Joe and I – as some of you may have surmised, are a little anti-car. We ride our bikes, we take the subway and the bus… we walk, and we’ve been lucky enough to live in a part of the world where you don’t have to own a car. Sure, car things come up sometimes, but we’ve always borrowed one or rented one. The time has come however, for Joe and I to both acknowledge that we need a car, mostly because when Joe moves gear, he does it in the antiquated pickup, which is now so old as to be alarmingly unreliable and scary (even before a few of the incidents) but it is also so completely environmentally unfair that when you turn the ignition, polar bears scream in horror at the audacity of us daring to drive it. We knew we needed something, especially with the girls getting bigger and talking about moving to go to school, but we’re tree-hugging hippies – heck, we’re vegetarians out of concern for the environment. If we needed to drive a car, it had to be something seriously friendly – but there was no way that we could afford the options. We bided our time, we kept saving our money and Joe kept researching cars.
Today, we finally took the plunge. Meet Jon and Jason from Pfaff Volkswagen. I normally wouldn’t mention who or where sold us a car, but these guys went so far beyond the call of duty in the service of my nervous nature (along with Joe’s over thinking one) that they really deserve a shout out.
Plus, they held a sock, and that’s our new car. It’s a shiny red (really red) VW Jetta TDI Clean Diesel (with bike racks.) Now, if you’re like me, you just about fell off your chair right then because a hippy bought a diesel, but it turns out that just about everything I thought about this car was wrong. It’s classed as an Ultra Low Emission vehicle (I asked Jason, and it turns out that it’s impossible to suffocate yourself in the garage with this car. What comes out of the tailpipe is pretty much oxygen and nitrogen.) It won the Green Car of the Year award at the Los Angeles show, and won Most Environmentally-Friendly car at the international Car of the Year Awards in Detroit, it set a world record for lowest fuel consumption, and according to it’s paperwork, it meets strict Tier II Bin 5 emissions standards. (I don’t know what that means, just that it’s good.) Plus (just to explode the last thing I thought wasn’t true…) Ultra low sulphur Diesel costs the same as premium gas – when I need to buy it, which won’t be very often because it gets about 1100km (683 miles) to a tank.
I’m not telling you all this because I’m trying to write an ad for VW (although maybe I just sort of did.) I’m telling you this because frankly, I’m totally stunned that after doing all of the homework and checking out all of our options and the way we drive and what we need (and seriously, Joe really got a little weird with it) … I can’t believe I’m not driving a hybrid.
Aside from the shock, Joe and I feel very grown up. (I told him I thought this was the most grown up thing we had ever done and Joe agreed… except for the kids, and jobs, and the house and stuff – which actually makes it seem pretty minor, in the grand scheme of things, but dudes… it’s a CAR.) This is the first proper car either of us have ever owned, and we’re sort of flipped out. Joe’s out getting it waxed now (Yes. It did come already waxed. Why do you ask?) and we’re trying hard to think of somewhere we need to go. I love it – and I didn’t think I would. I thought I would resent it. Joe says maybe I love it because…
It has a nice big yarn holder. You could work fair isle out of that sucker.
Congratulations!!
Awesome! Congrats on the car.
Congrats on the car. I am totally in shock that it is not a hybrid as well, but am kind of thrilled that someone else did the research that I would otherwise have to do.
Congrats on your new yarn holder!
Congratulations. And ps I saw you on knitty gritty this morning. My very first time.
Oh wow, you got a car with a yarn holder. That is TOO cool!
Manual or automatic?
Oh wow, you got a car with a yarn holder. That is TOO cool!
Congratulations! Looks like the sock is coming along nicely.
You did the right thing. Getting a brand new car, after the children have grown….to appreciate the value of a new car. And realize that there are certain things that are not allowed to happen in the car *grin* like spilling your mocha across the floor. I on the other hand…choose to by a car while my children are young, young enough to not know how to wipe their boots clean before they get into the car. Yes I was delusional. But it holds a huge skein of yarn in all 4 doors…oh wait, I think those were meant for water bottles.
Enjoy the new car! The best way to break it in – a cross country road trip 🙂
Enjoy! It will serve you well for many, many, years. Now you need to name it, and i must be some thing really worthy with the built in yarn holder!
Congrats on the car!! Do Canadians have access to BioDeisel? might be worth looking into?
What a great car!
But you have to start knitting a pair of organic yarn socks in a lovely cherry red to match your lovely new shiny shiny red car!
Congratulations!
Congrats on the new car! We went from a 1-car family to a 2-car family last spring and people were suprised we weren’t doing the hybrid thing, but with my new fuel-efficient SUV (very clean burning, won emissions awards), I use less gas than my brother’s Camry. ! I know! One thing my dad told me when I bought my 1st new car: take care of it and it’ll take care of you… and it’s true– our 1st car is 12 years old and happy as a clam. 🙂
But, what about when the girls want to drive it???
Amazing! I cannot believe that gorgeous color! and the fact that it’s environmentally freindly? BONUS!
Hey, you could come to Ohio! Lots of knitters here who would love to see you!
(Nice yarn holder!) 🙂
Great car! We got the same (only a modest blue-grey)in November, and I can attest that the yarn holder works magnificently. The highway mileage is so good you almost don’t feel guilty about long road trips.
Pfaff Volkswagen? That threw me since there is a German sewing machine company named Pfaff. Now if it were Mission Falls (or some other yarn brand) I would have been convinced that knitters were taking over the world!
Holy Cow! I didn’t know all of that either. I just took the plunge last year. Though, I have to say you did a much better job choosing your car. Great job , guys!
Congratulations on your NEW CAR!
WOO-HOO! I, too, drive a VW diesel–it gets 50mpg regularly (on the road, “just” 45mpg in town), it has 160,000 miles on it, is bright red, and still looks good. Someone just commented yesterday on my “new car.” You can bet that once this baby hits 250,000 miles, I’ll get another VW diesel.
I am stunned.
YEARS of driving a VW Jetta and I never ONCE thought to use that door pocket as a yarn holder.
Stunned, I say.
Beautiful! This is so totally the car I want to buy…right after I win the Super7 tonight. 🙂
But seriously…I have actually been coveting one of these for a year or two — with the plan to switch to used fry oil once the warranty’s up.
So that’s what that pocket in the car door is for…
Congrats on the new and very eco-friendly car!
I have one, I’ve had diesel vw’s since 2000. Love them.
You better use this in a calendar or something someday…
you know you knit too mush when yoo judge a car by the yarn holders
Welcome to the VW family (or should I say Willkommen ). I’ve had a Passat for 4 years and one of my kids drives a Rabbit. We love them. When you are a passanger, that pocket is great for your yarn. When you are the driver it’s also handy for an umbrella and a pair of gloves! Enjoy!!
Lord preserve us if that yarn holder is on the driver side!!
I love my Jetta! Welcome to the world of Das Auto!
Beautiful car. Did not know that about that correlation between carbon footprints and meat, may have to do some diet restructuring with that knowledge in mind. Out of curiosity, what does 680 miles per tank translate to in mpg? (i.e. what’s the tank size?)
I hope it also comes with a cupholder, for coffee to go, wait now you can do this fabolous coffee drive through think I enjoyed so much while in the USA and always miss in Germany. You have it in Canada too, haven’t you?
(Having to small kids makes drive through really less ridiculous and we only have it for McD and BK over here).
I am a bit proud that a german car was the greenest you could get espacially because where I grew up it seams 50% of the people are working for Volkswagen, which has its base around 60 km from my home.
But from all cars we tested Volkswagen is the company the less pleasent cupholders or at least they only have one in the front.
Nevertheless enjoy your car and congratulations 🙂
Oh man – it SOOOO makes me wish I didn’t take that pledge not to buy a car until I could get electric only. (We have rooftop solar panels and my daily commute is 3 miles, so theoretically I could drive powered by sunshine…theoretically). The US is apparently making it difficult in ways I don’t understand for car makers to import diesels, but maybe we could import them one at a time.
Happy fair-isling!
awesome. I love the thought process behind your purchase of that car. And kudos to the car guys who held your hands while you made the decision.
Congrats, Steph! Actually my ex-husband touted this car over the hybrids since there are no batteries to dispose of after… Enjoy!!
m
I hope they gave you a really good deal for giving them the plug! My daughter lives in Toronto as well and growing up a country kid, and driving bikes in the country is much different than riding them in Toronto. Apparently, the road the streetcar takes is going to be torn up to work on the streetcar tracks and she has to find a new way to get to work. She likes the idea of riding her bike but she’s a bit scared…oh and there is walking..
Added plus: with diesel engines, you can use used, filtered vegetable oil as fuel!
(I’m not brainy enough to know how that works, but they did it on Mythbusters…)
Congratulations to Joe and you for your car! It’s a nice one. I was obliged too to buy a car last summer because I was moving up to a place where there is no buses or other transportation way. My first car!! It’s a big step isn’t it?
Are you going to name it?
My Civic and my husband’s Prius are happy to welcome your Jetta to the team.
I recommend driving to Lakefield and checking out Happenstance Books & Yarn. This is a fabulous store. Extra bonus besides the books and yarn is the natural food store attached to it. Lakefield is a great little town. I’ve heard the Lakefield Inn is a tasty spot for lunch. Not to mention that Margaret Laurence lived in Lakefield.
Enjoy the new car. Very hot color.
Gosh, what a snazzy, fuel-efficient yarn holder you have! And I bet that sucker won’t get stuck at Joe’s parents’ house! Thanks for sharing the fuel/car stats. Impressive and surprising!
very nice! I’m actually really glad you posted about this car, because my boyfriend was saying after I move (to just outside toronto, this coming august, actually! :D) I should get a car, and he said I should get a diesel VW, which seemed environmentally bad to me. I heart VW, but diesel? And now I know! I feel very informed now, thank you! 😀
With all that mileage, don’t you think you should visit Rams this weekend?
