Author Topic: Dept of the Obvious: Sub-compacts fare poorly against mid-size sedans (Read 15802 times)

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #50 on:** April 16, 2009, 02:18:16 PM »

There was a dealership near me that gave away a free Yugo with every Cadillac sold.

I miss my '79 Ford Fiesta - had I hung on to it, it would've made a great SCCA car, like this one:

freedom lover · « **Reply #51 on:** April 16, 2009, 06:05:53 PM »

Quote from: mtnbkr on April 14, 2009, 04:36:38 PM

Cars are getting bigger, but they're still getting better and better economy. My 03 Camry gets better and more consistent mileage than my 72 Beetle while having more power, more comfort, and lower maintenance requirements. Amazing what 30 years will do...

Chris

But can a novice fix your Camry without a teardown manual, God-like patience, and a diagnostic tool?

One of the problems with modern cars is their complexity and lack of space under the hood. Laws and regulations don't help with anything except safety. I think people should be allowed to take risks with cheap cars if they want to. Bring back the Bug.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #52 on:** April 16, 2009, 08:13:14 PM »

The VW Bug was in a category all of its own.

My record for a Bug engine change was 15 minutes out, 15 minutes in.

That was after I'd been through John Muir's How To Keep Your Volkswagen Alive, cover-to-cover, several times.

I had a Bug engine I assembled once with 2 1600 cylinders/pistons in one bank, and 2 1500 cylinders/pistons in the other. It ran pretty well, all things considered.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #53 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:28:11 PM »

Quote from: freedom lover on April 16, 2009, 06:05:53 PM

But can a novice fix your Camry without a teardown manual, God-like patience, and a diagnostic tool?

One of the problems with modern cars is their complexity and lack of space under the hood. Laws and regulations don't help with anything except safety. I think people should be allowed to take risks with cheap cars if they want to. Bring back the Bug.

A "novice" can't do that with a Bug (that's what I started out with). You still have to know what engine components do, how the engine functions as a system, etc. The only tools I use with my Camry are hand tools and a $30 multimeter. My repair manual is no more complex than the one Gewehr shows (I have that one too). Space in my Camry isn't bad since it's a 4cyl in a card designed for a V6. A modern car is pretty damn simple once you get over your fear.

Chris

Headless Thompson Gunner · « **Reply #54 on:** April 16, 2009, 09:37:25 PM »

Quote from: Firethorn on April 15, 2009, 10:42:22 PM

Back on topic, I'd point out that sub-compact vs mid-size sedan is only one of many metrics.

For example - I'd like to see results from collisions with immobile objects such as a large tree or concrete wall, and mid-size vs mid-size.

We might find out that the smaller cars, assuming there are enough of them on the road, are on average safer.

They do those tests, too. Google probably knows where to find the results. In general, I think the micro cars get decent scores when tested against immobile objects and similarly undersized vehicles, but they suck eggs when tested against the kinds of vehicles typically found on the road.

Uncle Bubba · « **Reply #55 on:** April 17, 2009, 12:48:17 AM »

Quote from: Gewehr98 on April 16, 2009, 02:18:16 PM

There was a dealership near me that gave away a free Yugo with every Cadillac sold.

I miss my '79 Ford Fiesta - had I hung on to it, it would've made a great SCCA car, like this one:

My dad bought a new Fiesta in '79. It was a good car and great on gas - which he wanted because he drove about 100 miles round-trip for work every day - but with him at 5'8" and 240lbs and me at 6' and 250lbs, we put a strain on that thing whenever I went somewhere with him.

castle key · « **Reply #56 on:** April 17, 2009, 06:21:37 PM »

Quote from: Mike Irwin on April 14, 2009, 04:27:19 PM

I'm seeing more of those assinine "smart cars" on the road in my neck of the woods lately, too. All I can think of when I see one is "pre crushed." :)

I was leaving the grocery store and saw a "Smart Car" next to my normal car. As I am looking at it and chuckling inwardly, a house frau approached, asked if it was mine, and when I replied, "No", she stated, "kinda cute, but dangerous." I asked if she was referring to the car or me, she snorted, turned on her heel and walked off.

Oh well.......

crt360 · « **Reply #57 on:** April 17, 2009, 06:48:09 PM »

Quote from: castle key on April 17, 2009, 06:21:37 PM

. . . she stated, "kinda cute, but dangerous." I asked if she was referring to the car or me, she snorted, turned on her heel and walked off.

erictank · « **Reply #58 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:37:36 AM »

Quote from: Uncle Bubba on April 17, 2009, 12:48:17 AM

My dad bought a new Fiesta in '79. It was a good car and great on gas - which he wanted because he drove about 100 miles round-trip for work every day - but with him at 5'8" and 240lbs and me at 6' and 250lbs, we put a strain on that thing whenever I went somewhere with him.

Guy I worked with a few years ago at North Anna Power Station had a (late 90s?) Fiesta. He was about 6'5", 350 pounds or so.

It LEANED.

OTOH, it also WENT. Give credit where it's due and all that, it hauled him around for the entire time I knew him - he may still have the thing, for all I know.

White Horseradish · « **Reply #59 on:** April 18, 2009, 02:32:52 PM »

After reading the title of the thread and before actually opening it I had a brief moment where I thought it was going to be about Kel-tek and Ruger LCP being insufficient to stop a car...

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #60 on:** April 18, 2009, 02:58:33 PM »

Yeah, my Fiesta was very nimble, and easy to work on.

