Where's the commuter cars?

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by Minicity

had three wheels and registered as a motorcycle, had a built in roll cage, heat, roll down windows, etc, and could sell in the $5000 range, would there be any interest in it?

Start with this:
http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=8531
...you should be able to add sides and heat for $2,000 (or $2,500).

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by skewbe

Yah, that's kinda my point. Blaming Lawmakers and car manufacturers is pointless, it's the people making the stupid environmental decisions and influencing the law makers and the manufacturers.



See what I mean?

true to a point, Brittan already has cars they get 60+ mpg (and have had them for a very long time) and can sit 4. One main reason they arent over here is that they dont pass our rediculously high safety standards.(hence partially lawmakers faults) They would sell like crazy at a time like this even if they didnt have the best crash rating....also they probably arent up to our emmissions stuff.

[bowtieguy]

i read in my local paper today that mercedes (and several other auto manufacturers to follow) will start selling diesels that will comply even with new york and cal standards.

[Minicity]

Originally Posted by theholycow

Start with this:
http://www.gassavers.org/showthread.php?t=8531
...you should be able to add sides and heat for $2,000 (or $2,500).

I don't know if that would be any fun to commute 30 miles one way with, even with doors and heat. In a city it would be ok. I was thinking something with a lower cg, with the wheels in the two in front, one in back config. A little more car like.

[Lug_Nut]

Originally Posted by bowtieguy

i read in my local paper today that mercedes (and several other auto manufacturers to follow) will start selling diesels that will comply even with new york and cal standards.

Talk about slow news days!....
There is no CARB emission standard anymore. The Fed couldn't rescind the existence of a CARB emission standard since it predated the Fed standard. Other states were able to choose the fed or the stricter CARB one. It was becoming apparent that more states were going to adopt the CARB standard and automakers were complaining about having to build to two different emissions standards. So the Fed went and set it's standard tighter than CARB's thus making the CARB emissions standard moot. There is now a 50 state standard stricter than the most recent CARB standard, so there is in effect no more CA (NY, MA, VT, CT) emission standard.
The diesel cars and emission equipment existed for many years, but the diesel fuel was too high in sulfur to allow the emissions systems to operate properly. (It was as if the catalytic converter was needed to pass emissions, but oil companies could continue to add lead to gasoline.) Now the sulfur is reduced, the emissions systems last longer, and the choice of 50 state diesel passenger cars will grow beyond the new VW and M-B 45 state offerings that had been available right along.
Really, nothing news-y about it.

[bowtieguy]

Lugnut,

i wish i would have kept the article to give a link. sorry.

[Lug_Nut]

It's not you and your post, it's that I'm somewhat jaded because there have long been report after report of increased choices in diesel passenger cars becoming available in the US that perpetually futuristic and indefined "soon". Honda's Accord diesel, Peugeot coming back, Alfa, more choices from M-B and VWAG.
Mean time the standards differences between US and Europe widen, leaving cash starved manufacturers to choose: Do we develop diesels for Europe where 50% of our sales are diesel, or do we spend even more for the US market where less than 0.5% of new passenger car sales are diesel and we'll never break even on that investment?
Guess who get's the low tech left-over diesels?

[bowtieguy]

found it!

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/busin...2501055.column

i wonder if the price to refill the AdBlue would offset the extra mileage/fuel savings? nah, couldn't, could it?

[Mike T]

Peugeot is not going to come back over here, ever. Mark my words. They were only here for 32 years and they've already been gone for 17.

Our family has owned at least one Peugeot continuously for 42 years. They are the Inspecteur Clouseau of car manufacturers these days.