The Myth of Ever Increasing Fuel Economy

American Thinker ^ | May 23, 2009 | R.H. Higgs

[eclecticEel]

Aye, the solution is to get new friends.

[PizzaDriver]

Another “not mentioned” thing... Government MPG Tests have been done with “standard equipment wheels and tires”, rather than the most ordered Wheels and Tires.

There is an ugly rumor that Pelosi and Gore will set a new standard. A standard that will BAN dealerships from offering Optional wheels or tires “that might lower MPG numbers”.

[Vendome]

I have owned a Ford vehicle for every year I have driven. That is 30 years. I have owned a Pinto, an EXP, 2 Thunderbirds and 4 Taurus’ and now own a Ford 500 (renamed Taurus this year). My mileage is about the same as always, about 21-23mpg. I know this because the computers tell me my averages.

I like to power and size of my car and the mileage is acceptable. It meets any need I have for business to carrying backpack for hiking and snowboard gear with passengers.

Good car. I will miss it in 2014 when all cars will be manufactured to GMO standards. May have to buy a truck thingy or whatever they will be called then.

[Vendome]

It says that your mileage does not really vary year to year in model and make.

[Vendome]

Under Obama’s plan less people will visit Disneyland or the Potomac.

[tina07]

My husband was in a head-on too, July 1999. He was in a 1990 or '91 Mercury Topaz that saved his life. Also stopped making a left turn, rear-ended and pushed into oncoming traffic in the opposite lane. Hit by a station wagon, thrown into an oncoming Chevy Tahoe. He was then stuck in the car for 45 minutes with live wires across the car from the telephone pole that the Tahoe took out after hitting my husband head-on. My husband received a broken knee (torn lateral meniscus and tibia fracture to be precise :)) and was out of work for 8 months. One sort of funny part, but definitely not to him at the time, was when his car had finally come to a stop after the rear hit and then the head-on that had turned the car around, he tried to look at himself in the rear-view mirror and could not see himself. The mirror had fallen to the floor but he thought he couldn't see himself because he must have been dead. He also later had a pulmonary embolism in the hospital which was another scarey time for him, again he thought he was dying. He even later, at home recuperating, had the first of a couple of anxiety attacks and thought he was dying of a heart attack. It was a really scarey time for him the whole ordeal. Here are some pics of his wreck:~~~

and the b*tch that hit him...

oh yeah, he would surely buy one of Obama's Government Motors boxcars...NOT!

[tina07]

sorry, should have made my post with a couple of paragraphs...

[WVKayaker]

A friend was just given a 1971 Plymouth Valiant. He had lost his 98 Saturn to a deer a couple of weeks ago.

He hit another deer Friday night with the Valiant. It didn't even leave a dent! There was fur to confirm his story!

[tina07]

Oh dear about the deer! They don’t make cars like they used to for sure. My son hit a deer a few weeks ago, a VW Jetta, messed up the whole front, hood and a fender...luckily he’d bought a bodykit for it a while back so was able to have it put on through his insurance.

We have tons of deer here in PA, herds walk through our yard. My husband just saw a newborn one yesterday. We left the bears in NJ and now are surrounded by deer!

[WVKayaker]

Ford has a car that will get 65 mpg available right now.

Thing is, it's Diesel, it's only 88 hp, 1.6 liter engine, and... It's only available in Europe and Great Britain.

Ford Fusion Hybrid: 1,445.7 Miles, One Tank of Gas.

How far can you go on one tank of gas? A team of drivers has driven 1445.7 miles on one tank of gas in a 2010 Ford Fusion Hybrid, averaging a remarkable 81.5 miles per gallon on roads in the Washington DC area. Team members included CleanMPG.com’s Wayne Gerdes, NASCAR driver Carl Edwards (shown below), and four Ford engineers, Sherif Marakby, Gil Portalatin, Tom Rolewicz, and Steve Burke. - http://www.mpgomatic.com

[tina07]

oh, I love the pic too, LOL! I hate driving bug-eyed worrying about hitting deer!

[WVKayaker]

I try not to drive early in the AM or just after dark. I live in deer city! Last night, I counted 37!!!

I enjoy googling for pics. There are lots of creative people around to help express our ideas.

[tina07]

Do people need to have Carl (Backflip!) Edwards’ income to afford that car??

[tina07]

Here's one I had saved...and it's funny, he's in the 14 car now!

[WVKayaker]

As its name implies the Ford Fusion Hybrid is a gas-electric version of the the popular midsize family sedan. The hybrid model was introduced along with the completely redesigned Fusion in 2009. Starting at $27,270, basic features include: dual-zone climate control, automatic headlights, keyless entry, power windows, mirrors, and locks, capless refueling, traction control, and ABS. Also included is a six-speaker stereo, eco-responsible seats, 17-inch wheels, traction control, and a reverse sensor....
- http://www.leftlanenews.com/ford-fusion-hybrid.html

[tina07]

my pic came out rather small :(

Thinking how you mentioned that Saturn hitting a deer, I thought they were deer proof? We had a Saturn rental car once and a deer ran into it, hit the door and left no mark...??

[goat granny]

Here is Michigan its called bumper hunting....my s-i-l- hit 2 at the same time....my son got one deer bumper hunting, going into town from camp for a beer, his friend got one also bumper hunting..You don’t try for them, it just happens (a lot in Michigan)

[tina07]

thanks for the info! Not crazy expensive as I imagined, but not cheap either.

[Elsie]

 

<--- Shouldn't the AVERAGE be HALFWAY between the red/green lines?

 

And... What's with the AVERAGE increase in 2009, when NEITHER of the other values CHANGED from 06 -07 -08!!

[tina07]

Geez, two at the same time! My daughter, back when she was in college, had one hit her brandy new little Neon. Scared the crap out of her but luckily only took off her side mirror.