[geeks] Race Tracks

[velociraptor]

On 4/19/07, Sandwich Maker <adh at an.bradford.ma.us> wrote:
> " From: Sridhar Ayengar <ploopster at gmail.com>
> "
> " Sheldon T. Hall wrote:
> " > BTW, if you want "a very nice, high mpg, smooth, quiet, comfortable little
> " > car," try a Prius.  It ain't all that small inside, and it's got the "very
> " > nice, high mpg, smooth, quiet, comfortable" bit down pat.
> "
> " Umm.  No thank you.  If I want something small with good mpg, I'll pick
> " up a diesel Jetta.
>
> in spades.  from all i've heard, it's -extremely- difficult to
> actually get the mileage they claim for it - and the benefits are only
> in stop-and-go anyway, not highway cruising.
>
> and an echo turbodiesel - sold elsewhere on the planet - gets almost
> as good mileage as the prius, all the time.
>
> btw the prius weighs ~800lbs more than the echo - ~2800lbs vs. ~2000 -
> and apparently batteries and swoopy drivetrain don't account for
> even most of the difference.

The hope is, with the changes to diesel fuel composition in the US
that Toyota and other will start importing their diesels to the US.  A
diesel Matrix would be quite nice.

In the meantime, the next vehicle will probably be a diesel Beetle
with a 2" lift to off-set the oil-pan busting risks, or a diesel Golf.
 Most likely a Beetle b/c they don't seem to hold the premium price
that the Golfs, Jettas and Passats do.

Bonus points: all VW diesels can tow a class 2 trailer.

For you modders--there's a company that puts out a kit to put a VW
diesel into a Toyota pickup or Suzuki Samurai.  Apparently it's also
possible to get Toyota L-series diesel engines in the US, just not in
the pre-built vehicles.

=Nadine=