| The increasing demand for green cars and the | | | | the time that oil prices have continuously |
| growing awareness for the continuous threat of | | | | increased, their sales also took off and have |
| global warming have encouraged dealerships | | | | grown since then although it still fluctuates due to |
| around the country to join the green car | | | | the rise and fall of the cost of diesel. |
| bandwagon. And to attract customers these auto | | | | Despite of the fact that the Northern California lot |
| dealers are using green diesel cars. More than a | | | | attracts mostly politically aggressive customers |
| dozen of these businesses are found along the | | | | that includes Pete Coyote who recently bought a |
| West Coast where the biodiesel subculture is | | | | 2006 Volkswagen Jetta TDI, Ahl also stressed |
| slowly conquering the mainstream. | | | | that there are also a fair share of shoppers who |
| A great number of these clean-diesel | | | | buy because they know that by doing so will |
| entrepreneurs conduct marketing via the internet | | | | enable them to help preserve the environment, |
| using their own web sites as well as Craigslist | | | | which is definitely a good thing. |
| classifieds to attract potential customers, there | | | | Whatever may be the motivation that a |
| are also some that display their wheels from | | | | customer has may it be political or the simple |
| streetside auto lots. | | | | care for the environment, the fuel-efficiency and |
| According to Steve Ahl, a former recycled-lumber | | | | the longevity of diesel cars would remain to be |
| salesman who is currently outfitting his used diesel | | | | the key selling point for Ahl's customers. |
| car lot in Ukiah, Calif., with solar panels, "In 2003, I | | | | In some vehicles an odometer showing 100,000 |
| came out of the closet and became a full-blown | | | | miles traveled may indicate old age for gasoline |
| car dealer. This isn't the typical suede shoe used | | | | engine but the opposite is true in the case for |
| car lot operation." | | | | diesel cars like Volkswagen TDIs because such |
| The Ahl Motors TDI Cars has been able to sell | | | | figure is a sign of youth. You see Volkswagen |
| almost 700 Volkswagen Turbo Direct Injection | | | | TDIs are designed to last half a million miles and |
| (TDI) diesels together with some other brands like | | | | are equipped with high-quality VW fuel injection |
| Ford and Honda trucks. It also has stocks of 25 | | | | that helps turn it into a fuel-efficient and |
| models with price ranging from $10,000 to | | | | eco-friendly vehicle. Ahl said, "I have sold to |
| $35,000. Ahl also said that most of his customers | | | | conservative Republicans just because these cars |
| would really want to shift to using biodiesel. | | | | make economical sense. They're sporty, |
| To convert a vehicle into a green car would | | | | economical and they go forever." |
| normally cost as little as $50 or more than $2,000 | | | | Last year AutoWeek magazine has tested a |
| depending on the modifications that a car owner | | | | Volkswagen Jetta TDI and was able to achieve |
| wants. But no matter how the cost involved the | | | | 49.9 miles per gallon surpassing the 42 miles per |
| result is worth it since you get to have a vehicle | | | | gallon of the Toyota Prius. And with or without |
| that can run on petroleum-based diesel, | | | | biodiesel the Jetta TDI hovers around $3.50 per |
| crop-based biodiesel, vegetable oil from | | | | gallon in California. Ahl has customers coming from |
| deep-fryers of fast-food kitchens or how about a | | | | as far as San Diego and Seattle who wants to |
| combination of the three. | | | | replace their hybrid Toyota or Honda with a |
| Ahl Motors's models can function on biodiesel after | | | | Volkswagen TDI and fuel it up with biodiesel. |
| only minimal alterations. Ahl said that starting from | | | | |