Where are our high mileage cars?

Not sure what the big thing on "creature comforts" otherwise known as a padded cage, nobody actually asks for this stuff, its just that nobody orders a car way they want it anymore, then waits 6 weeks for delivery. They buy off the lot, and dealers only stock cars stuffed with all the automagical goodies to increase PROFIT. Nobody buys stripped down manual transmission versions if no dealer stocks them. And if no dealer will stock them, the factory doesnt build them.

Notice my 1989 Festiva is 1500 pounds soaking wet. The first generation VW Rabbit in 1970s wasnt much heavier. Now the smallest lightest car available in USA is well over 2000 pounds and most small cars are in excess of 2500 pound. I am sure its wonderful to get 35mpg out of a 2500 pound car with automagic tranny, but how about 100mpg out of a safe 1000 pound car?

As to the "nobody wants them" scenerio, dont we all remember going through this in the 1970s. The American companies didnt want to make small cars for the real reason that they just werent as profitable though they cried off the rooftops that nobody wanted small cars. Gas tripled in price and the Japanese car companies cleaned American car company clock.... Toyota now has the biggest selling model in the USA. Is it time for some other company to clean Toyota's clock in near future since the Japanese are now playing the same luxo barge high profit model game? Isnt there some Indian company that is selling a $2000 car in India? Whats the cheapest car now sold in USA? I think anybody managing to offer a $5000 new car, they are going to sell a bunch of them if decent quality, no matter the size, no matter if it makes a Model T look luxurious.

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"What would you do with a brain if you had one?" -Dorothy

"Well, then ignore what I have to say and go with what works for you." -Eliot Coleman

I am pretty sure our fuel milage averages go out the window due to epa regs and the buying public. We all seem to want large vehicles. wouldnt want to have anyone touching another passenger, and certainly dont want to actually drive the vehicle. Things like shifting gears and cranking a window down manually require extra effort from the driver, and who in their right mind would buy a car without air conditioning? Gotta have those heated seats too, and we mustnt ever rely on those old manually adjusted ones... nope nope, gotta have 3 more motors to get them adjusted to our body so we can be comfy. All of this carp just adds more weight to be shoved down the highway at 75 mile per hour. Heaven forbid we leave a couple minutes earlier to arrive at our destination driving at 45mph and saving 15 to 20 percent of our fuel at the same time.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

I think a lot of our fuel economy is due to corporate interests being able to line the pockets of elected officials. Really think big oil doesn't pay big bucks lobbying for all the emissions and crash test standards? You bet they do. I was looking at vehicles online from China. They got several electrics that depending in the car average 50-80 miles in a charge and yes even cars with 250cc motorcycle engines. I have to look again but there is a car that was made in Yugoslavia during communism that are super compact, lightweight and efficient and because a large number are now more then 25 years old they can be imported without having to pass emissions or crash test regulations.

1) Imperial Gallon vrs American gallon (divide by 1.2)

2) Deisel fuel vrs gasoline

3) Different testing standards for fuel econony rating

4) Emission standards

5) Safety standards

Say thank you nanny state for our poor numbers.

WWW

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If the grass looks greener it is probably over the septic tank. - troy n sarah tx

Our existance here is soley for the expoitation of CMG

Well....I have been driving around with my friend in her Ford fiesta. It has a 1.2 liter motor and as far as I can tell, power is not an issue. We were driving 70mph up and down hills, no problem. It has air bags and seems just as safe as any car I've been in at home. She says there are emissions standards here too.

I can't buy this car at home. I just bought a car and I was looking for the best mileage I could get and there was nothing in a gas powered vehicle.

She gets 46 mpg and that's a plain old gallon.

I think it's because A) Americans aren't interested in saving fuel and B) oil companies are not interested in Americans becoming interested in saving fuel. It's stupid.

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...to be a rock and not to roll...

I worked the numbers for me:

London, gas is 142 p/L so that would translate to $8.40 p/GAL here.

