okay, so i'm finally at a place in my life where i can get a new(er) car...i really don't want to purchase a gasoline car anymore as i am (quite seriously) planning on converting this to veggie, and as my parents are FINALLY setting up their diesel maker/whatever at the farm, i'd like to go as economical (and green) as possible within reason

i really want a 5-door since i've begun taking my dogs with me everywhere and i'm sick of having them sit on the seats in my saturn...i'd rather they sat in the back, plus i like the idea of having easy access to the back area...i looked at the golf TDI years ago, but it was out of my price range

now i understand that the rabbit replaced the golf (or, rather, they ditched the golf name and brought back the rabbit name), but there isn't a diesel version of the rabbit in the US, though it's been in europe for some time...i don't know much about any of this, and this quote of dan's from a little over a year ago makes me wonder if we're going to get a diesel rabbit any time soon:

Quote :

"The irony is that we didn't get all the foreign market diesels because we had too much sulfur in our diesel fuel, and they weren't built for it. Now the standards are even stricter than European standards, and now they can't meet them. We'll fucking never get diesels over here in passenger cars (more so than we already do, that is)... GODDAM SUCKS"

so what's the deal? what's your opinion? i was focusing on the rabbit because it seems like, even with the diesel engine, it will be one of my most affordable options (i was looking sub $20k), but perhaps i'm wrong...do you have any suggestions? i don't really WANT to purchase new due to the premium, but newer the better...diesel (as well as the good gas mileage that goes with it) and 5-door are pretty much my requirements

1/15/2008 11:52:28 AM

no rabbit diesels.. but maybe in the next year or two..

if you dont want a new one, a golf tdi is a good option. the tdis are great engines, and they're just getting better.

are you going to be making biodiesel? or strait wvo?

i have a good friend that runs biodiesel in his 06 jetta tdi almost religiously.. lmk if you have any specific questions.

have you considered a jetta wagon or passat wagon? should have more options (but good luck finding one..)

[Edited on January 15, 2008 at 2:29 PM. Reason : ..]

1/15/2008 2:28:29 PM

^ is there anything about a possible rabbit diesel worth waiting for? i read on a few online forums that the diesel rabbits in europe have bigger engines with better performance with the same (or better) fuel economy...i'm not looking at a car today or tomorrow or anything, but probably this summer i might seriously start looking

my parents are gearing up to make biodiesel, and as i'm over near them them once a week, or every other week, it'd be worth filling up for free

i'd like to do WVO, though, just not exclusively...if there's not already a co-op here in raleigh, i'd like to work on getting one started

i hadn't considered the jetta/passat wagons for the very reason you mentioned - they seem nearly impossible to find (though the golf TDI isn't exactly easy, either)

1/15/2008 2:38:12 PM

Quote :

"We'll fucking never get diesels over here in passenger cars (more so than we already do, that is)..."

that doesn't make sense.

the new honda diesel is slated for 2009 and doesn't require urea refills. i'm hope to get one.

[Edited on January 15, 2008 at 2:45 PM. Reason : i drove a diesel passat wagon the other day, fine vehicle.]

1/15/2008 2:44:28 PM

wvo requires modifying the car.. biodiesel does not.. it really depends on what you want out of it..

there is a biodiesel co-op around here.. i think they're based in moncure.
http://www.biofuels.coop/

truthfully, if they offered diesel in the rabbit, i would probably buy one. the european models do have more powerful engines, but what'll come over here in the rabbit is most likely the 1.9.. the newer ones are PDs (Pumpe-Düse)..

my friend w/ the jetta got 731 miles on a tank (~48mpg) before his car cut off (he had large jugs of biodiesel in the car to refill).. another good thing about the new ones is that they auto prime to remove air from the fuel lines in the event that you run out of fuel..

[Edited on January 15, 2008 at 2:47 PM. Reason : .]

1/15/2008 2:46:02 PM

oh, i know about the WVO requiring modification, which i'm willing to do...and since i'm pretty sure you can still run diesel (or biodiesel) fuel through a WVO-modified car, i'd do biodiesel as well, whichever is more convenient at the time

as for the co-op, i've been to ^ before...i actually meant a WVO co-op...a couple of the co-ops in more progressive cities have a membership fee, but you get your WVO delivered to your home for next to nothing

does VW actually sell a diesel car right now? a forum i came across seemed to imply that there hasn't been a diesel VW car in the US since the 2006 jettas sold out

1/15/2008 3:29:06 PM

i dont think they offer it in the current jetta.. as far as i know the only one they're offering this year is the touareg with the v10 tdi... but i heard there's something coming for the '09 MY

you can still run bio.. i take it you're familiar with the modifications required (heated 2nd tank, etc)

dont know about a wvo coop, tho..

