I read all sorts of car magazines and it seems weird that now that were running out of useable gas or at least the prices are going way up why are people thinking its still a good idea to get something with 400hp+. It is for this reason that I am very cautious of what I want in my Fiero once I have the money to perform a swap.

I hate to think though it will come some day when all the cars we drive right now and or are peaking our interest in future models are going to become very large paperweights. As the fastest car I have ever been in was my 94 SHO it still leaves me the desire to ride in something that is just stupid fast but i cant say that I would want to own any thing that burns more money than fuel.

Im curious whether anybody else has been thinking the same and what they have made of it. I will admit that I think electric car are pretty dumb though the idea is right and Hybrids got it spot on but there is no go and that is it downside. I don't want to lose my Fiero before I can really do something to it but cant say I know where to turn. Somebody have an idea for a gas/elcetrice hybrid that puts out 200hp and still gets 70 miles to the gallon??? If you do I am your first customer I almost guarantee it.

my 120 hp fiero gets like 20mpg.

A new 400hp V - caddy will prob. get better than that (at worst the same average mpg)

[This message has been edited by Jncomutt (edited 03-15-2005).]

My original 2.8 got around 20mpg
my 3.4dohc was around 29mpg
And I'm hoping for low to mid 20s with the N*

Newer technology, better fuel economy.

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Buy a fiero, become a mechanic

all my swaps besides my 2.8 got better mileage. Mentioned above newer technology improves power and mileage. I think the new Z07 or whatever they are going to call it vette, the 500 HP one gets something like 23 mpg?

2.8 - 29 mpg
3.4 - 33-35 mpg
3800 - 33-35 mpg

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http://formula.cryptnix.com

hey guys,how come i get around 16mpg on my stock 2.8 engine?

quote Originally posted by dozol: hey guys,how come i get around 16mpg on my stock 2.8 engine?

in need of a tuneup? driving it hard from every stop?

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quote Originally posted by dozol: hey guys,how come i get around 16mpg on my stock 2.8 engine?

Also if you have an auto transmission, that makes for poor fuel economy too, esp. on long hauls.

My '85 at best gets around 18-20 MPG. Automatic transmission, not driving hard but not babying it either.

Part of it is the way the fuel injection works. Part of it is just that the transmission isn't very efficient.

Ed

Is it worth it anymore?

Hell Yes!!!

Any old grocery getter can get you good gas mileage!

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RickN
White 88GT 5spd
White 85GT Auto

I have an 02 C5 vette and we get about 28mpg normal driving back and forth to work.. A bit better than that going cross country, and a lot worse than that when my foot in in the engine compartment..

Driving my 87 GT with a five speed on the highway, I could nudge 30+ mpg. My 3.4 nudges 28+ on the highway. Since I usually go for long trips I want the high milage more than burning tires. While gas is now $2+/gallon, I'm whishing for even better economy.

Alright I heard some good points and its nice to hear that once I geta manual tranny my mileage ought to get much better but that there brings me to another question. My idea of the most fun engine would be the 3.8SC now is has anybody figured out which transmission would give good go..go..go power but you could put it in a gear that would spin the revs low enough get you say 30mpg? I know alot have asked what is the best engine to use but has anybody looked at it in a performace/economy point of view? Im surprised no one has said "why do you care if you want to go fast get a N* in it and if you want good mileage buy a bike and pump those legs boy".

3800sc + 5speed = 32mpg

3800sc + 5 speed = 13.2 1/4 mile

# of V8"s beaten to date 5 out of 7

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88 GT, 3800SC, Getrag 5sp., fastest one in Austin,Texas and surrounding areas.........so far

[This message has been edited by revin (edited 03-15-2005).]

I have given some thought to this. And I have decided that I no longer lust after 400-500 HP in my cars. There's nowhere to use it. I don't want a 60 HP Honda CRX 1.3 either. I had one of those. It wouldn't get out of its own way. Obscene top speeds? Can't use that either. My Formula is capable of going faster than 99.9% of the Vipers on the road are willing to go. You just can't cruise around at 150, regardless of how capable your car is. I want something that is fun to drive, safe, gets good mileage, and I can work on it. My stock Formula fits the bill nicely. If gas goes to obscene prices, I would be willing to drive an electric. I would just have to concede that driving would no longer be fun.

when my 30 mpg duke/4spd dies, fuel economy will be high on the listof swap criteria. right now, the 3800sc is looking like a good combo of speed and power. then again, i may just get another fiero and convert it to electric for the daily drive.

my 2.8 gets 33 mpg going 72mph

quote Originally posted by MiZer: in need of a tuneup? driving it hard from every stop?

i guess i need a tune up, i didn't do anything to is since last winter. well not from every stop...lol but seriously what do u guys suggest. spring is coming and i was going to do something, spend some $ on it (maybe around 500) what should i do, tune up one thing, any other thoughts?? thanks

There is no shortage of fuel, prices may rise and prices may increase in the forseeable future, but there is no real shortage. 150 to 200 years from now that may be a reality, I still doubt it. And even then synthetic fuels, alcohol, from whatever source, will still be available. Yes, it may cost a dime in the future but I bet you will still be able to drive your hemi Cuda on the weekends and blow all the kids away. Cost may become prohibitive to make your 10 to 20 mpg car your daily driver but I don't see it happening in my lifetime.

