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Author Topic: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!  (Read 20995 times)

Offline phillamb168

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screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #30 on: June 17, 2012, 01:29:06 pm »
Lead/acid recharged with PV.  A sunny day's charge is good for 65 - 70 miles.

Did you do the conversion yourself? Relevant to my interests.


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Offline punatic

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #31 on: June 18, 2012, 04:07:30 pm »
Lead/acid recharged with PV.  A sunny day's charge is good for 65 - 70 miles.

Did you do the conversion yourself? Relevant to my interests.


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Yes, a more mechanically talented friend of mine and I converted it.



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Offline euge

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #32 on: November 12, 2012, 10:17:03 pm »
I may be getting a job that requires a 30 mile commute each way on a fast section of I-35. Despite my love of my zippy Rabbit I have to admit that for such a tiny car the mileage is abysmal. It gets in the range of 24 mpg or less on the hwy. This also means I get less than 400 miles to a tank of gas and I'm usually looking for a station when it rolls past 300! Love driving it but get real nervous on long trips.

I've long been a supporter of electric and hybrids; for in-town short distance they totally make sense. However in my situation the high cost vs their own particular mileage, poor range (less than 400 miles) does not make sense.

Looking into a 2013 Golf TDI; I'm very impressed and they're cheaper too. Stated range is at least 700 miles and some report in the 1400 mile range to a tank. I'm going to be doing some distance driving in the coming years to visit family. The Golf doesn't have a bunch of fancy electronics apparently but I'm fine with that.

On the other side the Rabbit was paid off 4 years ago. It only has 40k miles on but I just don't think the cost can be recouped with a trade in.

So am I better off just paying for the extra gas that'll be used and tolerate the more frequent fill ups?
Or would the diesel be a better move in the long run despite the capital outlay?
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Offline 1vertical

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #33 on: November 12, 2012, 11:10:04 pm »
despite the capital outlay?

I am of the mindset that believes there needs to be a HUGE correction in this market.... 
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Offline morticaixavier

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #34 on: November 13, 2012, 12:43:35 am »
I think that 1400 per tank is pushing it but maybe if you did all 1400 without slowing down. my 2012 golf could easily go 700 but I start to get nervous around 650 when it tells me I have only a 0 mile range left. I have a 35 mile one way commute, all freeway and on a good day, when traffic and the wind is with me I can roll into my driveway with the computer reading 62 or 63 mpg. I average ~50.

so, ~50 bucks to fill up (13.5 gallon tank) maybe a bit less in your neck of the woods. set this next to your ~24 mpg you will fill up half as quick. interest rates are low right now so you won't pay a lot more than sticker over the life of the loan, but you will pay ~26k for the car, maybe get it for 24 if you dicker hard. it'll take about 1000 fill ups to pay for itself. at 26 fill ups a year... well I say go for it cause they are really fun to drive!
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Offline punatic

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #35 on: November 13, 2012, 01:30:50 am »
A car that's paid for vs $25,000.00 in debt?  Really?   :o
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Offline euge

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #36 on: November 13, 2012, 02:29:35 am »
They are fun to drive. The "Rabbit" lives up its name and is a real sleeper.

I calculate conservatively fuel for the Rabbit will cost me $2K in the following 12 months time. Damn I should have gone with the TDI originally in 2006 but diesel was significantly more expensive than gasoline then and the TDI wasn't available at the time. :(

I'm not sure why my 150hp Rabbit has significantly worse economy than the current 170hp Golf except they nearly have the same torques (170 to 177 ft-lb). Different transmission ratios?
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline phillamb168

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #37 on: November 13, 2012, 06:02:15 am »
Do they have the Polo 1.2 TDI BVM 5 BlueMotion 89g where you are? 3.4 l/ 100 km = about 70 mpg on diesel. Petrol/gas engines are physically incapable of getting that sort of mileage. Imagine a Prius with a diesel engine... That's something I'd buy.
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Offline weithman5

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #38 on: November 13, 2012, 07:34:54 am »
They are fun to drive. The "Rabbit" lives up its name and is a real sleeper.

