Diesel myths debunked
How do you turn a nation of gas guzzlers into derv lovers? Chevrolet is leading the charge
The 'myths' Chevy have to debunk are listed in this promotional picture, but it seems some Americans are already being won over as fuel prices increase.
Sales of diesel cars rose 35 per cent in the first quarter of 2012 according to figures from the Diesel Technology Forum and last year they were up 27 per cent.
Okay, they're not about to usurp petrol any time soon in the way they (just about) have here. Diesels account for three per cent of US sales (equivalent to about 180,000 cars a year) compared to a sliver over half of all cars sold in the UK last year.
But more makers selling in the US are joining the likes of VW, who started making the Passat TDI in Tennessee last year. Porsche has announced it's selling the Cayenne diesel and Mercedes is following with the 350 Bluetec version of its S-Class. Even Jeep has said it will launch a diesel Grand Cherokee.
But let's not carried away here. When Americans squeal about high gas prices, it's hard to feel any sympathy. The equivalent litre price for unleaded after all the sums (including converting their gallons to our gallons) is a measly 62p. At that price, quite frankly, diesel be damned.
Relative to a decent petrol engine they are. However in absolute terms a decent modern diesel engine is relatively smooth, quiet and not at all dirty. Those 'Myths' are certainly no longer a reason not to buy a diesel for the bulk of the non petrolhead public.
Without taking running costs into account, I've not met one person (who knows about cars) who would buy a diesel over a petrol.
However the number of people that I meet that know about cars compared to those who don't is small. While a lot of people like a nice car most are not really car people.
Without taking running costs into account, I've not met one person (who knows about cars) who would buy a diesel over a petrol.
Why didn't they just say it will save you X amount of dollars. cost is the only reason for diesel.
(deltic excepted)
90-95% of my miles are now driven in London (I did buy my diesel when I was doing 25k+ PA) and to be honest the way it delivers the power does make it quite an easy way to drive through traffic.
1) oil burners have very narrow power bands, so you will be either sitting there with the loud pedal pressed waiting for something to happen, or flying towards the car in front of you
2) oil burners are as boring as watching grass grow
I wouldn't call this boring, tbh its very impressive
1) oil burners have very narrow power bands, so you will be either sitting there with the loud pedal pressed waiting for something to happen, or flying towards the car in front of you
2) oil burners are as boring as watching grass grow
New diesels are much less peaky and more linear. The latest 2.2 from Honda being an example... Theres a satisfying surge upon pedal burial but it doesn't blow it's load in one go, it's more gradual and is a gentler thrust for more of the rev range.
Don't know of people have noticed this but compression ratios for petrol and diesel have been converging. Mazdas new sky active engines both run 14.0:1. Means diesel combustion becomes, audiably, softer. Ie quieter and engine operation smoother.
Second point stands though. But it does so for equivalent petrols. Let's face it a normal golf or focus is dull what ever they decide to shove under the bonnet.
Diesels in the US are mostly the preserve of nutters, eccentrics and people who drive very large pick up trucks when it comes to private motorists.
Diesel costs significantly more than petrol which neatly offsets part of the MPG advantage. There were tax incentives that meant you could deduct a fair amount if you bought an 'effecient' automobile but I don't know a single person who did that.
Everyone I know there either drives a 6 or 8 cylinder, mostly automatics and other than the odd whine about the price of 'gas' doesn't give a flying fk about efficiency or mpg.
Apart from this tt I worked with who had a prius, but he was a vegan, a so-called socialist (who didn't seem to share any of his considerable wealth or time with the poor) and used his electric st mobile to drive 1/2 a mile to the shops instead of walking or cycling the hypocritical prick.
Edit to add: there is no reason whatsoever to own, buy or run a diesel over there IMO given a half decent salary.
1) oil burners have very narrow power bands, so you will be either sitting there with the loud pedal pressed waiting for something to happen, or flying towards the car in front of you
2) oil burners are as boring as watching grass grow
I wouldn't call this boring, tbh its very impressive
why not strap a shuttle SRB motor on the roof? what relevance does a race car that exploits favorable rules have to a road car?
i have just put 1000 miles on a 2011 V6 A6 TDi and it was bloody terrible. Lag as you described then an almighty woof of power between 2-3k then dead as a door knob to the red line, so bloody hit and miss, incredibly tedious to drive unless you just want a luxo barge for cruising in, then it was superb, i dont!
Relative to a decent petrol engine they are. However in absolute terms a decent modern diesel engine is relatively smooth, quiet and not at all dirty. Those 'Myths' are certainly no longer a reason not to buy a diesel for the bulk of the non petrolhead public.
In the US, where people tend to cover much bigger milages on wide open freeways, diesel is a bit of a no brainer, there just hasn't been the imputus due to the low price of petrol. Get onto a motorway in a modern TD and drive at 70 mph and you'd be hard pushed to tell the difference between that and a petrol, except when you fill up.
Given no cost constraints i'd go petrol every time, but in the real world I can't ignore the savings.
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