SMART CAR is the Solution

I disagree, there have been many new or re-engineered cars introduced in
the last few years, and the only SUV that's gotten a big redesign is the
Durango (unless I've missed one). The Ford Focus, despite a rough start,
has now got an extremely good reputation. So does the current Neon.
Yeah, Chevy still cranks out craptacular Cavaliers, but that's the
exception more than the rule.

In contrast, the Japanese are cranking out new-design SUVs at an
appalling rate (and many of them are appalling SUVs, too- like the
hideous Nissan Armada).

 

Lock yourself in a garge with one and let me know how it turns out... :-/

The fact that a diesel has no throttle makes no difference. Gasoline
engines ingest ENOUGH air to burn their fuel as completely as a diesel
can. CO production is more due to quenching of combustion against the
(relatively) cold combustion chamber walls rather than to a lack of
available oxygen in the intake charge.

 

That's wrong. There is also NOx, which diesels still have trouble with.

 

I'm surprised that oil changes are this far apart on a diesel as they
fill the oil with crud a lot faster than gas engines. Yes, but diesels
have injectors and injection pumps and they don't last forever either.
And they cost MUCH more than plugs and HT leads.


Matt

 

It's still a cheap s**tbox.

Ditto. (even if the sportier versions are somewhat appealing)

How so? What are the higher end car offerings? (sound of crickets)
IMHO most of them are just bigger versions of the same crap (any Chevy)
or warmed over versions of ancient platforms that might have been good
in their day but need serious attention to stay competitive (Mustang,
Lincoln LS, Crown Vic) or have such bizarre styling that many people
don't even give them serious consideration (any Cadillac.)

True, but at least Nissan (to take one example) has a solid, regularly
revamped car lineup, with the Sentra, Altima and Maxima not to mention
the 350Z, not to mention the Infiniti offerings. None of which have any
serious domestic competition with the exception of the Z.

Can you seriously tell me that someone considering the purchase of a
non-entry level (and that's not even a necessary qualifier) *CAR*
doesn't consider many more offerings, and of a generally higher quality,
from import mfgrs. than those currently offered by the Big Three?

nate

 

If we didn't have as shitty sulfur filled gas, the cat converters would work
better, and would be able to convert NOx.

 

The Cavalier is marginally better in 2003-2004 model years. Not amazing, but
better.

I walked around a used car lot one afternoon and was amazed at the number of
Cavaliers missing HVAC control knobs.

They are trying to catch up to the domestics who are selling tons of SUVs.
Right now isn't the best time for SUVs though, and the market may shift.

 

Focus is more expensive compared to the Neon, so it's an expensive s**tbox.

What do you want from a cheap compact car? I've driven domestic and import
offerings. I didn't find anything amazingly different, other than the price.

He meant exception to domestic econoboxes improving recently, not compared
to other GMs.

Nissan isn't really that amazing. For non-highend import brands, Toyota is
the only company that has any significantly higher reliability rating, and
for imports Honda comes second but mainly Honda has all sorts of funky
leading edge engineering (but does have some reliability / build quality
issues). With most other import brands you seem to pay more, but don't get
anything in return.

Consider, yes. Come to a conclusion that it would be "better", no.

 

I have asked DC to quote me emission figures on a couple of Mercedes diesels
and equivalent petrol engines. It might take a couple of days.

In the meantime, the CO2 figures, which are the most required in the UK
because of taxation (yes, I know it's silly, but there it is), are:

C 220 CDI - 178 g/km
C 200 Komp petrol - 202 g/km

S 320 CDI - 204 g/km
S 350 and, apparently, S 280 petrol - 266 g/km.

Diesel emits less CO2.

I asked for CO, NOx and particulates and, if applicable, SOx.

DAS

 

The chrysler UK website quotes the following emmisions figures.
2.2 Diesel 185 g/km
2.0 Petrol 212 g/km

John Rogers

 

You know and I know and everyone else knows that pretty much *any*
import brand will cause less headaches in the long haul than the
domestics, including the much maligned VW (even taking into account
their assaholic dealer network and customer service in the animal
husbandry sense of the word) and the fact remains that pretty much
*every* import brand has a better product lineup (excluding trucks and
SUVs) than *any* domestic.

I don't understand your reasoning behind that conclusion. One ride in
a Golf, Sentra, Civic or Corolla should make the difference obvious.
Sad but true.

nate

 

DC directed me to a UK govt website
http://www.vcacarfueldata.org.uk/search/

You might find the data interesting in the petrol/diesel debate.

Merc diesels produce less CO but more NOx than their petrol counterparts.
They are also quieter on the move.

Automatic transmission.

S 320 CDi diesel (to latest EU standard IV) (followed by S 350 petrol in
brackets Euro standard III)

CO2 - 209 g/km (266)
Noise level (moving) - 69 dB(A) (74)
CO - 0.069 g/km (0.185)
HC - n/a (0.050)
NOx - 0.228 g/km (0.046)
HC + NOx - 0.240 g/km (0.096)
Particulates - 0.003 (n/a)

C 220 CDi diesel (followed by

CO2 - 166 g/km (204)
Noise level (moving) - 73 dB(A) (74)
CO - 0.030 (0.591)
HC - n/a (0.079)
NOx - 0.339 g/km (0.019)
HC + NOx - 0.350 g/km (0.098)
Particulates - 0.035 (n/a)