Fuel Economy vs Comfort - Tilted Forum Project Discussion Community

genuinegirly · 12-01-2008, 11:32 PM

As I speak with family and friends about fluctuating gas prices and their vehicle plans for the future, I see some very different responses. Some commute daily for work and therefore desire comfort and ease of driving above fuel efficiency. Others commute daily and only think about overall cost of fuel and vehicle reliability. Some seem to take pride in finding the most fuel effficient vehicle on the market and modify it so it will be even moreso. Some seem to consider 15 mpg good gas mileage while others cringe at anything under 30 mpg. Many people in our community have purchased hybrids and micro cars like the Smart car, but large SUVs are still the most common vehicles on the road.

Here are a few questions to direct discussion:

What do you consider good gas mileage?
How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing.
Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?

--------------------------------------------
My responses:

What do you consider good gas mileage?
30 - 45 mpg. My car gets 27 - 32 reliably.
How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
Every two weeks. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I commute 30 minutes to school three times each week.
What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
I enjoy power windows and power door locks. I prefer non-fabric seats.
Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency?
No.
Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
I don't enjoy luxury sedans. Far too many fiddly things that could easily break. I would rather have a practical vehicle with good gas mileage that isn't likely to break down.
Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
Smart cars are increasingly more common around here. I think they're pretty fun, but not practical for my needs.

Vaultboy · 12-02-2008, 05:35 AM

What do you consider good fuel efficiency?
Anything over 10 km/L is decent. My car (Mazda2 1.3L) gets 14-17 km/L depending on how aggresively I drive.

How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
This question is rather pointless, since a lot of people dont fill their tank when they fuel up. A better question would be "What mileage do you do per year". I do about 38 000km per year

What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
Power Steering. Air conditioning. Power windows. Stereo.

Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency?
Yes. Air conditioning.

Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
I prefer a car with excellent handling and good fuel efficiency over luxury.

Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
The thing is that fuel-efficiency doesn't have to come at a price. They dont have to be dull. The Mazda2 and Honda Jazz are cars with excellent driving characteristics, that ooze features, and that have incredible fuel efficiency. I drive a Mazda 2. My car has electric windows, climate control, adjustable steering wheel, and adjustable headlights, trip computer and electric side mirrors. My car runs on 15-inch 50/195 rims. The only things i dont have are a sunroof and a GIS computer - which are optional extras. Yes, fuel-efficient cars are light and small, but my car is as big inside as a 2000 Astra or Golf 3, and more comfortable, due to advanced ergonomics.
__________________

Fotzlid · 12-02-2008, 06:23 AM

What do you consider good gas mileage?
Anything over 25mpg. My car averages 22 in the city and 30 on the highway.

How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
About once per week. Depends on how many errands I run during the week as I am centrally located in the middle of nowhere.

What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
Power everything and a good stereo.

Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing.
No

Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
I prefer a vehicle that is fun to drive and that handles well. If I had to choose between luxury or mundane, I'd pick luxury.

Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
I've seen a few Smart cars around here. They look interesting. Other than that, no.

telekinetic · 12-02-2008, 07:20 AM

What do you consider good gas mileage?
30mpg+ for small vehicles, 20mpg+ for large vehicles. I have one of each. Justification: My 22mpg Odyssey minivan holds twice as many people as my 35mpg Fit, so if full to capacity (which it is frequently for road trips and outings with family in town), it has better efficiency per person than the two cars we would otherwise have to take.
How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
Fit: Once or twice a week. Van: once or twice a month
What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
For a daily commuting vehicle, reliability AC and enough power to not get run down on the 70mph freeways. Also, remote power locks are a must, I hate fiddling with door keys. For a road trip vehicle, more commodities are nice--the van has leather, DVD, gps, power doors, power seats, seat heaters, etc etc. I'm in it for fun when I'm in it, so I'm gonna be comfy.
Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing.
Automatic transmission, as a concession to my wife occasionally driving, is the only 'fuel efficiency' killing feature on the Fit.
Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
I (sort of) picked one of each...although I wouldn't call the Fit mundane, and a fully-luxury optioned Odyssey isn't a sedan.
Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
I <3 my Fit, and if the wife starts working will probably buy a second one. Also, if the Honda Freed minivan ever comes to the US I'll trade the Odyssey in on it...8 passenger vehicle with a 1.5 liter? Yes please!

snowy · 12-02-2008, 08:37 AM

I consider around 30mpg to be good gas mileage. I'd like a car with more.

