Why is no one building high mpg rides

[Grandman]

Why are none of the car manufactures building something like the old VW pickups with the diesel that got about 50 mpg ?

Im to the point id conceder buying something that got crazy mileage 40 + mpg at least and is cheap .

Im giving serious thought to buying something of that nature just as a run around junker . What else got those big fuel milage numbers ?

Only thing that comes to mind is the old VW diesel rigs .

[Blackjackbender]

VW still makes diesel cars.

[Grandman]

VW still makes diesel cars.

ya but not cheap ones , think there little diesel is pretty pricey isnt it ?

What is the model ?

[Duffman]

Jetta, Beetle - both come in diesel. A little pricier than the early 80s VWs, and some quality problems, especially in the electrical systems.

A buddy has a diesel Jetta and averages low to mid-40s with an automatic.

One of those mid 80s diesel Nissan pickups running biodiesel would be the ticket (if you can find one).

Wait for the Indian Mahrinda pickups to get here in a year or so. Built like farm equipment and fairly efficient diesels.

[Rover]

Not sure if your talkiung about just trucks or not

Toyota makes the prius whichs gets alittle over 40 mpg. (my step moms gets aaround 45)

Chevy is going after the truck market first with the hybrid full size rigs. for the extra money they arnt really worth it right now but there going after the worst gas guzzlers first

Chervy, toyota, and fords are working on smaller desiles for the light duty truck market (f150-1500 series) with great gas millage and good hp and torque

Im kinda drunks so i might not have answered s your questin

[Toivo]

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/toivo1000/toyota005-1.jpg

put a 5 speed in it, 28MPG @ 80mph.

:woot:

[booblinker]

http://i60.photobucket.com/albums/h9/toivo1000/toyota005-1.jpg

put a 5 speed in it, 28MPG @ 80mph.

:woot:

Is that a matchbox car?

[Captain Ledd]

VW still makes diesel cars.

yeah, but they can't sell them in the U.S. anymore. They discontinued the diesel models over here because they can't meet the emission standards for the vehicles weight. (small cars and I believe trucks included - Ranger, S10, etc.) need to have basically ZERO carbon emissions which is very difficult to do with a diesel. The larger vehicles have lesser restrictions and it's easier to get them to pass.

They'll be back over here in a year or two I'm sure, but still a pain in the ass. I wish they'd go over to the Euro system of emissions where there are different sets of standards that allow for differences in fuel and engine type. Diesels are a different engine and different fuel, makes sence to have different set of emission standards. The U.S. I think gas and diesel are under the same law.

Thats how I understand it at least.

I can pull just about 30 MPG out of my 4cyl Ranger as well. I also have a 2001 Saturn SL that if driven right my record was 47MPG (averages 44-45 though)

[Stump]

yeah, but they can't sell them in the U.S. anymore. They discontinued the diesel models over here because they can't meet the emission standards for the vehicles weight. (small cars and I believe trucks included - Ranger, S10, etc.) need to have basically ZERO carbon emissions which is very difficult to do with a diesel. The larger vehicles have lesser restrictions and it's easier to get them to pass.

They'll be back over here in a year or two I'm sure, but still a pain in the ass. I wish they'd go over to the Euro system of emissions where there are different sets of standards that allow for differences in fuel and engine type. Diesels are a different engine and different fuel, makes sence to have different set of emission standards. The U.S. I think gas and diesel are under the same law.

Thats how I understand it at least.

I can pull just about 30 MPG out of my 4cyl Ranger as well. I also have a 2001 Saturn SL that if driven right my record was 47MPG (averages 44-45 though)

From what I heard 08 will be the year they are back, I was looking into a diesel Jetta since I drive 80-90 miles round trip to work a day, but who knows.

[Captain Ledd]

From what I heard 08 will be the year they are back, I was looking into a diesel Jetta since I drive 80-90 miles round trip to work a day, but who knows.

the new ones still get sweet mileage, but the older ones (I think '04 and older?) get better mileage, but make less power. it may very well be '08, they're out of my price range for me to be keeping a good eye on them.

[Redleg]

Here are some ideas for you.
http://www.4btswaps.com/forum/index.php

[Grandman]

40 + mpg before id buy a junker to run around . Saturn that was mentioned would work plus there cheap used im sure .