I filled up today with gas at $3.55 p/GAL (before store credit of 5 cents per gallon off).

I get 35 MPG in my Honda.

So convert MPG to l/100KM I get 6.72L/100KM.

For the 2012 (European) Honda Accord, you get 8.7 L/100KM. This kicks out to 27 MPG. Lower mileage and higher price for fuel. I'll stick to my 95 Accord and the prices at the Pump here.

So I am not seeing the poor numbers that are being touted. Sure, in our bus or our Van we have, one with a 7.5L and the other with a 9.0L, the numbers stink, then again, who wouldn't expect that.

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Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto- - Jefferson

Is it a new Ford or an older one? I know a guy that fixes up these older Geos and sells them to folks needing a higher MPG car. He tunes the engine, new upholstery and carpet, then turns around and makes a little pocket money selling them to these long commuters.

I would love to get my hands on my old Geo back from high school. If worst came to worst, you could probably have "Fred Flintstoned" that thing up to around 35-40......

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Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto- - Jefferson

"The 40-mpg club for gas burners is getting bigger these days, although the Smart no longer belongs. Revisions to the 2012 Smart Fortwo knocked the tiny car's highway mileage rating down to just 38 mpg, stripping it of its 40-mpg club membership.

But new models from Chevrolet, Hyundai, Kia and Mazda stepped in to more than fill the gap..."

http://www.edmunds.com/fuel-economy/...-mpg-club.html

"Fueleconomy.gov's Top Ten EPA-Rated Fuel Sippers (2012)
Include electric (EV) and plug-in hybrid electric (PHEV) vehicles? Yes No



Vehicles are ranked by their combined rating (weighted by 55% city and 45% highway), then by their city rating. In the event of a tie, multiple vehicles may share the same ranking.
1. Toyota Prius c Combined 50 City 53/Highway 46
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
2. 2012 Toyota Prius Combined 50 City 51/Highway 48
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
3. 2012 Honda Civic Hybrid Combined 44 City 44/Highway 44
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 1.5 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
4. 2012 Toyota Prius V Combined 42 City 44/Highway 40
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
5. 2012 Lexus CT 200h Combined 42 City 43/Highway 40
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 1.8 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
6. 2012 Honda Insight Combined 42 City 41/Highway 41
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 1.3 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
2012 Honda Insight Combined 42 City 41/Highway 41
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 1.3 L, Auto (AV-S7), Regular
7. 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE Combined 41 City 43/Highway 39
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
8. 2012 Toyota Camry Hybrid XLE Combined 40 City 40/Highway 38
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
9. 2012 Ford Fusion Hybrid Combined 39 City 41/Highway 36
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
2012 Lincoln MKZ Hybrid Combined 39 City 41/Highway 36
Hybrid, 4 cyl, 2.5 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular
10. 2012 Scion iQ Combined 37 City 36/Highway 37
4 cyl, 1.3 L, Auto (variable gear ratios), Regular"

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/topten.jsp

It would appear that you have a vast array of fuel efficient vehicles to choose from here in the good ol' USA, if that's what floats your boat. I'm not seeing the problem.

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The government can't give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
--Dr. Adrian Rogers

Yes "WE" are being screwed by our beloved EPA . . .
------Hint Ron Paul talks of doing away with the EPA-----

There are many "small" diesels made that get really high mileage . . . . .
Yes you guessed it . . . .The lovely EPA says they are two dirty for us . . .

So for a 40 mile round trip to the grocery store I could use one of them little buggers
and use less than a gallon of diesel . . . . . . .makes sense . . .
But no, I use my 3/4 ton truck and burn 2 1/2 gallons of diesel.......?!?!

The EPA has got to go.........

You know who to vote for to get rid of this nonsense


OH yaa. . while your listing absolute "Gotta have" equipment don't forget the latest and greatest GPS systems...............



Now to find a early 60's Chev 1/2 ton . .'stove bolt six' . . points and condenser ign.. .three on the tree . . . crank up windows . . etc. . . . . . . .