I drive a Volvo 940 turbo station wagon. Around town right now I'm getting about 20mpg, which is the best I've ever done. I significantly changed my driving style to do so (harder to do in an automatic over a manual). I rarely fill my car with fuel--the station wagon has a 20 gallon tank, and over the summer to fill it would have set me back almost $90. Not happening. So I put $20 in every time I think I need gas (there is a tiny thing that complicates this--my gas gauge occasionally stops functioning, so I am completely reliant on my odometer to tell me when I need gas). I buy gas before I need to because of this, and the little bit of extra gas I leave as room for error adds up after a while. I'll probably fill my tank today, but that is mostly to provide weight in the back of my station wagon (if it's not weighed down it slides around in winter, and it's a rear-wheel drive car).

I prefer a Volvo. I've driven them my entire life. My parents have a '96 960 they're going to replace with a new Volvo S60 in two years or so as a retirement present to themselves, and at that time my dad wants to give me the '96. It gets about 30mpg. Has a lot of bells and whistles, but it's a Volvo so there's little fear you're going to break anything. One thing this 960 doesn't have that my 940 does is heated seats. With leather seats, this is important. Unfortunately, the 960 came out of California, so it has no cold-weather package. But it does come with snow tires!

If we were going to buy ourselves a new car, we would likely look for a subcompact hatchback like the Honda Fit or the Nissan Versa--something that would fit us and some stuff comfortably in. I find the Fit appealing because it has a lot of the same versatility my station wagon has. Both have good fuel economy, and I've sat in both and found them comfortable for a woman my size. But honestly, we're going to try and make the hand-me-down Volvos go as far and long as they can.

PonyPotato · 12-02-2008, 09:57 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by onesnowyowl

If we were going to buy ourselves a new car, we would likely look for a subcompact hatchback like the Honda Fit or the Nissan Versa--something that would fit us and some stuff comfortably in. I find the Fit appealing because it has a lot of the same versatility my station wagon has. Both have good fuel economy, and I've sat in both and found them comfortable for a woman my size. But honestly, we're going to try and make the hand-me-down Volvos go as far and long as they can.

I don't know if you've ever been in a Fit or a Versa, but their "cargo area" has maybe enough space for a cooler. It would be very difficult to put more than two people + stuff for more than just a weekend trip in there, and camping would be hard as well. That's why I chose the Pontiac Vibe first (it got totaled) and then went with a Toyota Matrix, which is essentially the same car.

My Matrix gets 28-32 mpg regularly, and I consider 30 mpg to be pretty decent gas mileage. I REALLY want a BMW Z4 (luxury!) eventually, but even they get 29 mpg highway. I enjoy driving, especially in a finely tuned manual sports car. I fell in love with my ex's Mazdaspeed3, so if I don't have the money for a Z4 when I eventually I may get one of those instead.

What do you consider good gas mileage?
30 mpg.
How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
About once a week - Crompsin and I trade off driving each week.
What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
Power windows, power locks, heated seats if they're leather, a nice stereo with either a tape player (for a tape adapter) or an input line so I can connect my iPod.
Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency?
Lots of traffic. Lots and lots of traffic.
Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
I currently have a "mundane" car that is extremely useful, but I love driving a well-tuned manual sports car and really want to get back in one within a few years.
Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
Smart Cars are prevalent around here, though they actually don't get the best gas mileage (and require premium fuel). I see Toyota Prius-es everywhere, and often Camry Hybrids, Civic Hybrids, and even hybrid SUVs in this area.

kurty[B] · 12-02-2008, 10:23 AM

What do you consider good gas mileage?
Anything over 30mpg. My car gets 17-19mpg. My motorcycle gets 50 mpg

How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
I agree with vaultboy that this question should be How many miles/km do you put on your vehicle each year? My mileage varies wildly from year to year. On average, I would say 15,000 miles. Some years only 10,000, some more than 20,000.

