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That's what some of us have said for years. Others like what they're used to in low torque at low RPM motors needing high revs for power; but the 3800 has served very well.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
On Monday night though, I filled up my 2000 Intrepid and I think that was the most expensive fill-up that car ever had. I ran it almost empty, so it took 15.8 gallons to fill up. Bill ran up to something like $48.85. That was a bit of a sticker shock. Although I guess it's nothing compared to people used to paying $100 or more to fill up their SUVs and big trucks.
India's Tata group to launch world's cheapest car
5 hours ago
NEW DELHI (AFP) — India's giant Tata Group will this Thursday unveil the world's cheapest car, which analysts say could revolutionize prices worldwide.
Ratan Tata, the reclusive tycoon who heads the tea-to-steel conglomerate, will kick off an auto show here with the unveiling of the long-awaited "People's Car", which will carry a sticker price of 100,000 rupees or 2,500 dollars.
The cheap car is a pet project of the Cornell-trained architect Ratan Tata, who helped design it, and is aimed at getting Indian families off their motorbikes and into cars.
kcram - Pickups Host
And even though it may cost a few pennies more, the 5% discount from using the Shell card makes it cheaper. At $3 a gallon, that's 15 cents off. Usually the generic gas stations are at most 5 cents less, so I'm actually getting Top Tier gas for less than generic prices.
Works for me.
I'll stop now because I sound like an ad for Shell.
Just so no-one feels left out, here are all the brands (I use QuickTrip, they're usually cheaper than the big names.)
QuikTrip
Chevron
Conoco
Phillips
76
Shell
Entec Stations
MFA Oil Company
Kwik Trip/Kwik Star
The Somerset Refinery, Inc.
Chevron-Canada
Aloha Petroleum
Tri-Par Oil Company
Shell-Canada
Texaco
Petro-Canada
Sunoco-Canada
If the Shell gas works out, and your Seqouia likes it, you should think about getting the Shell card just for the 5% off.
We use it only for gas, because you only get 1% back on other purchases, and our Subaru card earns us 3%.
The 3800 probably would fit under the hood, though I doubt it would get any better mileage since the primary factor in the S2000's mpg figures is the fairly crappy drag coefficient.
Also, do you remember what year they put in a glass rear window?
I may look at used ones. Not sure.
2004. That was also the year they put in the clutch release delay valve, 17" wheels, a loafier steering box, and generally softened up the suspension.
Also, do you remember what year they put in a glass rear window?
2002
I may look at used ones. Not sure.
The AP1s (00-03) will cost less, but are too much for most people off the track. AP2s (04-08) are softer around the edges, about like a Solstice GXP with better build quailty and ergonomics. Easiest way to tell them apart is the headlights (individual turn signal and running light elements on the AP2) and taillights (3 circles on the AP2 versus 2 on the AP1) unless they've been swapped.
2 friends of mine have owned them.
One actually rolled his at Summit Point. Insurance totalled it.
The other had buyer's remorse and sold it a year later. Had trouble selling it, too, because it was so new and close to a new car price.
Premium fuel only, though, right? For both engines, I believe.
Yep. Even though the computer can adjust the fuel maps and retard the timing to run 87 octane with an 11:1 compression ratio, it's much happier with the good stuff.
Too bad that while they didn't sacrifice mpg, they didn't increase it significantly either, eh?
The problem with larger engines is they use more gas in low-load situations, like idling and cruising around town. Since most people tend to achieve fuel economy much closer to the city EPA number than the highway one, I have tended to give a big yawn to all the TV ads and whatnot touting 30 mpg or greater on the highway. That's fine, but what do they make in the city? 20, 22 mpg, you say? Pathetic. That's the mileage people are going to get 90% of the time in those vehicles.
Now there are folks who even with a tiny 4-cylinder engine can't do better than 25 mpg or so, and certainly a lot depends on the driver and driving style and pattern. But the smaller the engine, the higher the POTENTIAL for high fuel economy, a potential that there are certainly plenty of people taking advantage of every day.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
The Pontiac Grand Prix (3800) gets slightly better mileage than the S2000 despite weighing 600 lbs more and having a 4 spd automatic as opposed to a 6 spd manual transmission. I can't imagine the S2000's drag coefficient is much worse than the Grand Prix's. Even if it is drag is a function of cd times frontal area. The Grand Prix definitely has a larger frontal area. Regardless that is really only a factor at highway speeds. It shouldn't have much impact on city mileage where the S2000 also sucks for a small car with a small engine.
Also, regardless of aerodynamics, I doubt if they're going to come into play in any EPA calculations. Since the EPA tests are done on a treadmill in a testing facility, would aerodynamics even come into play? Even out in the real world, aerodynamics are meaningless for city driving, and at the speeds the EPA's highway cycle simulates, they'd be marginal, at best.
I've never driven a stock S2000, so I don't know anything about gutless. There were some crybabies who complained that they couldn't pull a cement mixer with it like they could with a V8 Mustang, so Honda caved in and mucked the car up to appease them.
Idaho Statesman - may be a registration link
Gas was $3.08 for regular yesterday here in Boise.
Wow an Indian Volkswagen :shades:
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Yeah, these other countries using our oil is starting to get annoying.
What we need is a good worldwide recession to lessen the demand. And then Steve adds to our depression with predictions about $3.50 gas soon since the markets have repealed the laws of supply and demand. (The link works okay, Steve. Otherwise use bugmenot.com.)
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
I don't know if you're being facetious but I actually agree. Economies have a cyclical nature to them. We are due for a downturn and efforts to prevent it will probably just postpone it a little. My feeling is let it happen, just suck it up and get through the down cycle so we can move on to the next period of growth. As far as I'm concerned the government is already doing too much to try and mitigate some of the negative factors that currently exist. It's a losing battle.
