Why cost of Fuel so High?

[pa04prius]

Islandvic, I think I am familiar with your friend from Austin through Priuschat.com, and he is a bit of a radical. All vehicles are not cheap to own or operate - unless you go for a good bicycle. I owned a Toyota Echo before the Prius and THAT was a cheap car to own and operate, but it was a bit too small for the traveling my wife and I were doing so I sold it to my son. Maybe the Corolla is less expensive to own and operate over the years than the Prius, but we also have a Corolla and I would not like to travel long distance in it. It's all an individual choice.
If someone wants to drive a Hummer, that is his right and he will have to pay the price just like I have to pay the price for driving my Prius. I don't bad-mouth people for their transportation choices. Gas prices will drive the market over time. Legislating what people drive is not the way to go.

 

[brianl703]

quote:

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Originally posted by Islandvic:
I do think its dumb that the automakers are selling tons of pushrod technology, while he Asians are highly refining the DOHC engine.

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How many pushrod engines does Ford still produce? I could only find three, all V6 engines. I'd not consider that "tons" but maybe you had another automaker in mind?

 

[brianl703]

quote:

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Originally posted by pa04prius:
Why is the gas mileage so much less on American engines?

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It is? Two examples showing that it is not:

2005 Malibu 4-speed auto 2.2L: 24/35 city/highway

2004 Grand Am 5-speed man 2.2L: 26/37 city/highway

These compare quite favorably to other cars in the midsize class.

(If the answer to your question is "Because they're not hybrids" then perhaps you should've asked "Why don't domestic automakers develop more hybrids" instead.)