US gas versus European gas.

Which is why we still have droves of BIG ol' SUVs covering our roadways, and probably why we can't have any options on motors for any of the European brands. No MINI one or D, no small Renaults or Citreons, etc... BMW is ONLY sending us the 1 series with the bigger 6 cylinder motors. Efficiency? You Americans don't need it.
_________________
Steve J
72 tii / 88 M3 / 99 328 / 08 Clubman S(soon...)
& too many bikes

Yes funny that you mention that. When I was in California a few years ago I didn't notice one French car at all! No Renaults, Peugeots or Citroens. I thought it may have something to do with the infamous French-American relationship, and that Americans rather share a shower in prison than drive a French pomme de terre.
I did notice all the SUVs and pick-up trucks.
_________________
'71 2002ti
'73 3.0CSi

Keep on rolling in the free world!

I remember when there were Renault, Peugeot, Alfa, Fiat, Simca, and to a lesser extent Citroen dealerships. True, cheap fuel was abundant, however it did not help that the dealer service was not very good, the cars were not very good (the Renault Dauphine/Caravel come to mind). They could not be worked on at the corner gas station, but had to be serviced by the dealership organizations or the odd import repair shop. Then later the safety requirements plus the lack of buyer interest, pretty much did them in. I never really understood the poor showing in the US, and why the dealers simply did not seem to be interested. My Dad was an Air Force officer and we seemed to always have the latest import, one of the first VW Deluxe Microbus 1959, early Datsun Bluebirds etc. Lots of my Dads friends drove the cars mentioned above, and swore that when whatever they had was gone never again...dealer service sucked. I guess they were the wrong cars at the wrong time. Just a thought.

Earl