saving gas $ (Bridgeport, Tornado: homes, construction jobs, buying)

[David Kennedy]

The USA goes into marketing cycles...1983 was the effect of the Jimmy Carter gas rationing on the auto industry...by 1983 we were seeing very well designed cars that were fuel efficient. Then we went into the Pick-up truck and SUV cycle which has turned into a catastrophie for those owners now...having a high priced vehicle that has no value on the market.

We will see in a hurry a match to the market...Toyota has been ready with the Prius.

What I was saying was this: The Aries was a lot bigger than the new egg shaped mini cars...it could be brought back with even better technology and fill a market slot for the family.

The mini cars are just commuters...to be efficient, we will need one to add to the family
fleet...

Lee Iaccoca was a great american...gave us the Mustang...gave Chrysler annother chance in the market...and did a good job with the Statue of Liberty...thanks, Lee.

[Retired Navy]

Originally Posted by Threerun

Oh and I'm not going to gamble with homebrew veggie diesel in a Cummins engine that cost $5,000 to replace. I get over 20mpg as it stands, it's paid for, it hauls the ever living snail snot of whatever I need to lug and I only pump fuel in the tank every two months. I can handle that one.

It's the folks that bought the "MEGA-ZILLLA HEMI-POWERED" fuel sucking pigs that are hurting. Especially those that use them as daily drivers to the office or plant.

What in the hell were they thinking?

I had a Cummins in the 3/4 ton pick-up I hauled my camper with. Great mileage and all the power in the world. Traded it in when I sold the camper. I now have a Dodge Magnum which has a 347 HP Hemi engine. Happily it gets about 19 MPG around town and 24 MPG on the road. My girlfriend has a 2004 1/2 ton Dodge pickup with the identical engine as I have in the Magnum and only gets 14 MPG regardless of town or highway. We pretty much leave it parked unless we need it for 4 wheel drive capability in the winter or need to haul something. Gonna trade my Heritage in tomorrow for a new Ultra Classic. Almost identical gas mileage, 34 in town and 54 highway, but if my motorcycle is going to become my primary mode of summer transportation I'm at least going to be comfortable and able to haul groceries in the bags and tour pac.

[citybilly]

RN - Maybe you could work something out with DK. A 347 Hemi could probably tow that Dodge Aries around.

[harborlady]

cummins, hemi, detroit diesel- would be nice to see high power retained but used more efficiently. Not all driving applications are same.
I saw DOE model on a black board to revise public transport of goods, leaning more on container distribution centers from ships/rail to truck weigh stations spidering out across america. Would reduce long haul trucker loads, keep them more local, unclog bridges/tolls plazas. Not sure how truckers feel about that plan though.

[David Kennedy]

Turbo charged 4 cyl...all it needs for an engine...Honda 2.2 liter clone.

[citybilly]

I'm just sayin'...'83 American cars that still run, are pretty scarce, aren't they? Look down in the holler, next to granny's old commode, sprouting weeds. Today's cars, to steal a line from some crappy movie I cant recall the name of, all look like electric shavers.

[David Kennedy]

I got that information from a 1983 National Geographic...old neighbor had it at a garage sale....$0.05. Had a great article on Savannah.

All these new tech cars do look like electric shavers...

[Threerun]

Or is it that all new electric shavers are mimicing the cars... hmmmm...

RN- those are pretty proud numbers for that hemi. I'm shocked. If I lay off the throttle and watch my shift points, I can squeeze 22+mpg out of my truck. Sometimes I wish I bought the 12V version of the cummins. All mechanical, 25mpg+ if properly dialed, runs on diesel, avgas, kero, veggie grease..

That is a superb engine. One of the most efficient, bullet proof designs of this century. Like they say, you buy a truck around the engine..

I say bring on the compacts. I grew up with them. First real car was a 75 Toyota Celica GT, then a 77 Celica GT, then an 85 Toyota PU, a Honda Civic Si, Toyota MR2...

I only swayed once by the lure of a muscle car.. a 1967 Mercury Cougar with a 302 and 4spd.. I didnt have it that long. Commuting to Baltimore from College Park MD cured me real quick when I couldn't afford to keep gas in it.

Funny how we come full circle.

[harborlady]

three- and how many know about folks living so deep rural that an electric car would leave them stranded 3/4's of the way to walmart? some of their roads aren't even paved- electric cars arent likely to work for them. it cant solve all things. but for those it does solve problems for, it should help price of gas come down for those rare rural folks who have little choice but to carry on with same old same old. Heck, LI solved it's snow plowing problem by having a master list of call on people with plows on their trucks for snow emergencies- they can still make things pay for themselves if they put in a bit of effort.

[David Kennedy]

I can see it now Harborlady:

Additional commerical license category (fee)
Permit to operate a business (fee)
State Business Registration (fee)
Local inspection for utility use of vehicle (fee)
Additional insurance cost for business use (fee)
DNR citation for plowing some of the salted snow into a stream (fee)
Union civil case to pay misplaced workers (fee)

I don't think any of the volunteers could afford to plow snow in Wv.

Grandpa taught me years ago...when the weather is bad...stay indoors...