A bigger tank means having to use an ounce or more of that heavy plastic. :shades:
I seem to recall that the test procedure involves bypassing the gas tank entirely but it's been a long time since someone posted a link with all the nitty-gritty test procedures. The fuel measurement is somewhat exotic too; something about measuring the emissions. All a bit esoteric.
Small gas tanks, less weight=better mileage..you think???
Probably not enough to make a difference. I think a gallon of gasoline weighs around 6 pounds. So, jumping from a 12 gallon tank to even an 18 gallon is only going to add about 36 pounds. Plus whatever the bigger tank weighs, but that's probably not going to be more than a couple pounds at best.
I don't think adding 40 pounds to the weight of a car is going to have any significant impact on fuel economy, to the average buyer at least. To the auto industry, it might be a different story though. If a manufacturer doesn't meet the CAFE standards, they get fined something like 55 cents per 1/10 of an mpg, multiplied by how many cars they sold that year.
I think the maximum "potty hold" is around 200 miles. Most gas tanks will meet that requirement..However, with the squirt-size cars being touted today the thought of enduring an 800 mile run is scary..without a stop every 100 miles to regain sanity, stretch, and ponder the next stop..Cars like the Cruze, Escort, Fiat 500, Smart for Two, Sonic, and a bunch of others fit this category. Anything with a little buzzy 4-banger engine..around 140 hp..
My worst gas guzzler was my 36' 1968 Chris-Craft Corvette w/twin 427s which did 1 mpg..however held around 200 gallons..
Gas is going to cheaper so don't sweat the small stuff, live it up, and get a big V-8 for the politicians you voted for are trying to downsize every single aspect of your life, just watch the California libs to see what in store for you..
I do enjoy reading the posts on this forum, and my opinion is that Ford is really the only American car company remaining..Let's discount the content sticker on the door, and the final assembly plant..The intervention of the Govt on GM and Chrysler removed all insight and traceable trail of money, corruption, and any accountability of events..Chrysler was bang-bang gone, wonderful deal..wow??? GM is mired in B-llc--p.. The "Magic Wand", our ability to print money...
Ford has some good old structure left, whereas socialism has captured GM and Chrysler..tangled web of intrigue..
"As Honda prepares to mark the 30-year anniversary of its U.S. auto manufacturing presence on Nov. 1, the role of its American plants is evolving and expanding.
U.S.-based manufacturing managers and line workers who once looked routinely to Japan for guidance and traveled to Tokyo for training are now helping newer plants in other countries with important vehicle launches."
They'll probably disappear not long after Suzuki, which for all anyone knows, doesn't actually sell cars in this country anymore either.
On the other hand, I currently plan to buy a car built in America, with an engine built in America, buy an American company. Unfortunately, said American company is owned by an Italian company. :shades: But at least it's not a Japanese company (and especially not a Japanese company owned by a French company, haha!). :shades:
A senator for Ohio running against a good opponent tried to use the Ohio built and having "saved" GM in his campaign commercial. But the wheels aren't made in Ohio and they're not aluminum.
Our American icons are tanking with the Dow Jones up on speculation of European positive outcome and our improved unemployment nos...Great game of hype..
Toyota and Honda stocks are up nicely..
It happens every Thursday, and I love to "short the S&P", doom and gloom tomorrow??? I hope..
Now to cars, anyone loving the Cruze should consider a Camry SE w/4 banger power..Could be bought for under 20k..IMHO.....I don't own one, but based on the 2002 SLE in my garage approaching 90k, under my care for 5+yrs, it has been very reliable..I drove it 15 mos ago, however the owner will immediately inform me of any glitches with the car..
Any small car built by the Big3 in the past was somewhat of a disaster, maybe they have gained enough insight watching the Asians and Europeans for the last 20 yrs to put something fit to own..
What is your favorite Auto Insurance Company???? Having lived in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, and Germany owning 53 cars, driving way too many miles, I find that Florida is probably the worst for high costs..10 yrs ago upon moving to Ocala, Fl from Michigan, found an agent that underwrote for a Georgia company that was cheap and paid claims when they occurred w/o any hassle..After moving further south, I keep the auto with them and being in the Hurricane region, Home insurance is a big pain..However my great Georgia Ins. moved out of Florida and the company known for the "umbrella logo" took over the business and gradually hiking the rates every chance at renewal intervals. Doubling on same car w/o any glitches on driving record..