1/15/2008 3:35:18 PM

you can get a new MKV Jetta TDI, i've seen em.. pricey though at like $23k

a TDI rabbit would kick ass.. but not for above $20k

1/15/2008 3:44:42 PM

^^ yeah, i don't think there's a WVO co-op around here, though i think more people would be willing were there a program in place to make WVO easily accessible

and yeah, i'm relatively familiar with the modifications required...it was my understanding that it's less than $1000 to convert

^ i'm not all that familiar with VW's...is the MK5 this past model or the new one that was supposed to be released this month?

any guesses as to what a rabbit TDI would cost? i don't NEED a new car right now, and i get nearly 40mpg in my 2002 saturn, so i can wait...but i DO want one now

[Edited on January 15, 2008 at 3:57 PM. Reason : mkv]

1/15/2008 3:56:21 PM

older diesels tend to be easier to convert.

the new high pressure fuel systems don't like the consistency and the higher possibility of debris in the fuel that comes with using veggie oil

1/15/2008 4:38:32 PM

ooh, i didn't think about that...what about these relatively new low-sulfur systems? or is that just the fuel?

1/15/2008 4:46:35 PM

mkv (mark 5) is the current generation golf/jetta.. technically A5 is the chassis code..

1/15/2008 4:53:17 PM

also, a little off topic, but my friend with the 06 has a few issues when he goes back and forth between biodiesel and petrol diesel.. mostly the fuel filter will clog up after switching back/forth a few times... but it is simple to change (and really not messy at all)

1/15/2008 4:56:33 PM

are there any other relatively-easy-to-find-and-afford cars that run diesel other than VW? unless i get an old(er) car (which i'd prefer not to do), i don't think mercedes or BMW are in the running

1/29/2008 4:28:45 PM

the biodiesel sold around here is fucking garbage. there is only one advantage to running b/d in this area and that's because it is such a good detergent. biodiesel will clean the hell out of your fuel system. other than that it's a waste of money. it costs the same per gallon as plain old diesel and you will lose mpg. i've ran two tanks of it in the past 2 months. i average 510-540 miles per tank (34 gal. tank). both time i ran biodiesel bought from taylor's on six forks rd. in n. raleigh my mileage plummeted. the first time was in the 380 range and the second was in the 370 range. that's fucking ridiculous. both fillups after the b/d my mileage went right back to normal so i know it's not due to a winter blend.

1/29/2008 6:35:38 PM

so run some waste oil

1/29/2008 7:37:55 PM

^^ i'm planning on making my own

^ also, that

1/29/2008 8:19:47 PM

Quote :

"or is that just the fuel?"

yes.

1/30/2008 4:06:46 AM

there are horror stories about running straight WVO...let me find a link...

http://forums.tdiclub.com/showthread.php?t=202070

This is just one story. Here's a picture to go with it.



Not sure if this was done using the Grease Car kit, or whatever. Just my .02 I know you said not WVO exclusive, but, the risk is still there. Sure, you save loads of money on fuel, but at what cost? While the benefits to the environment and your checkbook are surely noted, it doesn't mean a whole lot if you have to replace your engine every 2-3 years for problems arising from running straight veggie. But keep on keepin on. I have an 05 Passat TDI and I love mine. 40 mpg is nuts compared to what I used to get.

1/30/2008 7:44:42 AM

^ that's not encouraging...this is still new to me, and i wasn't really aware that it could get that bad if well-kept...running 100% WVO was out of the question, mostly because it just seems common-sense that it could gunk everything up, but still

also,

Quote :

"are there any other relatively-easy-to-find-and-afford cars that run diesel other than VW? unless i get an old(er) car (which i'd prefer not to do), i don't think mercedes or BMW are in the running"

1/30/2008 1:44:01 PM

....the answer to your second question is most likely no. VWs are by far the most common sedan/hatch with diesel applications. I know/think Volvo had diesels, but not anything really new. You can't afford a new/recently used Merc as you said.

If you're looking for others, you could move overseas.

Diesels are finnicky as it is. My 2.0 PD TDI requires a specific engine oil that's been required to meet some fancy VW standard, or my warranty is voided. I don't know the specs, but if you read more on that site, damage due to incorrect oil is widespread. On the upside, they'll run forever if properly maintained.

1/30/2008 1:51:45 PM