Date:         Wed, 27 Jun 2007 19:38:02 -0700
Reply-To:     Tom Sinclair <neeemo@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Tom Sinclair <neeemo@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: TDI conversion thoughts
In-Reply-To:  <HHEAJIOMDPBGGCKHACGJOEIICMAA.al_knoll@pacbell.net>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=iso-8859-1

I don't expect my Tdi to pay for itself.  But I don't
regret the conversion because I'm using less
fuel--nearly 30% as stated, I have the ability to use
renewable resources--ie. biodiesel, and the torque is
wonderful.  I can cruise at 75 and hold 60 over Donner
Pass. The engine is smooth, refined and, once again,
uses less fuel.

I tend to cringe a bit at bottom-line thinking. For me
fuel efficiency was paramount. Priuses don't pay for
themselves either, but are going to have to be the
future if we intend to continue to exist on this ball
without killing everyone who has "our" oil.

I'm using less--potentially renewable--fuel so my
nieces, nephews and your sons and daughters don't have
go to war over oil--again.

My $10k
Tom

--- Pensioner <al_knoll@PACBELL.NET> wrote:

> For the sake of argument, and I'm sure there will be
> some, lets assume you
> have a 1989 Westy Syncro.  Assume the price per
> gallon differential between
> Diesel and Gasoline is 10% (3.00/gal vs 3.30/gal).
> Assume the fuel economy
> increase will be on the order of 30%.  Assume you
> will drive the converted
> van 100KMi.
>
> If you drive 20KMi per year that's 5 years to
> amortize the cost of the
> conversion.  10 years if you drive 10KMi per year.
> If the conversion cost
> is $15,000 then you have to save $1500 on fuel for a
> 10,000 mile distance.
> Thats' roughly $15 per 100 miles travelled.  If your
> gasoline consumption is
> 20MPG now and 100 miles costs 5 gallons or $16.50
> and your new diesel
> consumption is ~30MPG and that's 3.3 gallons per 100
> miles or ~$10 it's
> pretty clear that amortizing the transplant cost
> will take more than 100Kmi
> to break even, more like 200K miles or more.
>
> So a TDI conversion for fuel expense reasons is at
> best a very questionable
> venture.  However if you're going to have to do a
> new engine anyway to the
> tune of say $5000 then things become somewhat more
> reasonable.  You would
> only have to save $1000 per 10,000 miles in fuel or
> $10 per 100 miles
> traveled.  Still not home free but if it smokes your
> cigar then...
>
> So to break even you need to get that transplant
> cost into the realm of $6
> per 100 miles pointing to a $11000 transplant cost
> (taking into the mix the
> fact you'd have to spend $5000 anyway to fix your
> present motor)
>
> Lots of other factors to consider but putting the
> maintenance and such aside
> a turnkey transplant gross cost of $10000 is a
> pretty good breakeven point.
>


http://www.minkcreeksyncros.com/



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