Date: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 09:31:59 -0800
Reply-To: River Clan <ri@RIVERCLAN.ORG>
Sender: Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From: River Clan <ri@RIVERCLAN.ORG>
Subject: Re: Diesel Subaru Conversions
In-Reply-To: <HLEOIDHOBDDMFNGNDPOKKECCCJAA.al_knoll@pacbell.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII; delsp=yes; format=flowed
There is more to running biodiesel than cost. People don't put in
diesels to run petroleum, at least not many.....
See, in America, we don't pay "True Costs". Instead, it is subsidized
by occupation, strong arming, slave labor in 3rd world countries,
etc. All so we can have a better standard of living. Just like when
we lived in Rome.
Some of us ideological people look further than just the $$, and
think about the implications to not only the world, but to our soul
for being on this slippery slope of riding on others backs.
Save a buck at Walmart, and cause that laborer in China to work in
conditions that we wouldn't ask of our pets.
Fuel is the same. How many Iraqis & Marines lives are in each tank of
gas across america?
Numbers rule! Now add all the costs that were forgotten, or hidden by
subsidized war for oil.
Cheers!
Ri
http://www.greaseworks.org
On Mar 10, 2006, at 7:32 AM, Pensioner wrote:
> Musing over conversions, one of my many talents, brings me to
> consider the
> cost-benefit scenarios. Let's postulate that we drive 10000 miles
> per year
> just to use easy numbers. Discounting the normal maintenance for
> both a
> converted vanagon and a non-converted vanagon, the costs of
> conversion seem
> to range from ~$14000 (not a misprint) in my case to perhaps $3000
> for an
> average of $5000 (high but we have to start somewhere).
>
> If fuel costs over time are the principal reason for going to
> diesel (not
> fuel availability, or the desire to side with Willie on the BioDiesel
> concert) then it makes sense to look at the fuel savings one would
> enjoy
> over that 10000 miles per year. Diesel currently costs about %10
> more than
> 87 Octane and is likely to stay that way. For $2.50/gallon 87
> octane let's
> say and vanagon average fuel efficiency of 17 miles per gallon.
> The gallons
> per year is easily found to be ~588 gallons times $2.50 gives $1470
> per year
> fuel cost before conversion. If you go with diesel the fuel
> consumption
> will probably be on the order of 25 miles per gallon. For the same
> 10000
> miles per year you'll pay $1100 in fuel costs including the %10
> higher price
> for diesel. You will get additional range between fuel stops but
> you'll
> need it as not all fuel services feature diesel.
>
> In summary you'll save $370 per year in fuel costs for 10000 miles
> per year.
> How many years to break even on the installation is left as an
> excercise for
> the reader.
>
> Seems to be over ten years if your previously owned motor lasts
> that long.
> FTSOE let's say it does. You will have saved $3700 towards the motor
> replacement.
>
> The above example is to be considered a conservative estimate
> process, your
> mileage, tolerance, costs, will no doubt be different.
>
> "If a man professes knowledge but cannot express that knowledge in
> numbers,
> then that knowledge is of a meagre and insufficient kind" -- Lord
> Kelvin
>
> Numbers rule!
>
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