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

[RONALD CASCIO]

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Benjamin Pratt" <prattb at uwstout.edu>
To: "RONALD CASCIO" <roncascio at verizon.net>
Cc: "Norbert Senf" <mheat at mha-net.org>; <greenbuilding at listserv.repp.org>
Sent: Friday, May 02, 2008 10:17 AM
Subject: Re: [Greenbuilding] Off Topic: What car do you suggest?


>>  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.
>
>
To condemn a whole category of VW diesel vehicles on the experience of just 
one single lemon Ben? I believe that to be a big mistake, and that comes 
from a great deal of experience with the VW TDIs both personally and as a 
member of a large group of TDI owners who have mostly great things to share 
about their cars.

And note that I have suggested the previous generation TDI (non PD) for any 
number of reasons.

If only you lived close enough Ben, I'd love to stop by and pick you up for 
a spin in one of our biodiesel (sourced from chicken fat waste) powered, 
fast, not stinky or smoky, very green vehicles.


Ron