New winter beater: base 2004 Toyota Echo vs. base 1998 Pontiac Firefly (Geo Metro)

[MetroMPG]

I plan to never find out!

2 air bags.

[MetroMPG]

So the Echo's temporary permit expired yesterday.

When I brought it home I filled it to the brim -- fuel visible in the filler neck. I filled it to the brim again yesterday -- same pump, same level, facing same direction, same ambient temperature.

Calculations say 3.9 L/100 km = 60 mpg US after 151 km. That's with about 50% sub/urban driving & 50% rural highway driving (max. 50 mph limit). No engine off coasting (because the ScanGauge version I had in it doesn't do 9999 mpg with the engine off and I was trying to calibrate it).

While that looks good, I'm a little skeptical. The ScanGauge said 50 mpg US.

We'll have to wait to find out which number is closer to reality. The car's now parked until late fall.

[jcp123]

I'd be a little skeptical too. Not that it's impossible to get 60mpg, but...yeah, it doesn't feel right to me either.

[MetroMPG]

If I had been doing E-off-C instead of E-on-C, it would be easier to buy the 60 mpg figure.

Anyway, it's a mystery to be solved later.

Time now to finish testing the Prius mods, tidy it up & sell it.

[MetroMPG]

I started fixing the rocker panels. See:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ics-34525.html

Once that's done I'll take it in for the mandatory inspection before I can get it plated.

[MetroMPG]

With the rust repaired, the winter beater Echo is now at the mechanic's for its mandatory mechanical inspection and emissions test.

I had gone over it before taking it in - lights, tires, brakes (iffy - corrosion on the rotors), ball joints/tie rods, exhaust - and it looked passable to me.

It failed! For a mangled/deteriorated front control arm bushing. Oops! (I need to watch more closely for suspension bushings - last winter's beater Prius failed for the same reason.)

So yesterday I brought the car back home to fix it myself, but after eyeing the rusty control arm nuts & bolts I'd have to deal with, plus looking at the cold garage floor, I hopped back in and drove back to the shop: "You do it!"

My tolerance for DIY is getting pretty low with winter setting in.

---

Change of plans: it's going on the block sooner than later

With this month's unplanned fleet addition of Canada's cheapest, 50 mpg* Miata, I've decided to put the Echo up for sale as soon as it's licenced.

Too many vehicles! There's no more room at the inn. And I don't like to litter the manger with vehicles.

We'll see what happens.

[gone-ot]

RE: Skeptical MPG, what does the MILAGE calibration look like? Known?

[MetroMPG]

Calibration is not known yet.

I haven't been driving the car since I picked it up in April and used it for a week and a half on the temporary permit.

But depending on whether it sells quickly or not, I may yet get that info.

Just heading to the shop now to pick it up and see how much I'm getting dinged for the inspections & bushing replacement.

[gone-ot]

OOPS, let me rephrase my question: Correct size tires installed? If not, they could account for the optimistically high MPG number.

[MetroMPG]

Ah. Yes, tires are stock size.