Congratulations on the spiffy new car. It’s quite true. There’s nothing quite like it to make you feel more grown up.
happy motoring.cd
What a surprise!
Congrats!
Never thought I’d see the day!
Judi
You could also go bio-diesel with the TDI and get off fossil fuels for good!
I’m a life long VW driver and even the newer gas powered cars are incredibly enviro-friendly emissions-wise and get equal or better kilometerage/milage to hybrids.
And no nasty batteries to dispose of! You and Joe did well by Mother Nature. Now what’s going to happen to the pick up? Did Jon & Jason take it in trade or is it going to the recycling facility?
Congrats on the car. I checked this car out on Edmunds.com. The only real complaints that they had were that diesel fuel costs significantly more than regular gasoline and that you can’t use biodiesel unless it is the B5 diesel which is only 5% biodiesel and 95% regular diesel.
So, while there are little to no emissions from the car, it is still using petroleum-based fuels – the production and refining of which are not environmentally friendly.
Hmmm, I was thinking that maybe, just maybe, you could drive south to Buenos Aires? Well, the knitters here are looking for yarn holders and that way you would be able to test how many times you´d need to fill the tank of you car. Everyone would be happy, see?
(Congratulations!)
Congratulations!! I am so jealous. I have no idea if that kind of fuel is available down here (new york state), or even if the car is available! Must go check it out!!
PS: I think VW owes you.
Wow, both environmentally friendly AND holds yarn. I wish I lived in a city that was built for riding a bike or walking. You have to take a car just to get to the nearest store, but at least my community has sidewalks… seriously some of the neighbouring communities don’t.
And that last point is the real reason for buying. I’m a knitter. I know.
Enjoy!
Wow. I have always been a country girl..can’t even fathom NOT having a car. We don’t live in an area with any sort of public transportation (not very practical in a town of 3,000)
Besides being a wonderful and very green choice your car is dang cute!! And the yarn holder..just a great big old bonus!! Congrats!!
That’s exactly the car 5 miles away at our local dealership that my husband is drooling over — same color and everything! Congratulations!
You always make me laugh! The polar bears will thank you, I’m sure. No more screaming! 😉
Congratulations! I hope you live a long, happy life together.
May the metal bits in the truck be crushed and go on to live useful new lives as rebar or something.
Congrats!
After about a year of (mostly) hybrid-shopping we too bought a nonhybrid car last summer (a Saturn Ion, should you be desperately interested). I am still trying to figure out if, what with the energy expended to dig all the zinc out of Canada and ship it to Japan, hybrids really are environmentally friendly — but that’s really neither here nor there, because my husband does not fit into the smaller hybrids, and the bigger ones are less energy efficient and quite pricy.
We will have to replace our minivan fairly soon. (It’s 13. The car we replaced last summer was 15.) I should look into clean diesel.
You make me nostalgic for my first car, a Nissan Sentra Diesel, a way back when. That sucker got more than 50 mpg compared to the other cars of the time that were getting about 10. It’s about time that the roads get littered with better diesels. And, yes, you can convert your engine to run on filtered used vegetable oil (out of restaurant fryers), my hubby did it with his truck-beast. There are so many options to be no-emission these days…yay!
Congratulations!
One quick warning… my Dad had a VW diesel, and was a little lax (okay, more than a little lax) about doing the oil changes. Apparently when the oil in a diesel gets too dirty it destroys the engine really quickly. My Dad went through 3 engines that way. So just be sure to get the oil changed when it says to, and not let it slide “just a few more miles”, and you should be driving happily for years to come.
Congratulations! We live in a place where cars are a necessity but still, how well I remember the first time (there have been only two of them over 36 years) that we bought a new car. New. Not already beat up by someone else. WE got to do all the beating up, LOL. Your little Jetta is adorably cute (don’t tell Joe I said that) and you will both love the convenience of having your very own, cool little car. The bike racks take it straight to Hippieville, so that’s a plus. The mileage doesn’t sound bad either!
Lovely car! Love the yarn holder! That should come standard in all cars. Sounds like a road trip is on the horizon. Enjoy.
Should have also mentioned how stunning The Sock looks in the car! Glorious!
Congrats honey.
Beautiful color.
We are looking at getting me a Honda Fit as a commuter car rather than the tank I drive to keep me safe on the California highways. (Ford Explorer)
In case you don’t already know this the NRCan website has great resources for finding the most energy efficient anything. It is Mat’s first stop for researching cars, washing machines, fridges or whatever.
Congratulations!!! Sarah asked a good question, Manual or Automatic. I bought my first grown up car 8 years ago, and it died on Saturday. It is a strange sort of loss. But at least we have our bikes.
First, congratulations on the new yarn holder, um, car! Second, thanks for sharing all those details. We are starting to look into replacing our 21 yo Honda (it being of legal age and all) and have been leaning towards the Prius. I’m not happy with the lack of viewability from it, so now I see there is something else to look at. Yeah!
I’m glad you managed to be environmentally friendly with your car purchase – now I can rationalize that you have “balanced out,” as it were, our imminent purchase of an 8-seater Toyota minivan.
But I am kicking myself – I never once thought of checking out the yarn-holding capacity of the inside passenger door. Here I was, obsessed with minor details such as having enough seats for our 6 kids and making sure that short little me could adjust the driver’s seat properly for safe driving (I do like to be able to see out the windshield, don’t you?); and all the while I forgot the importance of knitting supplies capacity. And would you believe? This issue is not even addressed in those shiny brochures they give you at the dealership. I just checked.
Welcome to the VW family, particularly the Jetta side!! I have been a member since 2005. Great cars. Did you know you can buy a converter kit and use veggie oil instead of diesel.
Congratulations! And if you do the maintenance the way you’re supposed to, the diesel engine will last FOREVER!!!!! We have a Suburban that has just shy of 400,000 miles on it.
Congrats on the new car! VW just started building a plant where I live (Chattanooga TN) and we’re excited to think that they might be building cars like that here soon! If I get a new car anytime soon, I hope to get a diesel VW myself. 🙂 And by the way- the color rocks!
Have you got one of the ones with the dual yarn holders (what do you mean, they’re cupholders?).
🙂 thank you for making me giggle out loud yarn cakes fit beautifully in the car. may you and joe “wear the new car in good health” and enjoy many years of safe and enjoyable company together. and our gps unit allows me to knit much more than navigating the “old” way did. 😀
It’s lovely that being a vegetarian is good for the environment – thank you for the example and the link. All the animals out there thank you, too. Enjoy your new car!
congratulations on the new addition to the family!
DUDE! You forgot to mention the new car smell! It’s one of the best parts!
Congrats!
I just had brunch with my friends who live in Mpls, and they just got that same car! (Well, OK, not that SAME one, because it would be a little hard to rideshare between Minneapolis and Toronto.) They had a scary car-totalling highway accident & needed to replace their old car. They got a good deal on this one because someone ordered it when gas prices were so high, then declined delivery when it got here and prices had fallen. They love it.
I was visiting Mpls to see the Bohus Radiant Knits exhibit — you and your Bohus were in the back of the exhibit booklet! Cool!
Congratulations! I hope it lasts longer than Mister Washie.
YARN HOLDER!
you are too funny
you made me laugh out loud alone in my office
Absolutely gorgeous!!!
The car I mean. Congratulation, drive it in good health. OK yeah that sounded strange.
Love the color.
I love the fact that you had the car salesmen hold a sock!
And yes that is a fantastic sock yarn holder you’ve got there 🙂
oh my, congratulations! how very wonderful for you!
now i have to show my husband this… everytime we daydream about the car we will buy once we’re done with our phds and get a real salary (& no longer need to drive a 17 year old civic that we wish we didn’t need, and wouldn’t have if only we lived somewhere that didn’t freeze half the year or that had public transport), and he asks me what car we’ll buy, i say “a hybrid!”. that looks like it’s about to change…
(um.. joe is finicky, is he?)
and you’re vegetarian? i should have guessed! how lovely… do you like to cook? (i’m thinking if you had a food blog, i would so read it everyday too…)
Damn. That pretty little thing is just screaming ‘road trip’ to me. Where we goin’?
That’s the car we’ve been thinking about but it hasn’t been available in the US yet!
I have a 95 “New” Jetta…not diesel – was a brand new style when I bought..Its the best car ever. I have put 85,000 miles on it in a little less than 4 years..no problems. You will love it (hope you got seat warmers).
OOPS, 2005 Jetta…guess I am in denial about my age.
Noticed the socks aren’t done! Nice car, though.
Congratulations! She’s a beaut! (Do you need to go to the Bohus exhibit that Cathy-Cate mentioned?)
Congratulations on your new shiny car! :o)
I was stunned too after doing hybrid vs. diesel. Congratulations on a beautiful car, are you going to let the kids drive it?
How awesome, congratulations on your new purchase. Although frankly my inner (ok, outer) Aussie was too busy yelling “Bloodnut” at the guy on the left in that photo to pay too much attention to the car. Love the yarn holder!!!
Congratulations! And thank you–when my car kicks the bucket (long, long anticipated) I now have something to consider–this one’s new to me, I hadn’t heard of it. Thank you!
Congratulations!
Although, as a native of southern California, I’ve probably spent more time in cars than not, and I’m kind of having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of this being your first real car.
My mom has a Jetta that she loves – same color as yours, but not a diesel. The only drawback she has found is that any car repair seems to be very expensive compared to her previous vehicles.
