Question of the Day: Would You Pass on a Car Because of an Engine Choice?
It sounds like the majority of WINDING ROAD readers would pass on a dream car if it didn’t have the transmission of their dreams. I’m not quite as picky about transmissions, but when it comes to engines I care a lot. I’d be ready to buy a new Ford Ranger if only it came with a diesel engine in the U.S.
Would you pass on a given vehicle because it didn’t come with the right number of cylinders or burn the right type of fuel? Let us know in comments.
Comments
Matt
I have been saying for years that we need more light duty vehicles with diesel engine choices. With modern advances in diesel technology it would seem that carmakers should be able to meet cafe standards. In addition they could be marketed as fuel savers to work towards the 30MPG target by the government.
One more thing the Europeans are doing better than us!!
Get it together big 3!!
Texan_as_well
I'd sell my Frontier and buy a Ranger in two seconds if they offered 4 cyl deisel and crew cab.
Jeb
Yes, I most likely would pass on certain vehicles if engine choices weren't what I wanted. Actually, to be more particlar, I'd look at the engine/transmission COMBO more so than one or the other. For example, a four-speed auto box and 2-liter Zetec four in a Contour is a pretty crappy pairing. But the auto and V6 worked pretty well, and the 5-speed gearbox with either the Zetec or Duratec was great. Mercedes is known for amazing auto boxes but adequate at best stick shifts, and the new CTS is the same way...with the auto box, it's supposed to be a giant killer, but with the stick shift, it's a clod.
hwyhobo
Small, economical diesel engine would be a huge incentive for me in any vehicle.
chuck goolsbee
I loathe gasoline engines. I will never buy another car (with the SOLE exception of classic and/or collectible cars) with a gasoline engine.
I've owned a dozen cars in my life and half of them have been Diesel powered. I'll never go back to gasoline for a daily driver, **ever** again. To hell with 30 mpg, I've been getting 45-55 MPG on and off since 1980, thanks to my string of Diesel cars, starting with a VW Rabbit and most recently with a '02 TDI Jetta.
If I were living in Europe again I'd be driving a turbo-Diesel Alfa Romeo Spider... but alas I'm stuck in the CARB-controlled (CARB-strangled really) USA and I am not allowed to drive a Diesel powered fun car. I'm stuck with a base model VW sedan with steel wheels and a cloth interior.
C'mon California, get of the power trip and let the Diesels in!
--chuck
http://chuck.goolsbee.org
smokyburnout
i really don't want to ever own a car with a 4-cylinder gas engine. diesel, maybe...
Russ Bellinis
I quit buying new cars in 1999. The engine/transmission is not so important if it is not too difficult to change them out for what I want. Living in Ca, any new engine needs to pass smog inspections and testing.
mbslrm
It depends on the transmission/engine choices.
Ducati Minor
"To hell with 30 mpg, I’ve been getting 45-55 MPG on and off since 1980, thanks to my string of Diesel cars, starting with a VW Rabbit and most recently with a ‘02 TDI Jetta."
chuck, my apologies to you and your family for owning a Rabbit and a Jetta. I'll do what I can to help with the grief. No human being deserves to suffer from two Volkswagens.
Jeff Pollak
Very often, engine selection comes before model choice!
kornjd
Some of us like our Volkswagens.
A. Wofford
A car is just a vessel for the engine. If it hasn't got the power and ability to deliver it, then it's just an expensive paperweight for celebrities to run over papparatzi in.
Mena
Engine choice is my number one choice when buying a car.
Steven J. Ewing
I can think of about twenty vehicles I would add to my list of possible purchases if diesel engines were offered.
The fact that the U.S. does not adapt to diesels sickens me.
chartguy
In full-size pickups, diesels carry a very significant price premium, typically $6-7K more for the same truck with a diesel. Given that diesels are less complex, that's never made much sense to me. Apparently, it's because the vehicle are designed for gas initially, and so much has to be changed for diesel. Just once, I'd love to see a pickup designed for diesel, with gas as the option.
Tim
Engine (drivetrain really) is a major choice for me. However that doesn't mean I will only buy something with eight cylinders like my current car (2006 GTO), but rather something that suits my driving style. Turbocharged four or six cylinder, strong six cylinder, eight cylinder, etc with a proper manual transmission (preferably 6-speed) are my criteria and if the car doesn't meet my requirements in the drivetrain area, I move on.
On the same hand, I generally don't buy cars solely for the drivetrain. The rest of the package has to be there.
Michael R
Since I choose a car by its engine first, then Yes. Absolutely.
Of course the rest of the car has to be good as well. The engine is the heart of the car, if it is connected to a bad drivetrain, forget it. And so forth.
Paul In Jersey
For me, it's all about "handling." Most of the cars I like only come with one engine choice. But the ones that I like that are available with a diesel? Well, I'll take the diesel!
Evan Brom
Why would you even consider a car that does not have the right engine. Who wants a v6 Camaro / Mustang over a SS or GT 350. OR a Lancer over a EVO. A 328i vs a M3 I can go on and on but the engine makes the car. Or if you want a hybrid Civc, even if there is a oil burner at the same MPG you wont get the tax $ or the HOV lane.
Brett
@Ducati Miner
Now whose just being a complainer and snide?
David
With age and experience my concept of a high performance car has shifted from lots of horsepower to lots of miles per gallon. I expect a powerplant to deliver low-end torque (torque I can use in my everyday driving) and be reasonably economical, Right now I have a MINI COOPER S now with a supercharger. In future, I don't see buying any car that isn't either a diesel or a hybrid (preferably a plugable hybrid).
Seriously, a small engine optimized for my typical suburban commuter kind of driving would be best. Put it in a small car with comfortable seats, a nice transmission, and a nice sound system.
David
With age and experience my concept of a high performance car has shifted from lots of horsepower to lots of miles per gallon. I expect a powerplant to deliver low-end torque (torque I can use in my everyday driving) and be reasonably economical, Right now I have a MINI COOPER S with a supercharger. In future, I don't see buying any car that isn't either a diesel or a hybrid (preferably a plugable hybrid).
Seriously, a small powerplant optimized for my typical suburban commuter kind of driving would be best. Put it in a small car with comfortable seats, a nice transmission, and a nice sound system.
Son of a Beach
My dream engine would be a small turbodiesel with hybrid electric motor assist. Since nobody offers this engine, I'm not that partial. Small, economical but powerful, that's the best engine.
Brendan
I'm waiting for my Tacoma diesel
southern
Of course.
If a company doesn't have a car in the space I'm looking at with competitive power, they are rejected.
Ducati Minor
Brett,
I'm not a complainer.
Just a stud.
Bob
The trans is a bigger factor to me. Manual whenever available. My Fusion SEL has the I-4 engine with a manual which feels almost as quick as the V-6 auto, but the fuel economy is much better around town.
For a Ranger for F-150, drop in a V-6 diesel and 6-sp manual and I'll be in line to get one.
I was doing an internship for a local engineering services company here in Detroit and got to drive a Benz ML270 with a 2.7L diesel and 6-sp manual. Driving down I-96 in sixth, you floor it and then feel a rush of acceleration as the turbo spools. SWEET!
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