4 bangers- Love'em or Hate'm?

Status
Not open for further replies.
I've got a couple of 4-cyl Subarus. They seem to run very smoothly esp. with a little heavier oil. For a few years I had an '03 Explorer with a V8, it got 20mpg, and I loved the acceleration, but I really don't miss it too much.
 
I spent a lot of time late 91 looking for a 4,5,6, 4 doors, 5 speed, and a 6 cylinder engine. The closest thing I could find was the badly over gadget ridden Torus SHO. I tried to order a Corsica with the 6 and a 5 speed. They gave me my deposit back. I don't like under powered little cars. Finally I ended up with a 92 Grand Am HO Quad 4. On the straightway, it would run away and hide from any 6 or 8 I ever owned while getting Low 30's mpg on a trip. Gave little away to anybody in the twisties. Since it was mostly my wife's car, there were some jokes about our son and his mother's Pontiac.

I think I was a lot happier with it than some of the other stuff I looked at. Could have had a real deal on a left over bright red 4 door 91 Dodge R-T twin turbo.

The Ecotec in my 02 Cavalier with the Getrag just isn't near as much fun.
 
Love I4 engine, because things are not cramped and it is easier to replace VC gasket, plugs, wires, and in the worst possible situation, swap the motor/tranny.

I am now responsible for the maintanence of 2 V6 and it is so much harder to fix, there is just no room around the engine bay, and I hate taking off the intake manifold just to replace spark plugs.
 
quote:
Hirev - what kind of mileage did you get with that 87 hp 4cyl?

My 140 hp 4cyl gets 27 mpg in city (Los Angeles) and 36 mpg on long highway drives.
Click to expand...
The best I ever got was around 23 MPG all highway. It normally got around 19 to 21 MPG back on fourth to work, city and some highway.
 
I've owned an '00 Cavalier Z24. It was ok, decently quick. I just hated the buzzy-ness of it. I ended up getting rid of it in favor of an '00 Grand Am GT with a V6. I swore I'd never own another 4-cyl. again. When my wife and I got married 3 years ago she brought with her a '97 Toyota Corolla with a ~110hp 4-cyl. While the engine was very reliable, I hated it. Again, I swore I would never buy another 4-cyl.

Like the old saying goes, "never say never". I now own an '05 Mazda3 2.3L 4-cyl. This engine is awesome. Mated to a 5spd. manual tranny, this thing has plenty of power. Like somebody else on this thread already stated, it has a 7K rpm redline. I drive it pretty conservatively (shift at 3K or less) but when I do need to punch it, the engine responds beautifully. This engine has a good amount of torque (160hp/150ft. lbs.) so power has never been an issue with it. Since owning the car, I've tracked almost every tank of gas in an Excel spreadsheet. Overall, we're averaging right at 30mpg. I can honestly say I love this 4-cyl.

Before the Mazda, I thought I'd never own one. But I think it all comes down to how it drives. If it has enough power and isn't buzzy, I guess a 4-cyl. is ok. Although, if I had the option of taking a good V6 or a 4-cyl. I'd definitely opt for the V6.

By the way, GM looks to have a great 4-cyl. on their hands in the Ecotec. From what I've read/heard that engine can take a lot of abuse. I know GM has pushed 1,000hp in it I believe racing somewhere. Anyway, props to GM for the Ecotec.
 
quote:
"My daughter can achieve 12.5-13.5 around town in this thing. My wife can muster no more then 17.5 mpg on her highway 50 mile round trip commute. This is bested by her 4.0 5speed with 33" tires and winch/heavy bumper. I can achieve around 20 on a suburban type cycle.

I expect it to receive a trophy for the smallest gas guzzler in modern automotive history."

end quote.

Holy cow. Is that typical for that engine/trans/chassis combination? I get 12.5 mpg city and 20 hwy with a 6.0 litre V12, 4 speed auto, moving a 4500 lb sedan. That economy defeats the whole purpose of having a 4 banger.
 
I would second the manual tranny for a 4-banger except for the new DSG. I was checking the VW site for the new GTI and with the standard 6-speed manual, 0-60 mph is 7.1 seconds and with the DSG it's 6.7 seconds.

This is the hot tranny. Porsche wants it bad.

