Thread: Gas mileage king ;)

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Originally Posted by Matt167

Yeah and V8 Mustangs in the 1960's quite often got better MPG than the 6cy's.. what's your point? Gas mialage w/ cars has actually stayed relativley the same thru the years, many 4cyl cars from the 70's got better gas mialage than 4cyl cars made in the last 10 years. Prius used to be able to achive 60 MPG in it's first couple years of production, but people did not enjoy driving dogs, so they increased the performance and gas mialage suffered, now they get 35-40 on average. put in perspective that, a Ford Focus, can get 35 MPG. Hybrids are no longer relative in popularity for gas MPG, but only for inshurance discounts and tax breaks.

Oh and the late 70's and early '80's firebirds were dogs.

Matt,I think he made is point.
At least I got his point anyway.
All late 70's and early 80's cars where dog's.
That Pontiac shown in the picture weigh's a lot more than the middle 60's Ford Mustang un-less you are talking about the late 60's Mustangs with big blocks.

The Pontiac was a DOG!! And if you recall, the EPA estimates of the era were out and out LIES. The only way that vintage 'bird got 27mpg was down a hill with a tail wind and in neutral. 18-20 was more like it. It was just too dang heavy .

There were a couple in town owned by guys that thought they were hot until they saw the taillights of my Turbo 4 Mustang 'Cobra'. That little red 'stang would get 19 around town and 26/8 open road - but it was only an OHC four cylinder with a carburetor and early DuraSpark ignition. The sticker said 24 and 30 mpg

Originally Posted by IC2

The Pontiac was a DOG!! And if you recall, the EPA estimates of the era were out and out LIES. The only way that vintage 'bird got 27mpg was down a hill with a tail wind and in neutral. 18-20 was more like it. It was just too dang heavy .

There were a couple in town owned by guys that thought they were hot until they saw the taillights of my Turbo 4 Mustang 'Cobra'. That little red 'stang would get 19 around town and 26/8 open road - but it was only an OHC four cylinder with a carburetor and early DuraSpark ignition. The sticker said 24 and 30 mpg

It may of not got 27 mpg but it did much better than 18-20.
My fathers 1978 Chevy Impala with a 305 and a 2-barrel carb 2.?? rear gear. did 22 mpg very often.
The Impala out weighed the Pontiac Firebird by an easy 400-500 lbs.
It might not get 27 but I could see 25 mpg.

Look at the speeds we drove in the 80's ......55 mph on the hwy.

If you drove a 2007 model car 55 mph, I'm pretty sure it would get some pretty impressive mileage numbers. But who in the hell drives that slow.

My truck (2000 ford F250) gets 18 mpg at 55mph and 13 at 80. My commuter car (2001 toyota echo) gets 47 at 55mph and 39 mpg at 80 mph.

The best mpg car I ever had was a Honda CRX-HF. Miserly little two seater with a 1.5L engine and a 5 speed stick got 55 highway and 40 in town. Used to have shut off the a/c when passing on a hill. At 70 mph, it was turning 1400 rpm's and using only 13 of it's 65 hp.

The best American mpg car was my 91 Taurus, 3.0 L six auto. On a trip to NY via I 81 I got 31 mpg while using cruise control set at 70 mph. It was a good car that unfortunately died at the hooves of a big ass bambi.

We had an old Escort Wagon with the small motor. 1800 maybe 1600?? who knows?? That thing never got less than 30 mpg. Another 250,000 mile car. Never put anything but minor service..oil changes, tires, brakes in it. Wife traded it in on Saturn. Never saw the best side of 22 mpg. A generic 1/2 of a jelly bean. The most non descript car ever in our family.