> Rhetorical question: How much are you willing to spend to > save fuel? Um, On the one hand I don't want to spend more than I save, but I'm willing to do something different. > I believe that conservation of natural resources and > reducing > pollution are worthy goals, but cost per mile and safe > operation will > always be significant factors. I agree 100%. I have 5 kids and so saving money and safety are always high on the list of priorities. > Can/will you drive slower, drive less, convert to a more > efficient > engine, purchase a more efficient vehicle? How expensive > is too > expensive? Yes, I do drive slower. Yes, I ride my bike to work right now. Yes, I'm looking to convert a bus or vanagon to full electric and pay about 1/4 the cost per mile of all other vans out there. I suppose that I'm willing to spend about 10k total which I probably will recoup in fuel savings over the long haul, but I will for sure recoup when I go to re-sell the van (if I ever do). > It seems a mistake to tell aspiring Wilburs and Orvilles to > forget all > this fluying stuff and stick to bicycles, but in the near > term, any > "improvements" that don't reduce my per-mile > cost don't seem like > improvements at all. Not sure what you mean by this statement, but I do see myself as someone who is trying to do something different, just to prove it can be done, despite all the naysayers... I see you've gone diesel. Done the veggie oil conversion yet? Join (or start) a veggie oil co-op and you will really lower your cost per mile. Joel > Michael Snow > 1982 Westfalia 1.9 TD |
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