tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4214720874193394920.post3649445572692294300..comments2023-10-31T11:54:43.310-04:00Comments on The Purple Center: Obama aimed for the auto bailout sweet spot. Did he hit it?J. E. Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08682657792334163396noreply@blogger.comBlogger3125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4214720874193394920.post-53716104241748742772009-04-01T22:43:00.000-04:002009-04-01T22:43:00.000-04:00John, there is 2 reason why can not get that 58.8 ...John, there is 2 reason why can not get that 58.8 mpg diesel.<BR/><BR/>1. Tax on diesel<BR/>2. Draconian environmental rules<BR/><BR/>If Volvo wants to bring the diesel over to the US they have to spend millions for crash tests, EPA tests.<BR/><BR/>When you add those costs to the 4-5 K more cost of the diesel, and the $1 tax on fuel, it is cheaper to drive a gas car.<BR/><BR/>If a car is clean and safe enough to be driven in Europe, one should argue it is clean and safe enough to be driven in US. Just unburden the companies from the US tests and save them millions spent on re-testing.<BR/><BR/>Knock the $1 diesel tax off.<BR/><BR/>Watch the "affordable" diesels sell like hotcakes.Devrimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08165021665570636765noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4214720874193394920.post-39382236609726536882009-04-01T20:27:00.000-04:002009-04-01T20:27:00.000-04:00Good points. I can say that Volvo has cars I want...Good points. I can say that Volvo has cars I want if I could get them -- in particular that V50 Wagon getting 58.8 mpg diesel. I looked at a V50 a couple of weeks ago. Nice car, but this one got around 26 mpg highway.J. E. Burkehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08682657792334163396noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-4214720874193394920.post-55975321794601672672009-04-01T02:53:00.000-04:002009-04-01T02:53:00.000-04:00Obama “Let me be clear: The United States governme...Obama “Let me be clear: The United States government has no interest in running GM. We have no intention of running GM.”<BR/>=<BR/>Bill Clinton "I'm going to say this again: I did not have sexual relations with that woman, Miss Lewinsky. I never told anybody to lie, not a single time; never."<BR/><BR/>Ford has the vehicle "we want", Fiesta ECOnetic which gets 63.6 mpg and Volvo has every version in a diesel C30 hatchback (60.3 mph), S40 sedan (58.8 mpg), V50 wagon (58.8 mpg), XC60, XC70 (39.2 mpg).<BR/><BR/>None of them are ugly, all of them especially Volvo associated with safety. And my 24 year old MB 300D has 300K miles on it to prove the longevity of diesel engines.<BR/><BR/>Problem is because of US regulations, they can not sell them here.<BR/><BR/>They are telling GM the kind of cars they can build (CAFE), they are telling them who can not run the company (Mr. Wagoner), they are telling them what the executives can or can not get as compensation... Now that the government has accepted to "honor" GM warranties, soon they will be telling them what kind of warranties they can or can not give. <BR/><BR/>If telling a company "no you can not sell car here" is not stipulation, I don't know what is. And they had been doing that even when they were not giving money to that company.<BR/><BR/>I wouldn't be surprised to see an "Obamobile" rolling off the GM plants to undercut Ford vehicles who have defied the bailouts so far. Next you know it, Ford will be begging the WH for some $, which would put Ford either out of business or on fast track to become next GM.<BR/><BR/>The question of "Obamobile" is not "if", the question is "when" and if it would include a (mandatory optional) Rahm Emmanuel bobblehead doll that takes care of parking tickets.Devrimhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08165021665570636765noreply@blogger.com