Danger even in 'safe' small cars

[Vilan]

Originally Posted By: tonycarguy
If it was crumpled but driveable, it must have been a < 10mph impact. There's absolutely no way a car, especially one that size, could be driveable after being Tboned by an SUV at 30mph. Even if it was hit by a Smart at 30mph, it would be undriveable.


I'm just going on my mom's description, she could've misjudged the speed. And/or it could've been a small SUV like a Tracker or something.

Originally Posted By: Audi Junkie
The mpg gain in those small cars does not offset the cramped feeling.


I'm 6'2" and drive a Metro. Doesn't feel cramped to me. I've done several 10-12 hour cross-country trips in it too.

 

[Zaedock]

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
Originally Posted By: Zaedock

You don't have a family of four, do you?

Not yet, but I'm going to try not to be one of those families that needs to cart 30 cubic feet of stuff to go to the grandparents for the day...


Well, someday you'll find out. Loading down your little eco-box four popper with two adults, two kids, and whatever you're doing that day will not get any better mileage than a mid size with a 6 cyl. I know, because I've had both. If you go to grandma's at Xmas, fugget-about-it.

Originally Posted By: IndyIan
I average around 27 mpg commuting and in the low 20's towing depending on the loads wind resistance. I don't think there are any 4x4 diesel trucks getting anywhere near that, and the total cost of ownership of my tracker bought new in 2003 is probably 1/3 of a diesel truck, diesels 4x4's were $35-40k+ in Canada back then. I was out the door with the tracker at $17k.
Like I said before, if I need to move over 2000lbs of stuff at once then I can borrow a truck for a day, but I find its much harder borrowing a relatively efficient commuter for the other 220 days a year I go to work...
Ian



No offense, but I find it hard to believe you average 27mpg in a box with wheels. The truck is only rated to 20/23. I had a '98 4 door 1.6L which is 1000lbs less than your Tracker and I could get maybe 25 driving easy. Towing a couple quads put me at 19/20MPG. My brother has a '03 Tracker 2.0L. He averages 22. Besides the size & weight penalty of an older Tracker, the '99+ Trackers do not have locking hubs, which means your front diff and front driveshaft are always spinning. That's more drag.

 

[IndyIan]

Well, here is my fuel log from ecomodder.com, I kind of lost interest as fuel prices dropped but it gives a good picture of the summer mileage I can get. fuel log
The speed limit is 80km/h(50mph) for most of my driving so if I keep to 55mph and coast down some hills getting this mileage isn't too hard. Obviously if I drove 75mph all the time the mileage would be alot worse. Also I have a scangauge so it helps you learn what helps and hurts mileage. As for the hubs, some guys that have made the switch to manuals think it makes about a 1 mpg difference. I have toyed with installing them but the payoff isn't really there and it makes the car less wife friendly.

I've also found and read that mileage on hwy trips isn't effected too much by weight, rolling resistance doesn't increase much at all unless your tires are underinflated. I guess if you have long long hills and have to run a gear lower because of the weight you would see a significant difference but usually not.

Ian

 

[ravenchris]

The unsinkable Indylan.

 

[Audi Junkie]

Not feeling cramped in a Metro? Have you ever ridden in a normal car?

 

[Tornado Red]

I've seen pictures of a Metro folded in half like a taco shell - the driver slowed for a stalled car in his lane and was rear-ended. The driver did not survive. Most modern sub-compacts are designed to crumple but the passenger compartment is not supposed to collapse like that. If that driver had been in a Yaris or Smart he probably would have survived.

 

[moving2]

Originally Posted By: nthach

Like I said, you have a need for it go for it. But if you live in the city, there is no need for a tank. Period.


nthach- people buy and daily drive Corvettes because they want a superfast car that looks cool, even though will will rarely, if ever use all that power.

People buy and daily drive pickup trucks because they need to "haul things", but look how many empty pickup beds you see out on the freeway.

People buy really large houses, even though they could probably get by with something smaller and save energy (and the environment).

If someone wants one, you CAN'T say they don't need one. Why? A Crown Vic can haul as much as an S600, but that doesn't make them interchangeable. If someone wants an Escalade and can pay for the car and the gas, then they have every right to get it.

Who gets to say who NEEDS what and who SHOULD BE DRIVING what and who SHOULD BE PURCHASING what? Nobody NEEDS a Corvette. How do you suggest controlling who can purchase what based upon need? And how do you define this need? And why do you feel YOU are qualified to define this need? And why do you limit this to automobiles and yet you don't suggest that small car drivers don't "need" their cars and would be better off on motorcycles, or bicycles, or public transportation? Where does your logic end, and why is it you think anyone will pay attention to your personal definition of "need"?

If you were a dictator, on the other hand...

 

[mstrjon32]

Originally Posted By: moving2
Nobody NEEDS a Corvette.


I need one.

 

[cousincletus]

Originally Posted By: moving2
Originally Posted By: nthach

Like I said, you have a need for it go for it. But if you live in the city, there is no need for a tank. Period.


nthach- people buy and daily drive Corvettes because they want a superfast car that looks cool, even though will will rarely, if ever use all that power.

People buy and daily drive pickup trucks because they need to "haul things", but look how many empty pickup beds you see out on the freeway.

People buy really large houses, even though they could probably get by with something smaller and save energy (and the environment).

If someone wants one, you CAN'T say they don't need one. Why? A Crown Vic can haul as much as an S600, but that doesn't make them interchangeable. If someone wants an Escalade and can pay for the car and the gas, then they have every right to get it.

Who gets to say who NEEDS what and who SHOULD BE DRIVING what and who SHOULD BE PURCHASING what? Nobody NEEDS a Corvette. How do you suggest controlling who can purchase what based upon need? And how do you define this need? And why do you feel YOU are qualified to define this need? And why do you limit this to automobiles and yet you don't suggest that small car drivers don't "need" their cars and would be better off on motorcycles, or bicycles, or public transportation? Where does your logic end, and why is it you think anyone will pay attention to your personal definition of "need"?

If you were a dictator, on the other hand...

Everyone needs to git off their fat a$$ and ride a bike, says dictator cletus.

 

[smokey1]

( I ) POOF !!! That COLONEL makes one mean bucket of chicken . :- )