Europe: Diesel Cars Finally More Numerous Than Gas - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

TN-W124 Diesel · #1 01-25-2005, 07:54 PM

EUROPE: DIESEL CARS FINALLY MORE NUMEROUS THAN GAS

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1328441/posts

For the first time in the history of the automobile business, the number of registrations for diesel cars in Italy and Europe has surpassed those of gasoline-powered cars. In Europe this year, 51.9% of registered automobiles are Diesel. Fuel economy and the price of gasoline are said to account for the rising popularity of the Diesel engine. Diesel engines are finding applications in all classes of automobiles, from the tiny three-cylinder "Smart" car to the ten-cylinder Tuareg and Phaeton models.

Dana B. · #2 01-25-2005, 08:18 PM

Such news can only bring more pressure to sell -- and permit -- more new diesels in the U.S.

aklim · #3 01-25-2005, 08:24 PM

Another problem is that diesel is not readily advailable. In Madison, on the East side, there are only 2 pumps (3 hoses, one of them is for big trucks) that have diesel. The problem is that filling up is not convenient. People in this world are all about convenience.

Yes, it is a catch 22. You gotta sell more (it has to be popular) to get people to drill another hole for a new tank and you gotta get more filling stations for it to get more popular.

So, can it happen? Yes. In the near future? Don't bet on it.

DieselAddict · #4 01-25-2005, 08:39 PM

There's a lot of uneducated people on that other board. While not everyone likes the sound and smell of diesel exhaust which is understandable, a lot of people there actually think gasoline cars are a lot cleaner in general.

Anyway, this trend in Europe isn't surprising to me as people over there tend to be practical and educated. I think the same trend is starting in the US, but only time will tell how far it'll go. IMO the availability of diesel is not a problem in the US, the problem so far is the lack of ultra low-sulfur diesel and biodiesel. The other problem is the overall American perception of diesel technology as slow, loud and filthy (not that there's anything wrong with slow & loud.

)

aklim · #5 01-25-2005, 08:43 PM

Well, when you see the big rigs go uphill and look at their smokestack, you see black smoke. As such, if you didn't checkup on the analysis, you will come to the conclusion that it mimicks an old 70s car with a worn out engine.

The people in Europe have their own odd quirks. Sure, in some instances they are better and in some worse. I doubt that they are practical and educated for all matters. The grass is greener on the other side of the fence till you climb over. When you get over the fence, you will find that the field has BS just like yours except in different locations.

As far as advailability, it is an issue in the cities. Other than truck stops, most gas stations sell gas. Few will sell diesel. The problem is that you don't have the convenience of going to any gas station and get diesel. It is less convenient than gas. The only reasons we got diesel is that my wife is having to travel a lot on the highways so it would be allright for us to get diesel and the MPG is higher than gas.

DieselAddict · #6 01-25-2005, 08:50 PM

You see the main problem is exactly what you said: people tend to compare smoking big rigs with their seemingly clean Eddie Bauer Ford Explorer. That's apples and oranges. If you want to compare apples to apples, compare a gasoline-powered Jetta to a TDI Jetta.

I don't know about where you live but over here and California just about every other station has diesel.

Radio Nut · #7 01-25-2005, 10:29 PM

By personal observation, at least half of the gas stations in Utah sell Diesel. H**l, I can buy fuel at the Smith's grocery stores, part of the Kroger chain. Plus, Flying J is based here, which has to have some influence.

aklim · #8 01-26-2005, 01:20 AM

I have not noticed diesel stations because I never owned a diesel till a couple months ago. However, in WI, unless you are out in the farmland area, diesel is harder to find in the cities unless there is truck traffic. In madison there are 6 pumps on the east side that I know of. All of these are not on the main drags.

KCampbell · #9 01-26-2005, 11:21 AM

Around the greater Seattle metropolitan area the only places I can't get diesel are at CostCo and Arco stations. Seems like just about every station around here has at least 2 hoses for it.

As someone who owns property in Europe, and so visits at least once a year, the move to diesel is very simple. Get the price of fuel high enough via taxation and people will start making smart choices. The easiest way to bring about changes in consumer behavior is through the wallet

Kevin

aklim · #10 01-26-2005, 11:25 AM

I don't mind taxation but the problem is that it gets used for all sorts of stuff that is unrelated to benifits to me. We have enough taxes but it gets stuffed into all sorts of BS. So in general, I would be against taxation as a form of guidiance. Taxes for something like a new road, I can see. Taxing to steer me one way or the other, I cannot.

pawoSD · #11 01-26-2005, 11:31 AM

I'd say 2 in every 3 gas stations around here has diesel available at a regular pump especially speedway and Meijer, they have them right alongside the regular gas pumps. The best part is people noticing you using that particular pump....

I've never had a problem finding diesel in my area....

aklim · #12 01-26-2005, 11:40 AM

Even in the city?

phidauex · #13 01-26-2005, 12:50 PM

Your community seems oddly diesel-deprived, aklim...

In St. Louis probably 1/3 of the stations have diesel, but fortunately the ones in the city, where I work and live, almost always have diesel. Farther out, in the suburbs, its less common, but I'm never out there unless I'm on a highway anyway, and all the pumps by the highway have diesel.

In fact, a few blocks from my work is a Shell with 8 diesel hoses (!) that isn't a truck stop. Its always got a few diesel pickup trucks filling up, and its the only place I've ever seen other 300Ds. Their diesel isn't the cheapest in town, but its got high turnover so its always fresh, which is nice.

peace,
sam

aklim · #14 01-26-2005, 02:21 PM

Like I said, on the East side of Madison, I know of 3 car hoses and 1 semi-sized hose. You have to go to the truck stops to get diesel because in the city itself, I have yet to see a diesel pump

Kestas · #15 01-26-2005, 04:06 PM

I understand this increased popularity with diesels in Europe comes with a price. It's been reported the cities have higher levels of pollution than before.

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Which pollutes more - Gas or Diesel?	Ducati	Diesel Discussion	16	02-12-2009 07:20 PM
Excellent Diesel Article	Ron Johnstone	Diesel Discussion	7	02-18-2005 03:18 PM
Gas to diesel engine swap	Dbrindle	Diesel Discussion	0	04-07-2004 08:27 PM
diesel pollutants less then natural gas?	richard u	Diesel Discussion	0	11-25-2002 12:23 PM
Differences beween gas cars and diesels?	96C220	Tech Help	14	06-12-2001 02:13 PM