Notable eco-cars (old & new) spotted in the wild: post your pics! - Page 77 - Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum

cRiPpLe_rOoStEr · 03-20-2015, 07:33 AM

Spotted this DKW-Vemag Candango early this month. It's a Brazilian license-made version of the West German DKW Munga. Fitted with a 3-cyl 1.0L 2-stroke engine.

Wednesday morning while I was walking my dog I saw this Kombi pick-up with an oversized bed.

It was a factory option until mid-90s, but they're not so easy to spot as the vans anymore.

I have also seen this '58 W121 Mercedes-Benz 190D in the same day I spotted the Kombi.

War_Wagon · 03-26-2015, 04:12 AM

While I have seen Fiskers at the auction before, due to a finance company getting rid of them when the company folded, I haven't seen a Tesla there yet. The big auction here is having a high line auction tomorrow, and they have not one, but two Teslas. I saw them briefly tonight but they were parked inside the auction lanes and the lights were off so I couldn't get a decent picture. I'll try to get some of the cars and the crowd around them tomorrow. There's also a first gen Saturn sedan with a stick and low KMs running unreserved tomorrow, are the early ones any good? I seem to remember that they had oil consumption problems.

War_Wagon · 03-28-2015, 05:13 PM

One of the Teslas disappeared, but here's the other one. It had 12k KMs (7400 miles). If you've never seen one of these up close, they are pretty neat. The retractable door handles are the kind of thing I'd expect if I was spending that much money on a car!

War_Wagon · 04-02-2015, 07:41 PM

Poor lil CR-Z. I don't know what's worse, the rice body kit, or the lack of a clutch. An autotragedy on many levels.

RedDevil · 04-03-2015, 03:24 AM

As a sports car it might be a disappointment, but for the money it is not that bad.
I bet it is much more fun to drive than the average family box.
The only things that really spoil it are the wheels. The spoiler kit and lowering should help MPG.

bikeprof · 04-03-2015, 08:23 PM

This Jetta, probably 1998-2000 model., not offered here in the USA but Canada yes. VERY difficult to locate here due to the importing idiot-cy... laws 'bout Diesel. Actually a very good overall wagon, mostly from MEXICO made/assembled. If anyone could/would get one, these can make 60MPG's when properly MODDED!.

Quote:

Originally Posted by War_Wagon

Well this is embarrassing, I totally forgot what year this thing was! I do remember that it had 388k KMs (240k miles), and it was a TDI with a 5 speed. The dashboard was lit up like a Christmas tree, and it needed a provincial inspection to be registered in BC as it had come from Quebec. So it was also rusty. I think it sold for a few bids over scrap value. It'd be a lot of work to get it legal here, but it IS a diesel wagon with a third pedal on the floor so I snapped a couple pics.

There was also something I have never seen before - a 2012 Prius with the mother of all death rattles in the engine! I always thought the I.C.E. in a Prius was bulletproof, but I assure you they are not! It was funny to watch it go through the auction, it was silent when it rolled forwards slowly, but then the driver would hit the gas and the ICE would fire up, and it sounded like a connecting rod was about to come out through the side of the block! I was beside it when it did that and I actually moved back, it was that bad, I didn't want to get hit with the shrapnel. I didn't get a picture as it was a normal looking white Prius with 243k KMs (150k miles).

War_Wagon · 04-03-2015, 08:38 PM

So we had TDI VWs that weren't available in the USA? I did not know that. The only Canadian only diesel that I know of is the Smart Car. If I had known that I might have forked out the $450ish it sold for! Though the grief that goes with exporting it if it was never available south of the border would probably make it not worth it.

Hersbird · 04-03-2015, 08:57 PM

Those TDi VWs are and were all over here. I believe it was just California that couldn't sell them new for a few years. My sister had one for her long freeway commute but it proved to be a mechanical money pit. Her's looked just like that.

bikeprof · 04-03-2015, 09:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hersbird

Those TDi VWs are and were all over here. I believe it was just California that couldn't sell them new for a few years. My sister had one for her long freeway commute but it proved to be a mechanical money pit. Her's looked just like that.

LOL, the SEDAN's were available but NOT the wagon(VARIANT).
They were the "new" generation VW's that Mexico was building(close to MEX city-DF).
Their build was with newer items; wiring, wheel bearings, doors to name few.
Reliability; was like on your sisters, money/maintenance problematic...

That is why I mentioned that IF the vehicle is put together good; and MODS are included, this wagon could/can make 60MPG's because it is NOT a PASSAT, therefore much lighter. Also, many more parts are available from the "mutterland" for MANY improvements. I would have purchased it...

Hersbird · 04-04-2015, 12:41 AM

I saw lots of TDis and lots of wagons, I guess I just figured some of the wagons were TDis. Then again Montana has lots of Canadian cars running around. My current Aspen came from B.C.
I don't think the import here would be any trouble at all. They just need a Canadian title and then they do a law enforcement inspection of the VIN to make sure the title matches that car. The EPA says all Canadian cars since 1998 are complaint with US standards. 1990 and older are exempt so it's just 1991-1997 you might have problems with.