What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
A good stereo is all I need, but I currently enjoy power windows, locks, a/c (that I rarely use).

Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing.
In the mountains of Colorado, the ability to get into 4wd, while not a necessity, sure makes life simpler when keeping a car on an icy road.

Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
Fuel economy is important to me, but not enough so to buy a strictly mundane vehicle. I also do not consider a VW Polo or the original Mini Cooper to be a mundane vehicle. When buying a vehicle a large part of the decision is reliability and what I need it to do for at least the next few years (whether that be drive 5-8 hours every other week in blizzards and storms, or across town).

Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
I have not been keeping track of new cars as much as I used to. It seems Europe gets all the vehicles I want, and America gets the leftovers or the big bulky overweight vehicles I have no interest in. When a car is advertised as fuel efficient and it only gets 22 mpg I puke a little in my mouth. When a car gets better gas mileage than my motorcycle than I'll have a tough time. No longer will I be able to use the "I'm taking the motorcycle because it gets better gas mileage" excuse when I really just want to ride it because its fun.

Lasereth · 12-02-2008, 10:35 AM

I would like to first state that I absolutely loathe the term "Fuel Economy" because it is a ludicrous way of saying gas mileage. It has bothered me ever since the 2000 tech boom when companies had to rename simple things to justify the money they charge.

What do you consider good gas mileage?

30 MPG and above

How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?

We have 2 cars, usually fill both up every 1.5 weeks or so.

What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?

AC, horsepower, nice speakers

Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing.

Yes, a high horsepower car

Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?

No

Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?

Yes, the Dodge EV. Super fast totally electric car that is a prototype for electric vehicles. Goes a good distance on a single charge (200 miles I believe) and is much faster than a typical car.

I would like to add that to many people the problem of gas mileage is a bit overstated. I commute to work everyday and the difference between a 15-18 MPG car and a 40 MPG car is like $70 a month. Sure, it's a chunk of change, but it's not a life-ending emergency like many people are making it out to be. Now with gas prices going down the difference is $30ish a month..... Sorry but buying a 40 MPG $25k hybrid is simply not worth it when the difference between it and a $15k regular combustion engine car is $30 a month or even $70 a month. It will take years and years to offset the difference. If you buy a car that is more expensive than you wanted to spend just because of the gas mileage then you're actually losing money.

snowy · 12-02-2008, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PonyPotato

I don't know if you've ever been in a Fit or a Versa, but their "cargo area" has maybe enough space for a cooler. It would be very difficult to put more than two people + stuff for more than just a weekend trip in there, and camping would be hard as well. That's why I chose the Pontiac Vibe first (it got totaled) and then went with a Toyota Matrix, which is essentially the same car.

What I meant by versatility is the ability to fold down the seats in a similar manner and make the cargo area larger. I know it's not nearly as big as my Volvo is--I did say I'd sat in both

--but I do like the idea that it can be a bit bigger if needed. I pack light, and so does my SO. We really only need a car with room for two backpacks.

QuasiMondo · 12-02-2008, 02:31 PM

1. Anything above 20 mpg combined.
2. Twice a week.
3. Good acceleration, good brakes, tight suspension, good stereo.
4. Turbocharged, w/ AWD.
5. Neither. I prefer rip-roaring performance vehicles.
6. All the good fuel efficient cars that excite me are modified to the extent that they're not really fuel efficient anymore. But I do like the new Civics.

Willravel · 12-02-2008, 02:53 PM

What do you consider good gas mileage?
Anything over 60mpg is good. Unfortunately, those cars aren't really available in the US. I get an average of about 35mpg in the Jetta, mostly because I drive to get better mileage.

How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
Less than once a month.

What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
I want the ride quality to be smooth without losing traction. I very much prefer bucket seats. I need a large boot.

Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing.
I need air conditioning. It can get too hot for me to be comfortable here in the Summer, so staying cool is a must. And it does reduce fuel efficiency.

Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
If I had to choose, I'd want a more efficient vehicle.

Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
I'd love to get a VW Polo Diesel. I could easily get 90mpg in that wonderful little car.

dogzilla · 12-02-2008, 04:58 PM

What do you consider good gas mileage?
Anything over 35mpg.

