Why does the US not like Diesel cars?

Question

The US wants us to use more eviromental friendly cars ie higher mpg. I have a diesel jetta and get between 43-50 mpg on the hightway yet I don't get a tax break. Hybrids get mid 30's mpg on the highway and they do get a tax break. Current diesel fuel (low Sulfer) Burns almost as clean as regular gas.

Let me know your thoughts thanks.

Answer 1

The current federal guidelines for emmissions restrict the level of NOx's.  Gasoline fuels can meet this requirement, but even the computerized direct injection diesels cannot.  For that reason, only a limited number of diesel cars are allowed in the US.  In Europe, the air quality is less restrictive in this area and small diesels are the rage.  Look on line for the mileage reported by some small (real small) diesel powered cars and you can why the European community is going in this direction.  

So the answer to this question is simply, federal guidelines are again as stupid as allowing ketchup to be classified as vegetable in school lunches.  Simple math tells us that a car that uses less fuel pollutes less.  DAH!

Answer 2

Like you I have diesel VW, great cars! I would not go hybrid because of the batteries. YES, the current diesel burns really cleaner than most gasoline cars and conserves more fuel. Really some people in our government are JUST ignorant on some things. I think some are finally seeing the light. By 2010, there will be more diesels to choose from. I honestly believe this Global warming thing is just a hoax. Scare tactics to get grants for people and funding from the tax payers. I noticed some people said diesels did not have as much torque as gasoline motors!!!   They are highly misinformed. The new Mercedes 6 cyl diesel has almost as much torque as a bigger gasoline V8, far more than a gasoline 6 cyl motor.  It will take a few years for diesels to catch on. THE EPA has also been hard on them, but that barrier is about to be broken. If it were up to some people, this country would be a third world country. Do away with all of the factories because of the pollution.

Answer 3

Why should you get a tax break??  You're saving money on fuel!!

Answer 4

Hmm. Because the US did not invent the Diesel Motor.  The German Dr. Rudolf Diesel designed the motor to run on peanut oil.  A diesel motor is a compression not combustion motor. This makes it on average 10-15% more efficient than it's gasoline guzzling cousin.  A diesel motor on B100 Bio-diesel will be 70% cleaner for the environment than any gas guzzler. And now large oil companies are making the best profits ever......

Answer 5

My hybrid gets 50 on the highway, so I get as good to better gas mileage than a diesel and I put out less particulates.  That's why I didn't go diesel.

Answer 6

diesel engines dont have as much torque and arent as high performance.  therefor they wont rung as fast, but are a lot more powerful.  americans want speed over efficiency, thats why.  dont worry, when prices get high enough they'll change.  i'm already working on it.

Answer 7

Diesel stinks, how can it be good for the environment? Most vehicles around here that are diesel are large trucks and they are gas hogs and you can smell the fumes when you are by one in traffic.

Answer 8

Cogress did away with the diesel tax break under Tip O'Neil.

Answer 9

Because American think of diesel is very very polluting, loud and smoky.  People still have bad memories of the old caddy elderado diesel's that were nothing like the european diesels of today.

European Diesels are now in their 3rd to 5th generation have been refined down to a science. They behave more like gas engines than diesel engines. They are not like american truck diesels, the have no glow plugs. As a matter of fact there is no wait time ... you just turn the key and they engine starts; no have to warm it up. Honestly ... JUST GO DRIVE ONE PEOPLE --- you will be shocked of how much you like it. I PROMISE YOU!

  

Currently i'm trying to get my parents to get a Mercedes ML 320 CDI - Dad is very resistant to the idea and wants a Lexus Hybrid ... UGH. The diesel gets better mileage (28 mpg vs 27 highway in the Lexus, if you are lucky enough to get that) and doesn't have long term cost that the Lexus does ... 2000 dollars batteries that have to be replaced every 6 to 9 years.

Hybrids are a waste of time ... esp. with their toxic batteries that do SOO much environmental damage. They are good is a lot of stop and go traffic ... other than that, don't buy one. If you want good mileage, get a DIESEL, you will be soo much happier.

Europeans are trying once again to make a big push into american with their diesels again. Mercedes is really pushing there diesel cars and VW is coming out with a new version of their small diesel engine. BMW and even Honda will be selling their diesels here very soon.

Answer 10

Diesels are excellent engines.  They are efficient and fast.  These are facts.  But....  they are different in America therefore scary to Americans.  Fear is the answer.  Change = Scary.

Answer 11

You are absolutely right!

My family has 4 diesels also and love the mileage, and ease of using biofuels like biodiesel.

Americans for the most part are traumitised from the diesels of the 80's

1 - hard to start in cold weather

2 - rattles your teeth out

3 - belches black smoke

4 - noisy

5 - slow as an old dog

6 - expensive for no reason

When Americans can realize that todays diesels are not this was (except for #6) they will start buying them.

Cheers

Answer 12

i think a lot of is the fact that diesel has never been a popular form of gas...its not as common at pumps as what unleaded is and a lot of people associate diesels with louder engines. i know i would never drive a diesel because of that noise factor. also i have heard that repairs on diesel engines are much more expensive than that of regular unleaded engines.

Answer 13

Your last statement is exactly the reason why. Some people see diesel as more environmentally polluting, so they stay clear away from the stuff (but recent alternative fuels like bio diesel (which is limited in availability as of now) create less emissions as a whole). Another issue is that on average diesel costs more than gasoline, so in the long run it is cheaper to just buy the regular stuff.

Answer 14

GM and Ford put out a diesel car a few years back.

They were the worse cars ever made. The diesel was just a converted gas motor. That is not going to work. It killed the diesel motor here may be it will come back.

None are running today and if you had one you would need to pay some one to take it off your hands.