Seriously, it's not a problem. And I haven't flushed the radiator for 2 years.
Single axle, 8' x 10' trailer, 900#s tare weight, often loaded with 1/2 - 3/4 ton, hauling as much as 300 miles round trip, no overheat problem. Bit of a load on the brakes more than anything else. And I'm sure a county bounty could be a real rhoid if he or she wanted. Too bad these days that you have to wine and dine the VW sales rep for three weeks just to get them to consider placing a factory order for a diesel engine in a new Golf. Both Jettas and Golf are still pretty much the same chassis, or so I'm led to believe. I think I'll just pay for a Maco paint job to keep the salt and rust in check, rebuild the steering every 16 years and worry about the engine when she goes. As she's still pretty strong, that could be a while. Todd Swearingen ----- Original Message ----- From: AOAR Welch B. To: 'biofuel@yahoogroups.com' Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 8:23 PM Subject: RE: [biofuel] So, You Want to Buy a Green Car ... Or Do You? i did not know that a small car could pull a trailer and not overheat. -----Original Message----- From: Appal Energy [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Sunday, April 28, 2002 4:02 AM To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com Subject: Re: [biofuel] So, You Want to Buy a Green Car ... Or Do You? Hey... I just drove a 1986 VW Golf, filled to the brim with biodiesel, hauling a trailer full of hay and about 400 pounds of boiler parts and got ~44mpg. I'll take utility and green over a chick car and green any day....I'm toooooooo old for chick. Just keep praying for acid drought, another Arab oil embargo and $3.50 a gallon at the pump. Todd Swearingen ----- Original Message ----- From: steve spence To: biofuel@yahoogroups.com Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 7:22 PM Subject: Re: [biofuel] So, You Want to Buy a Green Car ... Or Do You? Today I test drove a new vw beetle, turbo diesel. Now this is one fine automobile. 44mpg isn't shabby either. saw diesel today for $1.23 / us gallon. Steve Spence Subscribe to the Renewable Energy Newsletter: http://www.webconx.com/subscribe.htm <http://www.webconx.com/subscribe.htm> Renewable Energy Pages - http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/ <http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/> Human powered devices, equipment, and transport - http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/2000/humanpower.htm <http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/2000/humanpower.htm> [EMAIL PROTECTED] ----- Original Message ----- From: "stewart hyde" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 6:32 PM Subject: Re: [biofuel] So, You Want to Buy a Green Car ... Or Do You? > Agreed My 14 year old Citroen BX turbodesel/GTI hybrid Gets 50 mpg (Imperial > 4.55 ltr) and runs beautifilly with rapeseed oil @50% fuel extender > Stewart from Wales UK where fuel is almost one dollar per litre. > ----- Original Message ----- > From: "steve spence" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > Sent: Saturday, April 27, 2002 3:30 AM > Subject: Re: [biofuel] So, You Want to Buy a Green Car ... Or Do You? > > > > I drove a BMW minicooper yesterday, and although it was cute, I would not > > call 33mpg on premium unleaded "clean"......... > > > > > > Steve Spence > > Subscribe to the Renewable Energy Newsletter: > > http://www.webconx.com/subscribe.htm <http://www.webconx.com/subscribe.htm> > > > > Renewable Energy Pages - http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/ <http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/> > > Human powered devices, equipment, and transport - > > http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/2000/humanpower.htm <http://www.webconx.dns2go.com/2000/humanpower.htm> > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > ----- Original Message ----- > > From: "Keith Addison" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > To: <biofuel@yahoogroups.com> > > Cc: <biofuels-biz@yahoogroups.com> > > Sent: Thursday, April 25, 2002 9:23 AM > > Subject: [biofuel] So, You Want to Buy a Green Car ... Or Do You? > > > > > > > http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=12917 <http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=12917> > > > AlterNet -- > > > So, You Want to Buy a Green Car ... Or Do You? > > > Allie Gottlieb, Metro Silicon Valley > > > http://www.metroactive.com <http://www.metroactive.com> > > > April 19, 2002 > > > > > > If you're like me, and you are, you want a good, cheap, fast, safe > > > and cute car that can take you to work and back, and out for fun, on > > > little or no gas. You also need room to cart around your laptop, your > > > nonfat latte, a pal and your four-piece silver-sparkle Ludwig drum > > > set, which in my case is named Natasha J. Sparky. > > > > > > Since we've got so much in