Popular science March 2002 issue has an interesting article on the future of diesel engines in the USA.

New technology applied to diesel engines to meet new EPA
guidelines promises to boost the SUV market by allowing these vehicles to have diesel engines that eat less fuel than the gas engine.
California has more stringent rules regarding particulates
in the exhaust.
Adding urea (pet pee) to the catayltic converter
promises to burn the soot to tolerable levels.

This is all fine and good, but I wonder if there is going to be a
'witch hunt' or 'Spanish inquisition' going after our 'old'
diesels in an effort to get them off the road?

Anybody know if these new rules will require 'older'
diesel passenger cars to retrofit cats etc??
I know in California, older commercial vehicles will be forced to do this in the near future.

reading the EPA website is a bit daunting right now.

Several weeks ago I was erroniously reported to the
Calif. dept of motor vehicle emmissions watch dogs.
It cited that a fellow driver claimed my (diesel) car was spewing alot of smoke at some location at a specified date.
There was a provision to respond in case the driver was not at that location at such date.
I was not, but I read the letter that cited Calif. law as
prohibiting a car from smoking over 10 seconds. Fines and
such are possible penalties if the car is not fixed, assuminhg the
complaint is valid.

Diesel cars smoke off and on at various times depending
on variables. Not necessarily all the time.

Anyway, any ideas on thye future of older diesel passenger cars and department of motor vehicles?????

__________________
1979 300D 220 K miles
1995 C280 109 K miles
1992 Cadillac Eldorado Touring Coupe 57K miles SOLD
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1979 240D 140Kmiles (bought for parents) *SOLD.
SAN FRANCISCO/(*San Diego)
1989 300SE 148 K miles *SOLD