Are gas prices fueling your pain?

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Comments

  • kernickkernick Member Posts: 4,072
    A lot of cars won't pull their highest gear at 55 mph, especially in hilly areas. What gives better MPG - a steady 65 in fifth gear, or regular downshifting to 4th to maintain 55?

    There is no 1 correct answer: It depends on the 1) car aerodynamics and 2) the gearing. Of course the hill length and grade also are factors, that may change the answer.

    The more aerodynamic the vehicle the less effect driving faster will have. And as someone else mentioned keeping the lower rpm's is beneficial.

    The best answer is to keep your tire pressure up, run in highest gear, and keep the rpm's low.
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    ...get weaker with more miles and years with a corresponding drop in fuel economy? What other factors can affect hybrid battery life like heat, cold, climate, altitude, etc.?
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,055
    A lot of cars won't pull their highest gear at 55 mph, especially in hilly areas. What gives better MPG - a steady 65 in fifth gear, or regular downshifting to 4th to maintain 55?

    Yeah, you can only gear a car so tall before you start running into problems, so in many cases, an additional overdrive ratios might just be useless.

    One example I can think of that comes to mind is Chrysler in 1981. That year, they switched their standard axle ratio in V-8 cars from an already loafy 2.45:1 to a ridiculous 2.26:1. They didn't have the resources to develop a 4-speed overdrive automatic like Ford or GM, so they did what they could.

    Unfortunately, this axle change put too much of a stress on the 1st and 2nd gear of the transmission. So they had to bump up first gear from 2.45:1 to something like 2.74:1. Second gear went from 1.45:1 to maybe 1.58:1. They were able to leave 3rd gear alone though, at 1.00:1. I'd imagine though, that the car was a lot more apt to downshift at highway speeds with the 2.26 than it had been with the 2.45 axle.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    I can't see too many persuasive reasons to buy a Fit over a Civic and not even really over an I4 Accord. If a Fit got 50 mpg, people would line up for it.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    It's hypothetical to me, really. On the interstate, I am one of the evil people travelling at 80 mph.
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    You can legally import into the US any vehicle that is at least 25 years old, like this:

    image
    Honda City Turbo
  • future4ufuture4u Member Posts: 25
    First off , it's not nonsense and secondly I've not mentioned the
    company name nor provided any URLs so , how did I violate any rules ???. It takes immensely ignorant people to " shoot the messenger " .

    Go ahead and keep giving your money to the ones who are really ripping you off ,
    the automobile manufacturers , the oil companies and the Government . That way you'll never run out of reasons to do what you apparently like most to do , just sit there and complain .
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,135
    Any reasonable reading of your post shows it to be an advertisement, prices included. And yes, I have researched this whole HHO thing, and have found layer after layer of unfounded claims and missing/mistaken "science".
  • future4ufuture4u Member Posts: 25
    How can you construe my post as an advertisement ? No
    company name nor URL .

    I've relayed the message that there are alternatives to the
    consumption of the mushroom fodder you seem to enjoy .
    We all have choices and it is not my intension to save you
    from yours .

    We all also have responsibilities and thus I am concerned about the screwed up planet and insurmountable debts we expect our heirs to endure .
    I intend to be part of the solution , not the problem . What say you ?
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    I thought the imported car had to meet US bumper and emission standards when it was made, even it it's a bit older than 25? This site lists varying dates back to '73 for emissions stuff, for example:

    Importing Your Car into the U.S. (foreignborn.com)

    Sounds like a moving target if the import isn't a true classic (whatever that is, lol).
  • future4ufuture4u Member Posts: 25
    Since you have researched " this whole HHO thing " , how about revealing your discoveries ? " Layer after layer of unfounded claims " and " Missing/mistaken science " . Please provide us with the source of your learnings .

    Posting prices is advertising ? If that's the case you people are advertising for the oil companies when you post gasoline prices . Some even post the prices of certain models of vehicles . Come-on , get real with your analogies .