How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
Usually every other week, sometimes every week if I drive a lot besides my work commute.
I drive about 15K miles/year

What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
I replaced the car radio with a CD player/radio combo.

Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
Yes. I drive a 1996 Geo Prism with about 190K miles. This car has a standard shift which gets me about 40mpg and quick acceleration even for a 4-cylinder. I don't like extras like A/C, power windows, power locks, remote locks, etc. I consider them just one more expensive thing to break.

telekinetic · 12-02-2008, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PonyPotato

I don't know if you've ever been in a Fit or a Versa, but their "cargo area" has maybe enough space for a cooler. It would be very difficult to put more than two people + stuff for more than just a weekend trip in there, and camping would be hard as well.

BRB
-----Added 2/12/2008 at 10 : 29 : 38-----
Two Hours later...

http://www.tfproject.org/tfp/tilted-...-fits-fit.html

Spoiler: More than a cooler

laconic1 · 12-03-2008, 04:42 AM

What do you consider good gas mileage?
Anything over 30 mpg
How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
I fill my tank once every 2-3 weeks depending on if I am just commuting to work, or if I have a few other trips mixed in.
What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
Air Conditioning. I went without it for 6 years in my last car and have no idea how I did it.
Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing.
This isn't related to the car I drive, but the city I work in has the most retarded traffic engineers ever. I go to work at 6:30 in the morning and have a 2 mile commute with virtually no traffic to contend with. I spend about 4 minutes driving and 6 minutes stopped at red lights because they only cycle the lights every two minutes. As a result I only get around 17 mpg on a typical tank compared to 24 mpg on my old 12 mile commute.
Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
Very briefly in high school I drove a Ford Festiva. When I worked in the dealership I was around a few luxury cars. I'll take the luxury any day of the week.
Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
I worry that this vehicle won't ever come out, and if it does it will be way more than I can afford, but I am excited about the Chevy Volt.

souzafone · 12-09-2008, 12:32 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lasereth

I would like to first state that I absolutely loathe the term "Fuel Economy" because it is a ludicrous way of saying gas mileage. It has bothered me ever since the 2000 tech boom when companies had to rename simple things to justify the money they charge.

But fuel economy should be the correct question, as it's the most accurate. To illustrate, my car gets infinite gas mileage because it doesn't run on gasoline. It's a DIESEL. Now on to the questions.

What do you consider good gas mileage?
I would consider anything over 40 mpg to be good. I think it's very disappointing that we can't achieve the economy of 20 years ago with the safety features and emissions controls of today considering the technology now available. My 10 year old car averages over 47 mpg, lowest ever 43.3 best ever 56.1, very rarely driving for economy. Torque rules.

How frequently do you fill your car with fuel?
A very pertinent question, as this is how most people measure economy,--- How much does this thing cost me per week/fillup/pay period? I'll go 650-750 miles on a tank 7 or 8 days between fills. I always fill as it's the most accurate way to check mpg.

What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle?
Power, handling, stereo, A/C, good seats.

Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency?
Bumper to bumper Boston traffic going to work, boobies waiting at 5:00.

Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan?
No.

Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles?
No, just a lot of bumper sticker proclaiming the drivers "green-ness" and a lot of wannabees, but nothing serious. My car is usually the most efficient on the road at any given time, and it looks completely nondescript. Every now and then I'll see someone in a mid-eighties Civic or Chevy Sprint, always in the slow lane with a death grip on the wheel. Big fun.