Oh wait, yes I have–that’s a Jetta? A JETTA set that record? Cool! Don’t tell my Prius-owning husband…
Ooo, bonus: if you don’t drive all that often, no one will notice when you fill the trunk with yarn! They’ll just be impressed by the mysterious stash reduction around the house.
So THAT’S what the door pockets are for!
Yarn holder – snork.
Congrats for supporting earth-friendly vehicles!
You’ll get a lot more knitting done while riding in the car than you do when riding a bike! Just make sure someone else is driving while you knit. Love the color, too.
Dude! It’s good for the environment and practical for the knitter (plus it’s red). It really is the perfect car!
It is beautiful! I used to own a Jetta before I switched to a Subaru for the AWD in Alaskan winters, but I SO miss my Jetta all the time. I still see it driving around my little town now. I sold it when I thought it was close to death, but now three years later it’s still going strong. I’m so jealous of your new ride!
It’s okay, you’re still a hippy. Remember the VW hippy buses in the 60’s? (Well, perhaps you’re a little young to recall those days.)With the daisies painted on them, and the pot smoke pouring out the windows? You and Joe are kind of just carrying on the VW hippy tradition. No hotboxing now, you two. Enjoy the driving!
Congratulations! I bought my first car at 30 when I moved out of San Francisco, so I know a bit about holding out… but not as much as you!
He/she needs a name!
i just discovered the yarn holder feature on my mom’s car this weekend- it is fabulous!
So happy for you! The penny in the dishwasher must have been a lucky one. Great theme sock too. Yay! p.s. The antiquated truck stories made me nervous…glad to hear you are now all safe in your new ride. pheoo!
I agree with Rayleen, it (she?) needs a name. Mine’s Betsy, old but trustworthy. And the yarnholder is great! Congratulations!
Stephanie,
It’s a beauty, congrats.
Rebecca
I’d love to see the page of the manual that describes the yarn holder!
Nice car. congrats!
Aren’t TDI’s cool? DH got a blue ’09 Jetta TDI in November. Replaced his ’98 Jetta TDI. There are TONS of great places to stash yarn, tools, books, etc etc. Oh yeah, and it drives nice too. Makes me happy I know how to drive a stick. Enjoy!
Nice ride! Remember to warn the girls that police pull red cars over statistically more often than other colors… unless you won’t be letting them drive your new baby. hmmm, wonder how long that could last?
If we were to get a car you have just sold us on the one but I don’t think that will be for a long time. We have five kids and sold both cars two years ago.It has been a good decision and you know all the reasons.
Congratulations!
I love my Jetta – it’s my fourth VW, so I’ve had very good luck with them.
My new car is red too. Honda Civic.
Saw you on Knitty Gritty this morning teaching your sock recipe.
Your nails are beautiful!
So, does that mean that Joe’s truck will be permanently “rented” to the movie guys, or will you just try and hide when they return it?
Yes, Karin at 4:35pm is right. You (and RachelH) need to take a road trip to visit Rams.
It is only by purest coincidence that I’m right on the way.
Dude! I honestly never thought of the door pocket as a yarn holder. I am blown away! This changes so many things for my future road trips. I’m sure even my husband will acknowledge your brilliance. 🙂 well, maybe not verbally, but still.
Congratulations!! I’m glad you had a good experience buying your new car. It can be stressful. I wish you many safe, happy, low-emission years with your lovely little red Jetta.
Congrats on the new car! It looks like a good choice.
Congratulations! It’s lovely!
I didn’t own a car until I was 30, for pretty much the same reasons. In Texas, which shows crazy dedication. 100 in the shade, in the summer, and there’s no shade at the bus stop.
Congratulations!
Oh, would you please give Ken a late happy birthday? I thought I’d posted it, but instead I’d just thought about posting it.
Sincerely,
ari
Yay! You got a vdub!
You’re going to love it!!! We have a ’98 tdi jetta (well daughter has that one) we have (had) an’03 tdi jetta (son has that one) They love them, even in the VT cold they start. the miles per gallon is so great!!!
Congratulations again. Someone asked my son while he was filling up if he wanted to sell, he laughed!
I’ve been driving VWs since I was 19 (Jettas first, a Passat now, most likely back to a Jetta TDI next time) and love love love them. And, yeah, my emergency sock project lives exactly where yours is, except on the driver’s side so I can take advantage of traffic jams and long red lights. 🙂 Enjoy!
OH MY GOODNESS. Congratulations! It’s positively gorgeous. And my husband and I also drive a VW so I understand your excitement over yours. They are AMAZING cars.
I hope you enjoy every kilometre you ever get to drive in that thing. I think you will!!
Ooh, congratulations! Its very important to note that RED is the very best car colour!
A car that’s environmentally friendly AND conducive to knitting? Sounds like you got the perfect car, lady!
Congrats on the sharp new car! Long may it run.
I got a bright red shiny Honda Fit last fall, and the color still makes smile every time I have to go somewhere.
P.S. The car dudes are totally deserving of the shout out–they held the sock?! So cool!
Very cool! Congratulations 🙂 And the gas mileage beats my three-year-old Prius all to heck (to be fair, VW didn’t have these babies when we were shopping). I’m so excited to see something like this on the market!!
What an awesome car! ENJOY, you deserve it! (And now I want me one of those to replace my stupid clunker whose repair bills keep piling up.) But here’s the REALLY important question to a knitter like me who can’t quite knit in the dark… does it have a map light (or similar) on the passenger side? 🙂
Congratulations. VWs are and have always really been good cars.
It’s the knitter’s car! I just got a matching yarn holder in silver. I’m naming her Addi, ’cause she’s a turbo.
It runs nice and quiet, and you can turn off the beep when you lock the car, if you wish.
Hihihi, welcome to the dark side, we have efficient cars 😉 I got an Opel Meriva, it’s a little bubble with LOADS of room and the same efficiency you enjoy now (isn’t being offered on the other side of the pond, sadly). Those new diesels are great fun to drive and astonishingly clean.
Just don’t use biodiesel. It was originally started to give local farmers a market for their oil seeds again, instead in Brazil the rain forest is cut down for palm oil production… that is NO way “bio”. A good deal of the food crisis there was last year was due to this mis-management of food crops. Though the idea is tempting, a bottle of salad oil is still cheaper than a liter of gas/diesel here.
Sigh, I hope it comes true, I want an electric Loremo as my next car (in like ten years or so).
Have fun 🙂
I’m not sure I like this becoming-a-grownup stuff, even if it is a red, good-gas-mileage car. I need more role models on not succumbing to becoming-a-grownup pressure.
That is seriously snazzy. Congratulations!
I had an 18 year old VW Golf while I was in Montreal. She (“Izzy”) had great fuel efficiency – not “just” for an old car, ran far cleaner than you’d expect for an old diesel (not as clean as yours will, but pretty good), and anything that broke was easy to fix. Keep loving your Jetta, and it will love you back. Also, it’ll run better if you give it a name. : )
P.S. Yay for yarn holder!
Wait – it’s Friday night, and my former boss has just been fired because of a political nightmare, which has somehow resulted in my current project being cancelled and this is a bad day – AND BATTLESTAR GALACTICA IS ENDING!!!!!!!!
ok – I have a Prius. I have never heard of this car, so is it better? Is it reasonably the same mileage? I do not think I could kill myself in a garage with a Prius either. Is it available in the US? (I love you Canadians, but I’m just not up to this research right now. The Malabrigo sweater is somewhere around here…BSG finale 93 minutes and counting)
Congratulations on the car! As to where you should go…clearly you need to go to a yarn shop and see how much stash can fit in the trunk/yarn pockets/glove boxes.
PS If you leave the girls at home, there will be more room.
PPS If you leave Joe at home there will be even *more* room and no one to frown at you for filling the car with new stash.
PPPS By carefully selecting stash to match the interior of the car, it may go unnoticed.
you won’t regret the Jetta – a sock always rights sidepocket in my 8 y.o. accelerates like crazy manual transmission Jetta – but I will confess to RED Jetta envy… just watch out for that water pump with the plastic parts…
Yay for new shiny things 🙂
Congrats on the car from one brand-new Jetta TDI owner to another! I just got my Sportwagen on Wednesday. I am in LOVE with this car. Hope you love yours, too. The clean diesel is just amazing. So far my “miles till empty” keeps going up instead of down. How cool is that? Enjoy. (Love the sock, too, by the way.)
Congratulations. Does this mean you will drive Rachel to Aurora in Augst. Because Dude, Rachel H is part of the bargain…
YOU GUYS GET CLEAN DIESEL! You are so lucky to be Canadian. Except for the weather.
Congratulations on the new car.
so this is compensation for not having your sock done in time for your show? LoL.. Congrats on the car! I want those boy’s phone numbers! Are they married? How old are they? ..do they like cowgirls?
Good choice! Love the colour. I love my Jetta (the current one is my 4th one) and it holds lots of yarn!
Robyn
I think you should paint flowers and peace signs on it.
Congratulations on the VW Jetta TDI! You’ll love it and it will last forever with the small amount of driving you do.
I bought my first TDI in 97 because of the good mileage. I sold the car this year to the mechanic at the VW dealership where we bought it. The car had 250,000+ miles on it. I just bought my 3rd TDI this year and I, too, completed the research and was ecstatic to discover how environmentally friendly the TDI has become.
The mileage is awesome and oil changes are needed at 10,000 miles. My first 10 oil changes are free…I can’t remember if this a VW deal or deal from the dealership. For the past 2 weeks, diesel has been 10 cents cheaper than gas where I live. The money saved in diesel and oil changes can go toward yarn!
I use the yarn holders all the time! Have you looked in trunk? The trunk is HUGE! It’s perfect for hiding yarn…I mean it’s perfect for hiding presents for Christmas and birthdays and such!