400hp I don't see as a daily driver anyway, but thats just me.

Oh, and yes, we're killing the planet, get real, the planet will be here long after we're gone.

Anybody got another beer, I'm running low, I only picked up a case tonight.
Forgive my rambling, I may have misunderstood the whole point of the thread.

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I hate to advocate weird chemicals, alcohol, violence or insanity to anyone... but they've always worked for me.

Basis for your estimate on fuel supplies remaining? I really doubt that..

When I saw the subject line I knew you MUST be new here. In the last 18 months of my Pff'ing Ive never heard someone say, "too much horsepower". ARE YOU KIDDING???

Is it worth it??
Do bears crap in the woods??

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Failing to prepare - Is preparing to fail....

quote Originally posted by Formula Owner: I have given some thought to this. And I have decided that I no longer lust after 400-500 HP in my cars. There's nowhere to use it. I don't want a 60 HP Honda CRX 1.3 either. I had one of those. It wouldn't get out of its own way. Obscene top speeds? Can't use that either. My Formula is capable of going faster than 99.9% of the Vipers on the road are willing to go. You just can't cruise around at 150, regardless of how capable your car is.

Maybe not where you live...

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My Web page | The Turbo Super Duty Build.

I have to admit that I often say "All I want is better gas mileage, and only lose to respectable cars or at least not have to look the other way and be a little embarrassed when a Cavalier wants to race..."

I get 24 mpg, mainly in town but not much better on the highway, in a 4cyl auto. My grandmother's Lumina gets 28 in town, 31 on the highway (and that's with no maintainence whatsoever, poor engine) and it's also much faster. It just seems like such a waste...

When I first bought my car I filled the tank on $13, today I got half a tank for $12. I'm thinking I may just remove the engine all together, hire some kids from the high school track team, and have them run while pushing the car along. It'll be the next enviro-friendly movement.

No way will I ever own a hybrid or electric though, until restrictions get so bad we are all forced to that is. They still just seem like a joke somehow, I could never respect it. Sometimes it's worth it to throw practicality out the window for a quick sprint up the highway, I guess.

3800 SC, 4T60E with 3.69 gears.
12.2 at 110.9 in the quarter, and 30-32 MPG on the highway. Can't beat that with a stick.

Rockcrawl is putting my car together.It's a 383SBC(mileage down),Sequential fuel injection(mileage up),turbocharged(mileage up as long as the foot isn't through the firewall),4T65EHD with 2.94 gears(mileage up). That is 3 up and 1 down for mileage.I guess I'll find out eventually!

[QUOTE]Originally posted by hugh:

Rockcrawl is putting my car together.It's a 383SBC(mileage down)

mileage way down! I get very very bad mpg must be the 4 brl carb heh

Technology is making hp affordable these days. Like above, I also have a Corvette auto, and it gets between 27-29 mpg. My Magnum, even with a new stroker kit, gets better than 25mpg and thats a 4,000 pnd wagon. My kit is usually lucky to get 16 with its V6.

there is endless fuel. dont let them scare you. well, maybe not endless, but there is ALOT more than some have been led to believe. I myself would love to see a switch to grain alcohol, because thats something WE (the USA) has more of than just about everyone else. the facilities are already in place to produce, and that supply actually is endless. this is something we have an overabundance of.

the reason it will never happen:
the idea of my fuel tank having a sipping straw.

anyways, there is many many years of oil left to be pumped out. I have no basis for why I know that, other than I know that.

^^^ Yes, and actually, if you count Alaska, the US has more oil than the entire Middle East. I'm not advocating tearing up all of Alaskan wilderness (I hear it's beautiful), but I certainly think it's reasonable to drill a few taps up there out of the way of wildlife.
Either way, I agree with George Carlin: "The Earth isn't going anywhere...WE ARE! This planet's gonna shake us off like a bad case of fleas!!"
Ryan

Qoute:

"Somebody have an idea for a gas/elcetrice hybrid that puts out 200hp and still gets 70 miles to the gallon??? If you do I am your first customer I almost guarantee it."

2005 Accord Hybrid - 255hp V6 / electric - 37 mpg highway , 29 city. $30k.
There are getting there ( 70mpg w/ balls ). Give it another 5 years.
Jeff

quote Originally posted by 85GTV84FUN: Qoute: "Somebody have an idea for a gas/elcetrice hybrid that puts out 200hp and still gets 70 miles to the gallon??? If you do I am your first customer I almost guarantee it." 2005 Accord Hybrid - 255hp V6 / electric - 37 mpg highway , 29 city. $30k. There are getting there ( 70mpg w/ balls ). Give it another 5 years. Jeff

thats funny because the GTO get 29mpg with 350hp without being a hybrid ..

