What kind of car(s) do you own?

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I'm still driving a 1998 Saturn Sedan SL2. I hope to get a SUV in the near future. :)
 
VamPyroX said:
I'm still driving a 1998 Saturn Sedan SL2. I hope to get a SUV in the near future. :)
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Could you afford the gas price if you get a SUV? I can't afford though since I paid $45 for a small car, YIKES!
 
JClarke said:
Could you afford the gas price if you get a SUV? I can't afford though since I paid $45 for a small car, YIKES!
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Depends on the kind of SUV it is.

My brother has a SUV that has pretty good gas mileage. My car goes to 3,000 RPM at 70 MPH while my brother's SUV goes to 2,200 RPM at 70 MPH. Since I'm using more RPM, I burn more fuel while driving. :(
 
VamPyroX said:
Depends on the kind of SUV it is.

My brother has a SUV that has pretty good gas mileage. My car goes to 3,000 RPM at 70 MPH while my brother's SUV goes to 2,200 RPM at 70 MPH. Since I'm using more RPM, I burn more fuel while driving. :(
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It doesn't really matter how many rpm the engine is spinning. The most important thing is the number of cylinders that your engine/liter of the engine and the weight of the car which affects gas mileage. Most large SUVs get around 13-18 mpg, med SUVs at around 15-22 mpg and small SUVs (sport utes) at around 18-26 mpg or so. Your Saturn SL2 seems possible in around 30-35 mpg range. Your car has a 4 cylinder engine while most suvs have a V-6 engine which is most common.

My 2000 Honda Civic EX's engine spins at around 3,100 rpm at around 70 mph and I get average of 30 to 33 mpg.
 
sequoias said:
It doesn't really matter how many rpm the engine is spinning. The most important thing is the number of cylinders that your engine/liter of the engine and the weight of the car which affects gas mileage. Most large SUVs get around 13-18 mpg, med SUVs at around 15-22 mpg and small SUVs (sport utes) at around 18-26 mpg or so. Your Saturn SL2 seems possible in around 30-35 mpg range. Your car has a 4 cylinder engine while most suvs have a V-6 engine which is most common.

My 2000 Honda Civic EX's engine spins at around 3,100 rpm at around 70 mph and I get average of 30 to 33 mpg.
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I agreed. It's about size of engine. Nothing do with rpm. I always push rpm to 5k rpm and still get around 25mpg and beat Truck's 2k rpm at 18 mpg.

V8 always low rpm than I4 at at 80mph due high torque
 
nissan sentra 1.6 4cly european-specs motor, cheap to run (sort of -now getting dearer to run)
oh.....
Deafmater, the truck you got, sounds like it has a serious V8 powerhouse under the hood, a 383 !, thats what my bro-in-law got in the '68 Camaro I dunno the rest of details.
That is, I do not know what is the gearbox (know its auto), it has a 400 crank, etc it's be very similar... he took me in for a drive, its got a serious punch !!, like you said a sleeper, it surely is. Hums along sweetly then WHACK when you put the foot down!
 
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The Highlander said:
I agreed. It's about size of engine. Nothing do with rpm. I always push rpm to 5k rpm and still get around 25mpg and beat Truck's 2k rpm at 18 mpg.

V8 always low rpm than I4 at at 80mph due high torque
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Yeah, pretty much. That's why we call them "4 banger". Smaller engines tend to spin at higher rpms but get better gas mileage and has lack of low end torque like the V-8 engines do. I wanted to correct my mistake, my Honda's engine actually spins at about 2,900 rpm at 70 mph as I checked that yesterday. I saw a Ford Explorer with 5 speed auto transmission, the V-6 engine spins at only 1500 rpm at 70 mph, I think. It has been a while so I might be wrong.
 
No worry about that. 2,900 rpm and 3,100 are pretty close enough. High torque is good for pull/push heavy weight depend on transmission. I think Auto transmission is stronger than manual transmission for pull/push. Maybe I am wrong.
 