    BTW , I'm willing to put my money where my mouth is regarding those " unfounded claims " . What say you ??
  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    Don't feed the trolls. :shades:
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Actually we have a Hydrogen Fuel Cell Cars discussion that would be more directly on topic, so please take it there or one of the other Hydrogen Vehicles discussions.

    On the subject of what are you going to do,

    Frustrated owners try to unload their guzzlers (Boston.com)
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,135
    Actually, this fits more under Gas Saving Gizmos and Gadgets

    Nothing about these things is related to fuel cells, except they both involve hydrogen.

    Oh, and he's already advertising elsewhere in the forums.
  • tony78tony78 Member Posts: 16
    you ever notice how a tall person buys a little car and a short person buys a big car? or when the merge lane ends on the freeway, there always seems to be that guy who has to cut in front of the line, then you got the guy cruising the double nickel in the land yacht and you got the guy or gal that buys that overstuffed couch potatoe suv/4x4 dualie mega hemi pickup that never caries anything bigger than the latest movie rental from the video store and they swear the only reason they got it with 4 wheel drive is in case the chinese invade. remember back in kindergarden about the kid at the drinking fountain, the ones who got picked first and the ones who got picked last and the ones who did the picking?
    then there was the kid who wanted to be on everyones team and the kid who prefered to observe and referee.
  • bumpybumpy Member Posts: 4,425
    Naah, that's for stuff under 25. Once it hits that magical date, it's basically a free ride.
  • future4ufuture4u Member Posts: 25
    The automobile manufacturers , oil companies and the Government all make oodles
    from higher volume of motor fuel sales and built in obsolescence . To accomodate this
    result the auto manufacturers utilize their on board computer that will go into default
    when it recognizes any substantial improvement in fuel economy for any length of time
    The oil companies have several reformulations to their fuel to combat anyone trying to fool the computer . The EPA simply sits on their hands and will not approve of inventions or discoveries that will disrupt the status quo .

    There are solutions to the problems . Complaining , but doing zilch is not one of them
  • mattandimattandi Member Posts: 588
    That's quite a conspiracy.
  • paulbrpaulbr Member Posts: 3
    Going to continue driving my 02 civic 5-speed. Gets better mileage than my buddy's new Camry hybrid. And I get to downshift and drive like a jerk when I want to. Gotta love that.

    Of course if Clinton gets the nomination and continues to talk about breaking up OPEC, we're all going to reminisce about the days when gas was $4/gallon.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    It is almost unbelievable.
  • future4ufuture4u Member Posts: 25
    Frankly , Steve , I really don't have the time to waste on forums .
  • future4ufuture4u Member Posts: 25
    Yep , it sure is and has been quite effective over the years .

    BTW , the company that has the solution and bringing it to
    the market place has the proof of this conspiracy . The conspirators have
    been quite correct in their calculations regarding their expected responses
    by the general populace - sheeple .
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    You're certainly wasting ours.
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • fintailfintail Member Posts: 58,522
    I'm still waiting for gas prices to make gas powered leaf blowers unattractive.

    Not to mention these things must put out the emissions of 100 idling cars.
  • lemmerlemmer Member Posts: 2,689
    I have a two year old Murray lawnmower that probably blows out more pollution than Andre's entire disco fleet of cars. I was thinking of buying a new Honda mower with the hopes that they are a big improvement in noise, pollution, and MPG (or whatever you call it for a mower).
  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    MPG - mowings per gallon?
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,135
    Goldman Sachs is predicting $150-200/Bbl oil "within two years". Hello, hybrid!
    $150-$200/Bbl
  • lemkolemko Member Posts: 15,261
    Fuel Economy figures for lawnmowers?

    Maybe SYPG = Square yards per gallon?
  • dieselonedieselone Member Posts: 5,729
    The automobile manufacturers , oil companies and the Government all make oodles
    from higher volume of motor fuel sales and built in obsolescence .


    Hey, Rick Wagoner just called. He's looking for the oodles of money GM is supposedly getting from all these under the table kick backs. LOL.

