Don't forget the fact that development of this beast started 5 years ago as well......

I wouldn't assume the market for these beasts is going to disappear anytime soon, regardless of gas prices. Assuming you drive 20,000 miles per year at 15 mpg (average) and the cost of gas goes up by $1.00 per gallon, your going to spend about $3.65 per day more. That's a large coffee at Starbucks, a medium popcorn at the movies, about 1/100 of what my wife spends everytime she goes to the mall, etc.

The point is, if you were willing to shell out the $40K for a BIG SUV, when you could have bought a perfectly good "commuter" car for $20K, you either need to carry/tow BIG stuff or (more likely) you just want one regardless of cost. In either case, an extra $3.65 per day is unlikely to change your mind.

This morning, a fellow worker said "No one will be laughing at your truck now."

I put up with 58 hp in a S10, and I also get 45mpg doing it. Also, I can burn cooking oil, and all that, as you guys know. I burn used transmission/hydraulic oil I get from work also. Free fuel.

Diesel at an expensive gas station here is $1.199 per liter. Without the exchange difference, thats $4.53 per US gallon. Even at a cheaper garage, it's $1.059/l. That's $4 a gallon. Gas near home is $1.289/l ($4.96 US gallon) for the "cheap" stuff.

For once, it looks like my diesel truck conversion wasn't so stupid after all.

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1991 GMC Sonoma Ext Cab w/Isuzu diesel (converted March Mar 2003) - sold
1994 S10 Ext Cab w/Isuzu diesel (converted Mar 2008)
1998 Toyota Sienna XLE
B6100HST Kubota CUT DIESEL

1994 S10 with Isuzu diesel and 5spd
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v6...S15/SigPic.jpg

Well, my personal view is we need HIGHER gas prices. Make those Escalades, V10 trucks, and other one-person busses know what the europeans have been feeling for YEARS. I'll pay my $2.89/gallon for B20 and I would not think twice if it jumped to $4.00 tonight (As long as gas goes to $6.00 at the same time. ).


Revenge on gassers is at hand and it's Diesel powered!

The oil companies are giving us a load of

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1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

BS won't burn in most diesels, you should not be buying any of that at any price. Will likely carbon up your injectors!!!!

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1961 190Db retired
1968 220D/8 325,000
1983 300D 164,150

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1981 300D 147k
1998 VW Jetta Tdi 320k
2001 Dodge Ram 2500 141k
1979 300D 234k (sold)
1984 300D "Astor" 262k(sold)
Mercedes How-To and Repair Pictorials
I love the smell of diesel smoke in my hair

That's true, but No. 1 poses a more practical application for diesels in reducing NOx emissions.

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1987 300SDL (324000)

1986 Porsche 951 (944 Turbo) (166000)

1978 Porsche 924 (99000)

1996 Nissan Pathfinder R50 (201000)

Very true. However in the past year we've all seen gas prices go up high enough that they could have shelved the project if no one was really going to buy it. I think Craig put it best. Americans just love projecting the "right" image. In fact, to many Americans image is more important that anything else. And nothing beats any image that isn't that of a minivan.

HA HA HA Man, you guys are hilarious!

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1999 Mercedes-Benz S600, 103K miles - garage queen
1988 Mercedes-Benz 560SEL, 89K miles - daily driver
2007 Hyundai Sonata Limited, 31K - daily driver