Reply With QuoteThere's a reason they call vans like this "molester vans". :POriginally Posted by onething
At least he spelled "the" correctly this time... :PHOLY COW!
Someone get rx7glse sober or a spell checker!
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
There's a reason they call vans like this "molester vans". :P
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Re: It's not easy being an SUV owner!
bugga...[grumble mode : on]
I ran out to a customer in Wills Point, Texas yesterday for a meeting and stoped buy a couple others on my return to Ft. Worth. The POS support vehicle ('03 Ford Expedition) scored 16.1 mpg on the trip, and it used about $40.00 worth of gas for this little trip! I still have 1 more year on the lease on this thing!
Maybe I need to find a nice used VW TDi for running around and park the SUV.......
[grumble mode : off]
[gloat mode: on]
Hmmm... I think I last put fuel in the support wagon on the way back from Houston... Trip odo says 621 and I'm just below the 1/4 tank mark... I'm guessing this is another 52+mpg tank. In another week or so, I'll have to put in 16 gallons or so. Darn diesel is all the way up to $1.519, too...
[gloat mode: off]
Re: It's not easy being an SUV owner!
Am I the only one thinking that's not too bad considering I only get about 22 mpg in my Miata? I mean, that Expedition can hold 6 people and 400 tons of crap, weighs 2.5 times what my Miata weighs, can pull a tree out of the ground with the torque it produces, and will devastate my car in a crash while its own passengers might spill their coffee. And it's getting only about 6 miles-per-gallon less than my little car?
Sorry POS, but I'm not gonna cry you a river on that one...
"That which does not kill us, just makes us madder"
Cletus Nietzsche (Friedrich's half-brother on his sister's side)
Re: It's not easy being an SUV owner!
You make a good point but just this week alone I've put $87.00 worth of gas in the 'spedition!
I really haven't closely monitor the 1,257 gallons of gas I put in it since got it in Novemebr of 2002, but its average over the past 53 fillups has been 14.12815922 mpg.*
* The POS racer has kept the number of fillups low since I do use on average a couple days a week instead of running the Expedition.
Re: It's not easy being an SUV owner!
The Miata gets the mileage it does primarily because of two reasons: first, the gearing is low. Second, it's only slightly more aerodynamic than a brick. The first is the price you pay for decent acceleration, especially at highway speeds, and the second is the price you pay for having a top you can fold down with one hand.Am I the only one thinking that's not too bad considering I only get about 22 mpg in my Miata? I mean, that Expedition can hold 6 people and 400 tons of crap, weighs 2.5 times what my Miata weighs, can pull a tree out of the ground with the torque it produces, and will devastate my car in a crash while its own passengers might spill their coffee. And it's getting only about 6 miles-per-gallon less than my little car?
Sorry POS, but I'm not gonna cry you a river on that one...
Still, I'm now averaging about 24mpg (up a couple of mpg now that I've got 69k miles on this motor compared to when I had 30k miles on it) on craptacular 87 octane, and I even averaged about 23mpg towing the trailer back from the Tour at decidedly extra-legal speeds. By comparison, my 2.2L VTEC Prelude averaged about 19mpg (on premium), and the FD RX-7 got 10-12mpg on premium premixed 40:1 wth 2-stroke motor oil... when it ran.
My experience is that among typical sports/sporty cars, the Miata gets pretty good fuel economy.
Big motors with lots of low-end torque can allow for really tall cruising gears and wonderful highway fuel mileage. That's why Corvettes & F-bodys return over 30mpg freeway (with a really, really tall 6th gear), but only get mid teens around town.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
That and the automatics skip gears from what I've heard.The Miata gets the mileage it does primarily because of two reasons: first, the gearing is low. Second, it's only slightly more aerodynamic than a brick. The first is the price you pay for decent acceleration, especially at highway speeds, and the second is the price you pay for having a top you can fold down with one hand.Am I the only one thinking that's not too bad considering I only get about 22 mpg in my Miata? I mean, that Expedition can hold 6 people and 400 tons of crap, weighs 2.5 times what my Miata weighs, can pull a tree out of the ground with the torque it produces, and will devastate my car in a crash while its own passengers might spill their coffee. And it's getting only about 6 miles-per-gallon less than my little car?
Sorry POS, but I'm not gonna cry you a river on that one...
Still, I'm now averaging about 24mpg (up a couple of mpg now that I've got 69k miles on this motor compared to when I had 30k miles on it) on craptacular 87 octane, and I even averaged about 23mpg towing the trailer back from the Tour at decidedly extra-legal speeds. By comparison, my 2.2L VTEC Prelude averaged about 19mpg (on premium), and the FD RX-7 got 10-12mpg on premium premixed 40:1 wth 2-stroke motor oil... when it ran.
My experience is that among typical sports/sporty cars, the Miata gets pretty good fuel economy.
Big motors with lots of low-end torque can allow for really tall cruising gears and wonderful highway fuel mileage. That's why Corvettes & F-bodys return over 30mpg freeway (with a really, really tall 6th gear), but only get mid teens around town.