12-01-2008, 11:32 PM	#1 (permalink)
genuinegirly Eat your vegetables Super Moderator Location: Arabidopsis-ville	Fuel Economy vs Comfort As I speak with family and friends about fluctuating gas prices and their vehicle plans for the future, I see some very different responses. Some commute daily for work and therefore desire comfort and ease of driving above fuel efficiency. Others commute daily and only think about overall cost of fuel and vehicle reliability. Some seem to take pride in finding the most fuel effficient vehicle on the market and modify it so it will be even moreso. Some seem to consider 15 mpg good gas mileage while others cringe at anything under 30 mpg. Many people in our community have purchased hybrids and micro cars like the Smart car, but large SUVs are still the most common vehicles on the road. *Here are a few questions to direct discussion:* What do you consider good gas mileage? How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? -------------------------------------------- My responses: What do you consider good gas mileage? 30 - 45 mpg. My car gets 27 - 32 reliably. How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? Every two weeks. Sometimes more, sometimes less. I commute 30 minutes to school three times each week. What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? I enjoy power windows and power door locks. I prefer non-fabric seats. Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? No. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? I don't enjoy luxury sedans. Far too many fiddly things that could easily break. I would rather have a practical vehicle with good gas mileage that isn't likely to break down. Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? Smart cars are increasingly more common around here. I think they're pretty fun, but not practical for my needs. __________________ "Sometimes I have to remember that things are brought to me for a reason, either for my own lessons or for the benefit of others." Cynthetiq "violence is no more or less real than non-violence." roachboy Last edited by genuinegirly; 12-01-2008 at 11:35 PM..

12-02-2008, 05:35 AM	#2 (permalink)
Vaultboy Addict Location: Third World	What do you consider good fuel efficiency? Anything over 10 km/L is decent. My car (Mazda2 1.3L) gets 14-17 km/L depending on how aggresively I drive. How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? This question is rather pointless, since a lot of people dont fill their tank when they fuel up. A better question would be "What mileage do you do per year". I do about 38 000km per year What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? Power Steering. Air conditioning. Power windows. Stereo. Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? Yes. Air conditioning. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? I prefer a car with excellent handling and good fuel efficiency over luxury. Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? The thing is that fuel-efficiency doesn't have to come at a price. They dont have to be dull. The Mazda2 and Honda Jazz are cars with excellent driving characteristics, that ooze features, and that have incredible fuel efficiency. I drive a Mazda 2. My car has electric windows, climate control, adjustable steering wheel, and adjustable headlights, trip computer and electric side mirrors. My car runs on 15-inch 50/195 rims. The only things i dont have are a sunroof and a GIS computer - which are optional extras. Yes, fuel-efficient cars are light and small, but my car is as big inside as a 2000 Astra or Golf 3, and more comfortable, due to advanced ergonomics. __________________ __________________ "Failing tastes of bile and dog vomit. Pity any man that gets used to that taste."

12-02-2008, 07:20 AM	#4 (permalink)
telekinetic zomgomgomgomgomgomg Location: Fauxenix, Azerona	What do you consider good gas mileage? 30mpg+ for small vehicles, 20mpg+ for large vehicles. I have one of each. Justification: My 22mpg Odyssey minivan holds twice as many people as my 35mpg Fit, so if full to capacity (which it is frequently for road trips and outings with family in town), it has better efficiency per person than the two cars we would otherwise have to take. How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? Fit: Once or twice a week. Van: once or twice a month What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? For a daily commuting vehicle, reliability AC and enough power to not get run down on the 70mph freeways. Also, remote power locks are a must, I hate fiddling with door keys. For a road trip vehicle, more commodities are nice--the van has leather, DVD, gps, power doors, power seats, seat heaters, etc etc. I'm in it for fun when I'm in it, so I'm gonna be comfy. Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing. Automatic transmission, as a concession to my wife occasionally driving, is the only 'fuel efficiency' killing feature on the Fit. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? I (sort of) picked one of each...although I wouldn't call the Fit mundane, and a fully-luxury optioned Odyssey isn't a sedan. Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? I <3 my Fit, and if the wife starts working will probably buy a second one. Also, if the Honda Freed minivan ever comes to the US I'll trade the Odyssey in on it...8 passenger vehicle with a 1.5 liter? Yes please! __________________ twisted no more Last edited by telekinetic; 12-02-2008 at 07:22 AM..

