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Aesquire
| | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2012 - 09:31 pm: | 
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As near as I can figure out the 2.8 diesel Grand Caravan is Euro or Brit only. Can't find one in Canada either.
Darn.
I've sorta settled on the Grand Caravan as the compromise position between a full size truck and my mini wagon. ( my needs/wants. YMMV )
I wanted one that got good mileage, and it would be handy to have wagon, van, and tractor all on the same fuel... ( Then I could justify a storage tank, and get a bulk discount )
Re: the Fiskars...
At least they won't Brick now.  |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Saturday, November 10, 2012 - 10:29 pm: |
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Just got a VW TDI. Love it. 40-50mpg or better if I behave myself. |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2012 - 12:18 am: |
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I like how they don't purr, they growl down the road. Which car you get it in? DSG trans? |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2012 - 12:37 am: |
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Manual Trans. It's a 2002. So not anything new. |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2012 - 08:50 am: |
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Well darn, you get better mileage than I do....  Lighter car.
Like the Honda CRX, some times the older stuff has advantages. There are good and bad years.
Of the Hybrids, the Prius seems the most refined with the highest real world mileage results. ( Dad loves his... Claims high 40's to mid 50's on cross country trips, and braggs to this day about getting over 60mpg... Stuck in Chicago Rush hour traffic for 4 hours.)
http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/11/08/us-hyund ai-mileage-idUSBRE8A705I20121108
Well. I was wondering how Hyundai was getting such great numbers. I was getting tempted.....
The VW numbers however seem realistic to me. If I behave and keep it less than 70mph on flat expressway, low 40's are reasonable. A teen driver in the city can drag it down to the 20's. DAMHIK. ( "you dropped the cars average mileage 7mpg? in One day?!!!! )
Suzuki ( cars ) is leaving the US market.
I wonder what they've got left in stock worth a look? |
Cataract2
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2012 - 10:43 am: |
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From my experience with the VW TDI I drove in Germany. It will get 40-50 for everyday driving very consistantly. Never saw lower than 40mpg. On the highway (Autobahn) I would get 52mpg. The newer ones are suppose to do even better.
What makes it even more attractive is there are engine mods that can be done to achieve greater millage and power. |
Mr_grumpy
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2012 - 03:24 pm: |
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http://www.angeltuning.co.uk/ |
Greg_e
| | Posted on Sunday, November 11, 2012 - 09:37 pm: |
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No holier than thou attitude for me, simply put I was shopping for basic transport and all the used cars were $10,000, a very short trip up the ladder to a brand new car. Not the most powerful, but definitely fun to drive and corners like it is on rails.
Spark LS with manual
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Aesquire
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2012 - 08:42 am: |
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I save the Holier than thou 'tude for the obnoxious Greener than thou Prius drivers.. ( they are rare, but out there ) I tell them their car has the "Footprint" of a Land Rover Discovery, ( slightly less than a Centurion Tank ) quoting the Top Gear skit posted above.
Bragging about mileage or tech specs isn't Holier than Thou, it's gearhead.
The Ideology is different in the basic jealousy/envy/warped categories.
I prefer efficient, useful hatch/wagon/van type cars, I want them as clean as practical. ( with better performance than, perhaps, is economical for me )
But I think it's great that I live in a World where a Thousand Freaking Horse Power Buggati exists. And is for sale to the lucky Lotto Winner or ED suffering Stock Broker. 
The Greener than thou folk would object to the conspicuous consumption on moral grounds. ( A class envy marxist variant on Puritan rejection of flashy consumption )
That Spark is kinda neat! Arrest me red? Why not Jalepeno? (or Techno Pink?... Bleargh!!!!! Oh well, taste is taste.... )
Let's see, 85 ponies. 32/38 MPG, nice cargo space. How's it handle? |
Greg_e
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2012 - 10:31 am: |
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It real does corner like it is on rails, part of that is the 40psi tire pressure and the rest is just small car build. It might make a decent low end SCCA Solo car if it weren't for things like the 180 hp Mini and Abarth which are kind of the same size class. I expect 2014 Spark will bring the turbo model to the world and some of that bragging will cease.
There are some guys in Mexico trying to keep a Spark spec. class road racing going, kind of like the old Metro class that sort of made the rounds. A very inexpensive, few mods allowed class as an intro to road racing. Once you get up into the other valve position it does have a decent amount of go and on spirited rides home I still average about 37mpg for the trip. That even applies when I got a bad tank of fuel and wanted to burn it out so I kept my foot in it pretty much the entire time. Choose the correct gear and it is fun on any 55+ curvy road. I have some videos on my channel if you want to take a look:
http://www.youtube.com/user/GregXB9R/videos?view=0
Looks like I didn't upload any of the higher camera position I shot. Must have been boring. |
Reepicheep
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2012 - 12:50 pm: |
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How do the hot little Ford Focus's do in SCCA? Can they run with the Mini's? |
Greg_e
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2012 - 04:25 pm: |
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Not sure, but I think they have more horsepower so they should be OK. There is supposed to be a stepped scale used to make all the cars equal in the Solo (autocross) races, but being that the Spark is so far below everything else I'm not sure it will be put into a much lower step. I'm still contemplating whether I want to get involved or not. Technically the warranty is void by racing. |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2012 - 06:34 pm: |
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Technically the warranty is void by racing.
 No, you void the warranty by racing. That's not technical, that's common sense. "My engine blew, and it's under warranty, fix it. The Hood too where the pistons went through.....where did this happen?, Englishtown, NJ, commuting. ( a 1/4 mile at a time )"
Which reminds me, now that my warranty is up, time to get a Bully Dog Black box..... |
Greg_e
| | Posted on Monday, November 12, 2012 - 09:16 pm: |
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Completely stock in Solo would be hard to prove I wasn't just driving in a parking lot  in first and second gear |
Greg_e
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 - 09:40 pm: |
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Guess I won't be risking my warranty. Got official word from SCCA that the stock Spark is taller than it is wide and therefore can not be raced due to tip over risk. That's OK because it would have been handicapped in with the stock regular Mini Cooper which is similar weight, sportier suspension, and 40 more horsepower. Similar for the stock Fiat 500. (Group H stock) |
Aesquire
| | Posted on Tuesday, November 13, 2012 - 10:31 pm: |
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I wonder how well it Bracket races?
Consistent is better than fast...
The Legendary Auto Interiors Show Truck ( carry the show gear, not show off ) actually won a drag race ( bracket ) with one of our customers ( sweet! ) 340 Demon. A fully loaded, ( I mean the back was full of show gear and merchandise ) 23,000lb single unit Ford with the really wimpy 360.( and a 2 ton lift gate in back...)
We made a Wag and dialed in at 30 sec. The customer sat on his hood while the Ford "launched". Then hopped in belted up and still caught his light.
Passed the Ford like it was standing still.... then broke out! The Track announcer played up the race as "a grudge match for Pink slips" ( not true, but funny! ) Time 32.02 sec, 42mph!. Winna!!!!
There's a local guy who runs a Dodge Caravan, hauls the race tires, tool kit and jack in the back, sets up in the parking lot, and then goes back to all seasons to drive home... He's really consistent. Wins a lot, and really annoys the Bitching Camaro guys! ( also the reason Bracket racing will never get it's own tv show. It's fun for the participants, but not that exiting to watch on tv ) |
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