[Greenbuilding] Off Topic: What car do you suggest?

[Benjamin Pratt]

>  You might want to bring yourself up to speed on modern diesel technology
> Ben, and the difference between horsepower (gasoline) and torque (diesel).
>
>  Ron

The 2008 TDi is much more powerful and cleaner--but the gas mileage is
far worse than the older models. I was talking about 2003 vintage VW
TDI, which is slow (0-60 12.5 seconds), and dirty.
    The problem with the new jetta is that the mileage is, at best,
25% better than gas cars of the same size and power, and you are
paying 25% more for fuel. Additionally, you pay around 2K more for a
diesel model. If volkwagen had used their new cleaner technology, and
optimized mileage and not power the car would make logical and
economical sense.
   -Ben
PS  I do have some personal experience too. I used to commute with a
guy who drove a 2003 tdi beetle. It was slow, unreliable, slow
starting in winter, and had numerous problems which were expensive to
fix. He got rid of it.