Wait until I get a Caddy CTS-V, maybe have to give up eating to afford insurance..
The Cruze is the first subcompact car by any low-priced marque foreign or domestic I'd seriously consider. Per insurance companies, I've been with Erie for over 24 years and they've been good to me.
If you like the Cruze you'll probably LOVE the Dart.
I like them both, but lean towards the Dart, mainly because it feels roomier up front. I think the Cruze has nicer interior materials though, and its trunk is definitely larger. The Dart definitely has a more youthful, aggressive stance about it. But the Cruze is still nice, in its conservative way.
Heck I like Mazdas and I like the Dart.
For some reason, the Mazda6 has been catching my eye lately.
I first saw a 500 at the Mopar show in Carlisle PA last year. There was an announcer with a microphone bragging about how roomy it was, and how great the headroom was. He said that he challenged anyone to sit in it, to see if their head hit the ceiling.
Unfortunately, by the time I got to sit in it, that guy was on his lunch break.
I will continue to say it, people like you greatly overemphasize the negative effect of Daimler on Chrysler; if anything, Chrysler almost took Daimler down with them into the toilet.
Cars like the Neon (there were others like the Stratus, Cirrus, and such) were what brought Chrysler down. Interesting looks, design, numbers/stats got them the sales in the 90's, but poorly executed with shoddy engineering quality, shoddy assembly, and shoddy parts quality; that is what took its toll in the long run.
Remember, not only has my family and I avoided Chrysler since that '95 Neon, but I can't think of a single friend that grew up with me (I had that Neon as a teenager in HS and college) that has purchased one either; since they knew about my experience with it firsthand. Now for friends later in life or my wife's friends, unfortunately they have fallen for Chryslers scams (and I failed in my duty to prevent it), but really, Chrysler loses a lot of business after one chance to ruin it. They are good at one thing, and that is losing a customer after just one experience.
I'm afraid that hasn't changed at all. Good thing for them a sucker is born every minute in this world. It might actually help their age demographics, cause the old and wise stay far far away from them.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
MB/DB was having sporadic quality issues before the "merger", but there did seem to be an intensification of bad ideas when it was fully underway. I think the Germans were more than able to eat the loss...as I like to say, it was revenge for 1945 :shades:
That could be it. Germans tend to have a very dry and harsh sense of humor. Sadly for American car lovers, DB might have won the Chrysler game - they don't seem to be hurting now, and Chrysler was reduced to nearly a corpse before someone revived it.
With the Yen so strong it hurts the bottom line that they make all Imprezas and Foresters in Japan. They should make those here, especially the popular Forester, since the US is its best market.
As a customer, I don't give a rat's behind about the bottom line. Those Japanese sure do make, build, and assemble cars at a high caliber of workmanship. How do you think Honda and Toyota got their legendary reliability reputation? I'll take a VIN # that starts with a J anyday.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
When you stop and look at it, there is really no intrinsic reason why used home values should climb over the last half century while EVERYTHING else we buy depreciates...cars, furniture, appliances, etc are all worth much less 2-3 years after purchase, yet the world thought that real estate should go up over time...WHY???...I mean, really, WHY???...just because it DID does not mean that it was reasonable...
Just like folks thpought the Nasdaq would rise forever in the dotcom boom, and it did hit 5200...and then it crashed, taking with it $5 trillion in wealth...but it's rise made no sense, as all those companies were just electronic myths, with no assets, no sales and no revenues...and certainly no profits...yet everybody thought they would go to the moon...
Real estate is now simply the purchase of a place to live, and it will drop in value the older it gets, just like a car or your TV or your furniture...
There is no intrinsic reason for it to increase in value if it is older and more used and worn...and that is the reality for homes in the next 50 years...
That's the smartest thing I've read in a long, LONG time! Maybe you should be the "Anybody but Romney" nominee for President!
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Okay, your National sales tax plan has just lost my vote.
It's far too RICH 1% friendly. I mean way OVER THE TOP rich only friendly.
The rich will go around and buy millions and millions of dollars of goods right before the sales tax is implemented, and they won't have to buy anything for the next 20 years! Therefore the rich will be tax-free for the rest of their lives basically by "stocking up" and the poor don't have the resources to "stock up" nor the land and property to secure or store it.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Or will simply buy offshore and ship it in privately, as they continue to accumulate endless mountains of undeserved gold and sneak it away to Switzerland and the Caribbean. It's going to trickle down though, any day now, I promise.