The Highlander said:
No worry about that. 2,900 rpm and 3,100 are pretty close enough. High torque is good for pull/push heavy weight depend on transmission. I think Auto transmission is stronger than manual transmission for pull/push. Maybe I am wrong.
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Have you noticed that semi trucks use manual transmission and they pull very heavy loads, so I guess they're better for pulling heavy loads. I noticed lot of full size pick up trucks have automatic transmissions. The motorcoach buses in the 1960's and 1970's had manual transmission and they were replaced with automatics later. I really don't know the answer about the transmission is stronger, auto or manual. I only know that manual transmissions last a long time in compact cars.
 
An engine with a higher amount of torque is always going to be better for heavy loads because torque represents an amount of twisting effort it does. Lack of ease to twist/rotate the driving wheels is going to a liabiilty obviously. Long stroke motors tend to have higher torques due to longer throws in the longer lengths of its connecting rods, AND also the crank itself. Which is why Deafmater's description of his truck has so much torque, it is self explantory when he said his 350Chev housing a 400 crank yielded impressive grunt, it is from the greater rotational translation of its recaliporating power from the long stroke power production (in a short(er) stroke engine block, - best of both worlds). Alternatively, you could stroke a motor with longer conrods, but the efficency of the long throws of conrods would compromise with the neccessaity for shorter and stronger pistons but the lack of inertia force within the crank places stress demand for engine compression strokes. Which partly explains why 400 cranks worked so well in the 350 blocks (chevys always had been famous for parts interchangability.
Well i think that would be enough, this could go on forever but yeah I loved stroked motors, however when i was into motocross my engines were always ported and short strokes were only designed for high rpm and high horsepower, from that I have always oogled 250s' as I wanted more torque! who to blame me - I hated shortshifting), which I never had a chance to move up to the 250 ( have rode a few but never owned them).
I stopped racing after 125's.
 
sequoias said:
Have you noticed that semi trucks use manual transmission and they pull very heavy loads, so I guess they're better for pulling heavy loads. I noticed lot of full size pick up trucks have automatic transmissions. The motorcoach buses in the 1960's and 1970's had manual transmission and they were replaced with automatics later. I really don't know the answer about the transmission is stronger, auto or manual. I only know that manual transmissions last a long time in compact cars.
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Yes, Too many Semi trucks use manual transmission and auto tranmissions. Someone said truck with auto shift 16 speeds without clutch is best for gas and super heavy load.
 
The Highlander said:
Yes, Too many Semi trucks use manual transmission and auto tranmissions. Someone said truck with auto shift 16 speeds without clutch is best for gas and super heavy load.
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Interesting, I didn't know that.
 
If this is true. howcome there is no such thing as auto tranny on 18 wheelers? They are primary heavy hauler.

Think again.

The Highlander said:
I think Auto transmission is stronger than manual transmission for pull/push. Maybe I am wrong.
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I don't own a car yet..i'm waiting for my temps..(temporarly license) we call it temps here in ohio in my hometown..anyways. I want to get a small car. I don't like getting big cars like a van. My dad has this oldd ford van from his dad who died in 2005, its red and probably from the 90s.. its hard to describe what it looks like but I do not want to drive that car if i ever get my license. But I don't want a fancy car. Other teens who drive has fancy cars like a Hummer or something expensive. I probably like a Blue bug or just a small Silver saturn car. I don't get my temps til i'm 15 and a half which is when i start taking driving classes next year in Febuary...yikes..
 
We own a 2007 Chrysler 300 & a 2009 Ford Escape. I just got my lisence on Friday and the first car I've drove (and have ever driven) is the Escape. :)

Past vehicles:

1990 Oldsmobile Cutlass Supreme Coupe
1996 Dodge Caravan
1998 Dodge Caravan (I'm not completely sure what year it was... but I'm pretty sure)
1998 LSS Oldsmobile
1984 Chevrolet Chevette :)lol: We got it as a commuter but sold it about a year ago :P)
 
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