Bang Shift Approved Economy Car?

[DanStokes]

Ours was supposed to have the updated GM unit installed - twice. The last failure took place on the way to the Grand Canyon - hence the HHR, which has been a SUPER little car, btw. It's an econobox, but a fun one.

Russell, how much time have you spent in a modern FWD? Next time in Wilmington I'm pretty sure I can get you some seat time in ME's HHR - sweet little car. The manufacturers have put a LOT of engineering into resolving the very issues you mentioned. And why would you worry about doing donuts in a DD? That's what the RWD Fords are for - this one is supposed to get you from A to B with decent economy and not be horrible to operate. How much time do you spend doing donuts, anyway?

Dan

Thats a lot, must have had other problems there. They have updated ones now from GM and Dorman so nothing to be afraid of.

[HillbillySailor2]

Ford Pinto. Even better with the 2.3 turbo!

[Schtauffer]

How about a Vega or Pinto with a 4 cylinder Cummins...

[1trickpony]

Russell, what does your mustang have for rear gears?
I would think with the right gears, tires, and a good tune up you should be able to knock down at least 5 mpg better.
Just my

I am also looking for a different DD and I keep coming back to the small engine mustangs.
I don't drive much but if I can get a $600 2.3 mustang that will get better than my trailblazer for long hauls, I think that would be money well spent.

[1trickpony]

Just did a quick search and have confirmed my next DD will be a 2.3 mustang. This WEBSITE gives all the Mustang fuel economy from 78-2010. I am sure these are epa ratings.
The next page I went to was ECOMODDER and there was a 2.3 auto on there that the guy did backyard mods and saw 41 MPG.
Granted there are probably better cars out there but if I can drive a car I like and do minimal modifications to knock down stellar MPG, I will. And we all know the 4 cyl mustangs are a dime a dozen.

[BOOOGHAR]

what about ford rangers, chevy S10s, Nissan hardbodies, isuzu hombres, mitsubishi mighty max ??? majority came with 4 cylinder and 5 speeds

my DD S10 has 285K miles on it and still knocks down 28+ mpg and I can haul shit around in it - swap meets, junkyards yadda yadda yadda

[Eliteman76]

I feel for you man. I have been driving my 1979 F150 as a daily driver.
Crappy mileage VS cheap to own, fix, insure, and deal with.
Plus, wing windows rock.
Now, I will say I have been driving my Wife's 1999 Contour SE.
This thing will knock out 27-28 MPG if you stay out of the go pedal. I just have a bad habit of spinning the DOHC V6 to 5 grand just cruising city streets with it. Little road rocket.

I was thinking of trying to find another Ford Tempo GLS coupe with the 2.3L/5 speed. I did 125k+ miles over 5 years in that car...and it got pretty decent mpg. It also for what it was ok. Not a corner carver like a vette, but it's a friggin' tempo.
Beat the 2.3 many a time, and kept chugging along. Stay away from the Automatics. They are piles of crap.

I am working on getting a Ford Fairmont from my Stepdad's family {he passed away this week} that has been sitting on the farm. Call it "Project unFairmont"

Got my mom's '87 5.0 HO and T5 I need to pick up from his house. We were talking about trying to find another 5.0 fastback to drop it in.
The farimont is already set up for a V8/5 speed. Has 94 5.0 K member and new suspension in a rough wrapper.
Thinking sleeper...
Take one wrecked 5.0 drivetrain:




Add one Fairmont:



Thinking of taking and sanding the car down, and rolling POR-15 on the body...and get some wheel adapters to run my Nascar 9.5"x15" steelies.

[tedly]

There's a 3 cylinder Geo Metro at the local scrapyard. It's in the used but fixable section and I don't know what's wrong with it, but I can't believe I'm even considering buying the damn thing. My rust bucket only gets 22 city, 17 highway and I live 9 miles from anything that resembles civilization. A quick trip to the store costs me a gallon of gas. I can't believe I'm even considering owning a friggin Metro.

[Eliteman76]

Hell. Here I sit wondering if I can take a 3.0L DOHC Duratech V6 from a taurus, back it up with a T5, and run it in the fairmont.
Or, take and find a 4 cylinder contour, rip out that mess, and drop in a 302/T5 combo.
Back half the car using my Torino 4 link frame setup sitting under the deck, and run a 9".

