Hello. I'm looking at a nice 2000 New Beetle TDI. The problem is that due to past occupational hazards I've grown sensitive to fuel fumes-I get severe lengthy headaches when exposed to anything with benzene. I didn't notice an odor when looking at the TDI but a day later I still have a headache. I am very interested to hear from members about whether biodiesel really doesn't smell as bad as the regular stuff. Any comments pro or con would help. Thank you!

AFAIK, there is absolutely no benzene at all in biodiesel.

I know this will sound strange, but I would encourage you to find a local homebrewer and smell his/her car exhaust. I've smelled B100 exhaust myself & I find it smells totally different than ULSD.

Consider also that biodiesel doesn't evaporate like ULSD does, so even when you are fuelling up, there's less noticeable odor.

Rent a diesel car for a week & fill it up with B100. You'll be pleasantly surprised.

I find the exhaust makes me hungry, seriously it smells like a resteruant I think it's pleasant compared to dino exhaust

Thank you very much for the replies. What I'm hearing is, biodiesel doesn't smell bad. I have no idea if I'm sensitive to methanol, but I'd rather not find out. I'm going back to look at the car tomorrow. Should there be any detectible fumes in the car, do you have any advice as to what the problem could be? I'd love to run the car on B100 if that will eliminate the headaches (plus the pro-Earth benefits). I did not detect any raw diesel smell when test driving. My sister in law has a 98 new beetle that does smell bad. Anyone else's TDI stink? Also, anyone know where to get B100 in Athens, GA? I think there is a station in ATL. Thanks again for the Noob attention.

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Also, anyone know where to get B100 in Athens, GA?

I did a forum search 4U using athens & georgia as search terms (and/or combination):

http://biodiesel.infopop.cc/ev...Type=1&search=Search

Read up, maybe there's somebody brewing bio right down the street.

Wouldn't you be happier buying a mid 1980s Mercedes and converting it to run on used cooking oil? With SVO, there's no methanol to choke on & there's no methanol prices to choke on either.

Thanks, Welder. I think my problem is an age old one: I want what I can't have. Hopefully the second look (and smell) will steer me in the right direction. I don't think I could deal with a pre-turbo diesel... I'll check back in with the results.

Really, you should NOT have any fuel/exhaust fumes inside of a new car. Well... inside of a used car. The new cars have the "new car smell", and would have some fresh solvents in their plastics and vinyls.

If you stopped at a filling station... there certainly would be fumes.

Or, if you spent too much time standing behind the car and snorting the exhaust.

Personally... if the car you were looking at gave you a headache, I'd look for a different car.

No idea what gave you the headache. I know that ROOFING gives me horrible headaches (not fun trying to keep one's balance on a roof with a splitting headache).

However.... some ideas might be:
Prior smoking in the vehicle.
Prior chemicals in the vehicle.
Nasty Cleaning agents used by the seller/detailer.
Glues, or some fresh interior repairs.
Air Fresheners... or attempts to cover up some of the above smells.
Exhaust Leak
Fuel Leak
Chemicals/oils/grease in the ventilation system.
Driving with windows down and smelling someone else's exhaust.
Driving with the rear hatch open, or broken rear window.

Anyway...
My guess is that your exposure with Biodiesel to Benzines and etc would be lower. And, you might even have a cleaner fueling place... one would hope...

Depending on what you are reacting to and sensitive to, you may not be comfortable collecting waste oils, or processing your own fuel.

See notes on this BBS of "issues" with 2007 and newer vehicles.

My 98 TDI smells inside the car of exhaust fumes regardless of the fuel type. Diesel stinks like diesel exhaust (we all know that horrid smell), and on VO it stinks like barbecue, and on biodiesel (B100) it smells like tempura IMO.

I think you would have to experience it for yourself to know if it will cause headaches/sensitivity as all of these exhaust odors can be offensive to some but not others.

Benzine is a molecular hydrocarbon structure that is destroyed during combustion. Gasoline vapour contains very small amounts of benzine, but not the exhaust. Unless you sniffed the gas, your headaches are likely caused by carbon monoxide (CO).

Biodiesel exhaust will contain some CO but unless you sit in closed space with your vehicle running, you should have not problem.

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Get it fixed before it makes you seriously ill.

Or causes you to pass out and leads an accident involving yourself and others.

I'd drive with all the windows open to a repair shop, unless you can fix it yourself.