You know you're an ecomodder if/when...

[slowmover]

Originally Posted by Diesel_Dave

You know you're an ecomodder when your wife posts on facebook, "My husband is obsessed with the mileage he gets on his truck...seriously ridiculous obsession."

And the sad fact is that she probably only knows about 25% of what I do (no visible mods)!

Let's see: the national average for family spending on transportation is now the highest since record-keeping began 60-years ago: 17%. For those entirely trapped by vehicle-dependence the average is 23% of after-tax, net-income.

YMMV, but I believe that if my wife pulled that one on me that I'd post about the expanding foam bits she drops all over the house after her latest "ridiculous" attempt at weatherization. Or, how I'm tired of helping her with Manual J calculations on a Friday night. Or, that while she might think substituting goats for a lawnmower is cute, but she's on her own wit the neighbors on that one . . . . .

.

[Formula413]

Originally Posted by tumnasgt

Yeah, an '04 S600. My grandfather had a foot operation and can't drive at the moment, so I get to take it for a spin every week or so to keep the battery charged .

Beautiful car in every way imaginable, but I could never justify something that burns so much gas (let alone the purchase and maintenance costs). I've been getting 17.8-19.2MPG on the ~10mi route I take it on, which is pretty amazing considering what's under the hood.

I remember reading an article in a magazine about the SL600, which I believe has the same powerplant, and trying to imagine what 600+ lb/ft of torque feels like. Does it have turbo lag or is it just like getting rear ended by an eighteen wheeler?

[tumnasgt]

Originally Posted by Formula413

I remember reading an article in a magazine about the SL600, which I believe has the same powerplant, and trying to imagine what 600+ lb/ft of torque feels like. Does it have turbo lag or is it just like getting rear ended by an eighteen wheeler?

Both. There's a split second when you wonder if you should've pushed the gas a bit harder, then the car takes off. Kinda like seeing an eighteen wheeler in the rear-view mirror, flooring it, and being hit a moment later. If you make the mistake of pressing the gas harder in that split second, the rear wheels get a mind of their own.

The low range torque is incredible, the ease at which it accelerates without hitting 2000rpm is like nothing else.

[honestabe]

YKYAEM when you just filled up for the 100th time in the 14 months you've owned your car, averaged 46.48 MPG, logged 38627.8 miles, used 831 gallons of gas, and only spent $2675.87 on fuel. And you laugh all the way to the bank when you consider that driving your car vs. a 20 MPG car you saved 1110.189 gallons of gas and $3552.27. God I love my car

[Formula413]

...if you're disappointed with the rolling resistance of "low rolling resistance" tires

[ShadeTreeMech]

Formula413, you close to springfield mass? Never been there, but using google earth to find the location on your post was fun

[Formula413]

Originally Posted by ShadeTreeMech

Formula413, you close to springfield mass? Never been there, but using google earth to find the location on your post was fun

Haha yes sir, Chicopee to be exact. Just out of the path of the tornado.

[larrybuck]

When you watch old TV shows, and Movies w late '40's cars in them that stir the mind!

You notice that the rear roofline slopes nicely, rear looks clean, it has factory rear skirts, and the image haunts you for days; as you imagine how to fit a better angled windshield, and most of all; how to clean up the CD of the front end while staying somewhat true to the original personality of the car!!!

[Piwoslaw]

YKYAEM if...
... You draft fellow cyclists at different distances not for the aero advantage, but because you want to get a feeling for the size and shape of their wake.
Pure science, it is.

YKYAEM if...
... You're travelling with some friends in two cars and everybody wants to be in your car because of the lower fuel costs

[darksider415]

You know you're an ecomodder if.... you spend more on materials to do aeromods than you do on fuel.