I calculate conservatively fuel for the Rabbit will cost me $2K in the following 12 months time. Damn I should have gone with the TDI originally in 2006 but diesel was significantly more expensive than gasoline then and the TDI wasn't available at the time. :(

I'm not sure why my 150hp Rabbit has significantly worse economy than the current 170hp Golf except they nearly have the same torques (170 to 177 ft-lb). Different transmission ratios?
check your tire pressure ;D

i have a silverado 4d hd 2500. it gets about 8 mpg in town.  i bought a buell blast 500 cc motorcycle for 2000 bucks.  it gets about 60mpg. at 4 bucks a gallon (chicago after all) the truck costs .5$ per mile compared to the buell at .07 per mile or a savings of .43 dollars/mile.  i nearly need to drive 4500 miles to recoup the cost of the buell.  so if i were you i would beat the s*** out of the rabbit if the main concern is cost.  For me it wasn't about that,  the bulk of my life is in a 3.5 mile equilateral triangle. and i love riding my bike when i can.  literally YMMV
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Offline weithman5

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Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #40 on: November 13, 2012, 08:25:48 am »
A car that's paid for vs $25,000.00 in debt?  Really?   :o

But look at the savings at the pump, Carl!!!

I say forget the diesel and mpg and put a tune on that Rabbit.  You can juice those things for some serious HP.  You could go nuts and make it a Thunder Bunny.

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Offline euge

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #41 on: November 13, 2012, 08:33:06 am »
I have a Katana 750F in the garage that gets 35+ mpg. It's probably safer on the hwy than on surface streets. Not relishing riding it in "weather" though. When I bought it used in 2005 was also looking at the used "Blasts" but my avg weight is 225. Might have been good for blitting around town but no bueno for me on the hwy!

if you dicker hard.
8)

The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline euge

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #42 on: November 13, 2012, 08:39:25 am »
A car that's paid for vs $25,000.00 in debt?  Really?   :o

But look at the savings at the pump, Carl!!!

I say forget the diesel and mpg and put a tune on that Rabbit.  You can juice those things for some serious HP.  You could go nuts and make it a Thunder Bunny.

You only live once, ya know.

I was also laying awake last night thinking about this. Maybe at least put a chip in for either economy or even more get up and go. If the remote unlikelihood the motor ever needs replacing a 3.5L fits in the engine compartment! Hehe might have to look into a tune. Get the TDI and fix up the Rabbit! Of course we're not talking about saving anything at that point. Just fun!
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis

Offline Joe Sr.

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #43 on: November 13, 2012, 08:42:08 am »
I was also laying awake last night thinking about this. Maybe at least put a chip in for either economy or even more get up and go. If the remote unlikelihood the motor ever needs replacing a 3.5L fits in the engine compartment! Hehe might have to look into a tune. Get the TDI and fix up the Rabbit! Of course we're not talking about saving anything at that point. Just fun!

I spent a couple months looking at mods for my GTI after I bought it.  3-inch DP, bigger turbo, blah blah blah.

It's fun to think about.

By the time I started bolting on performance parts to my Saab it was really time to let it go.  On the plus side, I sold all the parts for pretty much what I paid for them.
It's all in the reflexes. - Jack Burton

Offline euge

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Re: screw the thermapen, Here's my fathers day present!
« Reply #44 on: November 13, 2012, 10:05:05 am »
Do they have the Polo 1.2 TDI BVM 5 BlueMotion 89g where you are? 3.4 l/ 100 km = about 70 mpg on diesel. Petrol/gas engines are physically incapable of getting that sort of mileage. Imagine a Prius with a diesel engine... That's something I'd buy.

As far as I know one cannot get Bluemotion VW's in the US. Not sure if they do exist Prius-wise but a diesel-hybrid car makes total sense- so no wonder one hasn't been offered in the States! This is how trains have been powered for decades. Off the top of my head they get the car equivalent of a 1000 mpg- not literally but in terms if a car was as efficient as a diesel-electric train.
The first principle is that you must not fool yourself, and you are the easiest person to fool. -Richard P. Feynman

Laws are spider-webs, which catch the little flies, but cannot hold the big ones. -Anacharsis