    Gee, I guess GM would have lost $6 billion the last qtr. if it wasn't getting subsidies from motor fuel sales. LOL
  • kernickkernick Member Posts: 4,072
    That's quite a conspiracy.

    I've heard this formula was found in Roswell, NM and that the guvmint and big oil hid the formula for years. The formula was buried in the "grassy knoll" in Dallas, and only recently discovered by the producers of the X-Files.

    Why would you believe the Laws of Thermodynamics, and not believe these guys. :D
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    What say you ?

    I am happy for you getting 100 MPG. Leaves more gas for my big SUV....
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Unfortunately, all of those hybrids are freaking expensive, especially compared to their non-hybrid versions. Which they make difficult because the hybrids sometimes have some extra equipment but are missing other equipment

    Another opinion based on unfounded misinformation. In fact the hybrid Camry is only about $2500 higher in price than the equivalent non-hybrid trim.

    The TCH is roughly equivalent to the 4c XLE in equipment but it has two key differences...
    ...it's significantly quicker with more horsepower... 187 vs 161.
    ...it gets real world fuel economy of a Corolla....36-38 all day long
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    The oil companies have several reformulations to their fuel to combat anyone trying to fool the computer

    You have absolutely no idea how silly you sound. IF anyone comes up with a gizmo that will double the mileage of an internal combustion engine they will be BILLIONAIRES. They will not need a Ponzi scheme to sell some fruit jar with electrodes hanging out of it. They are all over the web as cheap as $50. The money would be better spent just putting gas in the tank.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    ANOTHER opinion founded on misinformation.

    GM has already announce that it's 2-Mode technology will be input into the following vehicles

    Tahoe/Yukon this year
    Escalade later this year or next
    Silverado/Sierra next year
    Saturn Vue this year or next
    Saturn Aura/Chevy Malibu next 18 months

    followed soon by the lambda triplets.

    The 2-Mode is every bit as capable as the Honda or Toyota or Ford systems. It seems best in midsized to large vehcles. The HSD and Ford's system seems best in midsized vehicles. The IMA seems best in small vehicles
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    The TCH is roughly equivalent to the 4c XLE

    That may be true. My understanding is the LE 4C is the biggest seller. The hybrid option over the LE is closer to $5k. Which is what most people will look at. Maybe you have a break down on the sales figures for all the models of the Camry.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Sorry my friend this is innaccurate. The tradein prices for hybrids are still ridiculously high, lack of supply. You can look it up on Edmunds, I do it all the time. Black Book online and Mannheim online confirm this as well.

    There is already 7+ years of history on the technology. The one point that jumps out in all the analyses is that the maintenance on the hybrids is below that of the traditional gassers.

    Running them til the wheels fall off is always the best method.
  • fezofezo Member Posts: 10,386
    Weren't they later destroyed in the US government bombing of the World Trade Center?
    2015 Mazda 6 Grand Touring, 2014 Mazda 3 Sport Hatchback, 1999 Mazda Miata 2004 Toyota Camry LE, 1999.
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Not by trim level but there was just an article here on Edmunds that in March the hybrid Camry outsold the V6 Camry but was well under the 4c models. As to trim levels only Toyota knows that data. Typically in the past 70-80% of all Camrys and Accords were the 4c models.

    The LE is the high volume trim but it is in no way comparable to the base TCH. The LE is a standard auto, nothing more. Interestingly Toyota decided to offer a hybrid option to the LE this year at a reduced price...very few have taken them up on the option. The demand is still for the nicer XLE-type TCH.
  • gagricegagrice Member Posts: 31,450
    I did not see a $22k TCH listed. I see the 2009 TCH is more than last years. The stripped version is selling here according to Edmund's for $25,607. That is $5,600 more than the LE.....
  • kdhspyderkdhspyder Member Posts: 7,160
    Similar equipment...

