Little Diesels

[Scyry]

Not sure if it has its own thread here, but the idea of little diesels in trucks/suvs. I have seen people post how they would like to see it. I know it is not a GM product but the Jeep Liberty is the first recent vehicle I have seen to go diesel. I like the idea and wonder why GM hasn't made a Baby DMAX for the 1/2 tons, Tahoes or maybe a 4 Cylinder DMAX for the Colorado? I think Jeep did it because of the Diamler influence, and wht they have seen in Europe.

 

Does anyone see a reason why GM hasn't done this? Maybe emmissions problems or something? Though diesels have come a long way on performance and emissions of late.

 

With Biodiesel coming along a lot of problems could be helped out with diesels becoming more wide spread. It would help out farmers in the midwest with increase crop demand. There would be less demand for foriegn oil, and so on. Bush even pushed clean burning diesels recently (omg he said something that made sense). So what is the hold up?

 

Just trying to start a thread, to hash this out. I have noticed GM comes here and askes for input from time to time. Maybe we could get some ideas and push them along to GM through the board?

[SnakeEyeSS]

if you haven't read the reviews of the Jeep Liberty Diesel, it supposedly bites. rough, unrefine, noisy, all torque, but nothing too powerful. Motor Trend made it sound like it was an 80's style diesel.

[carbuster]

We have a member on coloradofans.com that is from thailand, and their trucks have a 4-cylinder, DOHC 16-valve, 3,000 cc Turbo Intercooler diesel engine. It doesn't deliver very much HP though...only 145hp.

 

http://www.gmthailand.com/site2005/htm/new...ase2004-81E.php

[Scyry]

Not saying the Liberty is great, just saying it is a step in the right direction. I know some states don't even want diesels in them. California won't let you buy a VW Jetta TDI there, and I don't understand that. I guess i am more hoping to get to why diesels are seen in more places.

 

I'd buy a DMAX if it wasn't so over priced. With the sucess GM has had with the DMAX, I just don't understand why they haven't expanded their diesel market.

[Black02Silverado]

Just grab the V10 diesel out of the VW Touareg. Seems VW has the market on small diesels. Personnaly I would love to see some in the smaller vehicles. A friend has an old Isuzu Pup with a diesel and that thing takes a beating and is still running even thought the body is trashed from all the farm work.

 

I think the main reason is the general public doesn't like the black smoke issue, even though it is getting better, they think it is worse for the enviroment than a gas exhaust. From what I read it isn't that great but isn't as bad. The noise of a diesel is another issue that is stereo typed in along with no power and hard to find plus higher cost of fuel.

 

I can say this much, my jetta saves me $130. a month in fuel cost over my truck. That is $1560 a year. To me that isn't small change. Once I get it switched over to waste veggy oil, then it will be even cheaper.

[MMM]

I remember a couple of years ago, this same question was asked in "Four Wheeler" magazine. The reply was that in the United States, the market for the small diesel pickup is just not there. Everyone here wants a large diesel for towing. But in other countries I think, if I am not mistaken, that there are a few manufactures doing this, Toyota, maybe Isuzu. I don't remember for sure, but the reason was definately a marketing one. But who knows, I think we may see more alternative fuel vehicles in the future. MMM

[16gaSxS]

There was two GM smaller prodgrams from what I understand on the mill for awhile. One was a V-6 DuraMax for larger SUV's and 1500-2500 pickups. The other was I-4 Turbo Diesel like for the Colorado and simular size vehicals. GM killed their programs from what I understand when Ford killed theirs when they where fueding with Navastar over the problems they where having with the 6.0 PowerSmoke. So those of us who like to see more Diesels at reasonalbe costs are left out. Part of this is blamed with the trouble makers are haviong meeting the new Emmision standard that will come in to place in the next few years for Diesels.

 

It's a bit frustrating.

[SnakeEyeSS]

I drive diesels regularly. For around town vehicles they are a blast, even in the 1 and 2 ton box trucks I drive around for work. Gotta love that torque.

 

I just wish I could get my hands on that new BMW direct injection inline 6...some european journalists actually preferred it to last years gas engine it was so responsive!!!