Any long-distance drivers?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 14, 2008 5:36 pm

Why wouldn't I? You think he would actually exaggerate his car's performance numbers?

Oh, and since you managed to miss it the first time, SARCASM!

Blue Shift · Post by **Blue Shift** » Wed Oct 15, 2008 12:27 am

Aaron wrote:
Series8217 wrote: The later year DIS Duke Fieros are extremely reliable and get 38+ MPG freeway.
That's it? There's a guy on Old Europe with a 305 SBC, iron heads, iron intake, quadrashit, and he gets 36mpg according to him. I'd swap to the 305.

Hey, hey, hey now. The Quadra-bog is one of the best carbs - it's just got so many adjustments that most knuckle dragger mechanics can't get their head around it...

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 1:13 am

I'm just waiting for the DBT.

1000km the first week
1700km the second week
1400km last week

That's NOT including ~3000km for three return trips to Winnipeg to pick shit up, visit my wife (socially + conjugglery)...

Looking at my calls for tomorrow's looking like 4-500km in one day.

I changed my oil 3 weeks ago, it's already past due for another...

Sweet jesus, I need a better car for this. The Toyota isn't going to last... It's now officially paid for itself 4 times over (based on operating costs, insurance, fuel costs) but I'm suspecting it's saving up for some truly spectacular failure... And when it does, I'm really questioning the wisdom in fixing it vs. just pulling the plates off, sparking up some Thermite on the VIN plates at the side of the trans-canada, and buying something new...

I'm thinking Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe as the next car. I NEED a hatch-back, and I'm wanting something that gets kickass fuel mileage while still having enough room for 4 lexmark ADF boxes, three toolbags, and a half-dozen dell laptop parts boxes...

Fastback86 · Post by **Fastback86** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 2:22 am

3 tool bags? Are you bringing two friends along for the ride? :thumbleft:

CincinnatiFiero · Post by **CincinnatiFiero** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 11:45 am

Vibe is a great car, driven a couple. They get great mpg. Have you considered using shit-tastic walmart synthetic oil to stretch out your oil intervals?

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 12:06 pm

Have you thought about the Maxda hatchs any?

CincinnatiFiero · Post by **CincinnatiFiero** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 4:55 pm

Mazdas are such peices of shit its not even funny.

stimpy · Post by **stimpy** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 5:20 pm

HHR. Those cars will swallow just about anything you can throw at it and get 30+ mpg.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:01 pm

And you'll look queer in the process :thumbleft:

AkursedX · Post by **AkursedX** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 6:17 pm

Mach10 wrote:I'm thinking Toyota Matrix/Pontiac Vibe as the next car. I NEED a hatch-back, and I'm wanting something that gets kickass fuel mileage while still having enough room for 4 lexmark ADF boxes, three toolbags, and a half-dozen dell laptop parts boxes...

My brother has like an '03 AWD Vibe. He gets about 32mpg, is terrible about proper maintainence (I'm talking 12k oil changes, thank god I put synthetic in it) and he's put around 180k on it with no major issues. He has like a 70-mile round trip daily commute. They are nice little vehicles. If you are talking about the new one's, I don't know much about them. My uncle also had a matrix and it was one of his favorite vehicles. He sold it cuz he got a company car.

p8ntman442 · Post by **p8ntman442** » Mon Oct 27, 2008 8:52 pm

amsoil for the win on the oil change issues.

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 5:18 am

Aaron wrote:Have you thought about the Maxda hatchs any?

Yes.

They are godawful.

Test-drove one in February; actually, test-drove a whole lot of newer cars before settling on the used 'Yota.

The Mazda is in every sense of the idea a boy-racer's masturbatory tool. The engine is powerful but very, very high-strung, with steep gears. The brakes are beyond touchy, and the bias is odd. The car felt squirrelly and skittish on just a light dusting of snow. This is BAD news for a car that will see 7-8mo per year of intensive winter driving. The rear "hatch" is bloody useless; it looks big from the outside, but the interior part of the frame curls in, and the actual opening isn't more than 3ft across... It's laughable.

