Some great points made.

I too am wondering why Diesel is so expensive. I am guessing it is because we DON"T have enough refineries making diesel. When i was in Germany over Christmas everything there was diesel. I specifically asked for diesel cars and they were great...I mean better acceleration and overall performance than their gasoline counterparts. Now, i have always been a fan of diesel powered cars having grown up with them and driving them and that experience made me more of a diesel fan. I just wish the American divisions of these companies would just start importing them...the media says it is about emissions...that is CRAP!!! the refineries just want to make the money and the media is worried about the cancer causing emissions...well those are gone thanks to the new particulate filters that are on these cars. We were doing 200KPH on the autobahn with these cars and getting well over 35 MPG...the car my dad was driving i think was getting close to 50. He filled up once on the trip and once before returning it to the rental agency but he was only at 1/2 tank.

Diesel was a bit cheaper than gasoline, but most vehicles are diesel powered rather than gas. Didn't see many hybrids at all.

At the New York City auto show a couple weeks ago i was talking to some reps (Audi and Mercedes) and they are bringing over some more diesel cars.

I was reading an article about an Audi A8 with a 4.0L V8 twin turbodiesel and they author was extremely impressed. It was definitely quicker than the gas V8 model and got nearly 40MPG on the autobahn. The germans invented the diesel and have really refined it with common rail injection and variable nozzle technology for the turbo. Also, they have really cleaned up these new diesel engines. Audi also raced there R10 LeMans car at Sebring and won the race...it was a turbo diesel too...i think that is Audi's first step to show the American market that diesel techonology is a lot better than it was 10 years ago.

Just my thoughts.
_________________
Red 1967 Ford Fairlane convertible with built 289, 4.11s and T5!

Okay, so now the price of oil is going down, but pump prices are still rising for the last two weeks ... surprise, surprise!!! Also, I just read an article that says drivers are starting to change their habits and consumption is down due to high prices ... way to go (that's what i'm talking about)!!!

What a joke ... they have us believing in a "peak driving season" ... I mean where did that come from? I don't remember a peak driving season growning up do any of you??? Just another media catch phrase to make us believe there are reasons for consumer rape in my opinion. Oh, but don't get too comfortable after "peak driving season" ... in the fall we go to "peak heating season". It's funny they seem to have an excuse no matter what time of year it is!!!
_________________
MET

So ... another morsel of food for thought!!! If diesel technology gives us great fuel efficiency ... and hybrid technology gives great fuel efficiency ...

diesel + hybrid should be lights out!!!

So tell me why there isn't a diesel hybrid? (remember the subject of this post is "why aren't we using our brains?")

diesel hybrid should/would get 100 mpg!!! Ford, GM get to work before Toyota steals this, markets it, and runs away!!!

LOL
_________________
MET

let's not just focus on diesel, there are other sources of cheap fuel. the local agriculture college here (mississippi state) have made some experimental cars run on corn fuel and soybean fuel. just think what it would do for our farmers if we could make cars run on one of these homegrown sources. we'd be completely independent of other countries supplying us. i just feel like there are certain powers-that-be that make sure nothing like that ever comes to fruition, the people getting fat off oil will never let that happen.
_________________
NMCB 28 Seabee Battalion

Yes and they said man could never fly. That the automobile was only for the rich (until Henry Ford)... The television was invented by Philo T. Farnsworth, he had the idea when he was 16 years old plowing a field. RCA tried to screw him royally to the rights, but he was just one step ahead. In fact his high school math teacher testified (in patent court) to his writiting the schematic for his idea on the board as part of math class!!! He should have made millions, but because of RCA he finished middle of the road (financially), keeping his honor and being respected for his accomplishments. (stories like that get me angry there was a dispute and happy because power and greed don't always overcome).

The powers to be need a shot in the jaw and it is up to each and every one of us to do something (each little action builds, gathers momentum, becomes an obsession, compulsion, a new paridigm). This I believe in my heart is the REAL American way. Our leaders aren't leading us!!! Big business doesn't care (they turned a blind eye for so long and now they are in real trouble). You watch ... once some big turn around happens (i have a gut feel it is starting), all of a sudden Government will be there backing it, making everybody believe it was their idea!!! Bunch of gutless Sophmoric imbeciles!!!
_________________
MET

Last edited by fair67cp on Tue May 09, 2006 2:33 pm; edited 2 times in total

SD44...biodiesel is great but still is 3 bucks a gallon. There is a refinery in Washington and people can make it themselves although it is a bit on the dangerous side.

Biodiesel i think is great, so why not start making more volume...i am sure the farmers would like it...not to mention the economy.

As to the diesel hybrid, i too have thought it would be a great idea, but i think the characteristics of a diesel engine would not allow it to run the same as gas hybrid. In NYC and Seattle (only two i know of) there are hybrid buses that basically use locomotive technology...diesel electric. Where the engine runs at a pretty constant RPM and turns a generator to power the vehicle. It would work fine in the way because the engine is not turning on and off like a gas hybrid car. That scenario would be too hard on a diesel engine and manufacturers would be having to deal with engine failure and unhappy customers.
_________________
Red 1967 Ford Fairlane convertible with built 289, 4.11s and T5!

Only thought negative concerning alternative fuels in my mind is a bad drought which is a reality in some parts around here. Ethenol is a good answer but a sustained drought would have a similar effect on prices.

I heat my house with wood pellets & corn mixed and it saves me alot on natural gas. The gas company kept estimating our bill the winter before last to the tune of $250 a month. After a nasty call each month from the wife to the gas co, they would send out a meter reader & behold, $30 bucks was actual useage. They even sent a rep over once to see why we weren't using enough gas! If we were to have had a leak & was using twice as much as usual, they probably wouldn't even have listened to us about it, greedy bas*#rds. Their loss, my gain.

Corn went up this year as did pellets, but 1 month's worth of gas heated our house for the whole winter at 5 degrees higher on the thermostat.
Due to the lack of rain & snow this year alot of farmers didn't plant dryland corn, but went back to wheat, and alot of dryland corn will be cut for silage this year if it stays this way, meaning less corn for ethenol, feed, heat & the dinner table!
_________________
Scott
1963 Fairlane Mini tub 10pt cage New 408" C4 Canfield 195CC heads Comp solid roller Victor Jr. 9" w/4.11? gears Moser spool & 35 spline axles. www.marksullense85carburetors.com

1 honda sub-compact with 1 person driving = 30-40 mpg

1 SUV with 1 person driving and 3 passengers (who normally drive separate cars) going to the same place = 10-20 mpg x 4 = 40-80 mpg!!!

The extra weight of the passengers may take a mile per gallon off this calculation .. but OH WELL!!!

Also consider the drop in volumn of traffic meaning less traffic jams and more efficiency because of not being stopped as much.
_________________
MET

You can forget that YUPPYS dont care about wasting gas, they have inportant things to do and need to hurry. The motto of all YUPPYS should be........"I DONT CARE WHAT IT COST AS LONG AS CAN HAVE ALL I WANT WHEN I WANT IT AND THAT NO ONE GETS IT BEFORE I DO" This applys to gasoline, and meat at the grocery store,,,,,,,,