[Date Prev][Date Next][Thread Prev][Thread Next][Date Index][Thread Index] [New Search]
On 13 Jan 99, at 8:17, Steven Ayres wrote: > Old cars are an easy target because for many years automaker > marketing has been spreading the idea that younger cars are a lot > cleaner. > > Careful research shows that this ain't necessarily so. With proper > tuning and good maintenance, a vintage engine is almost as clean as a > new one in most respects -- the gains over the years due to design have > been more related to fuel efficiency than tailpipe emissions. I have heard this argument frequently over the internet, but usually it takes the form of "Well, I have a 59 Chevy that doesn't smoke a bit, so I KNOW that it is just as clean as any new car." Okay, I have NOT done any of the careful research that Steve suggests, but I have a VERY difficult time with this claim. To make it, you have to believe that our cars were MUCH better (pollution wise) than they were required to be, and/or the new cars fail to meet the standards by an equally large amount. It is simply not true that the pollution standards have not gotten MUCH tighter i¦ÃÕ st 30 years. Keep in mind that (I think) the first year for ANY emission standards was 68 (or perhaps 67.) Now everyone out there knows that I love my cars, but I also love the environment and hope that my daughter can live to see it in a little better shape than it was when we got it. We all have to share responsibility for what happens to the world we live in. There's no point in suggesting that the pollution is all the fault of the power companies while ignoring that WE are the consumers that demand this power, and insist that it be delivered to us cheaply. IMHO, there is really just one main problem out there and that is overpopulation. Like Pogo said, "We have met the enemy, and he is us." Jim - ******************************* Jim Adney, jadney@vwtype3.org Madison, Wisconsin, USA ******************************* ------------------------------------------------------------------- Search old messages on the Web! Visit http://www.vwtype3.org/list/