LAC: Biodiesels, Diesels, TDIs' etc...

[Charlie Smith]

Earlier, mkb wrote:
> 
> I'd like to try a Mercedes and I've seen some that are
> priced fairly reasonable.  I don't think I could
> afford a new or newish Audi/VW diesel if and when they
> come out here in the US.

My other half is the Mercedes fan in this house.  At one point she
had 3 of them (at the same time).  Some of the repairs like brakes
and ball joints have been tremendously expensive.  Other things have
been a lot more expensive than Audi.  Go price the black box that
drives the tachometer.

Her '91 350SDL usually gets 22 - 23 mpg with mixed town/freeway use.
Almost all of her MB's have had more rust issues than my Audis.

  
> Personally, I really, really, REALLY wanna try and get
> off of this gas dependency.  Even if bio costs a
> little more than regular diesel, I'd go for it.

I've had about 10 diesel vehicles, the current one being a Dodge 4x4 
3500 (1 ton) pickup.  Even as big & heavy as it is, it gets 21 mpg
at 65 MPH on a level road.

I'd bet that you could swap a VW diesel into an A4, it might take
some European parts to do it right.  

    - Charlie


  Charlie Smith  charlie {at} elektro.cmhnet.org  614-471-1418  
  http://www.elektro.com/~charlie          Columbus Ohio   USA
  http://www.elektro.com/~audi         photos & technical info

  95 S6 Quattro  -  24 PSI, RS2 6 speed, and other features  
  97 Dodge Ram   -  40 PSI, 4x4 w/Cummins turbo diesel