Plus ca change, plus ca la fucking RACKET

[substitute]

At one point in my life if I heard a heavy diesel engine chugging at idle outside my window, I would think "Hmm. Fire truck? Tow truck? Something is afoot!" and go outside to look.

Now I automatically think "Soccer mom in a 6 liter diesel dualie crew-cab pickup". And I'm always right.

Comments

[foo2rama.livejournal.com]

True less greenhouse gasses but more particulates.

Currently For dodge to upgrade from the Hemi engine to a Diesel is over 4 grand.
so to save $.10 in gas that is 40,000 gallons of gas at 12 miles a gallon that is 480,000 miles.

Ford charges over $5k for the diesel upgrade from a 5.4 gas engine.

I think after looking at trucks recently mpg seems within 2 miles of each other. VS the big gas blocks.

Diesel cars are great, but from what I understand on the big truck diesels they are just as expensive to work on since the parts are less common (supply/demand makes then more$) and few mechanics other then dealerships will work on them. I'm not claiming this to be true, just what I have heard.

You still have a slower more expensive vehicle that 95% of the people that own will never come close to utilizing.

thomas the tank engine

[substitute.livejournal.com]

Diesels in cars and diesels in trucks are two different stories.

In trucks, diesel is the King of Torque, hands down. Plus, it's much more economical over long hauls at relatively low speeds, especially carrying heavy loads. Gasoline is better at stop and go and lighter loads; when did you last see a diesel minitruck? Nope. Fire trucks, tow trucks, big rigs, and the bigger sort of pickup that a cement contractor has.

So if you use your truck for carrying 3/4 ton of gravel to Santa Barbara and back you want diesel. If you use your truck to go to the market and Diedrichs and one every six months to go on a trip, you want gas.

In cars, turbo diesel engines with high pressure common rail technology are as clean or cleaner than cars, if they get good fuel. They're popular in Europe because of great fuel economy and because the better diesel fuel there is less polluting and gives better performance. Diesel cars in the U.S. will be a boutique market until we get the better fuels.

In any case