[visagoth]

The thing I am surprised by is that we don't purchase diesel passenger cars and trucks. I suspect because of the damage done to the reputation of such engines by the Oldsmobile fiasco of the 80's.

I have a VW Jetta TDI that gets 36 to 39mpg in the city and 49'ish on the highway. It goes as fast as just about anything I have driven in its category, and doesnt smoke or belch soot like the big rigs.

If people want them - the alternatives are there... but having the government force us to drive stuff we dont want to drive will seriously damage the economy and put tens of thousands out of work.

[Falcon4.0]

"and doesn’t smoke or belch soot like the big rigs. "

YET!

It is inevitable and unavoidable that it will.
As the rings wear. it will draw oil from the crank case and burn it. As the combustion chamber gets dirty, the carbon will reduce the efficiency of combustion.
It WILL happen. It does to all of them.

[Amerigomag]

but having the government force us to drive stuff we dont want to drive will seriously damage the economy and put tens of thousands out of work.

Regardless of your passion your statement fails the logic test.

Logically we must conclude from your statement that the populus will go without a car if they are forced to drive "little tuna cans".

Logic dictates that the populus will grudgingly drive little tuna cans if the more popular alternatives are not economically feasible.

[July 4th]

The thing I am surprised by is that we don't purchase diesel passenger cars and trucks

Diesels have a bad name in the Northern states. In Wisconsin, some cold winter nights easily dip into negative fahrenheit (or about -20 celsius), and diesels are notoriously hard to start in that kind of weather. You're increasingly seeing Mercedes and others produce diesel cars - like they used to on a more frequent basis 20 or so years ago - but it's a hard sell to move those cars in our area.