You bought the perfect environmentally and yarn friendly car. Congratulations and enjoy!
Yeah, guys with red cars tend to wax them a lot. I think it’s genetic or something.
Sounds like you guys did just great! Congrats!
Congrats on the car! It’s nice & pretty. When my hubby drives, I like using the door cubby for my knitting too! I’ve also come up with other creative ways to knit in the car…! Enjoy! Does the car have a name?
I also have a VW diesel bug. I traded a Jeep Wrangler for it when I decided to get a grown-up car. Enjoy put-putting all over Toronto.
Nice Car! I agree about the TDI engine. friends of mine, lurve theirs.
and your sock.. looks fantastic…. does the silver in it make it itchy?
You will have to knit it a bra. Black, of course, not too lacy.
Wow!! Congrats on getting such a shiny and BRAND NEW red car. Enjoy.
i love your new car.. and i love that by looking at your needles i know by the colour what size you’re knitting with.
I have to tell you your car is absolutely beautiful and I adore Volkswagons so I totally agree with your choice.
Aside from all the really great environmental stuff, I just thought I’d let you know a cousin of my mom’s was in an unbelievably bad accident in his Jetta about 3 years ago. He says the only reason he is alive is because he was in a Volkswagon. The car went off the road and rolled several times. He’s mostly okay although there are some lasting effects to his health.
I love that the sales guys held the sock.
And good advice on taking care of the car — another piece of advice: drive it until the mechanic says he can’t take your money anymore. That will take a very long time, but when you are told that, you will know you’ve gotten every penny out of your investment!
You ARE a talented knitter, if you can knit and drive at the same time. Every time I try, my yarn gets caught on the steering wheel.
VW rocks…every day of the week, and leap years too!
Congratulations! I am a TDI lover, too. The environmental benefits, as you said, are totally awesome. I wish more people were into diesel down here in the states. (Although there is a greater difference in the price of the fuel vs. gasoline, so that makes it a slightly more difficult sell.) Plus they are great fun to drive. And diesels last for, like, forever. You could get 300K or more out of that thing.
We used to use biodiesel when we had our Golf TDI (had to give it up, miss it so). I must disagree with Stef above–biodiesel can have perfectly savory origins. If you get into the diesel thing, check it out!
And psst! Hey, US-ers! We all have ultra-low-sulfur diesel now, too!
Congratulations on your first new car! We own two cars, a Pruis and a VW Jetta. Our Jetta is 10 years old but it still gets good gas mileage, but no as good as yours.
I am so NOT shocked that you’re not driving a hybrid. The first time I toodled around in my mom’s Prius, I was SHOCKED to find out it was only getting 49 MPG. (Sorry, I could have pushed the button to convert to kpl but I just didn’t!)
FORTY NINE? Weren’t Honda Civics getting 50 mpg way back in the 80’s? Where is our progress? What improvement is this? They added hybrid, made it more aerodynamic AND lowered the MPG?
Yup. That’s been on my mind for a while. Thanks.
~Anniessa
hybrids=nickel batteries=awful environmental nightmare.
Congratulations and good for you! And really good for you waiting until the kids are older. You don’t want to know what those people do to a car.
Congrats on getting a Jetta. I will tell you that they do very well in the cold. I live in Labrador. There are only 2 car dealerships here. One is Volkswagon. The door handles freeze up though. Watch out for that.
In the UK, they only put cupholders on the passenger side of the car.
Perhaps you should remember that about the pocket on the driver’s side. No yarn on side with steering wheel. Safer for all that way.
(will confess to having stashed a hat there for a while. was convenient in traffic. Husband didn’t think it such a good idea. Has now been forbidden in interest of family safety)
“hybrids=nickel batteries=awful environmental nightmare”
also: hybrids=two complete drivetrain=excessive weight=not-so-great gas mileage + extra waste and more embodied energy
=not such a great idea, after all
Dear Husband is a tree hugger/car junkie (yes, it seems like a contradiction, but what can I say?) and I get to hear a LOT about this topic.
You’re better off with a clean diesel (good for you for doing your homework!) or a super compact, good quality little car.
That’s so cool! My husband and I also bought a car this week, and we both knew that it was the most grown-up thing we’ve done. And our car is also red, but not as red as yours.
Congratulations!
I can’t tell you how much I love that Canadian car salesmen wear suits and ties. 🙂 It seems terribly uncomfortable, but it’s an affirmation of my belief that if I could just spiff up my wardrobe and clean up my table manners the Canadian government would let me emigrate.
Your car is fabulously red and almost tree-like in its green-ness. Congratulations.
You can power it with vegetable grease! Just ask Willy Nelson, or my neighbor.
I love love love LOVE my (blue) TDI VW Golf.
The fact that she is a diesel is the only thing the Boy likes about her but I’m prepared to argue about that indefinitely if I have to… She stays.
Congrats!!
I would not have thought of it as a yarn holder but now I realize I should look at the world with new eyes.
Knitted car seat covers in a nice color to complement that luscious red??
We just sold our Jetta diesel with 210,000 miles. You may want to check out TDIclub.com; it always proved very useful for us.
Why get a hybrid when you’ll be getting 50MPG in your diesel? And yes, I miss the yarn holder on trips;)
Congrats on a well thought out purchase. My first ever car was a 1969 VW Bug, red, named Wolfgang. He got us through 2 kids til 1984, when we sold him to a very happy teenager (and her parents). Our other car was a 1971 VW Bus, that lasted til 1982 and we needed a car that was more than a rolling box. You are bringing back so many wonderful VW memories. Enjoy!
Um …. I love the car and I think the yarn pocket is great, but are you really knitting in your new car with yarn called called “crash into ewe”??????
The very best car color! I wish such an environmentally friendly car would actually run in the cold of interior Alaska, but alas… diesel doesn’t like -40.
That’s our dream car! We are VW guys and we always know that this car is better than a hybrid. And that is even my color! (definitely not David’s!)
Congratulations on your new grown up car! 🙂
Congratulations on the car! We had a Jetta TDI and a ’69 VW Beetle for a while and boy, talk about fuel efficiency. One car’s energy use was tiny and the other car was tiny but required lots of energy to push-start. The good old days of running starts…
I’d say between the fair isle yarn holders and the butt warmers, you might need to leave the car for days.
Ooooh, a VW Jetta Diesel! I had one a long time ago and I loved it. It almost got totalled in a nasty rear-ender, but it powered on through and, more importantly, so did I…. couple of days of whiplash and I was good to go. I have such fond memories of it (and the heated seats). Love VW’s. Now that they’ve come down in price a bit, maybe I can get one too when my 14 year old truck dies.
Wow! I have been looking for a new car, too (one that hopefully is more environmentally friendly than my current one). You’ve pointed me in a new direction!
We also own a Jetta TDI and love it! We went from old Mercedes for which we made our own fuel (including one Benz with a extra fuel tank that ran waste vegetable oil) to the Jetta, which gets great mileage and runs so clean.
We also thought we would drive a hybrid, but they are not manufactured in an environmentally way.
Congrats on your very adult purchase!
Oh, I just LOVE my Jetta. I wish I could have bought the TDI, but they’re illegal in California. It’s some sort of outdated regulation having to do with diesel cars being bigger polluters. Of course, it kept me from being able to buy one of the cleanest cars on the market. Sigh. Well, I’ll keep enjoying my non-TDI Jetta for now, and hopefully by the time it gives out (I had my old Passat for 13 years and the Jetta is just about to turn 3, so it might be a while) hopefully I’ll be able to get the TDI.
Yay VW! I have a Golf, and I love it. Hope you love your Jetta! (The yarn holders really are the best. I take full advantage of them in my BF’s Jetta!)
My husband has a Volkswagon Jetta Diesel and he loves it. You are completely correct about there being enough room to knit. I do it all the time.
Hi!
You are going to LOVE your Jetta. I had a 2002 model, TDI also – although not the NEW Diesel – but it was still the best purchase I ever made. To NFLD and back (from Guelph) on just over $300 in fuel. Seriously – over 7000 kms, all told. Beat that.
Other than the awesome mileage, it’s amazing for several reasons. It’s a solid car: shut the door, hear that clunk? That’s quality, baby.
The only issue I ever had with mine was the propensity for it to burn through lightbulbs. Hopefully they’ve fixed the problems for you!
Enjoy!
ps you’re not the type to NAME your car, are you?
so this is not gracie but her husband. NICE CAR. we have an 02 jetta tdi 4speed automatic. love it. there is a world of internet connected tdi enthusiats at a site called….freds tdi page or you can google tdiclub.com.
write if you need info.
You should ABSOLUTELY name it. As soon as possible. 🙂
I must tell you again that as fond as I am of your posts that demonstrate how you are Just Like Us (except sort of a knitting superhero), I’m even more fond of these posts that give me perspective. Houston (while fabulous, to me, in other ways) is not so great on the mass-transit, bike-friendly, walkable front, much though we wish it was. I have zero concept of living car-free…so this was sort of a window into a different world.
Novelty or no, enjoy yourself. I rather like driving – it’s a good way to clear your head and get some alone time. (Plus, I like to pretend that nobody can see me singing along with the radio.)
first thing i thougt as i realised where you were going with this post: “wait til she figures out how nicely the yarn goes in the map pockets.”
enjoy, and welcome to the vdub club. =]
Congrats! It’s beautiful. 🙂
You bought a new enviro-friendly car on the first day of Spring. Cool.
I just checked out the VW site and had a virtual tour of the car! Interior shots didn’t even show the yarn holder, (guess they just don’t appreciate what they have!) Enjoy!
“683 miles”?
are you effing kidding me? holy lord, that’s incredible.
