Ed-

You should see my hybrid motorcycle- the stator failed so I have a deep
cycle marine battery strapped to the seat!

I'd like to see your Vanagon engine . I have a 2.0 Golf engine but I have
thought of switching to a Diesel now that fuel prices seem to be high with
no relief in sight.
I have all the stuff i need except the engine. My Vanagon as you probably
guessed started out as a Diesel.

I get up to 23 mpg now- what to expect with a TDI. Is there that much
savings? I see Diesel prices more than gas as the demand grows.

If Diesel fuel prices continue to outpace gasoline,will that make switching
over to Diesel pointless? Not to forget that Diesel service costs more than
gas?

Ok then I guess i'm supposed to build a small refinery in the garage . Dude
then I have to fight with other veggie oil people behind Mc Donalds over who
got their first.

Then McDonalds sells it all to biodiesel firms instead of giving it away
just as stores did with cardboard.

So then I just end up buying cheap cooking oil by the gallon at the local
Oriental grocery.

Robert

1982 Westfalia

----Original Message Follows----

HA!  I knew it!  The NPR story quoted - was Car & Driver? that the best
they were able to get with the Prius they had on trial was 42mpg!  I
can do better than that in my Passat (47mpg clean, hiway).  I can get
32 in the Vanagon ( tailwind).

They did say though that there was less variability between "city" and
hiway miles, this due to the regenerative braking.
Now if I could get a Hybrid Tdi.........

Edward Lowe
Seattle, WA
82 Westy Diesel upgraded to 1.9lt. Turbo
85 Golf Diesel 1.6lt NA
92 Cabrio 1.8lt gas
97 Passat Tdi