb technology that we can use right here, right now to get us through to the time when hybrids come to maturity, or other alternatives are developed.
Im hot on the trail of buying a new car, and only have to wait about a year while I save up enough to afford one. If there was a reliable diesel car out there that offered the refinement and style I demand, Id buy one without hesitation. But with only Mercedes and Volkswagen to choose from, the market is a joke. Both of those makes insult me with their callous lack of respect for dependability, and I will NEVER buy one of their cars-- Not until theyve proven they can be trusted. So that leaves NO viable options in terms of a diesel car, and that pisses me off.
Mazda, Honda, and Toyota all have excellent diesel engines; same as the reliable nature of their gasoline designs. ITS FRIGGIN TIME FOR THESE MANUFACTURERS TO BRING THEM TO NORTH AMERICA, DAMMIT! BASTARDS!!!
And oh yeah-- It wouldn't take much effort to get used to a diesel, anyway, since the FS-DE already sounds like one when you first start it up in the morning. We'd be right at home!
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