We would just like some data to back up what you say..

1. Which current active politician wants 5 dollar a gallon gas?

2. Some data showing that a 4500 lb truck will get 25 mpg.....show us anything else in that weight class that does....

3. Show us data that people don't want leather, cooled seats, power windows, ect.


If you can show us some data....you may convert some people over to your way of thinking....

 

Me and my wifes mazda 6 dont even get 25mpg. I would be very suprised to see a truck of any weight get that mpg. Also i def want leather, cooled seats, Electric windows, Electronic everything infact. Why do it ya self when you can press a button lol.

 

I think its very possible as well. Like I said, my truck gets 22 on the highway. If it was lightened a little bit and a more fuel efficient engine put in it, I'm sure it could get 25. And yes, i just say a more fuel efficient engine, but I know there are more efficient engines out there than the 4.2. I know alot of people, including me, that could care less about anything power on a vehicle. It just takes up weight, costs more, and is more to tear up.

My grandfather bought an '85 ford escort new and it would get 55 mpg. My parents bought a new '91 festiva and it would get 50 mpg. My cousin has a '91 civic that will get 47mpg. You can't hardly buy a hybrid nowdays that will get that mileage. Now you tell me why? Have we gone backwards in technology? My parents paid $5,500 for that Festiva brand new. If for had a car for even twice that right now that got 50mpg, they couldn't make them fast enough.

 

Ford does have that. The Festiva in Europe gets 76.3mpg combined. And it's coming to the US. But, wait till it gets through the EPA and NHTSA forcefield and tell me what you'll think of the awesome 35mpg it'll get when they're done with it...

 

Thats a desiel which is why the EPA has a problem with it. The cars I'm talking about are gasoline.

I think one of the things is all the weight modern cars have. Just shaving that down would save alot. Those old escorts and festivas weight 2000 or less. A new focus comes in around 2600 or so. A classic mustang is 3000 or less. A new one is over 3500

 

Its called safety....do you think you'd make it through hitting a traffic cone in a festiva?

I'd put it at 50/50

 

Chevy Sprint?

Been there done that.

 

Don't hit the traffic cone.

 

While it sounds funny, i'm trying to make a point....where do they cut 1500 lbs from? Lighter axles? weaker frames? less cab strength, afterall it only comes in handy when you roll over.....

 

not to mention how much worse it'll be to tow with that much of a lighter truck...

 

Buy a F250 for all of Your heavy towing needs. Oh I forgot, We don't need a F250 anymore, We have the allmighty F150. So they might as well quit building the F250. It'll prolly save the corporation millions.

On edit: I better hurry up and sell My 15 YO trucks. They seem to be useless at towing/hauling. And it sounds like I'll die, if I ever get into an accident in one... very scary. I mean, I'll never survive a rollover, because my cab isn't heavy enough, right?
Come to think of it, maybe that's why my *** is numb after a 3 hr road trip. My old seats aren't air cooled.

Geese, Thanks guy's, I see the light, again! It's good to be a lemming. I should have started following blindly years ago.

 

And hey, when does the 6.2 come out? It seems like 320 HP will never be able to tow/haul anything. Hmmm... I wonder what kind of mileage it'll get? Ohhh wait, that doesn't matter.... does it????

Sorry, I'm still new to all of this.

 

fonefiddy, this is the way I see it...

There are two problems with a capable, efficient pickup. First of all is the mandatory safety equipment required on ALL modern cars and trucks. They HAVE to be built well to hold up in an accident. I'm not just saying this...the federal government is! This is the one that I agree with...

Here's the one I don't:

Emissions controls! Oh, I'm not specifically talking about gas motors. More on the diesel side. The only good technology that's currently viable for an efficient half ton truck is a Diesel motor. Diesels are more efficient due to a variety of reasons. First of all, diesel has more energy per unit volume than gasoline. So, your gallon of Diesel will go farther. Secondly, they have much higher compression ratios. Not an easy thing to explain, but as a principle of thermodynamics, higher compression ratios are by definition more efficient. Thirdly, they are un-throttled. There IS no manifold vacuum in a diesel, so there is very little in the way of pumping losses in a diesel engine. All of these things combine to a much more efficient means of getting down the road.

The problem with all of this is...once again...YOUR federal government! The EPA regulations and restrictions on the emissions of diesel engines PROHIBIT these engines from becoming viable for personal transportation. The first reason is the emissions controls, specifically the diesel particulate filters(DPFs) that are mandatory on all 2007 and later engines. These provide for LOTS of backpressure, which harms efficiency. Furthermore, these DPFs require periodic regeneration cycles, which actually burns fuel to clean the filter, further reducing efficiency.

And to top it all off, we now have Diesel fuel holding at nearly $1.00 above gasoline, which is largely due to the federal requirement for Ultra Low Sulfur Diesel(ULSD), which is more expensive to produce and refine.

Without these regulations, you very well could see a sensible 25 MPG half ton truck, with some decent towing power. Heck, the diesel pickups they use in the rest of the world get well over 30 MPGs, as they are very efficient little turbodiesels that don't put out a whole bunch of power, but are built to go as far as possible on as little fuel as possible.

It's common to mention the European Ranger here, with it's efficient little diesel, but I've never driven one. I have, however, driven a Toyota Hilux diesel pickup for nearly a year in Afghanistan. Roughly akin to the power levels of a 4 cylinder ranger, but an extremely efficient, crew cab, 4x4 diesel, that got 25 MPGs in stop and go city driving on Bagram.

It can be done. Just not in this country!

 

They should just get that bubble wrap, and cover the interior with bubble wrap. Nice and cheap and light

 

Gang, time for the party politics in the thread to end.