common, it makes sense to share car-search > > > secrets. I'll start. What I've learned about the latest electric, > > > hybrid and just plain cuter- or cleaner-than-thou vehicles that you > > > can buy or lease at this moment there are plenty of choices, > > > combinations and features. Sorting them all out is confusing but not > > > impossible. > > > > > > The ones accessible to me as of presstime were the BMW Mini Cooper, > > > the Honda Insight, the Honda Civic Hybrid, the Honda Civic GX > > > natural-gas vehicle, the Toyota Prius, the Toyota Rav4 EV, the Corbin > > > Sparrow, the Ford Th!nk, the Ford Ranger EV and the DaimlerChrysler > > > GEM. > > > > > > Idling Politics > > > > > > Here's another thing I've learned. Despite all the chatter about fuel > > > efficiency from the Legislature lately, and the attempts by various > > > cities to get their fleets on a greener track, this has been a > > > slow-going revolution with plenty of setbacks. > > > > > > Witness last month's rise and fall of the Corporate Average Fuel > > > Economy standards: Senator John Kerry's (D-Mass.) proposal to require > > > new vehicles to average a respectable 36 mpg of gas by 2015 did a > > > giant belly flop. SUVs get to be an estimated 25 percent more > > > polluting than other cars. Gasoline has drivers over an oil barrel, > > > and so, as they do in any time of war with oil-producing nations, gas > > > prices are going up. > > > > > > Despite all this, a good clean car is still hard to find. It seems > > > like we should have evolved more by now. For years, there's been hope > > > that cars will become greener in the form of research on cleaner > > > cars. The web is overflowing with information about "alternative fuel > > > vehicles" from the U.S. Department of Energy and agencies like the > > > Natural Resources Defense Council that push for fuel-efficiency > > > legislation. > > > > > > Car dealers, however, blame the public's disinterest for the > > > Greenmobile's underwhelming entrance into the market. Almost no one > > > pays any real attention to environmental ratings when buying a car, > > > the dealers say. Not like, say, the kind of cup holders it has, or > > > how the bike rack attaches or that all-important consumer issue: > > > color. > > > > > > And those fuel inefficient SUVs remain hugely popular, regardless of > > > the fact that they are extraordinarily polluting. According to > > > GreenerCars.com, SUVs pollute about twice as much as, say, my Civic, > > > which on average discharges 2 tons a year more carbon dioxide badness > > > than the Insight. > > > > > > "Although engines in general are becoming more efficient, smoother > > > and better-performing, the trend toward larger SUVs and pickups has > > > contributed to the average fuel economy dipping to its lowest point > > > in more than 20 years," notes Consumer Reports' 2002 auto trends > > > report. > > > > > > So that's the bad news, but there's hope. > > > > > > Frankenfans > > > > > > Existing green cars have their fans. According to a Department of > > > Energy report, last year there were nearly 500,000 alternative-fuel > > > vehicles on the roads in the United States. Of those half-million > > > cars, 10,400 were electric. > > > > > > Consumers dedicate websites to electric cars and half-gas, > > > half-electric hybrids, or frankencars. One fan posted a diary all > > > about his 1999 electric Sparrow on the Internet and has kept it up > > > for three years. Another self-described electric-car enthusiast, > > > Joseph Lado from Virginia (who doesn't actually drive an electric > > > car, evidently is dissatisfied with the way they are charged and is > > > trying to help start a company that sells better ones) summarizes > > > alternatives to Old Man Combustion. > > > > > > "We can manufacture a practical electric car NOW," Lado declares in a > > > column he sent out for publication. Lado touts regenerative braking, > > > used currently by the hybrids to recharge their batteries. He lauds > > > solar power as another recharging source. Lado seems an appropriate > > > representation of the electric-car industry. He sounds > > > half-reasonable, half-kooky. Another recharging idea he lists in his > > > column is the robot in the driveway: "It's either a robot arm or some > > > other mechanical device that automatically pops up and connects your > > > electric car to a source of electricity (i.e., an outlet)." > > > > > > Who's Driving Whom? > > > > > > Currently, car manufacturers that distribute in the United States are > > > producing cleaner cars. They have to because the Environmental > > > Protection Agency makes them. By 2003, zero-emission vehicles must > > > make up 10 percent of each major automaker's stock. However, > > > manufacturers apparently aren't required to make these cars entirely > > > available to the public. They only need to meet their quota of > > > zero-emission