Re: diesels and importing

[Michael Williams <alfanut@domain.elided>]

Spent three days with a 146 diesel and I didn't think it was too bad. Not a sportscar by any stretch but then when diesel is $3/gallon and gas is $4/gallon it makes people do funny things! Like voting with their pocketbooks. So they get most of the package.... just not the engine. I'll take the diesel over the auto in a car like that any day. At least you can work to get power out of the car in creative ways. Remined me a bit of the whippings I gave my old Fiat 850 every time I drove it.

Autoweek had a very good article on modern diesel technology recently ... how they are able to get the soot down with low-sulfur fuels (n/a in NA) and all but eliminate the clatter with common rail direct injection. This injection method also helps with the already healthy torque inherent in diesels. Mercedes is coming out with a diesel AMG so I think the technology is here for performance cars... it will take a while for us to handle it mentally though. A highly recommended article all the same. 

Importing...

I think foreigners can bring a car here legally for two years and then it "must" return. Friends of mine had there BMW 316 here for 3+ years with no problems. They did however return it to Europe eventually.

Just picked up a nice 1975 Spider today... which will serve in place of the Duetto while it is away in extended rehab (I just couldn't stand it any longer!). It sure was nice driving the 130 miles from Cupertino to Sacramento with the top down feeling the warm sun. Oh how I miss all those sensations of driving topless.

-- 
Michael Williams
Sacramento, CA, USA

69 Duetto
73 Berlina (Fiat 124 Special)
75 Spider (new arrival!)
84 GTV6


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