Welcome to the Jetta TDI family!!! Hubby bought me a 2002, silver, 4 door Jetta TDI for my birthday and we LOVE it! Enjoy!!! 🙂
Congrats on the car — but with mileage like that you need to let yourself be a bit more American with the driving.
Down here we don’t need an excuse to go for a drive — just a direction, which in California can be as vague as “ocean or mountains?” — go take it out on a day trip just to see somewhere pretty and enjoy your freedom.
At least, that’s how we Americans used to think about driving until the gasoline prices increased — at the highest prices even people in Los Angeles were trying not to drive.
Do you have any idea how hard it is to get someone from L.A. out of their car?
Excellent choice, Steph! I have a Beetle Diesel & use bio-diesel as much as I can. I’ve had “Eduardo” since 2001 & just love him.
I think it feels more grown up because it could be classed as optional, ya know? Like, you need somewhere to live, and the bills will come whether you like it or not, and people frown on you if your kids are without food and clothing, so you need the career to pay for all that. But, as you point out at the beginning of the post, you can get away without a car if you really make the effort.
Anyway, congratulations!
I know how you feel: my partner and I are anti-car (and live in a city that makes it easier to be so). He works in Energy efficiency but he had to get a company car as part of a new job and he chose a diesel because it was the most energy efficient and green. Hybrids are fun runabouts but aren’t actually energy effecient once you get on the motorway as you are hauling a heavy battery you need to keep getting re-charged. Enjoy the car!
So exciting! My first car was a VW Polo and I loved it. I cried when it died and got taken away for scrap (it was very, very old). Plus, my initials are VW!
Congratulations!!! I always buy small cars that get good gas mileage, but your new car takes the cake! Out of curiosity, just how many gallons does it’s gas tank hold? It’s sounds like the perfect car for your family, especially since it came with yarn holders. Happy driving!
Had the same experience. Did my research and bought the safest and most environmentally friendly car I could. Basically the same model without the trunk, I have the TDI Golf. It’s 3 years old now and I still love it. ~5 litres per 100 kms. Of course I still walk to the shops and ride my bike to work but sometimes you have to use the car. Congrats.
Oh, damn, and I’ve been keeping my yarn in a tote bag between my feet all these years!! (When I’m not doing the driving, that is) Never thought of that little pocket on the side. Damn!
I drive a Ford Escape, a compact SUV – and did look into the Hybrid package available for it. But it was so expensive that I wouldn’t have been able to make the payments. They need to make the RIGHT choices more affordable to more people.
RED – Jetta! Love!!!
Awesome! Great choice – yay for environmentally friendly hippies!!! 🙂
My husband would be so proud of Joe for going with a diesel over a hybrid. I’m positive that you can find “bio-diesel” dealers in your area, ask Joe he’ll know about it. Bio-diesel will make your exhaust smell like fries or doughnuts. Seriously! Leave it to VW to give the passanger a place to put their yarn! I know I felt Very Grown Up when I got my first car. Wherever you two decide to go have a blast! Congratulations!
I wish more people, especially in the US, recognized that a properly made diesel car is a lot better for the environment then they think. Congrats on the car, and I LOVE that it is red (We bought our house pretty much because it has a red kitchen – don’t tell my husband)and the side door pocket is a great place to hold yarn. Now, you just have to be sure Joe always drives so you can knit!
I’m so proud for you! Your first real car. I the US car dealers always say, “the redder the better”! Red cars have a much better resale value! Of course you’ll never want to sell your new baby with the lovely yarn holder! I hope he lasts as long as Mr Washy did!
SORRY…….I called Sir Washie by the wrong name. I can’t be helped….I turned 57 yesterday. That’s my story and I’m sticking with it!
MAZEL TOV! As an Old School Hippie I can tell you I approve. You did your homework (My husband does enough research to write a doctoral thesis every time we’ve gotten a car – and our Toyota has over 250,000 miles on it and is still going strong) and in this the 21st century there are just *times* when it makes life easier. Our car has pretty good yarn holders too – in by the handle of the doors inside there’s a little trough that’s just right for holding point protectors and stuff. ENJOY IT IN THE BEST OF HEALTH! (What’s its name? It has to have a name…our Toyota is “Deerslayer”. Don’t ask.)
Please remind Joe to have a plug in for Canadian winter mornings…and an engine block warmer. Diesel turns into gell in cold weather.
But, I am sure he has done his homework…or does he want you to knit the care a sweater?
I also have a red [deap cross with maroon]car…but I am tooooo old to be hauled over by one our men/women in blue.
Hybrids often aren’t really that green, when you start considering where the electricity in your wall comes from. I think the Jetta was an excellent choice as well. (For what my opinion matters.)
I don’t know about you folks in Canada, but down here in the Lower 48, we’re running diesel cars on used fry oil from fast-food joints. Now that you have a diesel… well… food for thought. It’s low-sulfur for sure. And renewable.
You bought a car around the corner from my house – you could have driven over for a beer!
Congrats, grown ups! My girlfriend loved her Jetta so much, she couldn’t bring herself to sell it when she got a new one, so she gave it to my son, who loved it just as well. Many, many carefree miles later it has been traded in, but it gave it’s all. Good luck, hope yours does as well.
But the sock!!!! Did you get the sock done before the final episode or did you wear one and a half socks or what!??? Dying of curiosity here…… fading, fading……. 🙂
Stephanie, I am so jealous, I mean HAPPY for you!
Sara
Congrats on the car!
It made me think of the “even has a flower vase” marketing – now if they’d said “has place to put sock in progress” …
And I wonder how much the sale of Jettas is going to jump now? I hadn’t considered one before (Honda being my preference) but I’ll certainly check it out now.
(Car companies, bow before the power of the Yarn Harlot)
And on that note, what I came over to say:
Robin McKinley fears your power too 🙂
http://robinmckinleysblog.com/ (March 21)
Congratulations! My husband (also a big nerd) has been working on me to get a VW tdi. We’re both big fans of fuel economy. Enjoy your new car. I hope it’s not too rude to ask, but I’m curious why you decided to get the sedan instead of the wagon. Is the fuel economy that much worse? I’m a fan of wagons and hatchbacks because they’re better for lugging stuff…and sleeping in if you’re car camping or stuck somewhere.
Mum and I love your new mobile yarn holder!
Thanks for all the info on the Jetta. Our next car (after the Camry dies so probably not for many years) will be as green as we can get it and still be safe on the freeway!
I know you are crazy busy, but any idea when you may post your Smoke Ring cowl pattern? I have cashmere stashed and waiting!
Dudes, I’m freakin’ jealous!!!!!!! Lurv V-Dubs. And I also walk/ride my bike/occasionally catch a ride when I need it, partly to save the environment, but also ’cause I don’t have a liscence. Don’t plan on getting one anytime soon, though. Too many crazy drivers out there… ‘Sides, I love my bike!
Don’t feel too bad about not getting a hybrid. They are not as much better for the environment as people suppose they are. Some day, they will be better… but technology isn’t in the right place yet.
Hey.. it’s almost a viper!!
Congratulations on the new car. Naturally, I already thought you were sensible and intelligent (=”knitter”), but your car shopping has confirmed it. You will have a new set of choices to balance, though–the convenience of taking the car vs. the civic virtue of using public transportation. But reality intrudes: you can’t carry everything on the bus, or on a bike–even in Toronto, never mind the exurbs. (A large dog is my excuse)Oh, and here’s some advice from my own life (my kids are now 27 and 30)–DON’T let the kids drive it, if you want to avoid developing a close personal relationship with your local body shop:-). If you are continuing to take the bus, ride a bike, etc. whenever it’s an option, you might actually get away with this policy for them as well. Even with limiting our kids to the “castoff” Ford Escort, it was still an expensive few years. And don’t worry about the red car thing. I’ve never been pulled over in my red Subaru, because I *gasp* drive carefully…:D
Congratulations on your new car!!! I hope it provides many years of service for you.
I love the yarn holder feature… I use ours regularly.
Our car earns its way doing trips to the ER. It is amazingly wonderful for that.
The whole battery thing kept us from getting a hybrid. Glad the diesel engine design is continuing to improve! Wickedly smart of them to put in such a good yarn holder. How many spinning wheels can you fit in it?
My dad’s had Jettas since they first came out (a VW Bug before that, for decades). Really good cars.
Yet another reason that VWs are my favorite cars in the world. Now you’ve got me really enamored of that Jetta…someday I’ll get one if my old ’92 Cabrio clunker ever kicks the bucket.
Welcome to VW love – my sweets and I now have two – we bought our first one 6 years ago – a Golf TDI – and we have never been happier. We bought our second one – a Jetta a year ago. Our little TDI takes us on all our long trips and is our workhorse – on some trips he has gotten up to 50 miles to the gallon. We loves him with an love like no other. He is all paid off and we will never, ever gives him up willingly. I’m glad you have found VW love – there isn’t any love like it around!
So what did you think of the Battlestar finale?
Congratulations on the purchase of your new yarn holder. It’s awfully pretty, which in order of importance is close behind environmental friendliness, performance & reliability. Enjoy!
ACK! GASP! SPUTTER!
A YARN HOLDER?!?!!
I think I’ve just had an epiphany!
Thank you once again, your Harlotness, for you are wise in the ways of yarn!
I’ve always wondered what those things in the door are for! (We know they are not for maps, because my DH would NEVER look at a map!) I’m very excited about this….I even have one on the DRIVER’S SIDE! 🙂
Every car should be red! And I have to admit — my yarn holders are currently full of maps. I need to correct that, I guess. 😉
Omg! I can’t believe I’ve got those great door pockets and never once thought of stuffing my yarn into it! Thanks for the fabulous idea!!
ps) Congrats on such an awesome car.