And when a EPA idiot tells me that is a nasty thing and that I can't have it . . . .I'll let him have 'it' . . right between his already crossed eyes.......

But if you had the smaller car, and needed to haul a trailer, what would you do?

Sure, I could hop in my van and get from 12-15 MPG, or if really adventurous, I could hop aboard my bus and get 8-9, but no, I choose to ride in the Honda or my Nissan 720, getting 35-38 MPG. Not seeing how the government is keeping you from buying a more fuel efficient mode of transport.

I could go out and buy a motorcycle that gets better mileage than any of my 4 vehicles, but with 4 kids, that wouldn't be prudent of me, no matter how much I ask my wife.......

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Commerce with all nations, alliance with none, should be our motto- - Jefferson

Well with 4 kids that would have to be 2 motorcycles with sidecars, Ural 2wd (yea 2 wheel drive) ones would do the trick nicely during all kinds of weather....

Now if only I could afford the $15,000 price tag on the 2012 models, I would have one of the Urals myself..

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Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 1 Section 21 "The Right of the Citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned"
www.pafoa.org
http://www.45thpacok.com

How often do you take your kids to work with you? Or many other trips that doesnt require a full sized vehicle? My Yvonne has a 250 yamaha Virago... amazing milage on that bike. I think its rated at 70 something per gallon but hers will average closer to 100! My 1100 Virago gets around 50 to 55... but it is a bit heavier and has a lot more umph when you crank the throttle.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

I do have a 500 Virago that needs the rubber boots from the carbs to the air box, and of course a new battery from sitting...

Dang thing cost me over $500 to have the carbs rebuilt.. I won't deal with that shop again. They ordered the parts and put them in with out telling me the costs..... I guess I really should look for those boots and put it back on the road

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Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 1 Section 21 "The Right of the Citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned"
www.pafoa.org
http://www.45thpacok.com

Somebody is buying them.

http://ozarksfirst.com/fulltext/?nxd_id=579727

Throw a ton of hay in the back and tell me what mileage you get.

I'm not nearly as interested in "saving fuel" as I am in having a vehicle that will DO the job I need done.

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ΜΟΛΩΝ ΛΑΒΕ

Or maybe the 1300 lbs of scrap metal I hauled Sat. Some of us can't afford the insurance on multiple vehicles. But I guess with those little toy cars they could haul a hundred pounds on each of the 13 trips they would have to make... that will surely save fuel....

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Pennsylvania Constitution, Article 1 Section 21 "The Right of the Citizens to bear arms in defense of themselves and the State shall not be questioned"
www.pafoa.org
http://www.45thpacok.com

I am not mechanically inclined. All I know is that when we got stationed in Germany we had to do something with the cadletic converter (I know, I butchered the word). We ended up leaving our car stateside and bought a small car at the lemon lot on base.

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http://sonshine-littlebitofsonshine.blogspot.com/

Christian Homesteaders Forum
http://christianhomesteader.forumotion.net/

Yes, when I was in Germany many of the U.S. cars right off the dealer's floor would not pass inspections.

Most folks would be amazed at the inspections that the Germans do. Here, they mostly just do a sniff test, their, they look at everything. It's really quite impresive!

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"If they bring a knife to the fight, we bring a gun" - President Obama June 14, 2008

My commute is 7.5 miles of back roads, never exceeding 55 mph, always by myself since nobody else at work lives near me. I'd love to drive a small car for my commute (added bonus, the expensive truck would last longer). I agree that I can't justify the expense of a second vehicle.

Oh, but the cost of insurance and registration. Well, that isn't the fault of the small car, now is it? If the government really wanted us to drive more fuel efficient vehicles we would get a rebate on the registration and insurance for a second vehicle that met certain efficiency criteria.

Won't hold my breath, but they should consider it. Otherwise I can never give up driving my truck.

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The government can't give to anybody anything that the government does not first take from somebody else.
--Dr. Adrian Rogers