Why can't we drive these cars?

[dieseldorf]

Thanks to our Tier 2 Bin 5 Emissions Standards, most foreign car makers just gave up on bringing diesel powered cars and trucks to the US. Nissan, Honda and Toyota all announced new diesel powered cars for 2009, 2010 and 2011 and nothing happen. Chevrolet and Ford are selling Diesel powered cars and trucks all over the world except the US. We are condemned to use old polluting technology.

2010 Maxima Diesel DOA



European Cruze 2.0 TDI 150HP Test



The New Ford Ranger Diesel



Volkswagen 102HP Caddy Diesel

[davehoos]

http://www.ford.com.au/commercial/ranger#
new ranger.
up date model very late due to floods.

how about this one.
http://www.ford.com.au/suv/territory
fitted with leftover landrover diesels it cant be exported to countries it was designed for.and it only comes in RHD.

[plenzen]

Then there is this

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBnlXGvA1Wk

[davehoos]

diesel cars started to be marketed here but are no longer in fashion.

LPG/LNG is tthe cheepest greenest fuel.recently it been made difficult to buy new vehicles due to conversions must be complied by the kit installer to meet emisions--overseas manufactures pulling the plug of promissed vehicles[sounds familiar] due to over comitments.with limited LPG markets.a local LNG plant is in planning to cash in on carbon reduction schemes-if they sell to real public and not export diesel will be returned to being rare.

one of the better products is hyundia I30 1.6T.sold as a family hatch.
very polular with women travelling long dstance.It is a lot cheeper than a VW.I have several neighbours with these.

ADR government fuel consumption figures for the 1.6 litre turbo are 4.7 litres per 100km. It's been reported that highway consumption can get as low as 3.7 litres per 100km
but on test we didn't get near that recording 6.6 litres per 100 km

NRMA.


http://www.mynrma.com.au/motoring/revie ... motion.htm
just a cheep golf-or you could buy 2 Ford Fiesta diesel at 4.4l.100

or 3/4 of a jetta at
http://www.mynrma.com.au/motoring/revie ... 103tdi.htm

or 4 LPG XT falcon wagons.

[plenzen]

LPG was quite popular here for a number of years back in the late 70's /80's and a lot of taxi and pick up trucks had the conversions done. ( myself included)
It has fallen out of favor since then mostly because of the price and size of the tanks.
LNG was trying to make a go of it but the price of those tanks was considerably more than the LPG tanks and the filling stations were hard to find. There was a rumor of a home re-filling option but becasue of the pressures involved for LNG and the fear of mishap it was scrapped.
CNG was used on some fleet vehicles but also fell out of favor and of course once out of fuel you were on the tow truck.
I still have a LPG tank in my old Ford and still use it ( not dual fuel but 100% propane) and I have to drive 30Kms to get it. The last of the propane filling stations in the town where I live has shut down.
Price of propane here is $0.55/L and diesel is $1.04L while gas is at $1.12L now. I don't see LNG/CNG/LPG making a comeback anytime soon.

Paul

[asavage]

I have two large boxes of Impco LPG stuff I'm going to eBay out of here soon. I was keen on doing up a truck like you have, Paul, but at this stage of my life I figure it's not going to happen anytime soon, and the bits aren't rare, and I do not need several 425 carbies in a box anymore

One 425, one VFF30, and maybe one feedback controller; the rest are going to find new homes soon.

[plenzen]

Thanks Al. I just re-plumbed my HP hoses from the tank to the bulk head fitting and from there to the lock off. I cannot see me doing anything more this this guy as it's nearly rusted off the frame. It still starts and runs well and I use it about 100 miles max a year. I have to drive 30 miles now to get fuel for it, and I am not all that certain how much longer they will even be there. It needs new bushings in the leaf springs and I have been avoiding that nightmare at every turn. I got the new bushings, just not wanting all the drama that comes with getting the old ones out. But, sooner or later it will have to be done,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, I guess.

From the last number of posts you will soon have room in your garage for a Class A motor home !

[dieseldorf]

It looks like the Chevy Cruze Diesel will be available in the US:

http://www.caranddriver.com/reviews/201 ... -reviewsel

[plenzen]

Actually they are already available. Drove one on a test drive last week. I was quite impressed with it and it is a definite possibility to purchase one. If I had one complaint about it is that how they have the gas pedal ( diesel pedal to be more accurate ) set up. It's hard to describe but it's quite sensitive in that a little pressure on it and you just seem to crawl away ( too slow for me ) but a very slight increase and it then takes off too quickly.
You'll have to test drive one to see, although I think one could get used to it.
A bit noisier than the Jetta TDI at start up and at idle as it seems that VW has done a nice job of cabin insulation, but around 40kph and up it's fine. Lot's of torque like the jetta. I would like to take it on the highway and try it there and I will with another one. ( This was the only one they had and there was a lot of interest in it, mountains are approx 100kms away ) I want to see how it will handle hills in the mountains ( there are lots of them here ) and see how it does. It's nearly 4700 feet here so ,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, The Gas N/A Cruze was shifting a lot, however the Cruze turbo was much much better. I am sure that the diesel will be fine but I want to try it anyway.
No spare tire as the Urea tank is in that spot. You get an inflator kit in the trunk with a can of that sealant that the tire shops hate to deal with.
No block heater available however they do have an oil pan heater.
No manual trans either. A better cabin than the Jetta too ( IMO ).

[asavage]

. . . a little pressure on it and you just seem to crawl away ( too slow for me ) but a very slight increase and it then takes off too quickly.

Damned electric throttles. Seems all new cars are drive-by-wire.

My '97 Aero is still mechanical, but Marc's 2006 Infiniti M35 crapped a accelerator pedal assy. last summer. Pretty much left him stranded, could barely limp home four miles. It's basically two potentiometers connected to the foot pedal. Only available as an assembly, $250.

Fortunately (?) the local (one hour away in Denver) had it in stock. Replacing it was not quite as straightforward as replacing a broken throttle cable The tale is here.



The actual part that breaks and leaves you stranded:



They have two DVD players in this car in 2006; they couldn't afford a real optical encoder setup instead of sliding contacts that didn't work in our 1973 Volvo 145's TPS either? Just shows what $45k (2006 dollars) won't buy you!

I will say that my laptop OBDII scanner setup did give me a reasonably accurate MIL code: it pretty much had to be this part, or the little motor on the throttle body that actually moves the butterfly.

It's weirdly calibrated too, like the Cruze. Mash the pedal and there's a massive delay while the ECM tries to decide if you really meant it, and then has to decide what gear to shift to. Not a lot of fun if you're in a hurry that way. Works a lot better if you put the AT in manual mode.