Black and Stinking arrives!
(Humm...  Hot, Black and Stinkin'?  My wife and the "Midget" say it's name is "Cooter")

I received a call from Barry @ Vic Bailey on Friday afternoon.  "Your car came in and you can pick it up tomorrow (Saturday)".   Great Barry!

We arrive before lunch, do the normal paper work,  go over the operation of controls and drive back to Greenwood.  (Approximately 70 miles.)

Out on the highway the diesel seems a little anemic at first. I was trying not to press the accellerator to hard. The first few miles of driving I was wondering if the speedometer was correct.  The car is so quiet you don't realize the actual speed.

If you're on the list for a diesel don't worry.  It will move when pressed.  I think the difference between a gas car and the diesel is more in response.  The accellerator has a very light feel and different from the other fuel injected cars we have. I drove our '97 Mountaineer to Spartianburg to pickup the NB it has a 305 V8 and is very responsive.  So, I think that made the NB feel slower than it really is.  The car produces no Smoke (or stink).  It actually makes very little noise at idle and none at highway speeds.

I drove it home and the wife even drove it around later Saturday (without me).   My son was talking on the way home and made the comment "Dad, where's all the people like the picture on the internet" (with the parked NB).  He went with Mom when she went into town and the two times they had stopped people came to look and ask questions.  She said one car followed her until she stopped and when returning to the car the people were still waiting.  They ask if they could look inside and take a picture.

OK, so here's some pictures.  I'll get more up later.  If you have questions send me a line.

 

I'll include some useful sites for information.  If your seeking information on the TDI (diesel) Beetles...

TDI stands for "Turbo Direct Injection".  It's a new type of injection that VW engineered.  Cost on a NB $1275.00 additional.  But, it  includes Cruise Control so, if you add the Convenience Package (cruise & power windows) to a TDI it's cost is less on a TDI  than on a gas NB.
  I think all the people so far have been very surprised at the NB's.  I guess most people were expecting the new old Beetle? Well, I've owned my share (still have 2) and most people have forgotten that the valves needed adjusting regularly and how about the brake adjustments? Yep, got to do that if you want to stop regularly. And gas mileage?  Uh, I think about 25 mpg. The air cooled engine wasn't so efficient (Damn good design though.)

Cars that I've owned.  1959, 1965, 1971, 1972, 1974 Beetles,  1965 Type III, 1969 Convertible Current Restoration project  and a 1972 Karman Ghia Current Restoration Project.

06/27/98
My TDI to date has 1120 miles on the clock in one week!  The last fill-up mileage was 47.5 mpg.    When I filled it up this morning before a trip to Columbia SC I didn't think I was gona get to leave the station.  Questions and answer time.  After about 10 minutes I said Bye and left one lady still sitting parked beside where I filled it up.
 

07/18/98 "Cooter" just made 2,000 miles!
The last tank of fuel I ran until the "Low Fuel" light came on. This was hard to do. The light came on at 512 miles and I filled up at the next station. It took 12.4 gallons for a total of $11.53. This tank ran just over two weeks.
So far not the First problem! Other than these funny prints that keep apearing on the windows. <''> I think the BN count in Greenwood is at least 4 now.

Nancy's New Beetle  (Black, TDI)
 

Other NB Sites

John Leader's   "A New Beetle In L.A.",  (Black, Gas)
 
 
 
  Peter Schmidt's Site AZUL  (Blue/ Gas)

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