At this point maybe I should just accumulate what i can and then go live like a king in the Phillipines or something. So long as I can get a Dodge or Mazda there...
if raw food is untaxed, but processed food is taxed, the poor who buy necessities would pay little tax, but the "poor" who live on potato chips and cookies would pay tax...what is wrong with that???
You'd need at least 10 pages just to define what qualifies as processed and what doesn't. I find it hilarious if I get a Subway sandwhich and toast it, I have to bribe CA with about 8% in sales tax, but if I take it cold it's tax free.
The sales tax is really the worst and most hatable tax there is. I really loathe the sales tax idea. It's also easily bypassable (discount parts and I'll pay you 135% your labor rate) for example.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
That's one thing I like about having and A3 and then souping it up and modifying it into an S3. If Audi brought the S3 stateside, I'm sure the insurance companies would be able to legally rape me. This way, I get to stick it to them!
Insurance companies are like Mexican drug cartels. If they could murder you and get away with it (say right after you make a claim so that they don't have to pay it), they would! The only reason they don't is because it's blatantly illegal right now, and the US has some enforcement and justice. In fact, I bet there are some former insurance claims adjusters working for the cartels right now, and vice versa.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
That's one thing I like about having and A3 and then souping it up and modifying it into an S3
If you get in a major accident, though, are you sure you'll be covered? I bet they investigate, find the mods, and then don't cover the claim.
When I went to insure my Miata they actually asked me if I had any performance modifications. Not sure if they would not have covered it, or charged more, but I'm sure they were asking for a reason.
I kinda, sorta looks like a RAV. It was probably inspired by it but IMHO it doesn't like like a direct copy. Interestingly, it's assembled in Uruguay. I wonder if it has enough local content to qualify as Mercosur made and avoid tariffs.
People do seem to forget that the company that got one of the very biggest individual bailouts was an insurance company, AIG.
Pro-insurance folks will say that's just one company in thousands. Truthseekers will note that AIG was THE single biggest insurance company in the US, and therefore can justly be used as an example of a failed and corrupt industry.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
If you get in a major accident, though, are you sure you'll be covered? I bet they investigate, find the mods, and then don't cover the claim.
Based on my reading of the entire policy book cover to cover (contract back to back), they can't deny the claim because I don't use an OEM part.
Now the additions and alterations aren't covered per say, but the vehicle's original supposed value (taking into account mileage/wear and tear) is still used. So the extra lightweight wheels that cost twice as much as the OEM parts won't be covered, but they'll replace it with an OEM wheel should it be damaged due to my own fault and I make a claim. I'll be out the money I spent on upgrades, unless I notify them and state a value for said upgrades, for which they'll charge extra, but I'll still get what I started with back.
The point is they can't charge me "extra" just because there is no data on accident and claims rates on S3's in the US. Now if you modify your S10 into a Corvette, I suppose they'd have an argument that the extra 300 HP shouuld cost you something extra like a Corvette would.
'18 Porsche Macan Turbo, '16 Audi TTS, Wife's '19 VW Tiguan SEL 4-Motion
Comments
I seem to recall that the test procedure involves bypassing the gas tank entirely but it's been a long time since someone posted a link with all the nitty-gritty test procedures. The fuel measurement is somewhat exotic too; something about measuring the emissions. All a bit esoteric.
Probably not enough to make a difference. I think a gallon of gasoline weighs around 6 pounds. So, jumping from a 12 gallon tank to even an 18 gallon is only going to add about 36 pounds. Plus whatever the bigger tank weighs, but that's probably not going to be more than a couple pounds at best.
I don't think adding 40 pounds to the weight of a car is going to have any significant impact on fuel economy, to the average buyer at least. To the auto industry, it might be a different story though. If a manufacturer doesn't meet the CAFE standards, they get fined something like 55 cents per 1/10 of an mpg, multiplied by how many cars they sold that year.
Anything with a little buzzy 4-banger engine..around 140 hp..
My worst gas guzzler was my 36' 1968 Chris-Craft Corvette w/twin 427s which did 1 mpg..however held around 200 gallons..