Congrats on joining the rat race out there. I sure hope you have a GPS or you’ll be lost to us. oh oh oh. It’s hard to knit and be a co pilot at the same time . How many miles has that little red beauty got on it now haha
I’ve been waiting, and waiting, and waiting, and waiting for the perfect quote coming from you to put on my profile on facebook. And now, at last, I HAVE IT!!!! The “polar bears screaming in horror” comment…classic. So now not only are you a New York Times best-selling author, and not only do you have a shiny new toy that looks like a driveable candy apple (that’s a good thing), you have also been immortalized on the wall of some random college kid from Baltimore. Try to contain your excitement.
Congrats on the new car-thanks for saving our environment and drive it in good health.
Does anyone out there have any especially good websites they’d like to recommend for car hunting? We’re going to be moving back to North America after a 5 year absence and are a bit out of the loop.
Be careful! After my husband and I bought a car, it was the beginning of a slip away from Mother Nature! Maybe we were just lazy anyway, but once we had the car, I just felt less harcore, like freezing my butt off cycling in January in Ottawa with my kids bundled in the bike carrier was so much more virtuous than popping them into the car and driving off in comfort and warmth. Well, okay, maybe we’re just not gluttons for punishment. Enjoy your new ride – it looks great. And thanks for the mini-lesson in eco-cars. I never knew any of that! Thanks!
I would just like to point out that you can knit in all types of cars, and most of them have yarn holders of some sort. I must confess my attitude to cars is somewhat less green. I drive a rally-bred Subaru Impreza WRX-S (That’s the one with the Prodrive Performance Pack. 255bhp, 390ft/lb, 0 to lost license in under six seconds). My wife prides herself in being able to carry on knitting while being thrown round corners, pinned into her seat by the G-Force. Gives a whole new meaning to the the phrase “Speed Knitting”!
What a cool car…er…yarn holder!
Congratulations!!!
(((Hugs)))
I’m not a driver; for a few of the same reasons you don’t eat meat (I am a carnivore although, these days, mostly of animals I’ve actually met). I think that if everyone who drives, and everyone who eats meat, actually sits down and justifies his/her choices, and works out the relative harm, we’ll be in a much better place just because we’re actually doing those sums and thinking about it.
Welcome to the real world.
Have you named it yet? We could never afford the hybrid options besides don’t want the battery problems, so the diesel looks like a good option. Never thought I’d learn about diesels on a knitting blog, but there you go! Does it come in an 8 passenger? 🙂
(Hi Dale-Harriet — we had a “Deerslayer” too!)
Oh, hi, Steph. Over the years I’ve ridden in a lot of Volkswagens. Dad’s green 1966 Beetle, his cream-colored 1980 Beetle, the ex’s fancy schmancy Golf we got smashed up in (not our fault), his replacement Passat, the Audi 80 in inviso-grey I got from the ex’s dad, the Jetta he bought for himself after that, the ice-blue Passat my mom bought between Saturns, and the cute white Golf my husband bought and sold. Sigh.
But it’s my crap Venture minivan that has a pull-out drawer underneath the front passenger seat. *Perfect* yarn holder!
Your car is beautiful. Enjoy every mile.
Congrats! My husband’s car has a yarn holder like that and I’ve used it just like that, it’s great! I’m reading your blog and watching you on knitty gritty at the same time (I dvr’ed it). It’s a super SPM day!
683 miles to the gallon?!?
That does it. I’m updating my Vision Board. Forget the Hybrid–I want one of THOSE!
I’d pick a place that is 300 miles away and go. That leaves you with 83 miles worth of gas for shopping, sight-seeing, and yarn-purchasing for the price of one tank of gas.
All the cool people in the world drive VolksWagons.
I’ve had my passat for 6 years and still love it; hubs has had his eos for 2.
Hello fellow VW Dood and Doodette
Congratulations! Now you can join the VW group on Ravelry!
My hubby and I have had a 2001 Jetta TDI for a couple years now and we love love love it! It feels great to get that great mileage, but remember, diesel will fluctuate… sometimes it’s cheaper than regular, sometimes it’s twice the price, but since the mileage is so good, it’s nearly always cost effective. Just remember to switch to number one in the winter!! Don’t want to gel up. 🙂
In addition to all of the wonderful ways you are not doing unspeakable harm to the environment by purchasing this car, you are also helping Jon, Jason, and my brother who works for VW in NYC keep their jobs. You are doing your part to help the economy by putting money out there to be circulated. At least that’s what I tell the Husband every time I buy yarn.
This is even better than the fitting toilet seat story (which I loved).
The car and mileage and the emissions thing seriously make me want to take a look at it. That car is awesome!
Well done! I too got my first ever new car. A Honda Fit. the type of car you got is not available here in the states and my mechanic doesn’t do VW because of issues that I don’t understand. I don’t know if this matters, but, hubby had a Diesel rabbit and in really frigid temps it froze up. (we live in maryland) I am sure your car will not freeze up, or they have done something to make sure in Canada that the engine is not a problem, of course hubby’s car was as old as sin, but that is another story.
Oh my word. You cracked me up. My best friend purchased a Jeep Patriot last year and the dash has the best pattern holder. I said so and her hubby thought I was nuts.
Oh yeah – that’s a car I would have picked out for you, except maybe I’d have picked a Jetta TDI Wagon, five speed stickshift, with a bike rack….WAIT! That’s the car I drive!
You’re going to love this car!
I wish mine were red instead of silver and I wish I weren’t trading cars with my daughter next semester when she has to commute halfway across the state for college five days a week. Be aware the girls may fall in love with it and “borrow” it – a lot.
Yeah, you’re going to love this car!
Mwahahaha! You’ve joined the VW TDI fold 🙂
With a little work, you can get these babies running on filtered waste vegetable oil (straight from the fryer) or biodiesel.
Plus, she’s got a nice purr to her.
That’s just the way I felt when my husband and I bought OUR first car! He’d had cars before but I never did, so it was really my first car. And that car is still going strong, now owned by dear friends. We gave them ours when Mike’s parents gave us one of theirs.
Wow….congrats to you.
Just watched The Graham Norton Show with Greg Kinnear tonight on BBC America. It was wonderful to “see” you on one of my favorite shows. I had been looking forward to this since your post about it and it was well worth the wait.
Congrats on the new car! I’d love to have a car, but my parents don’t think I’m responsible enough or something like that. =P
But remember to still keep back on the driving. It might not really be emitting CO2 but emitting Nitrogen really isn’t good for the environment; it encourages eutrophication and loss of biodiversity. Just saying. But congrats on the car!
Congrats on the car! There is nothing like the great feeling of a well considered car purchase. I am still happy with what I picked. You know, a car needs an afghan or blanket in co-ordinated colors. As for the scuttlebutt the door freezes in the winter, you could try the Chadwick Auto Lock De-Icer. It is a little box you put batteries in and when you slide the button a thick metal pin is pushed out. It is heated and will go in the keyhole for thawing.
I think I just found my first car…and I’m almost 30 so don’t feel bad. 🙂
It’s a beautiful car!! I think you did well going without one so long, regardless of where you live. Happy travels! 🙂
OMG! My mom had a jetta! So did my dad! Of, course now they have passats and my mom has to keep hers at least until my brother moves away.
Extra large bass issues keep my mom tied firmly to her low gas milage-un-enviomentally friendly car.
The Galactica socks are coming along fine! Enjoy the ride.
Welcome to the TDI club! We bought one last year – not a nice shiny new one, but a 2001 – and we love it. Currently we get about 39 mpg on our very stop and go commute. Yes, it is hard to get people to understand the “clean diesel” thing… hopefully it’ll be easier in Canada than it is here in Boston. Enjoy your car!
Mazel tov! Use it in good health.
Oooh. Pretty car! (You forgot that the red will stand out in parking lots, but that missed fact may well be due to your inexperience in such matters.)
AND it’s all eco and everything too. Nice job, Joe!
It is scary getting a car and having to fess up to the enviromental footprint one is creating- I went a whole 6 weeks between the time my previous one died and getting a new one- until if became obvious I couldn’t do my job without one.
We have a Golf TDI and love it…thx for explaining some of the environmental benefits because people do raise eyebrows… we put in an engine heater (frostheater dot com) that helps it start more smoothly in cold Minnesota winters. We bike/bus to work year-round and use the car on weekends or for vacation trips. It also is good at hauling rocks. Bought a ton (907 kilos) of paving stones and got them home (in 3 batches) to the back yard. Very economical. I have a photo of me in front of a Pfaff sewing machine store in Germany! Congrats!
Wow! Cool car!
DH is now reading your blog (well, yeah, he’s cool, too) and enjoyed the comment about the yarn holder. He says that it is a nice car and one we would be hard pressed to find here in the states. You Canadians are so with it!
While I support your right to be a vegetarian and wholeheartedly support everyone’s efforts to be environmentally friendly, if people stop eating lamb, many of us would have to stop raising sheep – and no sheep, no wool! Perish the thought. Meateaters, if you want to do some good, support your local producers, eat meat from endangered breeds – with no market for meat from endangered breeds, there is very little reason to raise them and, ultimately, they become extinct. Is the spotted owl more important than, for instance, the Red Wattle pig or the Midget White turkey? So you can feel good about eating meat, if you do it right.
By the way, Stephanie, saw the Graham Norton show last night, the Greg Kinnear episode – I thought he was a bit condescending. Doesn’t he realize that you are a New York Times Bestselling Author?!?!
Kudos on the treehugger car! And the whole vegetarian thing, I’m a veggie too (hey, you are what you eat, right?), and I’m so much healthier for it. And it has a yarn holder! How could a car get any more perfect?
