Quote:
Originally Posted by dremd
If only they made an S-10 Diesel . . .
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They did... In Brazil. There are diesel S-10s in central/south america, that you could probably go down and buy for cheap if you were determined. Or possibly order the diesel through a GM dealership and swap it, their identical trucks to our US S10s.
http://www.cardomain.com/ride/761196
There are diesel Ford Rangers in other parts of the world too, while were stuck with the little 4.0(?)L V6 and the 4-banger here. Both of which with questionable reliability in my experience.
S10s are cheap as dirt, very easy to work on (even the 2nd generation), and the 4.3L V6 is a very reliable motor. Though the 4-banger is a hit-n-miss with reliability. My CAD/Shop teacher has one with over 300k miles and easily averages 30+ mpg on the highway. All the while, with out trying, I've seen 22mpg freeway on the 4.3, cruising at 70ish (my family owns a '98 GMC Jimmy).
And for all the reasons bondo stated above, if your looking at something to retain weekend towing/hauling utility and still return good numbers, and on top of all of that, has a useful aftermarket comparable in size to the ricer market for Civics, it's a win-win deal.
I'd like to nominate the 1990 and up V6 F-bodies (Camaro Firebird). Performance cars with more EF friendly engines, their designed from the start to be an efficient performing car. My firebird for instance already employs several of the mods y'all use on your cars. No grille, underbody panels, air damns (center scoops air for radiator, sides push air around tires), small mirrors, aerodynamics bodies, the 1990 and up firebird can be had with the optional body kits from the Trans-Am (I know on the 90-91 for certain), which had better Cd. Ratings then their base models, and a huge aftermarket in suspension and drivetrain. Though, yes the Firebirds have pop-up head lights, I would wonder if a flush-mount headlight conversion from the Nissan 240 and other such cars could fit..
While the V6s aren't backed hugly by the aftermarket, the 3.1, 3.4, and 3.8 are all reliable engines, and get can manage to get good mpg for their size. In my dads 01 Grand Prix GT, we've seen close to 30 mpg hwy in road trips, loaded up with luggage, 2 adults and a kid.
And these cars are everywhere. V6 cars can be found cheaply on craigslist almost all the time.
I'm gonna deffinatly change my habits on the '90 firebird and see what can be had with the little 3.1L. But from the start, the cars have many of the ideas used when "Ecomodding" the cars here.