I also drove a Subaru Impreza hatch, which was--frankly--awesome, but rough on gas, and realistically more "sports car" than "work car." Handled like it was glued to the road, and was more than quick... But the fuel mileage was just terrible for such a small car, and the price-tag just too high. Love that car, though...

Tried a Caliber, too. To be fair, there was absolutely nothing I *disliked* about the car... But to be honest, there was absolutely nothing I loved about it either... Overall, it was a completely underwhelming ride--while at the same time being a perfectly acceptable ride...

The Matrix was definitely my pick, all things considered... AWD, and the '09s get the Camry 4-cyl, so it's no longer as gutless--and gets better mileage (from not being totally underpowered). Not as badass as the mazda or subaru, but powerful enough to get out of it's own way, and while not quite as planted as the subaru (higher CG, softer suspension etc), felt much better on the road than the Mazda.

But seriously? There's no fucking way I'm buying a NEW car for this.

It's one thing to ignore the immediate depreciation if you can stretch the warranty out a bit... It's another to realize that you'll be through the warranty within 2 years.

If anything, I'll be on the lookout for a lease return or off-lease... Let some other sucker break the mo'fo in for me before I drive it into the dirt.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 10:12 am

I think what you need is the All New 1982 Honda Civic 4WD Wagon.

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 11:40 am

:salute:

Now we're talkin' turkey!

Seriously? If I could find one in good shape, I'd grab it in a heartbeat.

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Tue Oct 28, 2008 1:36 pm

My sister had a 1986 Accord before she drove it through a red light into an SUV, but that's another story...

It had 1 point 6 liters of carbureted fury, with 98 horses pulling it forcefully forward to the finish line.

But damn, what a fucking car. I swear to whatever God it is I pray to, what a car. The heater got warm faster than most any car I've ever driven. The blower fan moved more air than a full size Suburban. The radio worked perfect, and sounded good for a 20 year old system. EVERY pertinent control was within easy arm's reach, and placed perfectly. The ride was smooth, comfortable, and the car handled surprisingly well. Even the horsepower was sufficient, and the 5-speed's ratios were perfectly spaced. And gas mileage, I never tracked it, but it was damn good. I'd buy another in a heartbeat.

Bullets'n'Octane · Post by **Bullets'n'Octane** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 6:57 pm

hhmmm...guess I just got used to it. Drove truck long haul about 12-13 hours straight all the time. The only time I would stop is to fuel up. Now just do somewhat local stuff. 550-600 miles a day, only stop to drop trailer and pick up empty to get loaded somewhere else. But this isn't a car like y'all are talkin about. I drive an '08 Kenworth with a grain-train :salute:

Aaron · Post by **Aaron** » Thu Nov 06, 2008 11:09 pm

Bullets'n'Octane wrote:hhmmm...guess I just got used to it. Drove truck long haul about 12-13 hours straight all the time.

Isn't that like, very illegal?

The Dark Side of Will · Fri Nov 07, 2008 7:15 am

So is speeding 1-9 over... but everybody does it.

I've done a little bit of truck driving (nothing serious, just a 26K) so I know a few things about the trade... I wasn't getting paid by the mile, though, so I didn't have any incentive to keep two logs...

Mach10 · Post by **Mach10** » Fri Nov 07, 2008 8:56 am

I AM getting paid by the mile (good!) But my $1800 corolla doesn't have anywhere near the ergonomic refinements of a $400,000 Kenworth (bad). I've never driven a rig, but I have sat in them, and the seats are positively top-notch.

One upside of the nose-diving economy is that cars and trucks are plummeting in value. Assuming I still have a job in Spring, I'll have my veritable pick of the litter in terms of comfortable, well-designed, and reliable vehicles at reasonable prices.

For now, a $20 foam backrest with lumbar bumper seems to be doing the trick.

Oh, and as far as drving 1-9mph over, I don't do that. See, I get paid by the hour, AND by the km--but I have to pay for my own fuel, so if I keep the needle at 100kph, I get to "earn" myself an extra $20 a day, because at 100kph, my 270,000k corolla gets 45-47mpg, while at 110 it gets 35-39. I'm not getting paid any extra to shave 20 minutes off my travel time...