> Fuel consumption is one factor, total emissions output is something else to
> consider.  I hope nobody is driving a vanagon because they think it is an
> "environmentally friendly" vehicle.  By today's standards (OBD II),
> digifant/digijet is very dirty.  Modern vehicles pollute much less than
> vehicles of 15 years ago.  The vanagon is probably no worse than any other
> similar vehicle of its day, but new vehicles have much more tightly
> controlled fuel and ignition systems.  I think the new Chev Malibu has 4 or
> 5 oxygen sensors.

        Light trucks/SUVs are currently not held to the same emissions
standards that passenger cars are. While the vanagon might not be as
clean as today's new cars (unless you have swapped in an engine
from a new car ;-) ), one must also keep in mind that SUVs are not
held to the same emission regulations that today's passenger cars
are. That said, I don't exactly know what part of what code in the
vast amounts of laws we have regulate SUVs. I just know they are
designated 'work vehicles' and thus are given a break.

dave