Funny

[euromodder]

Originally Posted by BHarvey

that people actually believe today's cars are more efficient than 20+ years ago.

It just depends on what you buy.
And on what you can buy.

My current car is a lot more efficient than the first one I bought 20 years ago.
It's emissions are also a lot cleaner overall.

A 20+ year old car may get the same mpg than a car you can buy today, but it'll still be polluting a lot more, and be a lot less safe.

[some_other_dave]

And, generally speaking, will take 1.5 times as long to accelerate to 60 MPH when driven all-out.

More room, more power, more features, more passive safety--more more more more more! That's why cars don't get much better mileage now than they did 20+ years ago.

Oh, yes--less polluting emissions as well. At least one thing is less.

-soD

[Frank Lee]

Less affordable, less easy to fix...

[LUVMY02CREW]

Originally Posted by BHarvey

Funny that people actually believe today's cars are more efficient than 20+ years ago.

From a strictly MPG point of view, it seems like cars have NOT made as big of an increase in effeciency as folks think they should.

But, looking at the big picture, I do believe cars are more effecient than they were 20 years ago. I say this based on this explanation of the word effecient from "wiktionary.org" - "Making good, thorough, or careful use of resources; not consuming extra. Especially, making good use of time or energy." That 1 gallon of gas gets you a little farther(better MPG) and also lets your car do more for you:

Originally Posted by some_other_dave

More room, more power, more features, more passive safety--more more more more more! That's why cars don't get much better mileage now than they did 20+ years ago.

Originally Posted by Arragonis

It seemed to me that the efficiency gains of a modern engine, FI etc. had been put into adding performance and space and not into increasing FE.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Less affordable, less easy to fix...

But also less need to fix - at least if you stick to Honda & Toyota. Just consider the difference between having to mess with points & carbs, vs electronic ignition & fuel injection.

And I will put the Insight up against any production car (OK, except the Leaf & Tesla) in the fuel economy department :-)

[mnmarcus]

I think you get more and better efficiency in general... Cars are bigger now, heavier and FA. More safety features and other features. Everyone talks about how much safety weighs but I think those are negligible compared to size and power increases, ac, climate control, power everything...

Cost and Weight Added by the Federal Motor Vehicle Safety Standards

...NHTSA estimates that the FMVSS added an average of $839 (in 2002 dollars) and 125 pounds to the average passenger car in model year 2001. Approximately four percent of the cost and four percent of the weight of a new passenger car could be attributed to the FMVSS. An average of $711 (in 2002 dollars) and 86 pounds was added to the average light truck in model year 2001.

[Arragonis]

Originally Posted by LUVMY02CREW

From a strictly MPG point of view, it seems like cars have NOT made as big of an increase in effeciency as folks think they should.

But, looking at the big picture, I do believe cars are more effecient than they were 20 years ago. I say this based on this explanation of the word effecient from "wiktionary.org" - "Making good, thorough, or careful use of resources; not consuming extra. Especially, making good use of time or energy." That 1 gallon of gas gets you a little farther(better MPG) and also lets your car do more for you:

Nail -> head as far as Ecomodder goes.

[pounsfos]

the only safety features on these cars is the fact that it is sooo light that it can stop really quickly (and i mean really quickly)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxYt31Vkjec

a basic tutorial of the toyota starlet (not my videos)
why they weigh so little:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UxYt31Vkjec

this is what happens when you put a 4age (from the toyota corolla) them

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9CZVm...eature=related

[NHRABill]

New braking compounds can help an older car stop faster as well. I see the OP point in making this post that there have been only slight improvements. Many members here drive a Metro what if they kept revising the 3cyl metro trying to keep with its original function fuel economy. Sure they make some great new cars that get moderate gains in mpg's but in my opinion it is not enough to offset the cost to putrchase a new one.

Finally we are starting to see high 30's even 40 in new cars but it should have been here 10 years ago, just too slow in making improvements.