Plus it has the biggest trunk on the planet, so moving your girls will be a cinch. We drove this car (two of them, actually) for 14 years and then opted for a smaller car, still with great gas mileage (no kids to move)–a Yaris. love it too!
Sarah – you got that right!Lord preserve us if that yarn holder is on the driver side!!
Diesel has its advantages too
CONGRATS on yr new car!
Already being a veggie, you are doing your part!
Why didn’t *they* make DIET FOR A SMALL PLANET required reading 25 years ago??? It sure changed my way of living…no meat for me, 20 plus years & I still get asked why?????????????
Congratulations on the new car, Stephanie and Joe! Is this vehicle small enough NOT to get wedged in the alley way like “ye ancient truck”? And, if Joe doesn’t move stuff too often, the trunk might expand to contain stash, right???? Or are you already ahead of us on this? hahaha
Congrats! I was car free for about 5 years and it stung to have to get one but I’ve discovered a big perk–road trips! Especially if you aren’t the one driving. Road trips are the greatest. Like knitting on the couch in front the most entertaining TV show ever. With snacks (after the newness wears off of course)!
“He/she needs a name! ” – Agreed! How about “LUVEWE”????
“I’d love to see the page of the manual that describes the yarn holder!” AGREED….there is a book title in there somewhere…!
Congratulations. I have a Jetta and I really adore it–I am, however, quite envious, because you are going to be getting many more miles per gallon than my (albiet very respectable) average of 30.
Well, I just finished watching Graham Norton and listening to you – you were on last night and I DVR-ed it. That’s a first, I’ve never used that particular doodad before! You sounded great and held your own!
Our Eurovan waves at it’s little VW friend, but the Eurovan is seriously lacking in the yarn holder department. OTOH, my Forester has some quite nice yarnholders in it.
Fair warning, though – that Jetta looks very close to the color we call “arrest me officer red”. Not that you would speed – but that red seems to attract the eyes of everyone. 😎 Enjoy!
Great looking car/yarn holder! I may be in the market for a new car this year (something about a sales tax credit as part of the US stimulus plan?). My honda has 119K miles on it and is an ultra-low emitter too. I’ve heard a little about your model and will check it out. But, I see in another comment that maybe it is not available in the US? And I should check around about how well diesels work where I live (equivalent of a little north of Kingston but south of Ottawa). Spiffy red! I had a red honda civic for awhile, and, once I got past the red (it was on sale) it was just fine and I got into the color (it had a moonroof and it didn’t leak so what’s not to love). I didn’t need a yarn holder back then, but I do now.
We love our 2005 VW Passat TDI! We drove in it, out to Niagara Falls (where we could see Toronto across Lake Erie, at Niagara-on-the-Lake!), out to Rapid City, South Dakota with a side trip to Devil’s Tower in Northeast WY, and to Lake Superior to see northern WI and northern Minnesota! If there is any car I would want to spend 12 hours in, driving somewhere, it would be the Passat! Have fun with your new car!
A car, huh??? How grown up!!! Congratulations! (and drive safely).
Here’s my theory how ever crazy. New cars, new babies. Smell one, want one. Thank goodness for you it was a car!!!!
What a lovely new yarn holder Joe and you bought. The vehicle in the supporting role is truly wonderful as well.
Enjoy them both.
Yup. Yer all grown up now. (yawn) ….
Rock on! We bought the same car a month ago in Laser Blue with a 6 speed manual transmission. It’s our second. If the traveling sock ever gives you a chance, visit the manufacturing plant in Wolfsburg, Germany. It’s an amazing place & you’ll be astonished at how serious Volkswagen is about the environment. Fahrfegnugen!
I love love love my Beetle TDI. Over the past 2.5 years I’ve averaged 45 mpg. That’s more than double what my old car averaged. Enjoy the heck out of it!
We got a used 2006 blue-gray version of the same car a couple months ago and have adored driving it. I am shocked that I didn’t notice the yarn-holder. Congratulations! How’d you like the finale? I loved it, and I’m still chewing on it a bit. Fabulous.
Yarn holder. OF COURSE that’s what that’s for! I only wish I’d known. I do silly things like putting a water bottle in there and assorted junk. Then when we go on road trips my yarn gets dirty sitting on the floor. Duh!
I test drove a Jetta YEARS ago and hated it so much I stopped in a parking lot and had the salesman drive back to the dealership. Now I’m the happy owner of a newer model and just love it (knock wood). Congratulations!
Okay, my car has that yarn holder, but silly me, I never realized that’s what it WAS. I mean, here I am using it for maps and stuff, even on long trips when hubby drives. Silly me. I sit on my couch corrected.
What Coffeemomma just said.
Mazel Tov~! Husband and I are hoping that one day when the county decides to pave our road and I don’t jog out a kidney on the way home, we too may befriend the environment.
Congratulations on your Diesel Volkswagen. Our family really enjoys our TDI,and this is our second one (we got rid of the first for a pickup, and missed it so much we are back in a nother one!). They are really quite zippy, and I can’t wait to drive 600 miles in a few weeks on one tank!
A little late to the party — blame Chicago and good weather. Your reservation chez Rams is hereby confirmed (and you wouldn’t be the first to have reservations about staying here, ba-dum-ching.) But I’m a little nervous about all those people assuring you that the car can be adapted to run on vegetable oil. Wouldn’t that be, um… like, an upgrade? And don’t you have some feeeeeeeeeelings about upgrades, especially home-made ones?
those car guys are really sporting!
trying to comment on the twitter about the U.S tv group bashing the Canadian army. PLease, Please understand we (Americans I mean) are not all like those fools.
The car is cool by the way.
Those are some mighty sexy DPNs your are sporting there. Snappy new red car, the cadillac of DPNs. I think you arrived.
Congratulations Steph. After researching cars last year I got the VW Polo TDI for environmental reasons. Oh, and because it was a sensible size for a hatchback. If your Jetta works the same as the Polo, it has the warning on the inside of the fuel cap not to ever, ever put bio-diesel in it. Nevertheless, second VW I have owned, and the best car I ever had. I can just see you knitting as you have a wonderful road trip.
Congrats on your new car. That shade of red is so gorgeous! (Perhaps you need a new pair of socks to match?) I’m really impressed by all the research, I had no idea that a diesel could be so environmentally friendly! I’m a fan of VWs just looks-wise, but now that info just scores them even more points! How cool.
Congrats on the new car! I haven’t owned a NEW car since 1985… we seriously thought about a hybrid when we bought the old car we’re driving now but I have friends who design cars who’ve said ‘just wait another year or two and the current hybrids will look like lead-acid batteries vs LiON batteries in comparison.’ I’m geeky enough that I get that reference and am ‘waiting’. It helps that we can’t afford a new car right now, and that our kids are young enough that having a NEW CAR would wear off pretty quickly– like on the way home from the dealership when they managed to spill something.
Congrats on the new yarn-holder! Thanks for the education. The fact that it also fits Joe is good to know too. Big/tall guys sometimes don’t fit into cars, so the men in my family usually have to try them (cars) on for size.
If you knit a car-cozy, Joe won’t have to wash it so often, bird activity and all…
Good for you!! This time if you lose a dpn in the car you won’t have to worry about returning it to the rental with the dpn still in it!! (even though said dpn turned out to be in your hair…) LOVE that story!! 🙂
AND you can visit the girls too.
Congrats! sweet ride.
Wait until you discover how much knitting you can get done at stoplights! Not nearly as much as on the bus of course, but I average one baby sweater a year at stoplights. Plus it has the added bonus of completely freaking out other drivers…..:)
Pretty car. I’m not surprised it’s not a hybrid; you really don’t go on highway trips much. I am a little surprised you didn’t go for a grease car or biodiesel (we can get locally grown biodiesel up here!). I remember my first car too, but it’s not till we got our truck that I felt grown up, LOL.
Congratulations!!! We have a VW Golf : drivers wanted, LOL
a first NEW car is so exciting… I didn’t get my first NEW car till I was in my 40’s, and it was pretty exciting, especially the fact that it had a heater that worked…
Have fun with the car now that most of the kid emergencies are over. I’m working on hubby to get down to one vehicle and a scooter for me. He just can’t get his mind around me using a scooter although I ride horses just fine. We live one mile from shopping area and the scooter would be all I need. When the kid goes away, I’m getting my scooter!
Maryland Sheep & Wool Festival is coming up. What a great road trip to break in your new baby!
sometimes ya gotta do what ya gotta do…when the heck are they gonna make a car that runs on lanolin?
I almost feel like I should sell my car to bring the world back into balance.. but umm maybe not:P
Congrats! Hot ride!
“…What comes out of the tailpipe is pretty much oxygen and nitrogen.”…
Just remember that that oxygen and nitrogen are not coming out in pure form, but combined in various forms of toxic compounds, so…don’t inhale them anyway!
Marta
P.S.: No, I’m not anti-car…
Congratulations! Very exciting! It’s absolutely beautiful in everyway, and the yarn holders are quite generous. Keep it happy and it’ll take good care of you — my 96 Subaru Impreza has 216K miles and still goes, most of the time pulling a trailer! (Need AWD where I live — top of a hill on a dead-end dirt road the branches off of another dead-end dirt road).
FYI – I think that red is gorgeous! Wishing you many happy and safe miles.
We did the same thing before we bought our Honda. But, ours came with book holders instead of yarn holders, as my husband says he isn’t interested in learning to knit but would rather read while I drove.
I just read a book about running a diesel car on french fry oil. It smells like you might be selling chips out of the back, but it’s free fuel… The book is called Greasy Rider, and it’s at your local library.
