Date:         Mon, 16 Jun 2008 11:04:04 -0700
Reply-To:     Joel Sell <justthesells@YAHOO.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Joel Sell <justthesells@YAHOO.COM>
Subject:      Re: High Mileage - its all been done before
Comments: To: Michael Snow <mwsnow@GMAIL.COM>
In-Reply-To:  <894b3de0806160953k255fd0e7m98bf0564d84e8f2@mail.gmail.com>
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

> 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