TDI Question--short trips

600-700 MILES per tank? That's wya better then I get (but I have an
automatic).

I don't really think you're hurting the car... The car should be built to
accomodate drivers who don't drive the car very far - you just might be very
cold all the time, where as in a gas car you'd have the heater come on
faster.
"KokomoKid" > wrote in message
et...
>
> "Rob Guenther" > wrote in message
> . ..
>> Short hops are bad for any car though... we went through batteries and
>> exhausts quickly with our 1991 Golf... once every 2-3 years. You are
>> right
>> tho, with diesels they don't warm as fast... and they don't get their
>> best
>> fuel economy till warm, you might be better off sticking with a gasoline
>> powered car.
>>
>> The newer diesels are probably better at dealing with short hops tho...
> and
>> the one good thing with diesels is that they seem to crank over quicker,
>> this might help prolong the life of the starter.
>>
>> Are you thinking of buying a diesel, or do you own one?
>>
>> If you own one... just drive it... when it warms up drive it a little
>> harder, and change the oil twice a year if you're under the kilometers.
>
> I have one. With the amount I drive, I'd probably be better off with a
> gas
> engine, but I like going 600-700 per tank of fuel, and I like doing my
> small
> part to reduce fuel usage in an incredibly wasteful society. I have
> changed
> the oil at about six month intervals as you suggest. That ends up being
> about 6000 miles of a mix of about 4000 miles of highway driving, but with
> a
> lot of short trips thrown in.
>
>