[0mar]

And here, people were saying that hybrids will close the gap between supply and demand.

[atfqn]

I know this topic was about the CRX I just really wanted to point out if you dont mind supporting chrysler and are a little handy in the garage a neon really isn't that bad. PROVIDED that you find a 97 and up 5 spd. But still, I owned a civic HB 1.5 liter w/197k great car I loved it. But on the other hand I got a 97 neon w/110k for 600. I had that civic and an accord and I only spent 1400 on the neon for three years of school. Most of that was tires, shocks - upstate NY, brakes and a 100k tuneup when I got it. Shrug, I spent some time with it, tightened the head, rebuilt my alternator but I treated it right and it was more economical and easier on my pocket books than both my hondas. As someone mentioned the crx line is coming up on twenty years old. If you are really worried about peak oil get a mercedes diesel and make your own bio-fuel. If not take a look into the 97 and up 5 spd neons if you need ultra cheap transportation and want between 30-36 mpg (5spd for the love of gold I cannot stress it enough 5spd)

[Frank]

We used to have an early '80's and it was a fun 2-seater. It was WAY over-geared (5th was only good on the highway at 70+ mph) and didn't get the mileage you'd think. Fun but overrated IMO.

If you want good mileage, look for a small diesel vehicle or a newer hybrid.

[OldSprocket]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('jdmartin', '1'). Are they comfortable?
2. What kind of gas mileage (city/highway) did you experience in real-life?
3. Are they reliable?
4. Are they made well enough to last?

[WisJim]

We used my son's 1992 Honda Civic VX (that I mentioned a few posts ago) over Easter weekend. I borrowed it to go to a tree grafting workshop about 60 miles away, driving back roads and through a few small towns, then on Sunday he, my wife, and myself drove about 150 miles each way to have dinner with relatives, with about 100 miles on the interstate and the rest on county and township roads. When we got home we filled it up again--over 47mpg.

And the Civic is a 2 door hatch back with a usable back seat, and is easier for me (6 feet tall and 220 pounds and getting older) to get in and out of.

[Ghog]

It is well known that Honda has a 'dislike' for diesels, yet they are planning to bring a diesel motor to their American and Canadian lineup by 2009. Considering they have tech invested in hybrids, it got me thinking about why.

Will there be a big push of diesels re-entering the US? VW is slated to cancel diesel production for the US and I expect it is because of emissions, leaving only Mercedes with their clean diesel in a large, expensive luxury sedan. I was hoping MB would bring their small diesel motor in a compact car to the US, but it seemed unlikely anytime soon. I nearly bought a VW diesel before they were dropped (in 2007), but changed my mind because of reliability/emissions concerns. As a current Honda owner, the news of an American diesel lineup by 2009 was great news.

Does anyone know of other manufcturers planning on bringing diesels back to the US? The lower refinement costs of diesel and the chance for biodiesel makes me believe even Honda thinks Hybrid technology is only temporary. This news exites me. What are your thoughts?

[SoothSayer]

A question from Europe:

Do US trucks run on diesel - or gasoline?

(Trucks in Europe all use diesel)

[Novus]

All big rigs "Lorries" in America are diesel. A fair amount of pickup trucks are also diesel.

[Zardoz]

EDIT: What Novus said.

[drew]

A corporation disliking something like diesel, why?? What business would miss a marketing segment and still be flush? Not Honda.

Seriously, this is about the American and Canadian consumer being morons.

There is a perception in NA that diesels are dirty and gutless which is my guess as to why Honda 'dislikes' them, although, like I said, this is not how corporations behave.

As fuel prices rise, I'd hedge a good bet that diesels will comtinue to take market share world wide, especially in NA.

Diesels represent half the market in the EU, and as far as I know all (perhaps most of) the Japanese producers market diesels there.

We are going to see environmental laws and regs like low sulpher diesel go out the window, even more quickly than after Hurricane Katrina, if in fact PO is occuring.

Why would someone not want a diesel, aside from purchase price?
A VW TDI gets nearly twice the fuel economy as my small 2.5 litre gas engine, and definitely has as much get up and go.