BTW, the VW GTI commercials spoofing the ricers are a gas.
 
I certainly do like my '95 Civic I bought over two years ago- very reliable. I also agree that an orthodox transmission is a must with these (in fact, I wish automatics were outlawed!).

But if I really had my choice I would have an inline-6. I drove slant sixes for many years; one of the most incredibly reliable engines ever made, usually outlasting the vehicle they were installed in.
 
quote:
GM looks to have a great 4-cyl. on their hands in the Ecotec.
Click to expand...
It's very smooth--you might think it's a V6.

I notice that Ford and Mazda have both dropped their 2.5L V6 engines for I4s that make the same horsepower that have balance shafts..and in fact a lot of the newer I4s have balance shafts now.

I read somewhere that this is because the patent on using balance shafts in an engine expired.
 
Brother has a 2.4 (I think. I know it's a four) in a PRevia with almost 300,000 miles on it! Engine has never been opened. I had a 1.8T Jetta, before lemon-lawing it, and it was one of the smoothest engines I've ever had in a car. I like the 2.4 Honda 4 cylinder...have had several that all did great. Have a Subaru 2.5 that growls...it's a rough-sounding engine at certain rpms, although very smooth running: it gets me 25 to 34 mpg. Even at 90 mph I got 29 mpg...amazing to me. I agree that the turbo engines probably run best with an automatic under the foot of the AVERAGE driver...you have to know how to keep the boost up with a manual, and most people in the US just don't seem to want to think that much. Personally, I like turbos with manuals, because I like the ability to choose to be VERY frugal, or fairly quick. Although in a drag race with an automatic equiped with the same turbo engine, the automatic would probably beat me, as long as it was an efficient auto, because I try not to abuse my manual.
 
quote:
My 05 Grand Prix V6 gets well over 35 mpg on the highway. Why would I need a 4cyl?
Click to expand...
Oh really? You fail to mention your city driving fuel economy.
rolleyes.gif


Heck, even the previous gen Corvette got very good hwy fuel economy due to it's very tall 6th gear.
dunno.gif


Things change when you come off the hwy though.
 
My first 2 cars were 4 cylinders gassers, third was a 4 cylinder diesel.

1991 Toyota Pickup with 22RE. This thing made me hate 4 cylinders. No tachometer, loud and underpowered. Reliable as ever though.

1999 Dodge Neon DOHC. 2.0 150HP and 30-35MPG average, quick but low torque and not too refined.

2003 VW Golf 1.9 TDI. Good around town grunt, pretty leisurly max acceleration though not the most refined lump. No matter how hard I drove it I could never get below 39 MPG.

But I have moved up to a quirky/odd 5 cylinder.

'06 VW Jetta 2.5 150HP/170TQ 5 cylinder.
Sounds like a 6 cylinder, decent power and decent fuel economy. With mostly city driving Im averaging 25-27MPG. Not sure what highway fuel economy will be like but it is rated for 30MPG highway.
 
The Grand Prix only gets around 23 in the city. But the 4cyl Nissan I had before only got 25, and it was a 6 spd standard. Plus the Nissan only got 30 on the highway! I think I'm coming out ahead.
 
I am still waiting for a gas fueled 4.0 I4 with double over head cams, varible vale timeing etc.........I am not about to hold my breath!
 
I like 4 bangers in small cars and 2 wheel drive small trucks. Both the GM Ecotec and Mazda/Ford 2.3 Duratec are examples of good domestic 4 bangers.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.

Similar threads

SammyChevelleTypeS3
NEW Vehicle Advice / Recommendations: Anyone? Subaru or Toyota? What says the gang?
3 4 5
Replies
84
Views
2K
mikeduf
OVERKILL
Volkswagen kills the VR6
3 4 5
Replies
99
Views
4K
vavavroom
pezzy84
Rental car review - 2025 Toyota Camry SE Hybrid - middling fuel economy
Replies
19
Views
14K
RhondaHonda
S
Got To Be Careful Shoping for Used Cars with 1st Gen GDI
2 3 4
Replies
66
Views
4K
MCompact
C
Engine Swap Advice
3 4 5
Replies
89
Views
3K
Shannonwilkerson
Back
Top Bottom