hybrids would get much better fuel efficiency if they used the CVT transmissions properly.. but studies have shown people like to here the engine rev up through the gears to they program in set points on the CVT to make it drive more like a normal car.. what they need to do is have a throttle possition sensor, accelerometer with a chip function that balances the gear ratio with engine rpm for maximum efficiency - and for cruising on the highway they set the rpm to where the peak tq is (peak volumetric efficiency) or lower

quote Originally posted by Kohburn: thats funny because the GTO get 29mpg with 350hp without being a hybrid .. hybrids would get much better fuel efficiency if they used the CVT transmissions properly.. but studies have shown people like to here the engine rev up through the gears to they program in set points on the CVT to make it drive more like a normal car.. what they need to do is have a throttle possition sensor, accelerometer with a chip function that balances the gear ratio with engine rpm for maximum efficiency - and for cruising on the highway they set the rpm to where the peak tq is (peak volumetric efficiency) or lower

I'm with you! I've been seeing the Hybrid commericals and these cars are still under 30mpg in the city.

I don't see them being any more gain then regular IC engines. At most these hybrids are gaining like 5 mpg. I thought they were suppose to gain a lot of MPG. I remember Geo Metro's back in the day got 60mpg. Not much power, but doesn't use much gas.

[This message has been edited by Wichita (edited 03-16-2005).]

I was amazed at the Milwaukee auto show, when I saw many trucks and SUV's with electric motors helping to lower gas consumption.

I mean regular trucks like the F-150 pickups hybrid. I agree a few more years and the technology will come around. Its happening.

I really wish they would start making the move to alcohal.. its easy to convert cars for alchohal - only downfall is that it burns so clean its basicly invisible flames.. so if there is an accident it could get ugly.. would be easy enough to put an adative in that'd fix that though. they already require an adative for fuel alchohal to make it undrinkable..

you can get a liscence for about $50 to run your own garage distillery for fuel alchohal.. and can make it for about 2$ in materials - less if you are using farm waste like corn husk stoves and last years leftover organic matter to distill.

[This message has been edited by Kohburn (edited 03-16-2005).]

quote Originally posted by Kohburn: ....they already require an adative for fuel alchohal to make it undrinkable..

booo!

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1985 Fiero SE - Plain Red V6 Coupe
3.1 Crane 272 MSD 4.10-4spd
D.A.M.M. - Drunks Against Mad Mothers

quote Originally posted by Pyrthian: booo!

I'll second that booo!

My '86 Duke auto got 22MPG on the last take full. That was a combination of hyway and city driving. The city driving was to and from work--30 miles each way.

Frank

quote Originally posted by fotofrank: My '86 Duke auto got 22MPG on the last take full. That was a combination of hyway and city driving. The city driving was to and from work--30 miles each way. Frank

but my first fiero which was an 84 duke with the econo 4speed got 33mpg nice long 4th gear

I don't care about what the gas mileage my Fiero will have once I get my N* into it. We'll I will some for when I take it on weekend trips away from home, but basically it will not be a daily driver for me.

I also don't really car about top speed. I want a quick car. Something that will take most cars off the line and in the quarter.

I never did understand why people want fast (top speed) cars. It's the light to light situation that most people find themselves in. Not the lets see who has the fastest top speed.

By all means, please don't think I condone street racing. I do not at all, in fact I have aquantences who have been involved in street racing accidents, and I think it should be contained to the track.

But it's the off the line speed I want, and I don't really car how much gas it takes when I take the car for a spin on the weekend.

BTW, Gas is REAL expensive here, so it's not like I don't have to shovel out the dough when I go to the pump.

[This message has been edited by slickrick2000 (edited 03-16-2005).]

Everyone scoffs when I tell them the MPG I get with my 3.4L Fiero. However, on every 102 mile trip to San Antonio I make each month it averages 2.5 gallons. The worst in the two years I have been making the trip was 2.8 gallons. This includes driving with the cruise set to 80 and the AC on. I have filled at different stations but always the same result.

By the way,

quote Originally posted by The Poopsmith: I will admit that I think electric car are pretty dumb though the idea is right and Hybrids got it spot on but there is no go and that is it downside.

Check out this website:
http://www.acpropulsion.com/tzero_pages/tzero_home.htm

Electrics primary weakness is opinion / attitude - not performance.

Ken & Heidi
87GT 3.4L 5-Speed Held brakes, Anti-bumpsteer, coilovers Herb Adams IMSA swaybar...

Dont sic Greenpeace on me but heres a question. If lots of oil WE can use is in Alaskas wilderness, who really cares how much we drill it up......its wilderness !!!!!! No one is there. I know LOTS of people and I dont know a single one who has run to Alaska to see the ' wilderness '. As a wilderness, what is any benefit ??? no trees to produce oxygen, not cost effective if there was many trees to ship it anywhere else. Its SNOW. If we need more snow, just find a way to store what we get here in the states......LOL. Id gladly donate all that falls on my property to anyone who wants it that bad. 5,000 oil wells spread out on the snow (where no one is) is no more damaging to the pretty ' view ' than all the electric generator windmills in the plains and everyone is fine with them.

I'm just glad my car doesn't run on bottled water. That'd be like $5 or more a gallon.