04-08-2007, 03:50 PM
I don't believe that they are oficially available in the US yet. This dealer brought them in through Canada.
The emissions regulations have good intentions, but they are horribly biased, unequally enforced, and largely ineffective. For example, Seattle (King county) has a higher average income and is required to have emissions inspections and controls, which is ironic because they have a higher concentration of smaller, newer, fuel efficient cars. Yakima County, 130 miles away in the same state, does not have any emissions regulations or controls, yet it is populated by the lower-income families driving older, larger, less efficient vehicles belching black smoke which burn 10-12 mpg. I'm sure that the regulations are helping a little, but it would much better if they put the controls in at least state-wide, if not nation-wide. There needs to be a comprehensive overhaul to bring emissions standards and tax regulations in line with each other. The tax laws provide HUGE loopholes that are incentives for companies to purchase the largest vehicles they can find because if it is over a certain weight they can deduct almost the ENTIRE cost of the vehicle. Instead, they should be penalized. Diesel motors are often cleaner than gasoline motors, provide more power, and consume less fuel. More diesel is produced from a given volume of crude oil than gasoline, making it even better. Further more, diesel can be produced from renewable sources. Granted, there is no way that our insatiable demand for fuel could be supplied entirely by biodiesel, but it could make a dent, help the economy, AND the environment. The currrent federal regulations prevent many vehicles that would actually help the situation from entering the country because many of the regulations pertaining to diesel motors were written entirely with heavy trucking industry in mind.
The emissions regulations have good intentions, but they are horribly biased, unequally enforced, and largely ineffective. For example, Seattle (King county) has a higher average income and is required to have emissions inspections and controls, which is ironic because they have a higher concentration of smaller, newer, fuel efficient cars. Yakima County, 130 miles away in the same state, does not have any emissions regulations or controls, yet it is populated by the lower-income families driving older, larger, less efficient vehicles belching black smoke which burn 10-12 mpg. I'm sure that the regulations are helping a little, but it would much better if they put the controls in at least state-wide, if not nation-wide. There needs to be a comprehensive overhaul to bring emissions standards and tax regulations in line with each other. The tax laws provide HUGE loopholes that are incentives for companies to purchase the largest vehicles they can find because if it is over a certain weight they can deduct almost the ENTIRE cost of the vehicle. Instead, they should be penalized. Diesel motors are often cleaner than gasoline motors, provide more power, and consume less fuel. More diesel is produced from a given volume of crude oil than gasoline, making it even better. Further more, diesel can be produced from renewable sources. Granted, there is no way that our insatiable demand for fuel could be supplied entirely by biodiesel, but it could make a dent, help the economy, AND the environment. The currrent federal regulations prevent many vehicles that would actually help the situation from entering the country because many of the regulations pertaining to diesel motors were written entirely with heavy trucking industry in mind.