Gas is going to cheaper so don't sweat the small stuff, live it up, and get a big V-8 for the politicians you voted for are trying to downsize every single aspect of your life, just watch the California libs to see what in store for you..
I do enjoy reading the posts on this forum, and my opinion is that Ford is really the only American car company remaining..Let's discount the content sticker on the door, and the final assembly plant..The intervention of the Govt on GM and Chrysler removed all insight and traceable trail of money, corruption, and any accountability of events..Chrysler was bang-bang gone, wonderful deal..wow??? GM is mired in B-llc--p.. The "Magic Wand", our ability to print money...
Ford has some good old structure left, whereas socialism has captured GM and Chrysler..tangled web of intrigue..
I do think you could go long distance in a Cruze...provided you're in the front seat.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
U.S.-based manufacturing managers and line workers who once looked routinely to Japan for guidance and traveled to Tokyo for training are now helping newer plants in other countries with important vehicle launches."
30 years later, Honda evolves (Detroit News)
They'll probably disappear not long after Suzuki, which for all anyone knows, doesn't actually sell cars in this country anymore either.
On the other hand, I currently plan to buy a car built in America, with an engine built in America, buy an American company. Unfortunately, said American company is owned by an Italian company. :shades: But at least it's not a Japanese company (and especially not a Japanese company owned by a French company, haha!). :shades:
Please ignore any politics.
http://www.youtube.com/embed/ettjF5iOc4E
If the link does not give the video, here's the link to the Plain Dealer page.
With all the discussion here on what's what, I thought some would enjoy the irony in his misspeaking about how much is made where.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
Toyota and Honda stocks are up nicely..
It happens every Thursday, and I love to "short the S&P", doom and gloom tomorrow??? I hope..
Now to cars, anyone loving the Cruze should consider a Camry SE w/4 banger power..Could be bought for under 20k..IMHO.....I don't own one, but based on the 2002 SLE in my garage approaching 90k, under my care for 5+yrs, it has been very reliable..I drove it 15 mos ago, however the owner will immediately inform me of any glitches with the car..
Any small car built by the Big3 in the past was somewhat of a disaster, maybe they have gained enough insight watching the Asians and Europeans for the last 20 yrs to put something fit to own..
What is your favorite Auto Insurance Company???? Having lived in Indiana, Ohio, Michigan, Illinois, Florida, and Germany owning 53 cars, driving way too many miles, I find that Florida is probably the worst for high costs..10 yrs ago upon moving to Ocala, Fl from Michigan, found an agent that underwrote for a Georgia company that was cheap and paid claims when they occurred w/o any hassle..After moving further south, I keep the auto with them and being in the Hurricane region, Home insurance is a big pain..However my great Georgia Ins. moved out of Florida and the company known for the "umbrella logo" took over the business and gradually hiking the rates every chance at renewal intervals. Doubling on same car w/o any glitches on driving record..
Wait until I get a Caddy CTS-V, maybe have to give up eating to afford insurance..
Heck I like Mazdas and I like the Dart. :shades:
I see a couple running around our small city and I don't even know where the closest dealer is, so they had to go somewhere farther away to buy them.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I like them both, but lean towards the Dart, mainly because it feels roomier up front. I think the Cruze has nicer interior materials though, and its trunk is definitely larger. The Dart definitely has a more youthful, aggressive stance about it. But the Cruze is still nice, in its conservative way.
Heck I like Mazdas and I like the Dart.
For some reason, the Mazda6 has been catching my eye lately.
Unfortunately, by the time I got to sit in it, that guy was on his lunch break.
Cars like the Neon (there were others like the Stratus, Cirrus, and such) were what brought Chrysler down. Interesting looks, design, numbers/stats got them the sales in the 90's, but poorly executed with shoddy engineering quality, shoddy assembly, and shoddy parts quality; that is what took its toll in the long run.
Remember, not only has my family and I avoided Chrysler since that '95 Neon, but I can't think of a single friend that grew up with me (I had that Neon as a teenager in HS and college) that has purchased one either; since they knew about my experience with it firsthand. Now for friends later in life or my wife's friends, unfortunately they have fallen for Chryslers scams (and I failed in my duty to prevent it), but really, Chrysler loses a lot of business after one chance to ruin it. They are good at one thing, and that is losing a customer after just one experience.
I'm afraid that hasn't changed at all. Good thing for them a sucker is born every minute in this world. It might actually help their age demographics, cause the old and wise stay far far away from them.
