New with an old Daewoo

[lordherald]

Hi all
I guess after reading this site for hours that I have found out I have been geeking on my FE for a long time.
I travel 34 each way five days a week and have been trying to eek out a bit more mileage all of the time.
I started with an 88 Corvette. I was always just creeping on my take offs and driving about five under the speed limit. The car had a built in mpg meter that was pretty accurate and I found that I could get between 23-26 regularly.
I ended up selling the car after getting laid off and drove the wife's Monte for about a year. The best I could achieve was about 26 but most weeks was happy to get 24.
Next I found a 92 Accord and continued to experiment with mileage but could never get this car above 27 with an regularity. It had the stock wing on the rear and a bump on the roof to deflect air from the sun roof.
Last fall I started looking for a replacement for the Accord when the tranny started leaking along with the smell it always made. Riding bike on the city trails I went past this little red Daewoo Lanos that looked like it was for sale but the price tag and phone # had been wiped off like a deal was already in progress.
About two weeks later I saw that it was for sale again but it had a $1400 US price tag on it and thought that it was a little steep.
But still I kept thinking about it.
The following weekend I was on my way to look at a Honda that needed work and decided to stop in and look the Daewoo over.
The lady that owned it and abused it was home. I took if for a test drive and realized that in needed both axles and at least one motor mount.
Still I went back an offered her $1100 cash. I could see a lot of potential ever if it was dirty and needed a complete tune.
So $500 later with a lot of cleaning I ended up with a cute little car that I can get 35+ mpg and when I am careful (usually) I can get 37+ mpg on a car that is rated at 25 mpg combined.

I would already like to offer my thanks to the countless posts by members that have encouraged my to the point that I took off my front mudflaps, passenger mirror, and taped over my grill today. I will have to wait a few more days to start the next fuel cycle to find out if these changes have made any difference but I am excited to find out that there are like minded people out there.

[MetroMPG]

A belated "welcome" in your intro thread.

Sounds like your progression of vehicles has been in the right direction, mileage wise...

[cRiPpLe_rOoStEr]

Nowadays it's pretty much hard to find a Daewoo, but in spite of being quite hard to find some body and trim parts, many of its mechanical parts have some compatible replacement in the Chevy range.