As for tech, Honda et al are at the top of the learning curve-expect lower emissions, more power, and better economy.

There is certainly an upper limit though, and diesels aren't that far from it as essentially they are heat engines, especially when turboed. A turboed diesel acts somewhat as a brayton cycle, and somewhat as a diesel cycle as far as heat engines go.

The ideal cycle is the carnot, and it is impossible to achieve.

The theroritical limit for a brayton cycle turbine is around 70%, and diesels are in the neighbourhood of 40% so there is some room for improvement. A lot of heat is wasted though cooling moving parts, and this heat is very hard to capture.


Drew

[bellebouche]

I'll tell you what they *do* know, they know how to make charming adverts.

http://www.btaa.co.uk/winners2005/HondaDiesel_Grr.htm

[Kingcoal]

In the world market, gasoline is cheaper than diesel because there is far more demand for diesel distilates than gasoline. In fact, early automakers chose gasoline to power their cars for the same reason.

When you refine crude, you get what you get. You get a certain amount of each distilate. You get more money for the distilates in most demand; diesel.

[SoothSayer]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Kingcoal', 'I')n the world market, gasoline is cheaper than diesel because there is far more demand for diesel distilates than gasoline. In fact, early automakers chose gasoline to power their cars for the same reason.

When you refine crude, you get what you get. You get a certain amount of each distilate. You get more money for the distilates in most demand; diesel.

[drew]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('bellebouche', 'I')'ll tell you what they *do* know, they know how to make charming adverts.

[gg3]

Thus far it seems the German automakers have gone in for high-efficiency diesel, and the Japanese automakers have gone in for hybrid powertrains. Now the lines may be blurring and each side starting to make more use of the other's technology. This is a good thing. Cross-pollination.

Re. trucks in the US:

Most trucks & vans in the quarter-ton (5 cwt) range are gasoline powered.

When you get to 1 ton load capacity or greater, you're more likely looking at diesel. When you get to something like a large local delivery vehicle such as a large parcels van (UPS, Fed Ex), that's probably diesel. Anything that hauls heavier loads is diesel: tractor-trailers, large box vans (e.g. for hauling furniture or appliances), dump trucks (tippers), and so on. Construction-related applications are all diesel, as are firefighting, refuse collection, and in some places, ambulance/EMT vehicles.

In most applications, the higher fuel efficiency of diesel engines more than offsets the higher cost per gallon of diesel fuel. And nowadays, the potential to run on your choice of petrodiesel or biodiesel with no conversion needed, could be attractive to fleet owners whose radius of operations is local.

[clv101]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ghog', 'I')t is well known that Honda has a 'dislike' for diesels...

[donshan]

Here is a link to a good survey of diesel advantages and problems from the New York Times:

Diesel

It is only possible to get a limited amount of diesel fuel out of each barrel of oil with current refinery designs. Thus the popularity of diesel in Europe leads to a surplus of gasoline that is being exported to the USA. If the USA also went strongly to diesel, a shortage (and higher prices) would reduce the cost advantage.

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'I')n Europe, diesel demand is high and growing by 1.5 percent a year, and "that's impossible to accommodate in a refinery," said Gene Tunison, manager of fuels development and policy planning at ExxonMobil.

Instead, European refineries are processing more crude oil to keep up with diesel demand and accumulating surplus gasoline that they export to the United States. That system is working because the United State has a shortage of refinery capacity, but if every country were to embark on a diesel strategy, refining would have to change radically, experts say.

[Ghog]

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('clv101', '')$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('Ghog', 'I')t is well known that Honda has a 'dislike' for diesels...

[PeakOiler]

Well, that was nice of Honda. Honda recalled the Insight to replace two of the electrical modules of the hybrid system for free. Apparently one of the modules includes a charge controller, and some were "overcharging" the battery bank.

They also extended the battery warranty to 150k miles instead of 80k at no cost. Cool. I'm still averaging 56 mpg after nearly three years. Good car.

[dissimulo]

Lifetime mileage of 67.3 on my 2000.

Sadly, this is the last year of the Insight. Too bad it never caught on.