    The base LE does not have VSC/TRAC. When this is added to the LE with mats the MSRP is $22164 vs $25607 for the 'strippie' TCH. Also there is no SmartKeySystem available in any LE trim.
  • bpizzutibpizzuti Member Posts: 2,743
    Yeah, and GM also announced that they'll be driven in by Santa and his pal the Easter Bunny. Sorry but I trust GM about as far as a Suburban would get on a gallon of gas. :shades:

    We'll have to see how their upcoming two-mode hybrid technology does in the Aura and Malibu, but given the silly "mild hybrid" technology they've been trying to pawn off, I'm skeptical.

    Incidentally, I was also being sarcastic to the guy's dumb question. :P
  • steverstever Guest Posts: 52,454
    Naah, that's for stuff under 25. Once it hits that magical date, it's basically a free ride.

    That's not the way I read it (but I misread stuff all the time :shades: ).

    Vehicles excluded from the emission requirements of the Clean Air Act:

    Light-duty gasoline-fueled car or truck built before January 1, 1968

    EPA

    So, 2008-1968 is er, 40 years. And any car built after 1/1/68 has to meet the emissions regs of the time of manufacture. I'm thinking a car built for a market other than the US might not get that free ride? Say, an old, gray market Mercedes gasser?
  • jimbresjimbres Member Posts: 2,025
    These guys were thicker than fleas during the late 70s. Dunno what they were doing during the years of cheap oil - probably hawking male ED remedies, I guess.
  • ivan_99ivan_99 Member Posts: 1,681
    I can't see too many persuasive reasons to buy a Fit over a Civic and not even really over an I4 Accord. If a Fit got 50 mpg, people would line up for it.

    Maybe it uses less fuel idling...

    My wife gets around 12-14 mpg in our mini-van...she tells our son she'll be the first one waiting for him when he gets out of school.

    So an hour or so later idling with the AC on full the mpg takes a nose dive
  • andre1969andre1969 Member Posts: 26,055
    So, 2008-1968 is er, 40 years. And any car built after 1/1/68 has to meet the emissions regs of the time of manufacture. I'm thinking a car built for a market other than the US might not get that free ride? Say, an old, gray market Mercedes gasser?

    I don't know about cars brought in from other countries, but in the US, the way to get around that is to put historic tags on the car. At least, in Maryland. Do that, and you're exempt from the emissions test and the safety inspection. That also means you're not supposed to drive the car all the time. In MD, you used to be able to get historic tags for a car 25 years and older, but they recently changed it to 20 years and older.

    If you get regular tags on a car, if you live in an area of MD that requires an emissions test (not all counties do), then if it's 1977 or newer, it has to go through. 1976 and older is exempt.
  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,135
    "they recently changed it to 20 years and older"

    Historic :confuse:
    image
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Still that is less than half the mileage of the diesel Smart at 75 MPG combined.

    I seriously doubt that the diesel Smart gets 75 MPG combined. Maybe using imperial gallons (which would make it 62 MPG) but that still is high.

    I was going by posters that claim they get 40 with the Civic.

    Not in city driving. Maybe highway but not city. Anyway the best way to compare is using a base which would be the EPA estiments. Yes there are many that get several MPG's more than the EPA estiments in a Civic, but the same can be said for the Smart.

    I stand by my statement that the gas Smart is a joke.

    You are more than welcomed to, but truth be told it beats every non hybrid out there by a lot and for much less in most cases.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • tedebeartedebear Member Posts: 832
    I would have thought that someone else would have mentioned this by now but they just announced it yesterday.

    Anyway, Chrysler just announced an incentive for new buyers of most Chrysler, Dodge and Jeep vehicles from now until June 2 that guarantees the owner will not pay more than $2.99/gal for the next 3 years.

    Here's the full article: Let's Refuel America
  • snakeweaselsnakeweasel Member Posts: 19,592
    Fuel Economy figures for lawnmowers?

    Maybe SYPG = Square yards per gallon?


    Wouldn't time per gallon be a better measure? A fast walker will get more square yards per gallon but the mower will still run the same amount of time.

    2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D

  • texasestexases Member Posts: 11,135
    Here's another - acres per gallon (APG) - I'm guessing that my mower's about 1-2 APG (several mowings).
This discussion has been closed.

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