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What Sunspirit said is absolutely spot on - and spoken from years of experience with diesels.
Read it carefully.
agreed. looks like if we choose to buy a diesel, it will be an emotion decision rather than a logical one. i am okay with that. thank you all for your wonderful replies. i definately learned a lot.
agreed. looks like if we choose to buy a diesel, it will be an emotion decision rather than a logical one. i am okay with that. thank you all for your wonderful replies. i definately learned a lot.
To be completely honest, based on your original post I'd suggest you not go the diesel route. Most of the people who love diesels are people who are really into cars & trucks and/or people like myself, who grew up in and on diesels.
I've owned and driven quite a few diesel cars & trucks over the years. I don't have a diesel anymore simply because the amount and type of driving I do does not warrant having one.
To be completely honest, based on your original post I'd suggest you not go the diesel route. Most of the people who love diesels are people who are really into cars & trucks and/or people like myself, who grew up in and on diesels.
I've owned and driven quite a few diesel cars & trucks over the years. I don't have a diesel anymore simply because the amount and type of driving I do does not warrant having one.
Good luck!
thanks for your input. if it were up to me, i do feel like a gasser (new term to me, lol) would be best for me. BUT, i think my husband is leaning toward diesel. he is an ase certified mechanic, rebuilt the engine on our 1991 mitsubishi montero (LOVED that thing), reads everything he can get his hands on concerning diesel/vegetable oil whatever and hates being dependent on foreign oil. lol, so if it turns out that i am meh and he is gung-ho, we may end up with a diesel after all. and he will be the one with a new car and i will still be driving my beloved passat.
I find it mildly amusing that he hates being dependent on foreign oil, but likes swastika-mobiles (just kidding folks, don't throw a fit).
Good luck with your purchase! If you find there's not much in it either way, financially, I'd just go with whatever I liked better to drive, and fro the daily commute, a diesel DOES deliver the power in a very calm and reassuring manner. (Plus, the power is right there, at low rpms)
thanks for your input. if it were up to me, i do feel like a gasser (new term to me, lol) would be best for me. BUT, i think my husband is leaning toward diesel. he is an ase certified mechanic, rebuilt the engine on our 1991 mitsubishi montero (LOVED that thing), reads everything he can get his hands on concerning diesel/vegetable oil whatever and hates being dependent on foreign oil. lol, so if it turns out that i am meh and he is gung-ho, we may end up with a diesel after all. and he will be the one with a new car and i will still be driving my beloved passat.
If he really wants to run veggie/bio he should get a truck just to have the available utility for moving the required materials/grease around. Thats just my opinion and it is what I did in my personal experience. Also, for that type of modification you really want an engine that has the least amount of electronic control as possible... for instance I have absolutley none.
thanks for your input. if it were up to me, i do feel like a gasser (new term to me, lol) would be best for me. BUT, i think my husband is leaning toward diesel. he is an ase certified mechanic, rebuilt the engine on our 1991 mitsubishi montero (LOVED that thing), reads everything he can get his hands on concerning diesel/vegetable oil whatever and hates being dependent on foreign oil. lol, so if it turns out that i am meh and he is gung-ho, we may end up with a diesel after all. and he will be the one with a new car and i will still be driving my beloved passat.
If biodiesel/veg oil is his goal, then the way to go is an older diesel with few electronics and indirect injection such as the ones in the W123/W124/W126 Mercedes-Benzes. The W123 is the simplest of the 3, but they are all DIY-friendly compared to today's cars and something your mechanically proficient hubby will probably be comfortable working on. The only one to avoid would be the 350 SD/SDL.
Not sure how buying a new TDi or anything similar running on commercial diesel at a typical service station does really address his foreign oil dependency question very well.
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