If im buying something as an extra auto to plate and ins the mileage has to be way up there to compensate the other cost envolved .

It's gotten so ill stay home rather then attend some event like a christmas party 150 miles away because im sick of the gas cost .

The H 3 at 18 mpg would cost me 55 bucks for a trip around 300 miles .

@ 40 mpg that same trip cost me 24 bucks . Thats a hell of a difference on a short trip of 300 miles round trip cost .

A trip of 250 miles each way , still a pretty short trip goes from 90 bucks in the 3 to 40 bucks in a auto doing 40 mpg . These figures are based on $3.25 per gallon . See why im giving this some thought :hehe:

[HURF]

Ill get you a deal on the second one,,,,

http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/


HURF

[Grandman]

Ill get you a deal on the second one,,,,

http://www.chevrolet.com/electriccar/


HURF

I think that thing looks pretty damn cool but no E powered autos for me :poke:

[Blue XJ]

40 + mpg before id buy a junker to run around . Saturn that was mentioned would work plus there cheap used im sure .



My girlfriend has a 98 Saturn SL2, she gets 38mpg on the highway, I think it has just under a 100k on the clock too and has the original plugs still.

[HURF]

I think that thing looks pretty damn cool but no E powered autos for me :poke:


It has an engine

It just needs an Injun:lol:

HURF

[Grandman]

It has an engine

It just needs an Injun:lol:

HURF

Please read your own sig :flip:

I just noticed you put that in your sig , i did chuckle :marv:

[Redleg]

"Every one is in charge , we expect you to send your self infractions , chew your own ass out when needed and if you cant straighten up then ban your self . Dont expect us to do every thing for you -Grandman"

Is it paranoya when you think you're always out to get yourself?

[Sandals]

I've thought about getting a VW diesel too..........

[Grandman]

"Every one is in charge , we expect you to send your self infractions , chew your own ass out when needed and if you cant straighten up then ban your self . Dont expect us to do every thing for you -Grandman"

Is it paranoya when you think you're always out to get yourself?

Nope , in my case its fact . I use to chew my self out at the shop just to watch the expression on a drivers face . It seemed to worry them a lot when the boss chewed his self out :lol:

[sodapop]

Ya definately gotta weigh the cost of the ride in there. VW's are overpriced and big time $$ to repair. Honda's are overpriced for what you get now, the ricer crowd has driven up the cost. The new civics get mid 40's on the highway. The prius is stupid expensive and doesn't get near the mileage it should. I had a focus that rarely could get 30 mpg's, was usually around 28. I know have a Hyundai which I bought for $4100 on Ebay with 70K and it get's 30 going 80mph with the AC on. I can get 33 if I drive the speed limit and baby it. Here's my logic when I searched for my car. Deciding that the car would last me three years, divide the cost to purchase by 3. I drive 100 one way to work and do about 40000 per year. Divide 40000 by the fuel economy found one fueleconomy.gov (highway figure) and multiply that by 3.20 per gallon...

2001 Elantra, 30 mpg, average used cost $5400/3 = $1800 + $4265 gas = $6065 X 3yrs =
$18195

2001 Prius, 41 mpg, average used cost $10,500/3 = $3500 + $3120 = $6620 X 3yrs =
$19860

2001 Jetta Deisel, 44 mpg, ave. used cost $12,000/3 = $4000 + $2908 = $6908 X 3yrs =
$20724

2001 Civic, 35 mpg, average used cost $8150/3 = $2716 + $3654 = $6370 X 3 yrs =
$19110

This of course does not reflect resale and repair costs or the fact that I wasn't able to find a civic, jetta, prius cheap enough, and I found a elantra even cheaper than I thought I would.

Okay that was a waste of a lunch hour...:rolleyes:

[eswiger]

Suck it up and drive what you like:thumbsup: It only cost you about 1,500 to 2,000 more a year. What would it cost to buy and maintain a piece of crap, plates ins, etc. To make it worth it you have to replace your current daily driver. Have a great weekend. Ps try buying gas in Petoskey it's about 10% more up here.