My husband and I are now hardcore TTC riders, but in our time have owned a very old Pinto, and a couple of pretty old VW buses, then a very old Ford Escort. A nice new car would be quite a thrill!
Our first new car — a Mini Cooper in 2002. Still love it, still driving it, plan to drive it until it falls apart which the way things are going should be some time in 2022, at which point the electric cars should have all the bugs worked out. If you buy the right new car it is an environmentally friendly thing to do because you can drive a good car for 20 years if you maintain it with love. The fact that your kids are now grown should make that easier. And the yarn holders….a very very important feature. My very favorite car I have ever owned? A 43 Wyllys Jeep on the Big Island of Hawaii with the original flat head four engine. Second favorite….the Mini Cooper.
Congrats on the new car! And DOOD!! I totally heard you on Graham Norton! I almost know a almost famous person who created an almost famous verb, and got to be on British TV! You rock! (And so do I, by association. hahahahahahahahahahahahahaha)
Awesome car and my favorite color. I love VW’s.. Enjoy your new car…love the yarn holder also. hee hee
Don’t feel bad, Stephanie; I don’t even know how to drive a car, and I own one.
Congrats on your new car! I owned a 2006 Jetta TDI and it was the best car I ever had – unfortunately I had to sell it as it was a std transmission and due to medical issues I needed to drive an automatic. VW diesel rules!!
Congratulations on making a *good* decision. Hybrids were a great notion until the clean diesels started making their way over here. Heck, if I could buy a Fiat Panda diesel, I would! It gets 70+mpg (and that’s not reliant on “nancy driving”) and it’s a darned good car to boot.
I applaud your courage in spurning the easy choice! Up with diesel! Down with hybrid!
(if only it were a true plug-in)
Sorry you didn’t buy a car that was built here in Ontario given the state of the economy.
Congratulations on your choice! I drive a VW diesel Beetle & love it! I use biodiesel whenever I can get i and get great mileage. “Eduardo” will be with me for a very long time.
ROFLOF at your calendar entry for 3/23/09: When it comes to your knitting, remember who’s boss. If a knit isn’t working out right, darn it, you can make it right. Examine the knitting, find where you went wrong, rip it back, and do it over. If that doesn’t work, you can still take it outside, place it in the road, and run it over with *your car* as many times as it takes to feel better. Either way, don’t let it push you around.
Now you can do that with your very own shiny new red VW..woot!
oof…ROFLOL!
Cool car. Congrats!
COWL???
I LOVE my VW Jetta wagon TDI. My hubby has the VW Jetta TDI.
Were such geeks, we do get-to-gethers with other TDI owners.
A great source about the TDI’s is here:
http://www.tdiclub.com/
Congrats on the new wheels!
Having a reliable car when you need it is great. We ended up getting a 2000 Golf and it is great for long drives, but I still cycle and walk and ride PT a lot more than I drive the car. It just feels better that way.
Congrats on the shiny new red car! You could drive to Montreal on one tank of diesel but you’d need two to get to Winnipeg (not sure why you’d go but…)
Read your twitter post … hate to say it but most women in their 40’s experience serious insomnia because of the hormonal changes that are beginning to happen … it can last for years ! it can undermine your life ! There were years when I awoke at 2 a.m. full of energy … then pooped out most of the day … there are medical and homeopathic solutions available … good knitting !
I have the 2006 VW TDI Jetta and it is a wonderful car. Unfortunately, I will have to sell it because we are going to move. But, we really have given a lot of thought to trying to take it over the ocean with us because it is such a very cool car. Ours doesn’t have the ultra green emissions; but, it still isn’t bad on emissions and it gets about 50 mpg. I hope you love your car as much as we love ours. While I haven’t used the yarn holder in the door, ours does have a few lovely yarn holders scattered about the center console.
My husband is an autoworker in Oshawa….our life is on the chopping block….wish you had considered buying a car that was made here.
Congrats! I have a black diesel Jetta and I love it. They are a little cold on start up and it takes a bit for it get going. But the fuel economy is great! I’ve had a Jetta for about 8 years now. The first wasn’t a diesel. I’d have bought the diesel the first time except they fly off the lots! Anyway, it’s not by far my first new car, but I tell hubby all the time it is my most favorite of all our cars!
Sheep-herding crazy video here – too much fun!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D2FX9rviEhw
Yes, I know it’s off-topic, but you’ll be amazed.
Congrats on the TDI! You are joining ranks with some of the most enthusiastic car owners out there. I strongly encourage you to visit TDIClub.com – started by a fellow Canadian. It’s a wonderful forum for TDI owners, and there is a HUGE amount of information and resources there. They even have a group for users of biodiesel, if you want to get perspective from actual users in your area. I have been stalking a VW Golf TDI for about 5 years now, and the next car (after the ’84 Volvo finally dies) is going to be a TDI for sure. Great choice – very ‘adult’ indeed!
Congrats Steph and Joe!! You MUST check out TDIClub.com. Full of extremely useful information and friendly, enthusiastic TDI owners.
Ugh – sorry for the double comment – thought it got lost in transit and wanted to be SURE to tell you about TDIClub. D’oh! So, you know, check out TDIClub… 😉
what did you think of the finale?
I KNOW!!!
The muggles think that they’re putting in cup holders!
Cup Holders?!
We can survive a trip without a beverage…(means less pit stops) but without yarn?
I DON’T THINK SO!
I might just go check out a TDI…my dad would be so proud; he’s always owned a VW.
I love the red! Drive north!
Very nice car! I am very excited to hear good things about it. Let us know how it drives and such.
I love your title by the way. One of the local bands I streetteam for has a long like that…
check out Moneta! <3
Yay for shiny new VWs! I wish VW would make a wagon again, so I could have a biodiesel wagon once my Golf kicks it.
And I thought those were for maps, she says while smacking own forehead.
Since you got a red car, you should head out to St. Louis and visit the Loopy Ewe world headquarters!
A huge “Thank You” for doing all my research for me. I’m not quite in the market yet for a new vehicle, but this is exactly what I would have chosen had I done the research. You rock!
Sheila
Welcome to the diesel side!
You do realise that, as well as having green emission credentials, your car will go on forever? I bought my little VW car 8 years ago. It’s a diesel, chosen because (at the time) it was the most fuel efficient model available. We’ve done 183,500 miles together, still average 62mpg, and the engine is in perfect condition. My mechanic reckons that 250,000 miles is an achievable goal. (Given my current mileage for work, we’ll get there at about the same time the car celebrates its 10th birthday.)
Enjoy!
– Pam
Congratulations 🙂 I’m glad you didn’t buy a hybrid because they are all far less environmentally friendly than is commonly believed when you take into account the huge energy costs and horrendous pollution of producing the batteries. And you will need to replace those batteries in somewhere between 3-5 years.
I read once, somewhere , that hybrids are not as environmental as the hype would have you believe. The mileage is not that fantastic and then the materials for the batteries etc that the hybrid needs must travel long distances to get to you AND then when you have to dispose of the batteries eventually, they are very environmentally unfriendly too. Congrats ont he car. And I love red cars. Zoooooooooooooooooooooooom
Dude. Welcome to the VW Family and the VW Diesel Family in particular. I adore mine. She says hello and hopes you come down this way again.
Peace, love and pass the tie-dyes.
P.S. — now you get to have the experience of Helpful Men at the next pump shouting out, “Ma’am, stop! That’s diesel you’re putting in your car! You could hurt your engine!”
Dude. Welcome to the VW Family and the VW Diesel Family in particular. I adore mine. She says hello and hopes you come down this way again.
Peace, love and pass the tie-dyes.
P.S. — now you get to have the experience of Helpful Men at the next pump shouting out, “Ma’am, stop! That’s diesel you’re putting in your car! You could hurt your engine!”
The Jetta Diesel is indeed a wondrous car, a technologically more elegant solution than a hybrid, but if your salesman actually told you that Diesel exhaust consists principally of oxygen and nitrogen, and that you can’t “suffocate” yourself in a garage with one, and you believed him, then he’s a lying weasel and you failed high school science class.
Gorgeous wheels. The other good thing about Jettas. They last forever. My friend’s Jetta diesel is still running–it’s a 1989. And he lives up North–it’s needed only minor maintenance repairs and some body work.
Can’t wait to tell hubby to get his *** maps out of my yarn holder!
Congrats on the new car! It’s a beaut, and that story you linked to is fantastic. =)
As a hybrid driver (with two other hybrid drivers in the family), I’d like to give a quick shout-out to others commenting here on the ‘downside’ of hybrids.
The comments that made me want to post involve the misconception that hybrid batteries need to be replaced frequently. Absolutely, positively NOT TRUE!
My beloved Honda Insight is approaching 75k miles (~120k km) very happily on its original batteries, and without a single major service to its name.
My father’s Prius is rapidly nearing 100k miles (~160km), without a single battery problem, and no major service to its name.
My husband’s newer Prius is happily cruising past the 30k mile (~48km), without a maintenance care in the world.
Battery failure in any hybrid is EXTREMELY rare. Stories on any hybrid enthusiast forum show that the regular gasoline engines wear out many miles before the batteries in nearly every case.
Both manufacturers (Honda and Toyota; I have little experience with hybrids from other companies) offer a 100k mile warranty on their hybrid vehicles. On the rare occasions when batteries have failed, both Toyota and Honda have been exceedingly accomodating to drivers in repairing or replacing as needed.
There are lots of other points that can be debated on relating to the environmental friendliness of hybrids vs. gasoline vs. biodiesel vs. diesel vehicles, but battery life just ain’t a problem! =D
683mpg! HOLY cannoli! Hmm…. I may have to start thinking VW. Congrats on a very Red/Green car. =)