[1badmonkey]

i live this... 82 miles, each way for a round trip of 164 miles.

current ride is an 05 monte carlo. 3.4 v-6 running 77-79 mph, it get 32-34(usually 32 on the money)
previous car
was a 99 Mercury Mistique 4cyl automatic got 25-28 mpg at same speeds.

best car i had for mpg was my 93 escort wagon. 37-40 mpg all day-every day

all that being said, i wouldnt want to spend 3 hours a day in a chevette. or a Metro. the monte is the most comfortable car i have had on this commute.

given my choice, i would do a 5.3 in a 77-9 big back window 2dr caprice with an O.D. trans and 2. something gears....
but finding a nice unmolested 2dr caprice would be a good chunk of what i paid for the monte.

given that you are trying to move closer, i would figure out your 5.0 and roll that....

just an opinion.....

[Eliteman76]

Well, really, on the 5.0...if it's in stock form...running a 5 speed and highway gears...why couldn't you swing some decent MPG?
Hell, my old '84 F150 with a 302 and AOD with 3.55 gears could pull down 15-18 MPG on a short box 2wd truck. Even running 295/50r15 steam rollers, I still managed OK MPG.

I've been thinging, a 90's ranger ext cab, 2wd, 5 speed...nothing fancy, but a neighbor has one, and he swears he pulls +30MPG with it.

[98ciHemi]

On the front wheel drive handling- I had my Focus up in on M26 the other day. Really twisty road. I pushed that little thing the absolute edge of my ability for a short stretch of corners, and it was cornering dead neutral at speed, and that was on OEM tires and bone stock suspension. My only complaint with front driver handling is that when getting on it coming through the apex of a corner, the inside front tire wants to spin if you are going less than 40 or so.

[Stich496]

On the front wheel drive handling- I had my Focus up in on M26 the other day. Really twisty road. I pushed that little thing the absolute edge of my ability for a short stretch of corners, and it was cornering dead neutral at speed, and that was on OEM tires and bone stock suspension. My only complaint with front driver handling is that when getting on it coming through the apex of a corner, the inside front tire wants to spin if you are going less than 40 or so.

[milner351]

Well, really, on the 5.0...if it's in stock form...running a 5 speed and highway gears...why couldn't you swing some decent MPG?
Hell, my old '84 F150 with a 302 and AOD with 3.55 gears could pull down 15-18 MPG on a short box 2wd truck. Even running 295/50r15 steam rollers, I still managed OK MPG.

I've been thinging, a 90's ranger ext cab, 2wd, 5 speed...nothing fancy, but a neighbor has one, and he swears he pulls +30MPG with it.

Sorry - I call BS on the ranger getting that kind of mileage unless he's using some serious "hiper miler" techniques and has done some modifications - aero on most trucks sucks bad - does he have a cab height cap? Tonneau cover?

[Russell]

Ours was supposed to have the updated GM unit installed - twice. The last failure took place on the way to the Grand Canyon - hence the HHR, which has been a SUPER little car, btw. It's an econobox, but a fun one.

Russell, how much time have you spent in a modern FWD? Next time in Wilmington I'm pretty sure I can get you some seat time in ME's HHR - sweet little car. The manufacturers have put a LOT of engineering into resolving the very issues you mentioned. And why would you worry about doing donuts in a DD? That's what the RWD Fords are for - this one is supposed to get you from A to B with decent economy and not be horrible to operate. How much time do you spend doing donuts, anyway?

Dan

I drive Jennifer's nissan Rouge but don't push it much. My company car is an 04 taurus I think it has a 3.0 v6? I hate it, its a turd! I used to do doughnuts almost weekly, sadly the last one I did was in my mark 8 and that was over 6 months (maybe closer to a year) ago. I really don't have a good place to do doughnuts anymore and now I am more worried about "The Man" busting my balls. I am sure it has alot to do with my not wanting to let go of my youth.

How about a Vega or Pinto with a 4 cylinder Cummins...

I don't know anything about working on diesels and I don't have the space to build anything now. I do think it would be cool to put a 4bt is something with good aero. I hear they are almost as heavy as a big block?

Russell, what does your mustang have for rear gears?
I would think with the right gears, tires, and a good tune up you should be able to knock down at least 5 mpg better.
Just my

I am also looking for a different DD and I keep coming back to the small engine mustangs.
I don't drive much but if I can get a $600 2.3 mustang that will get better than my trailblazer for long hauls, I think that would be money well spent.

Far as I know the 89 has 3.08 gears I am hoping the 1st tank was so low b/c lack of driving a 5 speed lately. I will check it again this evening, right now its got a little less than 1/2 tank and 151 miles, so I think it will be better (I have been slower on take off and keeping it closer to 70 instead of 80) I think the 1st tank kinda scared me. I have never really been a fan of the 2.3 mustangs. The only one I have ever driven had a turbocoupe engine, I could DD that car.

