Date:         Fri, 15 Jan 1999 11:10:30 -0500
Reply-To:     Mark Gajewski <mgajewski@MANVILLERUBBER.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Mark Gajewski <mgajewski@MANVILLERUBBER.COM>
Subject:      looking for TDI input (NO VANAGON CONTENT)
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=us-ascii

I'm considering buying a used passat TDI wagon.  Does anyone have any
long term experience with this particular vehicle?  or VW's modern TDI
in general?  I do a lot of driving and basically am looking for a more
efficient mode of transport.  However, a lot of my time is spent in
Northern New England and I am concerning about the TDI's performance in
sub zero temps.  One listmember seems to have had good luck in cold
temps...has VW remedied the cold weather starting problems of older
diesel technology?  Or is it just a matter of a strong battery and
insuring your fuel is adequately winterized?
I am under the impression that diesels (or particularly well built
diesels) have very long life expectancies...if I buy this car I hope to
see 250K miles on it before I need to think about another car.  Is this
reasonable with normal maintenance?  Specifically I'm interested in
hearing any high mileage stories concerning the TDI, good and bad.
Thanks all, I'll let you know if the TDI makes it into my garage
displacing my venerable Dodge Shadow.  Which, despite much snickering
among this lists members I'm sure, has really been a tremendously
inexpensive and reliable, though unsophisticated, car.  I'm just ready
to have another VW parked beside my Vanagon rather than my John
Deere...I mean Dodge.
Mark