The Truth About Modern Diesel Cars

VW Diesel Jetta

Americans may not hate diesels, but we're clearly wary of them. Diesel proponents thought widespread availability of "clean" (low-sulfur) fuel would spark renewed interest. Yet, only four automakers currently sell diesel-engine cars in the U.S. Half a dozen others had planned to make diesels available, including Honda, Nissan and Toyota (as well as the domestic companies). Most were aimed at light trucks, including Ford's F-150 and the Dodge Ram; but several were under consideration for passenger cars. By mid-2009, however, each manufacturer had second thoughts about diving even modestly into diesel power. 

Over the past decade, auto-industry executives and automotive journalists have sung the praises of diesel engines, attracted by their impressive fuel economy as well as their strong torque output, which can translate to energetic acceleration. As soon as "clean" fuel became readily available, they predicted, a new world of diesel power would be upon us. read more

How Oil Can Protect the Environment: Changing to Synthetic Oil

For most older cars in good condition with less than 60,000 miles, you can usually drain out the dinosaur oil and put in synthetic––and a new oil filter, of course––without any special precautions. Most oil manufacturers suggest changing the oil and filter again after a couple of thousand miles, because synthetic can loosen up some of the deposits left behind by petroleum oil. For high-mileage engines that were run on petroleum oil and have been poorly maintained, you’ll probably need to shorten the next two or three oil-change intervals.

For new engines, or rebuilt ones, it’s best to run petroleum oil for the first 1500 miles or so before switching to synthetic. This gives the rings and other engine parts time to bed in properly, something that’s harder to do with synthetic oil. After the 1500-mile mark a new engine will be as ready as it’ll ever be for synthetic. read more

Hypermiling 101: Part 2

Other Hints and Rules

Hills: There is no one good rule for hills. Hills can be tricky depending on where they are, your speed, and traffic conditions. On the highway, for instance, constant speed is usually the best option. You might burn a little bit more going up, but you’ll burn less coming down. On hills with heavy traffic or signals, try coasting to a stop. Keep in mind that your speed drops off very quickly as compared to flat ground when doing this, so try not to get stuck half way up then have to hit the gas again. It’s a lot easier to maintain momentum than it is to get going again, so it’s better to have a bit too much speed and have to brake at the top than to have too little.

Turns: This might sound like I’m trying to get you to treat the road like a racecourse, but I’m not. Next time you go to make a turn at speed, say on a green arrow, get a sense of how fast you’re going. Obviously you don’t want to crash, squeal the wheels, or make the ride uncomfortable, but the next time you take the same turn, try slowing down just a bit less. Even 1 or 2 miles per hour difference will, over time, save you money. Keep in mind that every turn is different, so what works for one turn might not work for the next. read more