Thinking about buying a Volkwagen TDI Jetta (possible greasecar)

[Kerouactivist]

My 1997 Buick Century AKA (the Grandma) just doesn't have much left in it, so in the next 6-12 months I'm going to get a different car and just give the Century to my sister
For a long time I thought about getting a hybrid but my interest as of late has shifted to buying a TDI Jetta.....Apparently you can get about 50-60 MPG on the hwy which is important to me because that is more than double what I'm getting now and I drive 30k miles a year.

Anyway If I do decide to get a Jetta I definitely wanna install a greasecar kit anybody have any experience owning a grease car or Volkswagen Diesels in general?

Also interested in any input on what might be a better option both economically and environmentally....

 

[nakedfrog]

Are you talking about installing a preheat kit or making biodiesel?

 

[AgaBoogaBoo]

What's your budget? Are you interested in looking at other choices with great gas mileage or are you pretty set on the Jetta?

 

[Kerouactivist]

Originally posted by: AgaBoogaBoo
What's your budget? Are you interested in looking at other choices with great gas mileage or are you pretty set on the Jetta?

First for nakedfrog....
Preheat kit.....


I'm still open to other choices...not really set on anything yet..... my budget is probably like 7-11k (big range I know, pretty much looking for the best deal)....I'd like to stay pretty cheap because I really don't wanna put too much money into a car I'm going to put 30k a year on....It would just depreciate to quick....

BTW most of my miles are hwy miles driving long distances....(Missouri to colorado or New York for instance)

 

[RU482]

greasin is a messy job, just so you know

 

[Kerouactivist]

Nobody here has a grease car?

 

[Fenixgoon]

why not just use regular diesel fuel as opposed to grease? any particular reason why you want to make it a greasecar?

 

[thecoolnessrune]

Someone mind expounding on the whole meaning of a "greasecar"? One that runs on vegetable oil or biodiesel or something like that?

 

[mercanucaribe]

Originally posted by: thecoolnessrune
Someone mind expounding on the whole meaning of a "greasecar"? One that runs on vegetable oil or biodiesel or something like that?

Maybe he can get cooking oil for free?

 

[RU482]

Originally posted by: bthorny
Nobody here has a grease car?

I Had an 84 Mercedes that I was going to convert, just never had the time (or I should say my time became more valuable than the savings from the psuedo free fuel)

I did collect about 100 gallons of veg oil and had a filtration system set up in my garage.

No question that it's a way to run your car very inexpensively. It does cost some money to filter, and plenty of time to collect the oil. There is also a significant up front capital expendiature (at least $750-$1000 to do it right, even if you're doing it from your own design)

Messes can really ruin your day, not to mention the appearance and smell of your garage floor and or trunk of the car. You will likely have to spend time tinkering with the car, and the on board fuel filtration system when you least want to (nice weekend afternoons, cold rainy mornings when you are late to work)

I'd really like to do it again on a spare car, but we have since moved to a neo-liberal hippy green type college town, so oil is scarce in these parts. If you are seriously considering converting a car or truck, DEFINATELY secure a couple of resturants that will provide you with good oil (takes time to find good oil places also)

There are also plenty of forums out there with mechanical and other knowledge bases and alot of great information and good people.

Happy greasing