As a customer, I don't give a rat's behind about the bottom line. Those Japanese sure do make, build, and assemble cars at a high caliber of workmanship. How do you think Honda and Toyota got their legendary reliability reputation? I'll take a VIN # that starts with a J anyday.
Just like folks thpought the Nasdaq would rise forever in the dotcom boom, and it did hit 5200...and then it crashed, taking with it $5 trillion in wealth...but it's rise made no sense, as all those companies were just electronic myths, with no assets, no sales and no revenues...and certainly no profits...yet everybody thought they would go to the moon...
Real estate is now simply the purchase of a place to live, and it will drop in value the older it gets, just like a car or your TV or your furniture...
There is no intrinsic reason for it to increase in value if it is older and more used and worn...and that is the reality for homes in the next 50 years...
That's the smartest thing I've read in a long, LONG time! Maybe you should be the "Anybody but Romney" nominee for President!
It's far too RICH 1% friendly. I mean way OVER THE TOP rich only friendly.
The rich will go around and buy millions and millions of dollars of goods right before the sales tax is implemented, and they won't have to buy anything for the next 20 years! Therefore the rich will be tax-free for the rest of their lives basically by "stocking up" and the poor don't have the resources to "stock up" nor the land and property to secure or store it.
You'd need at least 10 pages just to define what qualifies as processed and what doesn't. I find it hilarious if I get a Subway sandwhich and toast it, I have to bribe CA with about 8% in sales tax, but if I take it cold it's tax free.
The sales tax is really the worst and most hatable tax there is. I really loathe the sales tax idea. It's also easily bypassable (discount parts and I'll pay you 135% your labor rate) for example.
Insurance companies are like Mexican drug cartels. If they could murder you and get away with it (say right after you make a claim so that they don't have to pay it), they would! The only reason they don't is because it's blatantly illegal right now, and the US has some enforcement and justice. In fact, I bet there are some former insurance claims adjusters working for the cartels right now, and vice versa.
Those 2 makes have continued to do well with cars made in the USA. In fact, many of the transplants win quality awards left and right.
If you get in a major accident, though, are you sure you'll be covered? I bet they investigate, find the mods, and then don't cover the claim.
When I went to insure my Miata they actually asked me if I had any performance modifications. Not sure if they would not have covered it, or charged more, but I'm sure they were asking for a reason.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport-2020 C43-1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica
Wife's: 2021 Sahara 4xe
Son's: 2018 330i xDrive
Besides some chassis bracing mine was stock BTW.
China, gotta love it.
I hope the copycar drivers have good health insurance.
They probably make molds from the positives, and you know how you lose quality each time you make a mold of something?
Chery. It only looks like quality. From far away. LOL
I like feeling good about my vehicle...I couldn't do so seeing that logo on the steering wheel hub.
Here's a good one for ya:
URL if you can't see the image above:
http://fbcdn-sphotos-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-ash4/431807_385458781519853_18920- 69893_n.jpg
Insurance companies alone will hopefully stop those things from coming here.
The car is a write-off.
Is that the Tiggo??
I kinda, sorta looks like a RAV. It was probably inspired by it but IMHO it doesn't like like a direct copy. Interestingly, it's assembled in Uruguay. I wonder if it has enough local content to qualify as Mercosur made and avoid tariffs.
Pro-insurance folks will say that's just one company in thousands. Truthseekers will note that AIG was THE single biggest insurance company in the US, and therefore can justly be used as an example of a failed and corrupt industry.
Based on my reading of the entire policy book cover to cover (contract back to back), they can't deny the claim because I don't use an OEM part.
Now the additions and alterations aren't covered per say, but the vehicle's original supposed value (taking into account mileage/wear and tear) is still used. So the extra lightweight wheels that cost twice as much as the OEM parts won't be covered, but they'll replace it with an OEM wheel should it be damaged due to my own fault and I make a claim. I'll be out the money I spent on upgrades, unless I notify them and state a value for said upgrades, for which they'll charge extra, but I'll still get what I started with back.
The point is they can't charge me "extra" just because there is no data on accident and claims rates on S3's in the US. Now if you modify your S10 into a Corvette, I suppose they'd have an argument that the extra 300 HP shouuld cost you something extra like a Corvette would.
Of this:
Even the wheelarch angles are virtually identical.