Thinking out loud, large cars

[Frank Lee]

As far as I know, the smallest GM to come with the 3800 was the Skylark. Gut one of those and it should haul the mail!

[fud2468]

Well, what got me thinking about a large car again was when I went through some old Consumer Reports mags that I kept.
Not sure if the newer ( aka whale) Crown Vic bodies did as well as the aero bodies that started in 1992, but I think the FE figures should be about the same.
Anyway, CU used to list mileage in several ways, one being "expressway" which I guess meant a steady 55mph, level ground.
In the Jan. 1992 CU issue there's this for expressway mpg:
Pontiac Bonneville 3.8l.--35
Crown Vic 4.6l.--31 (and that was with a 3.08 rear, not 2.73)
Olds 88 Royale 3.8l.--35
Buick Roadmaster 5.7l.--31
Some smaller cars tested around the same time were rated above 40 mpg expressway.
Ray Mac

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by fud2468

Some time back I got advice here on getting a large car for comfort and safety to be used on long trips.

If you really think size equates to comfort & safety... Well, you could probably pick up one of these M60 Patton - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia on the surplus market. You could even ecomod it a bit: for instance, you won't really need the 105 mm gun on the highway - the 50 cal machine guns should suffice for dealing with road-rage cases - so that's a couple of tons off the weight right there :-)

Edited to add: I checked eBay, but there aren't any M60s being offered at the moment. However, there is this: http://cgi.ebay.com/ebaymotors/Briti...=p4506.c0.m245 which is probably better than a tracked vehicle for highway driving. And this one is even street legal, at least in Florida :-)

[jkp1187]

Originally Posted by fud2468

Well, what got me thinking about a large car again was when I went through some old Consumer Reports mags that I kept.
Not sure if the newer ( aka whale) Crown Vic bodies did as well as the aero bodies that started in 1992, but I think the FE figures should be about the same.
Anyway, CU used to list mileage in several ways, one being "expressway" which I guess meant a steady 55mph, level ground.
In the Jan. 1992 CU issue there's this for expressway mpg:
Pontiac Bonneville 3.8l.--35
Crown Vic 4.6l.--31 (and that was with a 3.08 rear, not 2.73)
Olds 88 Royale 3.8l.--35
Buick Roadmaster 5.7l.--31
Some smaller cars tested around the same time were rated above 40 mpg expressway.
Ray Mac

You can see here for an idea of what people on Fuelly.com are averaging in their Crown Vics:

Browse All Ford Crown Victorias | Fuelly

[fud2468]

Thanks for the positive/helpful replies. As for the replies that ridicule the idea of someone wanting to ecomod a large car--I don't see why it's not just as valid to do that with a large car as it is with a pickup or van. And those on this site who are doing that haven't caught flak about it.
Anyway, my plans are on hold for now. I don't see anything becoming available in the near future at the price I'm willing to pay (under $4k).
Ray Mac.

[ALS]

I have a Volvo 960 (big Volvo) 15-16 in town 28-29 highway at 65 mph.
A crown Vic is the same deal. Any around town driving is going to put a dent in over all fuel mileage. I have to say a newer Impala or LeSaber 3.8L would at least have much better aero numbers than a Crown Vic.

[DonR]

Mid 90's Caprices did fairly well (relatively speaking). A high torque/low RPM cam, often called RV cams, are readily available & would help. They are rear wheel drive so you could swap gearing.

The Impala SS had a decently sloped rear window, I think the Caprice was the same, but I'm not sure.
They also had half wheel "skirts" as part of the sheet metal.

They're no Honda Civic, but you don't want one of those anyway.

Don

[RobertSmalls]

Originally Posted by fud2468

...ecomod a large car--I don't see why it's not just as valid to do that with a large car as it is with a pickup or van...

Whatever car you own can and should be ecodriven and ecomodded. It is perfectly valid, and all the more necessary when you own a vehicle that's thirsty to begin with. A 10% improvement in a Crown Vic will save twice as much gas as a 10% improvement in a Civic.

However, if you currently drive a reasonable car, and you tell me you want a large car, SUV, or personal-use pickup, I will argue with you and explain why that's a step in the wrong direction (using my own priorities and values as a compass).

The biggest thing you can do to save gas, maybe even bigger than driving style, and much bigger than any mods you can make, is to select the smallest, thriftiest car that will get the job done.

[RobertSmalls]

I feel I should throw you a helpful bone after posting what you may believe was a bit harsh. So, yeah, 30's would be achievable if you get extreme. Though 60's are achievable if you get extreme on a Civic.

[jamesqf]

Originally Posted by fud2468

As for the replies that ridicule the idea of someone wanting to ecomod a large car...

I think you missed the point. What I, at least, was ridiculing was the idea that large car = comfort and safety. Now if you want to drive a large car because you like them, that's your privilege, and if you think they're more comfortable, that's personal taste. But thinking that they're safer is wrong, just as thinking that smoking is good for health is wrong - even though a lot of tobacco companies were pushing that idea half a century ago.