Do you think getting a biodiesel car will help me save money on its fuel and are they more expensive?

Question

lol i mean a diesel car since it burns biodiesel too

Answer 1

Biofuel is a fantasy.  It starts with photosynthesis, which is an almost unbelievably inefficient means of capturing solar energy.  Plants use chlorophyll because the ingredients are easily available.  Plants can't get up and hunt for better ingredients.  THEY DON'T HAVE THE ENERGY.

The species that invented the Thermos bottle should be able to invent a way to use sunlight to boil water.

Answer 2

This is a good question. The answer is yes and yes. Cars that run on diesel (bio or not) are more fuel efficient than the same model car with a gas engine. The New Beetle, for example, gets about 45 mpg in the diesel model and only 28 in gas. That's 60% better fuel efficiency! It more than makes up for the tiny increase in cost per gallon. ( I had a gas beetle for 9 years and 165,000 miles until I totaled it this summer. A sad, sad story.) Biodiesel gets slightly lower mpg than regular diesel, but is nontoxic (unlike both gas and diesel) and often is partly made from used cooking oil. Renewable _and_ recycled. Not only that, but they have close to no carbon emissions, which is good for global warming. (Co op America rated a diesel running on 100% biodiesel  higher than the Prius for lowest greenhouse gas emissions.) And they don't rely on middle eastern and Arctic National Wildlife Refuge oil. They do have high emissions of NOX, which is a concern for city dwellers. The new Mercedes, if you have the spare cash, I believe has a filter to take out NOX.

If you want a car to run on used vegetable oil, straight from the fryer (with any fries or tempura filtered out) you will need to spend a couple grand on a conversion kit. Straight vegetable oil has glycerin in it, so needs to be warmed before the engine runs, especially in cold weather. 100% biodiesel is vegetable oil with the glycerin filtered out, and is possible to make at home if you have the cash to make or buy a machine and you get the necessary permits for storage. Co ops are popping up out there that do just that, and you could join one of  those.

There are some terrific sources of info on the web. Try http://www.biodieselamerica.org to start. They have info on cars, biodiesel making co ops and a map of gas stations that sell biodiesel in blends from 3-20%. The blends can be used in _any_ diesel vehicle without conversion. (Unless the car's older than '96, when you might have to change your hoses. The biodiesel might dissolve them!) Most manufacturers will not warranty a car for use of more than 5% bio in the diesel, but it's a start. In the past year, many more vendors have popped up as the demand has increased. I even found a 100% biodiesel vendor near me. Unfortunately, the US tightened restrictions on diesel vehicles in '07, resulting in VW stopping importation of all diesel models but the V10 Touareg. The result is that diesels are increasingly hard to find -- only 2% of US passenger vehivles are diesel -- and that means that yes, they are likely to be more expensive.  The 2008 models (Mercedes Bluetec and VW Touareg) are in the $50,000 plus range.

So the end result was that I bought a Subaru to tide me over until I can find the diesel that I can afford. I'm still looking. Hopeully I'll have one by spring.

Good luck!

Answer 3

Diesel engines are more fuel efficient than gasoline engines. They are popular in Europe for that reason. So yes, it is a good idea. VW and Mercedes sell some diesel cars in the U.S., but most diesels on the U.S. market are trucks or SUVs.

Answer 4

Well if you brew it yourslf you are looking at about .83 cents per gallon not including the $500 to $1000 you will need to shell out to get the automatic filtering/storage system.

They you just have to go an pick up trap grease and old oil from your local restaurants a few times per month.

Answer 5

No I own a 2006 GM diesel good truck but I get 10 mpg at $3.19 per gallon there is no savings here is other way buy a Mercedes Benz 20 mpg tag for the car $50000.00.

up to you,I give you my opinion hope it helps

Answer 6

Although Bio-diesel is still relatively new, Diesel is not and neither are there engines. So i wouldn't expect anything out of the norm as far as recalls are concerned.

It really comes down to how much you drive. There is also a different type maintenance that is done to diesel engine. Your best bet is to do the math your self. Take you average mileage a year and try to find a medium price for gasoline and diesel, diesel doesn't jump as much as gas does. Then you can get an idea of the difference you save in gas alone. then add maintenance and see what you come up with. You also may want to add the price of the car into the equation. Especially if your in the US. There are only two auto makers that sell diesel cars in the US. Volkswagen and Mercedes Benz. So you may find a gas car that you like just as much as one of the diesel cars but costs a whole lot less.

Answer 7

that technology is still unstable. You will save gas, but there will most definitely be recalls and plenty of repairs.

Get a honda civic

Answer 8

At the high school I work at, many students have had lots of success converting cars to use biodiesel.  The trick is that you cannot go completely without the regular fuel.  Car engines need it to start and they need it to stop.  While driving, the biodiesel can be used.  It does save you money on gas, but it is definitely more work for the driver!  The auto teacher at my school drives a biodiesel van to work everyday!

Answer 9

I have a friend who burns olive oil in his Mercedes diesel.  He gets the olive oil from local olive growers, who give him waste oil for free.  All he has to do is filter it.