Why isnt every vehicle a diesel?

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Please correct me if some of this is wrong.

All I keep hearing about is diesel engines that go hundreds of thousands of miles out lasting their gasoline counterparts. Along with the longevity they get better mileage and better performance. I'm not sure how true this next part is, but I heard that diesel is less expensive if it weren't for gasoline subsidies also.

So my question is, why aren't diesel vehicles the norm with gasoline being reserved for sports cars and such? Thanks for any replies. I'm looking forward to the responses from this forum considering the weath of knowledge here.
 
We have some very stringent limits on the amount of NOx that can be produced out of the tail pipe, and fewer exceptions where those limits can be surpassed than in Europe. The systems required to help meet those limits add to the price of the car, already more expensive because it's a Diesel engine . Already selling at a premium, and burning a fuel that's more expensive to buy, auto makers just find it easier to sell gas models.

Fast forward to the VAG and FCA drama around diesels, and I think the American cat buying public will always fall towards a gasoline fueled car.
 
Diesel engines are about 20% more efficient then gas. I think it's the higher compression. you get better use of the energy in a drop of fuel vs lower compression gas.
I also think they last longer then the gas engines due to the lower RPM range then spin.
all that and diesel is a byproduct from making gas. one would think it'd be cheaper.
 
Historically diesels made a lot of torque but not that much HP so if you want do 0-60 runs, a turbo diesel back in the day was almost as fast as a gasoline car, regular diesel was slow. Plus they were always smelling and dirty. Europe embraced them because they jacked up the taxes on fuel, diesel made more sense. We love our 0-60 here and we have cheap gas so no need to go with diesel. Plus they always had problems in really cold temperatures. Just easier with gas. I could have gotten a diesel when I got my Mercedes as the diesel version was also somewhat popular but what I noticed was that they would get some weird problems and there aren't too many diesel mechanics around that know how to fix them so gas is just easier all around. Lots of those problems have been solved lately but it's still the chicken/egg problem, not that many out there.
 
They're more expensive to produce, heavier. And here in the states, they're bogged down by all the emissions equipment. Makes them overly complicated, extremely expensive to produce and maintain, and failure prone, Not to mention that the reliability of the new stuff isn't what it once was - again, on account of the emissions.
 
Well if everyone had one, we wouldn't be able to make snarky remarks about being able to "roll coal" while the gas burners can't...
Could be Volkswagon ruined it for everyone...
Tow mirrors that stick out like moose antlers look like doo doo on passenger cars....

Seriously, diesel does have more BTU per gallon, and may provide better MPG under certain conditions, but the technology to make it clean is expensive, the overall package for performance is expensive, and the design to support the weight, and have a car still handle is, well, expensive. The added expense simply doesn't add up for most people, and profit will always dictate what manufacturers make.
It makes no sense (to meet EPA here in the states) to take every bit of saved fuel through better efficiency, and dump it into the soot trap to burn it out and clean it. Modern diesels, in order to meet emissions, are not as economical as old workhorses like the 7.3 PowerStroke. Cleaner, but not more efficient.
 
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In other countries (the Philippines for example) diesel vehicles and small engines are the norm where gasoline is commonly used on motorbikes. Diesel vehicles there don't have many emissions equipment and the diesel isn't ULSD so it makes it much cheaper than gasoline. The Philippines does have regulations and emissions testing is mandatory.
 
Because I used to haul in the petroleum industry before college and during to pay my way, and my wife hates the smell of diesel on my clothes, even though it's 30 years ago.

They always smell. There are minor leaks and weeps once they get to about 50,000 miles. She is very sensitive to petroleum aromatics and I'm sure others are too ...

Does not bother me much. But even a minor spill at the pump is a big deal.

And, they are noisy. Compression ignition is just that way. You can muffle them and shield them and wrap them, but it all adds to the cost of construction.

And they are heavy. And they cost more to maintain when they do need fixing. And there are about a bazillion spare cars with gas motors out there. And the same number in the wreckers if you need a part ...
 
Originally Posted By: BrocLuno
Which would you rather have - a Tesla 85D, or an Audi diesel AWD? Silent fast smooth, or not so much and just as expensive ...


Awful decision to have to make. Think I'd say no thanks to both.

The expense of a diesel engine, the lack of customer desire, the lack of diesel mechanics, and the emissions drama are the main reasons why.

In some nations, it is very common to see diesel vehicles of all types. But not here in the US.
 
Plenty of myths in this tread...

If your modern car wrecks of diesel after 50k then you are doing something wrong.
(GM made cars and their satellites such as Opel do not apply...we all know they are rubbish)

Diesels are great for stop and go city type of traffic due to high torque at low RPM.

A modern sedan with a diesel engine will be 8-20% more expensive than the same car with a gas engine.
(that's a no brainer if you do mostly city miles since MPG it's a night and day comparison between diesel and gas)

0-60 you say??? I need a car than can haul me and another 3 persons +luggage, not a dragster.

Louder you say??? Perhaps...but I had plenty of people riding in my car that could of sworn it was not a diesel.

Poluting??? You can buy an Euro 6 standard car either diesel or gas.
 
Originally Posted By: ShotGun429
I hate getting stuck in traffic behind anything diesel, they smell. Volkswagen has now set diesels back 20 years.


Funny you should say that. Old school diesels never bothered me. Unless they run like **** and smoke up the place, that's a different story. I can't stand the smell of the new ones, they burn my nose.
 
Originally Posted By: RichardS
Euro 6 is still more forgiving than our EPA standards. The diesels FCA is currently getting in trouble for here are all legal by Europe standards.



US standards are strict on Nitrogen Oxides (NOx) and Particulate Matter (PM), while the EU is strict on Carbon Dioxide (CO2) and Carbon Monoxide (CO).
 
A few very simple facts;

Diesel is more efficient than gasoline

More manufacturers will be offering diesel options here in the US in the coming years due to EPA mandated MPG standards

There has always been a push in the US for gas powered vehicles, before the ICE became popular gasoline was being dumped into the environment as there was no known use for it. Even currently if there was a major shift in the US from gasoline powered vehicles the surplus gasoline would become a problem.

The current fuel taxes are higher on diesel, but there are more diesel trucks on the road than ever before, causing the majority of road damage. It does vary somewhat state to state as there are both federal and state taxes on fuel. Currently in OH gasoline has a $.28 state tax and $.184 federal tax, diesel has $.28 state tax and $.244 federal tax.
 
I prefer diesel, the fuel smells less than gasoline, and I like low rpm torque. I still miss my TDi.

We in NA just never set up our taxes like Europe and elsewhere, and thus we've never made it attractive to use diesel. While NA tends to drive vehicles longer and further, in the end it's a big cost bump for small running cost drop.

Also: just because it can last longer doesn't mean it will. Abuse it by running wrong oil, never changing, letting water into the fuel, etc will lead to expensive repairs.
 
I'm with Broc.......
Did you ever pull up to a diesel pump where someone had an overflow and its slick, nasty, and smelly,
and unless cleaned up it stays forever. I love my diesels but the old adage of how easy they are to maintain is a bunch of nonsense. To the non-mechanic they can be frightening........
 
I hate fueling my diesels. Usually always a mess on the ground around the pump. Have to wear rubber throwaway gloves or I smell like a diesel mechanic all the way home.
And US diesel emissions have made for a very complicated emission system. I just sold my newer diesel Sprinter van. After the experiences I had with its emission system and inability to get a regular shop to fix it I say GOOD RIDDANCE.
 
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