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Subject:Re: Vngns ARE junk!
From:Jim Felder
Date:Wed, 9 Mar 2005 15:41:22 -0600

>
>
> No need to go to Diesel for only one third more fuel
> savings. And Diesel VW is rare, expensive and
> maintenance on DIesel is typicallly double the cost of
> gas, hence many Diesel owners do their own
> maintenance.
>
>
You may be over underselling the diesel.

Diesel parts are plentiful, unless they are the parts needed to convert
a VW diesel to the vanagon configuration, and those prices are going up
and the stuff is becoming rare because of the desire to diesels in
vanagons.

I bought a vanagon NA diesel for $110 plus shipping, and just bought a
turbo 1.6 with a guarantee for $275 local.

You'll probably pay twice as much or more for a diesel valve
adjustment, but you only do it every 15K miles. And if you do it
yourself as I do, it doesn't cost anything.

Other than the valves, there's really nothing else to adjust. No wires
to replace. No points, plugs, condensor, distributor, very little
wiring and only one exhaust pipe.

And diesel owners tend to do their own maintenance, I contend, because
there is so little of it and it's easy to do.

The parts are cheaper than waterboxer parts as well.

They last a long, long time.

So, while I'm sure your I-4 is great for other reasons, I don't think
this list of diesel deficits is a valid benchmark.

Jim