# Why do people buy diesel cars?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-buy-diesel-cars/317299>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [August 16, 2005, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-buy-diesel-cars/317299 "2005-08-16T17:52:26Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 4

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**Author:** ![Balthisar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/balthisar/32/2825_2.png) [@Balthisar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Balthisar)\
**Post date:** [August 22, 2005, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-buy-diesel-cars/317299/61 "2005-08-22T23:36:08Z")

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So when I see tractors on the road, is that normally right or not right?

And how do you get rid of all vestiges of the red? If I’m caught on the road and my gas is a middle shade of red – it’s obvious I’ve mixed my fuel – then (1) what is the law, and (2) what will the police officer likely do?

Finally, what’s the burden of suspicion? I mean, is it likely in the USA that you’ll get pulled over and spot checked? Or is this a non-primary offense where it’ll only be checked if you’re pulled over for something else?

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**Author:** ![DrDeth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b487fb/32.png) [@DrDeth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrDeth)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-buy-diesel-cars/317299/62 "2005-08-23T01:16:09Z")

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> [@Balthisar](#):
>
> So when I see tractors on the road, is that normally right or not right?
> 
> Finally, what’s the burden of suspicion? I mean, is it likely in the USA that you’ll get pulled over and spot checked? Or is this a non-primary offense where it’ll only be checked if you’re pulled over for something else?

They are allowed a short trip between fields.

The USA has federal agents that do nothing but this. Not a lot of them, true.

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**Author:** ![Fish\_Cheer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fish_cheer/32/17179_2.png) [@Fish\_Cheer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fish_Cheer)\
**Post date:** [August 23, 2005, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-do-people-buy-diesel-cars/317299/63 "2005-08-23T12:31:20Z")

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> [@Enola Straight](#):
>
> They used a diesel Dasher

It’s always fun to find another example for the very different naming scheme of VW for German and foreign markets.  
Rabbit, Dasher etc. were never used here. If I talked about a VW Dasher, most people would just go 😕

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