> Power is the most overrated characteristic of vehicles.  I was
> just
> commenting to my wife yesterday how amazed I am that despite
> being in a
> diesel Vanagon that I consistently have to ease off the
> accelerator for
> others when coming off stoplights.  Everyone talks about power
> - cars are
> manufactured and marketed for power - no one uses what they
> have...

As fellow TDI drivers put it, "People drive torque and buy
horsepower".  My 2001 NB TDI puts out 145 ft/lbs of torque at
1900 RPM, which is just a tiny bit less peak torque than a 1.8T
gas engine, but it has "only" 90 HP.  The torque moves it very
well.  So well, in fact, that the only thing I miss are gas
stations with a 40 MPG in-town average.  I'd say that Beetle
juice smells like diesel to me!

=====
Chris S.

'84 Westy -> http://www.knology.net/~vw/vws/hershey/
'01 NB TDI -> http://www.knology.net/~vw/Beetle.jpg

1-888-VW-PARTS <- Recommended Expert Vanagon Part Source