I feel for you man. I have been driving my 1979 F150 as a daily driver.
Crappy mileage VS cheap to own, fix, insure, and deal with.
Plus, wing windows rock.
Now, I will say I have been driving my Wife's 1999 Contour SE.
This thing will knock out 27-28 MPG if you stay out of the go pedal. I just have a bad habit of spinning the DOHC V6 to 5 grand just cruising city streets with it. Little road rocket.

I was thinking of trying to find another Ford Tempo GLS coupe with the 2.3L/5 speed. I did 125k+ miles over 5 years in that car...and it got pretty decent mpg. It also for what it was ok. Not a corner carver like a vette, but it's a friggin' tempo.
Beat the 2.3 many a time, and kept chugging along. Stay away from the Automatics. They are piles of crap.

I am working on getting a Ford Fairmont from my Stepdad's family {he passed away this week} that has been sitting on the farm. Call it "Project unFairmont"

Got my mom's '87 5.0 HO and T5 I need to pick up from his house. We were talking about trying to find another 5.0 fastback to drop it in.
The farimont is already set up for a V8/5 speed. Has 94 5.0 K member and new suspension in a rough wrapper.
Thinking sleeper...
Take one wrecked 5.0 drivetrain:




Add one Fairmont:



Thinking of taking and sanding the car down, and rolling POR-15 on the body...and get some wheel adapters to run my Nascar 9.5"x15" steelies.

Hell. Here I sit wondering if I can take a 3.0L DOHC Duratech V6 from a taurus, back it up with a T5, and run it in the fairmont.
Or, take and find a 4 cylinder contour, rip out that mess, and drop in a 302/T5 combo.
Back half the car using my Torino 4 link frame setup sitting under the deck, and run a 9".

I like the UNfairmont! put the 5.0 in it and turbo or N20 it! Is the contour anything like a focus? They make a 5.0 swap kit for that car. I was suprised the contours did not do better than they did, I think most of theM have meet the crusher already.

i live this... 82 miles, each way for a round trip of 164 miles.

current ride is an 05 monte carlo. 3.4 v-6 running 77-79 mph, it get 32-34(usually 32 on the money)
previous car
was a 99 Mercury Mistique 4cyl automatic got 25-28 mpg at same speeds.

best car i had for mpg was my 93 escort wagon. 37-40 mpg all day-every day

all that being said, i wouldnt want to spend 3 hours a day in a chevette. or a Metro. the monte is the most comfortable car i have had on this commute.

given my choice, i would do a 5.3 in a 77-9 big back window 2dr caprice with an O.D. trans and 2. something gears....
but finding a nice unmolested 2dr caprice would be a good chunk of what i paid for the monte.

given that you are trying to move closer, i would figure out your 5.0 and roll that....

just an opinion.....

You got it worse than I do. Never said I was going to mover closer but may depends on where I can find a house that I can build a shop, Right now I think trying to get the mileage up on the 5.0 is best. I might keep my eyes open for a $500 escort. I wonder what my SC will get for mileage hopefully it will be up DD standard in a week or two

Well, really, on the 5.0...if it's in stock form...running a 5 speed and highway gears...why couldn't you swing some decent MPG?
Hell, my old '84 F150 with a 302 and AOD with 3.55 gears could pull down 15-18 MPG on a short box 2wd truck. Even running 295/50r15 steam rollers, I still managed OK MPG.

I've been thinging, a 90's ranger ext cab, 2wd, 5 speed...nothing fancy, but a neighbor has one, and he swears he pulls +30MPG with it.

My mustang is stockish it has a gt40p motor with a HO cam and bolt ons I think I can get low to mid 20's out of the mustang, this is my issue 100 miles/day*20 days/month /23mph *$4/gal = $348 geting 30mpg will save me $80 a month 40mpg $148. I would rather spend that money on speed parts, but the buy in hurts and I like driving fun cars. I had a 2.9 5 speed 4x4 ranger it was fun but got worse mileage than my current f150, and towards the end it lost 4th gear and all the rings so it really hated hills. I really don't want another small truck (unless its an oil burner and gets over 50mpg)

On the front wheel drive handling- I had my Focus up in on M26 the other day. Really twisty road. I pushed that little thing the absolute edge of my ability for a short stretch of corners, and it was cornering dead neutral at speed, and that was on OEM tires and bone stock suspension. My only complaint with front driver handling is that when getting on it coming through the apex of a corner, the inside front tire wants to spin if you are going less than 40 or so.

How does it do giving it WOT from a stop making a left hand turn?