[Mrclean]

Marv, I have a 99 SL2 that I love just for the purpose you are talking about. You can find them cheap, maint. isn't much, and they do great MPG. Keep an eye on craigslist and you can probably find a good deal. Mine is rated for off-road because of my SwampStomper's sticker on the back :hehe:

[user name]

My stepdad has a really nice diesel chevette(ya I know it's still a chevette) he was going to sell. I want to say he was getting upper 30's maybe even into the 40's with it.

[Toivo]

My stepdad has a really nice diesel chevette(ya I know it's still a chevette) he was going to sell. I want to say he was getting upper 30's maybe even into the 40's with it.

heh. that thing is SWEEET. gotta love the gold paint!

[Deuce]

My stepdad has a really nice diesel chevette(ya I know it's still a chevette) he was going to sell. I want to say he was getting upper 30's maybe even into the 40's with it.

price?

Sounds like a bio canidate

[Grandman]

I owned a chevette before , i didnt know they made them in diesel though .

50 bucks ? :hehe:

[motrctyman]

Here's a new car ad for a 1976 Datsun B210 which gets 29/41. You'd think US carmakers could beat that mpg in 30 years.:marv:
http://www.adclassix.com/ads2/76datsunb210.htm

[cjric]

i had a diesel VW jetta (99). It averaged about 42-44mpg and topped out at 54mpg on the highway. I got rid of it because the repair, maintenance and insurance costs ate up the savings from the fuel cost.
They (jetta, golf, beetle) are a piece of junk with a nice motor in them. Repairs cost me more in three yrs than I have ever paid out for my ZJ (had it for 9 yrs).

I had a 85 chevy nova (toyota corola) years ago that got 45 mpg. it was carbed!

Now, tell me why a 30K vehicle w/ cutting edge technology cant get better mileage than a carbed vehicle did 22 yrs ago?

[Rover]

find an older chevy with the 4.3L diesel

[Mongo]

:cry::cry::cry::cry:




http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h153/dads95yj/luv/luv9.jpg

[Rover]

:cry::cry::cry::cry:




http://i63.photobucket.com/albums/h153/dads95yj/luv/luv9.jpg


http://i117.photobucket.com/albums/o74/landrollover/Random%20Pics/100_1367.jpg

[StartingLine]

I'm feeling the Luv in this post

[Duffman]

Well those 80s fuel economy estimates were pretty wild - a carbed Datsun getting 29 mpg in town didn't happen. Of course, without airbags, crumple zones, offset crash standards, power steering, ABS, ESC, etc... these cars were a LOT lighter than today's.

I don't see where people get this outrageuous mileage (35-40 mpg at 80 mph, etc...). My 02 Neon 2.0 automatic would get about 27 mpg around town and about 32 on the highway in real-life driving conditions. It would get up into the mid-30s at 55mpg, but dropped off fast as speed increased - and as a reformed lab engineer I get anal about measurement.

It's like the BS around hybrid cars. The Prius has been shown to (at best) get 2-3 mpg better than the normal gas Corolla, and many folks report getting worse mileage (battery/motor weight?). The official mileage numbers are higher because of a loophole in the measurement process, where mileage is measured NOT based on fuel used, but hydrocarbon emissions. So a hybrid will release fewer hydrocarbons in electric mode, which distorts the EPA's fuel economy measurement process. A loophole that won't be fixed soon due to all of the hoopla (and money being made) surrounding hybrid technology.

When emissions get all straightened out, and low-sulfur diesel fuel is universally available, we'll see some exciting stuff in the area of diesels here in the US.

[Captain Ledd]

I drive 60 on the highway

*puts on flame suit

I know it pisses people off but I keep in the right most lane and keep a pretty steady speed. I decided to try it for 2 tanks after reading a thing about how fast fuel economy dropped off after 55 MPH or so. I ended up getting such good mileage out of the damn thing I never looked back. No fear of tickets, and I got to visit friends and places where otherwise everyone said "I don't have gas money".

Unfortunately the Saturn is starting to consume some oil, and once I get enough money I plan on ordering a 1.5L 3cyl turbo diesel, which interestingly enough makes the same HP and about 30 more lb ft of torque. it already doesn't make much power past 4K so I probably won't have to swap anything else out.