Chris
91 Miata (#3), Rattle Can Grey(previous owner), Greddy Turbo @7 PSI and Manifold (Only items remaining from the kit), TDR I/C, Godspeed Radiator, RM DP, 2.5 Enthuza Bipes, BEGI AFPR, ACT, Lightened Stock Flywheel, Yellow Konis, FCM on Stock Springs, HDM2S, MOMO Wheel, Ratsback Front CF Lip, Black Rota's on EcstaXS, Corrado Rotors & XP8's on Front w/ 1.8 rears.
http://austinmiata.com/
Wishlist: Megasquirt to run 12-13 PSI, White non-spray paint job, 8" 6UL's, RX7 LSD, Evans Waterless Coolant
I don't beleive the auto's do, but the manuals do..
if you're not in the throttle much it will mechanically force you do go from 1st to 4th instead of 2nd.
1984 GSL-SE - Its ALIVE!
1989 Suburban 4x4 - 4" Pro-Comp Lift 33" BFGs etc... DRUNK TANK!
2002 Protege5 - Lucky the drunk wagon SOLD
'04 MazdaSpeed Mx-5 Wheeee! Turbos are fun
How can I be so thirsty this morning, When I drank so much last night??
Re: It's not easy being an SUV owner!
Don't mistake me (and I don't think you are)... I don't have any problem with the fuel economy of my Miata. Heck, I have my foot in it pretty hard (well, not as hard as some
But I'll keep my brick. :)
"That which does not kill us, just makes us madder"
Cletus Nietzsche (Friedrich's half-brother on his sister's side)
I bet it adds up though. BTW I only get 22 MPG also, thats with the turbo. The least I get is 20 MPG in the city.
I wanna get a piggy back, decrease my fueling and shoot for 26- 28 MPG.
Chris
91 Miata (#3), Rattle Can Grey(previous owner), Greddy Turbo @7 PSI and Manifold (Only items remaining from the kit), TDR I/C, Godspeed Radiator, RM DP, 2.5 Enthuza Bipes, BEGI AFPR, ACT, Lightened Stock Flywheel, Yellow Konis, FCM on Stock Springs, HDM2S, MOMO Wheel, Ratsback Front CF Lip, Black Rota's on EcstaXS, Corrado Rotors & XP8's on Front w/ 1.8 rears.
http://austinmiata.com/
Wishlist: Megasquirt to run 12-13 PSI, White non-spray paint job, 8" 6UL's, RX7 LSD, Evans Waterless Coolant
My 2004 Chevy Colorado extended cab Z71 does pretty well. It has a 5 (yes 5) cylinder in line engine, 3.5 litres worth. 220 hp, and the sticker says 18 city, 24 highway. My mixed tanks have been 19+ mpg, and I ran to Austin and back and got 22 mpg. It doesn't even have 2000 miles yet and isn't even broken in. Pretty decent I think. This is better than my previous Ford Ranger 3.0 liter v6, which averaged 17 mpg and only had 150 hp and was smaller.
I'm waiting for some new turbo-diesel trucks or SUV's to come out before I consider buying anything else.
I drive the 92 Miata 1.6 much more though, and probably average 26-27 mpg's, driving like an idiot.
Yeah, I'm a little disappointed that Ford decided not to follow through with offering a turbo-diesel version of the new F-150. I'd love ot see that, or a turbo-diesel Explorer. I don't need anything larger than that.
Iain
"We don't stop playing because we grow old, we grow old because we stop playing." - George Bernard Shaw
Don't expect turbo-diesel anything under 6,000 pounds that doesn't say VW until 2006 when the US market diesel fuel cleans up its act...
Once that happens, all the nifty-clean Euro market motors will be easily adaptable to US market vehicles. Now... Personally, I'm hoping for the BMW 530d (or however they label it...)
Isn't Mercedes putting a diesel engine in the Jeep Liberty this year???
Ford has made noise about putting a diesel in the Expedition, but I have a feeling they are holding back until they come up with an engine that doesn’t sound like a mariachi band on crack. I had the displeasure of riding in an F-250 diesel last week you couldn’t hear anything in it but that power stroke diesel!
I think there would be huge response to 1/2 ton or light duty diesel pickup or SUV
The Jeep Liberty is the one I had been hearing about, even though that's not my favorite SUV... I had also read about the US diesel not being up to par with Euro diesel. Kudo's to VW for their tdi engines. The Passat is supposed get a slightly larger TDI than what's in the Jettas and bugs... I dream of 49 mpg's. Driving to Colorado in the summer on one tank..... Sorry for rambling.Isn't Mercedes putting a diesel engine in the Jeep Liberty this year???
Ford has made noise about putting a diesel in the Expedition, but I have a feeling they are holding back until they come up with an engine that doesn’t sound like a mariachi band on crack. I had the displeasure of riding in an F-250 diesel last week you couldn’t hear anything in it but that power stroke diesel!
You guys Miata mileage sounds pretty low... Obviously the 1.6 engines get somewhat better mileage than the 1.8's...
yep! that's the limiter right now... Diesels only get on heavy duty vehicles because of their lack of emissions standards..
But you're only partially correct there.. I don't kow if they're changing diesel fuel or not, but those motor are going to have to meet more stringent polution standards in 2007. I don't really expect that means you'll start seeing them in light duty vehicles, but they will most certainly become even *more* expensive on the heavy duty vehciles.
(hint, in 2005 and 2006 invest in the big truck manufacturers. they're goingto have great sales years.. then sell before the '07 stuff hits, because they're gonna TANK!)
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