Diesel expense - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

Fudog1138 · 02-24-2008, 07:50 AM

Green is now becoming trendy. Unfortunatley people respond to bling. The general public does anyway. So companies resort to blinging things and making them shiney.

Have you guys noticed how expensive VW Rabbits have become? Especially the diesel rabbits?

Its insane. Spend $7,000 on a vehicle to save you $2,000 in fuel.

A few years ago you could pick one up for $500 or under.

I aggree with some of the marketing tactics, but how long before we end up making this, an necessary enviromental green initiative, a cost prohibitive adventure? Anything greeen becomes affordable only by the Hiltons of the world.

How about dumpster diving tax or a fart tax? Governments in the future spend $13.6 billion in methane sensors, we could fine farm animals, the entire country of New Zealand for their sheep and flatulent people who eat a lot of Mexican food.

I don't know. Perhaps I'm being paranoid and peaved at nothing. I'm just suspicious. The fat cats will make money somehow.

roflwaffle · 02-24-2008, 08:05 PM

Yeah... It blows, but if you drive enough and have it setup right it'll pay itself off in about 5-10 years. That being said, there's no reason to pay eh4y prices when you can put together your own for far less, or even free. You can even sell it for a few grand in profit later.

Ryland · 02-25-2008, 12:59 AM

Supply and demand?
I sold a VW rabbit that needed some work two years ago for $800 to the first person that called about it, the next few days 35 more people called about it, should I have asked $500 for it?
I have some friends with a 2001 TDI golf that were suprized to find out that they could sell it for more then they paid for it 3 years ago even with the miles they put on it, the price of these vehicles is being set by the people who show up at their door with money in hand, if you don't like it complane to the people who are paying the higher prices.

trebuchet03 · 02-25-2008, 01:42 AM

VW doesn't sell a Diesel Rabbit in the US.. Yet. But the TDI's from a few years ago do retain their value. Looks like on VW's website, only a 5cyl gasser rabbit is available at the moment...

Quote:

I don't know. Perhaps I'm being paranoid and peaved at nothing. I'm just suspicious. The fat cats will make money somehow.

Do you think giving up changes that though?

But I'm with Ryland... I tried to find a TDI Jetta in my price range. But people were paying too much and I was outed. The value of something depends on the price someone is willing to pay.... But don't get me wrong, I've got the 2.0 gasser Jetta - and I love it. I've climbed mountains with large parachute like objects on my roof

Without the chute, I'll get 36-37mpg highway, 39 if I try really hard

Ryland · 02-25-2008, 02:26 AM

I'm sorry to hear that VW never sold a Diesel Rabbit in the US... I thought that they did from 1978 to 1984, so I'm not sure if that makes my 1982 Diesel Rabbit worthless or priceless...
Also a quick check on Ebay under vehicles that already sold, it looks like Diesel Rabbits are selling for $1,200 to $2,200, and the Rabbit diesel trucks are selling for a bit more then that, $2,000 to $3,000 appears to be pretty commen with a number of ones in good shape reaching $6,000 or more, of course the trucks are more usefull for a small buisness or hauling cargo, and all of them that I see around here are driven by elderly men and are kept in perfect condition, and even the trucks get 45-50mpg.

trebuchet03 · 02-25-2008, 03:05 AM

^^ oh, they did Ryland... I should have clarified that they haven't sold the New Rabbit as a diesel - yet...

NoCO2 · 02-26-2008, 07:24 PM

If only diesel was as cheap in America as it is in the rest of the world...seems like Veggie Oil for diesels or Ethanol for the gas burners is the best way to go right now, dollar for dollar. I was so excited yesterday when my roommate found a station not far from where we live that sold E85, he said he only paid $1.80/gallon too...

Ryland · 02-27-2008, 01:53 AM

it's not a matter of everyone else having cheap diesel, it's that their gas is a dollar or more per gallon then gas, we have both cheap gas and diesel! look at what others are paying, look at what canada is paying, ours is cheap concidering that we produce less then we use many times over.