vehicles. Then dealers get to decide which cars to > > > push, and buyers get to pick the ones they want. > > > > > > Despite being shoved around by the EPA and CARB, car makers aren't > > > the innocent babes they might appear to be. They can design > > > problematic eco-friendly cars. These cars mostly cost too much, > > > because, industry reps claim, they're more expensive to make. > > > > > > Honda sales rep Kevin Brooks estimates that it costs $90 more per car > > > for a manufacturer to make a catalytic converter that cleans a car > > > enough to meet California's "super-ultralow emissions" standard, > > > rather than just the "ultralow." Manufacturers pass on the higher > > > cost of making cleaner cars to customers. (You might, too, if you had > > > to pay for say 10,000 cleaner cars.) > > > > > > The government doles out incentives for green car-buying. California > > > tries to appeal to drivers' yen to beat traffic with a carpool-lane > > > exemptions for electric and compressed natural gas (but not hybrid) > > > vehicles. Drivers can file for an occupancy-exemption sticker from > > > the Department of Motor Vehicles. The federal and state governments > > > also try to entice car buyers into the cleaner emissions scene with > > > thousands of dollars in tax breaks and credits. > > > > > > But some of the lower-emission technology, like powerful electric > > > batteries, is so expensive that the financial incentives seem > > > meaningless for those unburdened by wealth. For instance, you can get > > > $9,000 back after buying the RAV4 EV, but this small SUV costs more > > > than $42,000! > > > > > > Most of the cars I test-drove fall well outside my price range of > > > $8,000 to $10,001. Most also fell into California's two > > > least-polluting categories: Super Ultra Low Emissions Vehicle or Zero > > > Emissions Vehicle. The Cooper weighs in with ultralow emissions and > > > boasts the further distinction of being the only stick-shift I > > > test-drove. > > > > > > Yeah I'm Green ... If Green Means Cheap > > > > > > Most conversations about fuel efficiency in the news magically turn > > > into moral debates about the bad people who drive SUVs or the showy > > > liberals who can afford expensive statement cars. That's kind of > > > stupid given that, ultimately, cars are practical, point-A-to-point-B > > > tools. I think driving an electric car is pretty much like driving a > > > cell phone: the roaming limitations are highly inconvenient, and > > > there's always the vague lingering concern that somehow it will give > > > you cancer. > > > > > > When it comes down to it, my concern for the environment pretty much > > > disappears when I buy a car. Sure, intellectually I'm rooting for the > > > ozone layer. But I have to be able to afford a car before I can drive > > > it. And it has to work the whole way to my destination. And it must > > > look cool -- the way the Mini looked when Mary Stuart Masterson drove > > > it as Watts (a drummer; everything comes full circle!) in 1987's > > > smash hit Some Kind of Wonderful. > > > > > > Allie Gottlieb writes for the Metro Silicon Valley, where this > > > article first appeared. > > > > > > > > > > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > > > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html <http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html> > > > Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. > > > To unsubscribe, send an email to: > > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to > http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> > > > > > > > > > > > > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html <http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html> > > Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. > > To unsubscribe, send an email to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> > > > > > > > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: > http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html <http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html> > Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. > To unsubscribe, send an email to: > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/ <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> > > > Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html <http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html> Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service. [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html <http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html> Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. To unsubscribe, send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/> . [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Please do NOT send "unsubscribe" messages to the list address. 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