It also found its way into places I hadn't originally parked it, thanks to some devious friends at my squadron.

Given enough GIs, one can pick up a Ford Fiesta and basically place it any place they want, and rather often, too .

Strings · « **Reply #61 on:** April 18, 2009, 03:28:14 PM »

Gewehr, I'd go ahead and run with the idea of folks giving you grief over the Smartcar. Just tell 'em you're compensating...

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #62 on:** April 18, 2009, 03:45:11 PM »

It doesn't bother me, really.

If I buy a SmartCar, it's not like I'm worried about whether I'm gonna get any fewer Christmas cards.

I just like pointing out the dichotomy.

crt360 · « **Reply #63 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:31:19 PM »

I would love to see a lot more SmartCars, Fits and Yarises (Yarii?) being driven around here. They're easy to see over and around, easy to avoid on narrow streets, easy to park next to, don't fill my car with diesel exhaust when I have my window down, and as far as I can tell don't squeal their tires or tempt their drivers to gun the engine at every stop sign.

As someone who used to drive an early 70s sedan deVille and a couple of full-sized 4x4 suvs, I've found a lot to like about bigger automobiles. I've also had a small (2400lb.) Toyota for many years. It won't pull the boat, climb a boulder-filled mountain trail, haul hay, or carry a large family on a long vacation, but for the other 95% of my driving needs, it's really been a much better option. I'm guessing a small car, be it Corolla-small or Smart-small, would satisfy the needs of most. I'm fine with people buying what they want, whether they need it or not, but I'm not going to discourage people from buying small cars just because they might get killed deader in a highway speed head-on collision.

Besides, if Ireland hasn't outlawed them, how dangerous can they be?

Regolith · « **Reply #64 on:** April 18, 2009, 09:51:25 PM »

If I had the money for more than one rig, I'd get a subcompact, mostly for driving around in town. Then maybe a mid-sized sedan and/or pickup for highway driving and/or for hauling things and off-roading.

Unfortunately, since I only have enough money to own one vehicle, I have to default to the one that has the most utility. You can drive a 4x4 in town or on the freeway, but you can't take a subcompact off-road, or use it to haul a lot of stuff.

Strings · « **Reply #65 on:** April 18, 2009, 11:22:16 PM »

Gewehr: actually, I've wanted to pick up a Smartcar, and put an "I'm compensating" bumper-sticker on it...

erictank · « **Reply #66 on:** April 19, 2009, 10:08:20 AM »

Quote from: Strings on April 18, 2009, 11:22:16 PM

Gewehr: actually, I've wanted to pick up a Smartcar, and put an "I'm compensating" bumper-sticker on it...

LOL!

With the numer of them on the roads here in NoVA, I'm surprised I haven't seen that already!

On second thought, given the demographic they're aimed at, maybe I'm not TOO surprised, actually...

mfree · « **Reply #67 on:** April 19, 2009, 10:22:47 AM »

In my personal opinion, OBD-II makes modern cars *easier* to fix than older ones. Plug in a reader and you have a history of everything the computer's seen going wrong since it started.

Beats the hell out of tracking down an odd midrange stutter/flat spot that came about because a worn distributor gear lets the shaft 'flutter' at a particular RPM, and mixing that with an old, weak advance spring played hell with the advance timing. Or trying to figure out why you're losing so much power over time and finally finding a carb bolt backing out and blocking the linkage. Or trying to figure out why the electric choke comes off wayyy too fast, determining that all the wiring is fine, and eventually finding out that a weak block ground was causing a reversion back to the control box on the firewall and pumping a lot of extra current through the choke's bimetallic spring heater.

mtnbkr · « **Reply #68 on:** April 19, 2009, 01:04:51 PM »

Quote from: mfree on April 19, 2009, 10:22:47 AM

In my personal opinion, OBD-II makes modern cars *easier* to fix than older ones. Plug in a reader and you have a history of everything the computer's seen going wrong since it started.

Ding ding ding. Mfree gets it. I cut my teeth on a vintage Beetle, but I prefer working on newer cars because it's less troubleshooting and more just replace the part and move on.

Chris

Jamisjockey · « **Reply #69 on:** April 19, 2009, 01:24:29 PM »

No no no. The real answer is to hang a pair of "truck nutz" off your smartcar.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #70 on:** April 19, 2009, 02:22:41 PM »

I may just have to do that.

RocketMan · « **Reply #71 on:** April 19, 2009, 03:11:26 PM »

A picture of truck nutz hanging on a Smart Car. That has avatar written all over it.

Gewehr98 · « **Reply #72 on:** April 19, 2009, 07:10:08 PM »

Brass ones at that.

Firethorn · « **Reply #73 on:** April 19, 2009, 07:35:38 PM »

http://craziestgadgets.com/2008/05/28/smart-car-monster-truck/

Oh - and on the truck nutz, I remember quite a few snickers when one of the bills listed banning human nuts, and the truck nutz guys simply produced the evidence that their nutz were indeed, modeled on bull testicles.

They also threatened to produce pig testicle ones as well...

Grape Ape · « **Reply #74 on:** April 20, 2009, 02:26:32 AM »

You have to dig into the NHTSA website a bit to find it, but the test criteria are bracketed. A smaller cars can get a 5 star rating without protecting as well as a full size car. I suspect that it was spun as holding the larger cars to a higher standard, but one might also that the compacts are being overrated to the detriment of those trying to balance cost and safety.

News:

Author Topic: Dept of the Obvious: Sub-compacts fare poorly against mid-size sedans (Read 15802 times)