As long as WalMart gets taken out by the revolution of the poor and working class in China, I am fine with it.
It's been a while since I've had opportunity to add to the annals of nattering nabobs of negativism. :shades:
Glad to hear the link worked - it's one I stay logged in to and I never know it it's going to work for anyone else.
I do think the prediction of $3.50 gas was a bit sensationalized. AAA probably is running versions of that story all over trying to generate some heat for some anti-bike trail lobbying effort of theirs.
Yes, but it was Top Tier certified chain lube.
I am barely facetious. I don't want the pain it would cause a lot of people. What I'm more afraid of is the "government," using the term loosely, spending and manipulating natural turns of events to influence the economy for the benefit of politicians in the elections.
I see the gasoline markets being manipulated to $4 since they have been successful at not allowing the gas prices to cycle naturally during the winter in this area at least. It is depressing. This is not a free market.
And all I can do is complain and use less. My congress people from this area don't care.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
The price just hit $3 again this week around Dallas. So I know the victims on either coast are paying $3.50. $4 is certainly no stretch. Count on it by Memorial Day.
What will I do when that happens? Keep driving my hybrid, of course. 18,000 miles so far, with lifetime average of 47 mpg (calculated by on-board trip computer -- not just my claim).
You guys should try it.
.
Remember when gas was 90 cents a gallon in 1998? That's why it was so cheap. We don't have an Alan Greenspan to firewall the US economy this time around, though.
You guys should try it.
I would rather drive 6,000 miles @ 16 MPG in my Sequoia over the same time period. More comfort, more safety, more luxury, less gas. Mine is calculated on my spreadsheet by actual gallons used. Never trust the on-board trip calculator. They are seldom very accurate.
I dunno about Texas, but in Colorado, we have the lowest average price for gas in the country at the moment.
Statewide average is $2.85; my local station is currently selling regular unleaded for $2.69, and that's before the .03 or .10 per gallon discount I get for using my rewards card.
However, it has been suggested that the price will be at $3.50 or higher by the time the peak driving season arrives.
Guess I'll just work from home more.
He did not get another one, though. Instead, he now races older Civics and CRXs, not his daily driver, and not a car worth $30k plus.
That may have been a condition set by the insurance company.
He's good, too, in fact he showed me his rookie of the year trophy.
It's odd, but within an hour from home I'll find gas for $3.40 and then $2.89 on the same day.
Gas Buddy helps you find the cheap stations, too. Let me check now...
$2.99 at the 7-11 on Gude Dr. $3.01 for the Shell near it is actually a better deal because of the 5% back from the card.
The priciest gas in town is $3.43 at the Exxon on MacArthur Blvd, which is actually right on my way to work, so I passed it today.
YMMV.
2014 Malibu 2LT, 2015 Cruze 2LT,
You mean try your car? Or do you mean try a hybrid which we'll need to make a 100+ million of for us all to try.
Interesting comment. Every year on this site the Editors give their reccommendation for vehicles within each class. It never occurred to me how ridiculous that was. Obviously we can't all go out and buy one of these vehicles because, as you so astutely point out, the manufacturing capacity just isn't there. What are these Editors thinking about? But they're not the only ones. I saw just last night an advertisement for a cruise line. It seemed to me that they were suggesting that people take cruises. Like they could really accommodate 300 million American tourists.
This is an unrealistic option for masses of people, unless you are advocating a major construction project of electrical power-plants around the country. Even without plug-in hybrids we are headed towards being short on electricity.
"This past summer New England's operating margin was 11.8 percent. But in five years the margin is projected to decrease to 4.9 percent, and in 10 years the demand for electricity is expected to outpace available generating resources, leaving the region with a 2.3 percent shortfall."
http://www.southcoasttoday.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071130/OPINION/71130- 0309
He did not get another one, though. Instead, he now races older Civics and CRXs, not his daily driver, and not a car worth $30k plus.
That may have been a condition set by the insurance company.
Apparently with the time trials I used to do, the deal was you had a lap timer in your car. If you had a good day, you turned your lap timer in and you were part of the competition. If you didn't turn it in, you were part of the "driving school."
I did see an early S2000 obliterate itself on turn 1 at Buttonwillow (went off on the infield, tried to catch it, spun across the track and hit the inside wall - rookies in touchy cars shouldn't violate the go off/stay off rule), and I saw an upside down '98 or so Impreza 2.5RS coming down the hill after magic mountain going counter clockwise. My guess is he got sideways, slid off and then the car tripped in the sand.
Since I've pretty much learned all the west coast tracks, really want to try mid-Ohio and Gingerman. Its too bad I don't still have the Contour, I fear the Accord wouldn't be much fun out there.
Most people promoting PHEV's realize that the maximum benefit will be achieved by these vehicles being charged at off peak hours. The electicity will cost less for the vehicle owner and the utility will benefit by selling more of their product when they have excess capacity. A win-win situation. I defy you to find a credible article that indicates the utilities are opposed to PHEV's. If you want I can find plenty that indicate they are very supportive of this technology.
:surprise: wow thats expensive over three hundred a gallon. Glad I don't live there.
2011 Hyundai Sonata, 2014 BMW 428i convertible, 2015 Honda CTX700D
Here's your dream come true. Old man Tata in India just released his dream car. It gets 50 mpg. It weighs 1,000 lbs. It has 33 hp. It costs $3,000.
Here's the article, complete with pictures:
http://driving.timesonline.co.uk/tol/life_and_style/driving/article3164205.ece
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