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It's not a simple trade off. That's the problem, it's multi-dimensional. Diesel tends to be better at providing a satisfying driving experience with really h

It's not a simple trade off. That's the problem, it's multi-dimensional. Diesel tends to be better at providing a satisfying driving experience with really high mileage. Better mileage means less CO2. Diesel also tends to emit particulates and trace elements in the oil that it combusts. That means more smog, "acid rain," etc.. If you have to pick one axis, "acid rain" is out of vogue and CO2 isn't and diesel looks like a clear winner and you wonder why every car isn't one. If you pay attention to both axis then diesel starts to dramatically lose its advantage and you really have to use some exotic cleanup technologies just to keep it in the same league as gas engines. I really don't know if there is big money involved, so much as just too simple a view of the problems. It's not like "clean coal" they both use effectively the same fuel that's just refined differently.

burnte 11y ago
I haven't driven diesels much, but have driven gasoline cars all of my life. How is the diesel "driving experience" better?
- mikestew 11y ago
  I take it to mean that for a high MPG vehicle, a diesel offers the better driving experience. A 50 MPG gas car won't get out of its own way. Take fuel mileage out of the equation, though, and IMO diesels suck to drive. You drive one strictly for the mileage benefit (or arguably torque if you're towing something).
  - digi_owl 11y ago
    My parents picked up a diesel years back after having driven gasoline only for decades. Their first road trip to a destination we visit regularly surprised us all. While with a gasoline car we would need at least one refueling stop each way, the diesel managed both direction, and a bit of back and forth while there, on a single tank.
  - grecy 11y ago
    > IMO diesels suck to drive Have you driven a new one in the last 5ish years? Driving anything coming out of Germany that is less than 5 years old is a massive improvement over a gasoline car. Sit on 70mph, uphill, still in top gear doing low rpm and you can easily accelerate past all the gas cars that are dropping down gears, revving through the roof and slowing down. Off the line, you are pushed back in your seat right off idle, rather than waiting until you're up above 3k rpm in a gasoline car.

burnte 11y ago

I haven't driven diesels much, but have driven gasoline cars all of my life. How is the diesel "driving experience" better?

mikestew 11y ago
I take it to mean that for a high MPG vehicle, a diesel offers the better driving experience. A 50 MPG gas car won't get out of its own way. Take fuel mileage out of the equation, though, and IMO diesels suck to drive. You drive one strictly for the mileage benefit (or arguably torque if you're towing something).
- digi_owl 11y ago
  My parents picked up a diesel years back after having driven gasoline only for decades. Their first road trip to a destination we visit regularly surprised us all. While with a gasoline car we would need at least one refueling stop each way, the diesel managed both direction, and a bit of back and forth while there, on a single tank.
- grecy 11y ago
  > IMO diesels suck to drive Have you driven a new one in the last 5ish years? Driving anything coming out of Germany that is less than 5 years old is a massive improvement over a gasoline car. Sit on 70mph, uphill, still in top gear doing low rpm and you can easily accelerate past all the gas cars that are dropping down gears, revving through the roof and slowing down. Off the line, you are pushed back in your seat right off idle, rather than waiting until you're up above 3k rpm in a gasoline car.