I would love to get a 530d or 535d over here...I think it might just happen in the next year or two. Don't they get about 35mpg??

 

Not until after 2007, when US refiners have lower sulfer diesel like currently in Europe. The common rail, direct injection diesel engine doesn't work too well (perhaps emmission wise) with high sulfer content diesel.

For years, US refiners have been putting sulfer in diesel because they don't know how else to get rid of this petroleum byproduct.

 

I actually work in emissions aftertreatment research. The sulfur in the is indeed the problem, both for Diesel NOx traps and lean burn engine technology. Basically, the storage materials in the current best catalytic traps get poisoned by the high SO2 levels in the exhaust.

In the middle of 2006, the gasoline here will become much better, but the Diesel supposedly won't be better until 2007.

But, it doesn't really matter anyway, half on my neighbors drive Ford Excursions, Cadillac Escalantes, Dodge Rams and other huge monsters that get 10 mpg or less in their daily driving. I sometimes really wonder why we even research new materials for lean burn engines, that could save 20-30% gas. Who really cares? Certainly not the current US government!

And my neighbors actually think those things are safer in the snow without snow tires etc. They might be for the driver, but not for other people on the road...

 

"Bigger is better" attitude and US government is afraid what will happend if they take steps to reduce fuel comsumption, e.g. rise the fuel tax, like in Europe.

SKaffa

 

It's not that Americans wouldn't like to be more green, it's that the current (and some former) administrations have lots of friends in the oil business and doesn't want to starve their income and profits. Hence, lots of reasons for low fuel economy and no diesel.

Recently, hybrid cars which are very highly efficient have been oversold from Honda and Toyota and even cities and states are buying them to be green AND save money.

 

There is also the small issue of NO2 emissions - I think the legislation on NO2 in the US is not up to date with more modern vehicles (it hasn't needed to be) and therefore assumes that all diesels emit lots of nasty polutants and are therefore not as green as alternative fuel vehicles.

 

If take motor without any external (catalyst, soot trap etc.) emission controll method, petrol is better.

Petrol:
-"no" particles
-low NOx (due lower burning temp)
-low SOx (depend of fuel, but generally better than diesel)
-high CO/CO2

Diesel:
-"high" particles
-"high" NOx (due high burning temp)
-"high" SOx (depend of fuel, but generally more than petrol)
-low CO/CO2

Today diesel is more clean than petrol IF it can get low sulphur fuel.

Skaffa

 

Mercedes and VW sell Diesels here....
[/quote]

Hello,

The US Governent cares about pollutants that cause local SMOG, and Regional ACID RAIN, and does not place a heavy emphasis on CO2. Diesels are nasty, even the new ones. I drive them in Europe and they drive great and get great fuel mileage. However, our air is cleaner here in the USA and we like it that way.

Cars cause at most 2% total of the world's Co2 output. Most CO2 comes from Coal power plants and other sources. Your Euro governments have you all conned that CO2 from cars is directly causing Global warming and that that by taxing you they will save the world. What they are doing is taking money from the middle class and giving it to the people who choose not to be productive.

It is easy to bash the USA and Bush. Please note that China and India are exempt from Kyoto. Why not tax OPEC for the amount of oil they sell? Why not tax coal mines? Why is this just American drivers' fault when only 2% of all Co2 comes from cars, and 1/10 of that is from the USA?

BTW, the Euro's favorite USA President Bill Clinton did not make any effort ratify the Kyoto Treaty. Nobody talks about this. It just became President Bush's fault when he inherited the problem left behind by Clinton.

Younger people in the UK are anti US and becoming more and more socialistic. They all want to live in an Abba video world and take 6 weeks vacation per year in France, work 35-40 hours a week, wear a slick suit and retire at 60 with a pention. Did you ever notice that the French never come to the UK to spend money and do not buy British goods? Some friend the French are to you. Keep this path up and watch as eastern Europe, India and China takes everything from Europe in the next 40 years. Good luck.

Sorry bouoght the rant. I just spent a few days in the UK forced to watch BBC news non stop.

-Doug

 

I've hard to believe that the average american can afford that..

...and reason why we have to buy a diesel and winter tires is that it costs as much as a petrol 5er AND a X5 over here...
[/quote]
The single largest seller here in the US is fullsized pickup trucks.

 

BUT the particles are causing cancer, therefore Diesel is NOT the better fuel. It saves the climate a very very little, but kills ppl.

I'd never buy a Diesel! No matter how cheap the gas is. It is irresponsible. IMHO.