12-02-2008, 08:37 AM	#5 (permalink)
snowy Kick Ass Kunoichi Location: Oregon	I consider around 30mpg to be good gas mileage. I'd like a car with more. I drive a Volvo 940 turbo station wagon. Around town right now I'm getting about 20mpg, which is the best I've ever done. I significantly changed my driving style to do so (harder to do in an automatic over a manual). I rarely fill my car with fuel--the station wagon has a 20 gallon tank, and over the summer to fill it would have set me back almost $90. Not happening. So I put $20 in every time I think I need gas (there is a tiny thing that complicates this--my gas gauge occasionally stops functioning, so I am completely reliant on my odometer to tell me when I need gas). I buy gas before I need to because of this, and the little bit of extra gas I leave as room for error adds up after a while. I'll probably fill my tank today, but that is mostly to provide weight in the back of my station wagon (if it's not weighed down it slides around in winter, and it's a rear-wheel drive car). I prefer a Volvo. I've driven them my entire life. My parents have a '96 960 they're going to replace with a new Volvo S60 in two years or so as a retirement present to themselves, and at that time my dad wants to give me the '96. It gets about 30mpg. Has a lot of bells and whistles, but it's a Volvo so there's little fear you're going to break anything. One thing this 960 doesn't have that my 940 does is heated seats. With leather seats, this is important. Unfortunately, the 960 came out of California, so it has no cold-weather package. But it does come with snow tires! If we were going to buy ourselves a new car, we would likely look for a subcompact hatchback like the Honda Fit or the Nissan Versa--something that would fit us and some stuff comfortably in. I find the Fit appealing because it has a lot of the same versatility my station wagon has. Both have good fuel economy, and I've sat in both and found them comfortable for a woman my size. But honestly, we're going to try and make the hand-me-down Volvos go as far and long as they can. __________________ If I am not better, at least I am different. --Jean-Jacques Rousseau

12-02-2008, 10:23 AM	#7 (permalink)
kurty[B] Sauce Puppet	What do you consider good gas mileage? Anything over 30mpg. My car gets 17-19mpg. My motorcycle gets 50 mpg How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? I agree with vaultboy that this question should be How many miles/km do you put on your vehicle each year? My mileage varies wildly from year to year. On average, I would say 15,000 miles. Some years only 10,000, some more than 20,000. What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? A good stereo is all I need, but I currently enjoy power windows, locks, a/c (that I rarely use). Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing. In the mountains of Colorado, the ability to get into 4wd, while not a necessity, sure makes life simpler when keeping a car on an icy road. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? Fuel economy is important to me, but not enough so to buy a strictly mundane vehicle. I also do not consider a VW Polo or the original Mini Cooper to be a mundane vehicle. When buying a vehicle a large part of the decision is reliability and what I need it to do for at least the next few years (whether that be drive 5-8 hours every other week in blizzards and storms, or across town). Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? I have not been keeping track of new cars as much as I used to. It seems Europe gets all the vehicles I want, and America gets the leftovers or the big bulky overweight vehicles I have no interest in. When a car is advertised as fuel efficient and it only gets 22 mpg I puke a little in my mouth. When a car gets better gas mileage than my motorcycle than I'll have a tough time. No longer will I be able to use the "I'm taking the motorcycle because it gets better gas mileage" excuse when I really just want to ride it because its fun. __________________ In the Absence of Information People Make Things Up.

12-02-2008, 06:23 AM	#3 (permalink)
Fotzlid Junkie Location: Greater Boston area	What do you consider good gas mileage? Anything over 25mpg. My car averages 22 in the city and 30 on the highway. How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? About once per week. Depends on how many errands I run during the week as I am centrally located in the middle of nowhere. What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? Power everything and a good stereo. Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing. No Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? I prefer a vehicle that is fun to drive and that handles well. If I had to choose between luxury or mundane, I'd pick luxury. Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? I've seen a few Smart cars around here. They look interesting. Other than that, no.

12-02-2008, 10:35 AM	#8 (permalink)
Lasereth Knight of the Old Republic Location: Winston-Salem, NC	I would like to first state that I absolutely loathe the term "Fuel Economy" because it is a ludicrous way of saying gas mileage. It has bothered me ever since the 2000 tech boom when companies had to rename simple things to justify the money they charge. What do you consider good gas mileage? 30 MPG and above How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? We have 2 cars, usually fill both up every 1.5 weeks or so. What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? AC, horsepower, nice speakers Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing. Yes, a high horsepower car Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? No Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? Yes, the Dodge EV. Super fast totally electric car that is a prototype for electric vehicles. Goes a good distance on a single charge (200 miles I believe) and is much faster than a typical car. I would like to add that to many people the problem of gas mileage is a bit overstated. I commute to work everyday and the difference between a 15-18 MPG car and a 40 MPG car is like $70 a month. Sure, it's a chunk of change, but it's not a life-ending emergency like many people are making it out to be. Now with gas prices going down the difference is $30ish a month..... Sorry but buying a 40 MPG $25k hybrid is simply not worth it when the difference between it and a $15k regular combustion engine car is $30 a month or even $70 a month. It will take years and years to offset the difference. If you buy a car that is more expensive than you wanted to spend just because of the gas mileage then you're actually losing money.

