DD suggestions
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 514
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Make sure you do some math on what your actual savings in gas will be compared to what you're lose unless you find the gonga-deal of the year. Consider any mods to your f-body down the drain, etc.
I've just seen too many people who drive maybe 15k per year trade in their perfectly good V8 vehicle for a 4 cylinder whatever to go from 20 to 35 mph. They save MAYBE $3400/year on gas, but give up a car that was paid for or almost paid for and give up their *** on sales tax, fees, interest, etc on a new one.
Just saying, I know it hurts at the pump when you fill up but make sure you know the total cost of giving up something you like compared to the savings on something you might not. FWIW I don't think gas will be expensive forever, either.
I've just seen too many people who drive maybe 15k per year trade in their perfectly good V8 vehicle for a 4 cylinder whatever to go from 20 to 35 mph. They save MAYBE $3400/year on gas, but give up a car that was paid for or almost paid for and give up their *** on sales tax, fees, interest, etc on a new one.
Just saying, I know it hurts at the pump when you fill up but make sure you know the total cost of giving up something you like compared to the savings on something you might not. FWIW I don't think gas will be expensive forever, either.
Thread Starter
TECH Resident
iTrader: (7)
Joined: Jul 2006
Posts: 846
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From: San Fernando Valley, CA
Make sure you do some math on what your actual savings in gas will be compared to what you're lose unless you find the gonga-deal of the year. Consider any mods to your f-body down the drain, etc.
I've just seen too many people who drive maybe 15k per year trade in their perfectly good V8 vehicle for a 4 cylinder whatever to go from 20 to 35 mph. They save MAYBE $3400/year on gas, but give up a car that was paid for or almost paid for and give up their *** on sales tax, fees, interest, etc on a new one.
Just saying, I know it hurts at the pump when you fill up but make sure you know the total cost of giving up something you like compared to the savings on something you might not. FWIW I don't think gas will be expensive forever, either.
I've just seen too many people who drive maybe 15k per year trade in their perfectly good V8 vehicle for a 4 cylinder whatever to go from 20 to 35 mph. They save MAYBE $3400/year on gas, but give up a car that was paid for or almost paid for and give up their *** on sales tax, fees, interest, etc on a new one.
Just saying, I know it hurts at the pump when you fill up but make sure you know the total cost of giving up something you like compared to the savings on something you might not. FWIW I don't think gas will be expensive forever, either.
Honestly, if your looking to save money on gas put your car in a garage and grab up a Kia. They have come a long way and are reliable as any other 4 banger out there with proper maint done. Gf's Spectra has 70k on it and she's had it since new. Just did the timing belt a bit ago for maint and just regular oil changes. No issues ever and pulls over 30mps with a 5 speed. Personally I DD a Kia Rio and while it may be slow as dirt it gets 30mpgs in town and 36 on the hwy. Thing cost me 400 bucks and I fill it one a week and a half to 2 weeks. So doubling the mileage I used to get with my Camaro it paid itself off pretty quick.
Going to be pretty rough finding a car comparable in performance that matches mpg of a stock ls1.
S2000, miata, rx7.. Few that come to mind that can handle some curves which can make for a fun car.
Maybe a turbo jetta? Performance is lacking and not sure about mpg.
Sorry.. Don't pay attention to mpg much really. Mod the **** out of the trans am and dd my 97 4cyl 5sp Ford ranger.
S2000, miata, rx7.. Few that come to mind that can handle some curves which can make for a fun car.
Maybe a turbo jetta? Performance is lacking and not sure about mpg.
Sorry.. Don't pay attention to mpg much really. Mod the **** out of the trans am and dd my 97 4cyl 5sp Ford ranger.
OP, look into one of the TDI jettas or golfs. 45mpg+ and you can run them on vegetable oil. I have heard those guys getting 55+mpg with water injection and go over 250,000 miles without issues. On a manual not auto of course.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Frankfort, Kentucky
Diesel TDI. Not fast, but nozzles and tune with no cat or muffler will be decent in torque. Be wary of vegetable oil. You don't need water injection to get into the 50's
GTP. Blower whine is great. Good gas mileage for the size 28-32mpg at 75mph. You can use HPTuners or EFILive on them. HUD rocks, supercharger rocks. Do an exhaust, or at least the U-bend delete, but do not hope for any good sound to come from the back of the vehicle. Change the Valve cover gaskets, be careful when removing the intake manifold. Spark plugs are $.97 a piece. Exhaust, homemade intake, and some time with a tuner will feel much different. Alot of f-body parts will swap onto it. Most are well priced. 97 is different from the 98-up in many ways. You can also look into the Regal GS, and Bonneville SSEI maybe.
If I was to do another W-body it would be a GT with a turbo and water injection, or a GTP with GT compression and water injection. And if I carry the dream further, a t56.
GTP. Blower whine is great. Good gas mileage for the size 28-32mpg at 75mph. You can use HPTuners or EFILive on them. HUD rocks, supercharger rocks. Do an exhaust, or at least the U-bend delete, but do not hope for any good sound to come from the back of the vehicle. Change the Valve cover gaskets, be careful when removing the intake manifold. Spark plugs are $.97 a piece. Exhaust, homemade intake, and some time with a tuner will feel much different. Alot of f-body parts will swap onto it. Most are well priced. 97 is different from the 98-up in many ways. You can also look into the Regal GS, and Bonneville SSEI maybe.
If I was to do another W-body it would be a GT with a turbo and water injection, or a GTP with GT compression and water injection. And if I carry the dream further, a t56.
TECH Enthusiast
Joined: Nov 2010
Posts: 514
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Those TDIs are still pretty new. Not sure how cheap you can find a used one. Also heard the recommended oil for them is expensive and hard to find. Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong, certainly not a VW expert here.
Staging Lane
Joined: Jan 2006
Posts: 85
Likes: 0
From: Frankfort, Kentucky
The Pump Duese motors, that start in 2004, have cam wear problems, and also spec higher than Walmart grade oil. The ALH (98-2003) have a spec, but you can easily buy that oil most places. Also, the Auto(02m?) is very problematic. Most recommend being ready to swap it out at 100K miles. YRMV. I am looking into the TDIs, as well as the Volvos right now.
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Verdad Gallardo The Pump Duese motors, that start in 2004, have cam wear problems, and also spec higher than Walmart grade oil. The ALH (98-2003) have a spec, but you can easily buy that oil most places. Also, the Auto(02m?) is very problematic. Most recommend being ready to swap it out at 100K miles. YRMV. I am looking into the TDIs, as well as the Volvos right now.
Diesels are more fuel efficient and last longer then gas powered vehicles. Unless its a Ford 6.0.... J/k. I like Chevy and Dodge.
Well, I have a 2000 Saturn SC1 5-speed with 187,xxx miles. I commute 48 miles one way thru the Cajon Pass from the high desert to the valley. No drips or leaks. I average 35-37 mpg. Better MPG if I didn't have to climb a hill everyday. It ain't fast, but that's not what I bought it for. I love the car, no problems with it, parts are SUPER cheap, and people get a kick outta the third door. No need to get rid of the f-body. Keep it. Do what I did...I put my SS on collector car insurance @ $205 a year full coverage with $0 deductible with agreed value of $12,000. I just bearly put 200 miles on the SS so far this year.
Last edited by chevystyle; Nov 16, 2011 at 05:45 PM.
