 OT: how far we've come?, 35 years of non-progress |
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| lapuwali |
 Mar 7 2006, 01:31 PM
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Not another one!  Group: Benefactors Posts: 4,526 Joined: 1-March 04 From: San Mateo, CA Member No.: 1,743   |
Hybrids are the buzzword now, and people marvel at how the latest Civic hybrid gets 50mpg.
Autoweek had a short article on the early Civics, which got 55mpg with a carb. 1.2L, 50hp, 1500lbs. Sure, they were slow, but they were described as still being fun to drive. The way most people drive modern Civics, I doubt they'd notice if they suddenly only had 50hp. (yes, I know emissions are much better, it's quieter, it crashes better, yada, yada...) |
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| byndbad914 |
Mar 8 2006, 03:37 PM
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shoehorn and some butter - it fits Group: Members Posts: 1,547 Joined: 23-January 06 From: Broomfield, CO Member No.: 5,463 Region Association: None |
this o/t thread is turning into a pretty good one (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/biggrin.gif)
I grew up in Iowa, and that crap-ass ethonal was "everywhere" in the 80s and pretty much everyone around me agreed that a) it was the goverment's way of subsidizing farmers in that it promoted them using empty land to grow corn, 2) being alcohol and given the amount of rubber in the fuel systems at the time, it tended to erode the lines and carburetor seals on 70s and earlier cars, so it tended to plug/ruin the carb and require a rebuild, and c) 2-3mpg was a pretty 'standard' loss in mileage... but what is really significant about that is that is against a car getting 15mpg, not 30mpg. So you had more like a 15-20% loss in economy. Of course, the second is foregone, but the other two points are still relevant IMO. And, of course, that was a blended fuel as well - not 100% ethanol. In the short term (say next 10-20yrs), I am on my own bandwagon of high-pressure diesels which are really efficient and powerful (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/smile.gif) Of course, there tends to be a big premium to pay on a car/truck with a diesel as well, which is unfortunate. Really why I bought the Lightning I have instead of a diesel F250 - the Lightning makes a ton of power and cost $15K less. So I have a long way to go to break even on the fuel mileage redux. If the Lightning were a supercharged clean burning diesel with similar power but 20-30% more mpg for $5-$7K more though, I would be stoked to have it. Here is a link to the Audi - now that's what I am talking about http://car.kak.net/modules.php?op=modload&...rticle&sid=4888 Audi makes some seriously nice turbo diesel cars in Europe |
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Posts in this topic
lapuwali OT: how far we've come? Mar 7 2006, 01:31 PM
SirAndy <... Mar 7 2006, 01:42 PM TonyAKAVW 