12-02-2008, 02:31 PM	#10 (permalink)
QuasiMondo Wise-ass Latino Location: Pretoria (Tshwane), RSA	1. Anything above 20 mpg combined. 2. Twice a week. 3. Good acceleration, good brakes, tight suspension, good stereo. 4. Turbocharged, w/ AWD. 5. Neither. I prefer rip-roaring performance vehicles. 6. All the good fuel efficient cars that excite me are modified to the extent that they're not really fuel efficient anymore. But I do like the new Civics. __________________ Cameron originally envisioned the Terminator as a small, unremarkable man, giving it the ability to blend in more easily. As a result, his first choice for the part was Lance Henriksen. O. J. Simpson was on the shortlist but Cameron did not think that such a nice guy could be a ruthless killer. -From the Collector's Edition DVD of The Terminator

12-02-2008, 02:53 PM	#11 (permalink)
Willravel ... a sort of licensed troubleshooter.	What do you consider good gas mileage? Anything over 60mpg is good. Unfortunately, those cars aren't really available in the US. I get an average of about 35mpg in the Jetta, mostly because I drive to get better mileage. How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? Less than once a month. What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? I want the ride quality to be smooth without losing traction. I very much prefer bucket seats. I need a large boot. Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing. I need air conditioning. It can get too hot for me to be comfortable here in the Summer, so staying cool is a must. And it does reduce fuel efficiency. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? If I had to choose, I'd want a more efficient vehicle. Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? I'd love to get a VW Polo Diesel. I could easily get 90mpg in that wonderful little car. Last edited by Willravel; 12-02-2008 at 05:04 PM..

12-02-2008, 04:58 PM	#12 (permalink)
dogzilla Junkie Location: New York	What do you consider good gas mileage? Anything over 35mpg. How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? Usually every other week, sometimes every week if I drive a lot besides my work commute. I drive about 15K miles/year What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? I replaced the car radio with a CD player/radio combo. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? Yes. I drive a 1996 Geo Prism with about 190K miles. This car has a standard shift which gets me about 40mpg and quick acceleration even for a 4-cylinder. I don't like extras like A/C, power windows, power locks, remote locks, etc. I consider them just one more expensive thing to break. Last edited by dogzilla; 12-02-2008 at 05:21 PM..

12-03-2008, 04:42 AM	#14 (permalink)
laconic1 Junkie	What do you consider good gas mileage? Anything over 30 mpg How frequently do you fill your car with fuel? I fill my tank once every 2-3 weeks depending on if I am just commuting to work, or if I have a few other trips mixed in. What are the basic comforts that you enjoy in a vehicle? Air Conditioning. I went without it for 6 years in my last car and have no idea how I did it. Are there any special features that your every-day driving experiences require that reduce your fuel efficiency? ie - 4-wheel drive, towing. This isn't related to the car I drive, but the city I work in has the most retarded traffic engineers ever. I go to work at 6:30 in the morning and have a 2 mile commute with virtually no traffic to contend with. I spend about 4 minutes driving and 6 minutes stopped at red lights because they only cycle the lights every two minutes. As a result I only get around 17 mpg on a typical tank compared to 24 mpg on my old 12 mile commute. Do you prefer a mundane car with excellent fuel economy over a luxury sedan? Very briefly in high school I drove a Ford Festiva. When I worked in the dealership I was around a few luxury cars. I'll take the luxury any day of the week. Have you seen any especially exciting fuel-efficient vehicles? I worry that this vehicle won't ever come out, and if it does it will be way more than I can afford, but I am excited about the Chevy Volt.