SUV's exempt from Gas Guzzler Tax!

I am just hoping that they start putting a diesel in the Dodge Dakota

Then I can take my 1994 Dakota 4WD, throw the plow on it and leave her as a yard truck.
Need a 4 door pick-up so I can haul the kids around.

Volvo offers the XC70 in Europe with a little diesel in it, why not here?

If they dont start offering mid-sized pick-ups with diesels I will probably buy a used Dodge with the Cummins in it.

Chrysler is coming out with the Mercedes Bluetec diesel in the Grand Cherokee next year, they are saying it will also make it into the car line. I'm hoping that either it, or (preferrably) a 4 cylinder version of the Cummins makes it to the Dakota, it would be great to have a mid-sized truck knocking down 30mpg.

I was in bread sales for many years and most all the big box bread truck had 4 cylinder Cummins diesels in them until what .......5-6 years ago the 4 cylinder Cummins couldnt meet emission standards so they were getting the axe. They were BIG 4 cylinder Cummins motors and not to be compare to a pick up truck Cummins motor. Unsure where there at now on there engines.

I'm not that familiar with all the Cummins line, I think the 6 cylinder engine that Dodge uses is about their smallest. I understand that in marine and stationary applications, where cooling and power transmission issues are easier to address, they are getting alot more power out of the same basic motor. I'm thinking knocking 2 cylinders off that motor (IBS??) would make an awesome mid-sized truck motor. If I can get in the 20's on a full sized, 7000lb plus truck, I'm thinking a midsized rig, with more mileage oriented gearing should really do well.

"BIG 4 cylinder Cummins motors and not to be compare to a pick up truck Cummins motor. Unsure where there at now on there engines."

how "BIG" were these engines? i can just about assure you that the cummins I-4's used in those trucks were smaller than pickup diesels; cummins makes much smaller engines than the ISB 5.9 used in dodge pickups. pickup diesels in the US are much larger and more powerful than many think. my truck is 7.3 litre displacement and chiped @ around 300hp and 600tq, dodge is 5.9 litre and GM is 6.6. the new ford diesel ('08) is a 6.4 with twin staged turbos.

what she said ...
Gov is NOT the answer. We now have government out the ying-yang and things are getting worse. Name one gov program we can be proud of!

'95 Civic CX 42mpg
'84 Porsche 944 26mpg
'82 Datsun 720 4WD PU rust bucket - mid-teens mpg

Well , Hummmm .........a ............er ................??

I'd like to buy a vowel please.

National defense!

Hi,


We could cut our electrical energy usage by 10% overnight if we ever fix the "parasitic" energy loss problems...parasitic losses happen when we "think" we've turned off items but they continue to suck electrical current 24/7/365....i.e, ALL the time. Ex: TV's....we want "instant on" TV and to get it we pay for it...even when it's "off", it's really "on" and sucking current to keep elements "warm" for that "instant-on" capability.........solve that problem and we can all drive electric powered SUV's.......

I regularly drive a Freightliner (now Dodge) Sprinter 3/4 ton van with a mercedes diesel. Driving like a madman, highways, back roads, whatever.. and the worst I've gotten for mileage is 20mpg. If I'm careful and on a long trip, I have gotten up to 24mpg. Must be the aerodynamics, right? If you've never seen one, it's a box on wheels, with a wedge on the front nose! My next pickup will be either a 3/4 ton diesel if I need to get one in the next 3 years, or a 1/2 ton if I need one after 3 years from now. Plus...... Diesels are cool.