Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6610|Ireland
So I went out last weekend and bought a fuel effient commuter car for my 60mile a day commute to work and back.  I bought used due to the super duper deals going on because of people rolling tits up in the economy.  So here is my preperation HHR for the coming of $3-5 a gallon gas in the next couple years.

https://tbn2.google.com/images?q=tbn:wG1idvFPXrcM4M:https://www.gotbroken.com 

2007 Premier Edition and I got it for $500 more than Kelly Blue Book trade in value off a lot.  Now is the time to get that eco-car before gas prices go up and the economy suddenly recovers   The best thing is that if it falls apart on me I can take comfort in knowing that Chey went bankrupt at least.  Honestly I haven't bought American for years because I was burnt with a '79 mustang, 82 chevy P.U., and the final straw was a 1986 buick.  I hope GM figured something out since then.

This is what I need to get rid of now, my old commuter pooter:

https://images01.olx.com/ui/2/67/08/f_17425908_1.jpeg

It served me well and remains perfect at 130,000 miles and is really fly for a hyundai but the thing only gets about 20mpg.

So what are your tales of preparing for future gas prices and taking advantage of the shit economy?  Perhaps we can learn Economic Jedi skills from each other to help make the best of the times right now.  Do you think gas is going up anytime soon?  Sell a house vs refinance right now?  Tell us your stories and we can debate wether it is a good decision or bad, and maybe pass along some advice.   


*Preemptive strike on Europeons for the US bashing that will certainly go on in thread:

Sorry Euro-pee-ons I forget that u don't get super sweet gas prices and have to resort to publick transportation/donkey carts.  So I m sure u pay like only 12 euros a liter or what ever the fuck u use for money and volume over in nobody gives a shit about land.  So if u wish to take part in this thread just pretend u r not being bent over at the pump or ur donkey/bus is ur car.
Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|7047|London, England
60 mile commute motherfuck wow
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7046|Mhz

Mekstizzle wrote:

60 mile commute motherfuck wow
I thought my 25 miles was bad enough, was enough to make me buy a diesel anyway.

What are diesel prices/diesel cars like over there?

EDIT: Oh it's 60 round trip, mines 50 in that case

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2009-04-26 10:01:12)

Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6610|Ireland

Mekstizzle wrote:

60 mile commute motherfuck wow
Yeah, stupid me moved 30 miles from work to save $35K on a house and avoid a county income tax and fucked up schools that are now teaching half day in spanish and half day in English for ALL K-4th grade from now on because of the fucking mexicans.

I smile all the way while driving to work now, but was cussing like a drunk salior when gas was $4 a gallon.
Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6610|Ireland

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

Mekstizzle wrote:

60 mile commute motherfuck wow
I thought my 25 miles was bad enough, was enough to make me buy a diesel anyway.

What are diesel prices/diesel cars like over there?
Diesel is about $2.3 while gas is $2.1 now.  I wish I had a VW TDI but they are so in demand I couldn't get anything worth a shit within my $11K budget.  Also I have seen Diesel go as much as $.6 higher than gas when gas was $4.
Sydney
2λчиэλ
+783|7270|Reykjavík, Iceland.
My commute to school is one mile, I pay $4 per gallon and still drive.

I win.
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7046|Mhz

Yeah Diesel is always pricey, it's usually about 6p per litre higher over here compared to petrol but, the mpg usually more than compensates for the loss. 

I always get confused working out American MPGs compared to UK MPGs as for some odd reason an American gallon is smaller than a british gallon, it's one of the main reasons American cars have low MPG values, your gallon is smaller than ours.

For those wanting to work shit like this out:

To convert U.K. gallons to U.S. gallons, multiply by 1.2
To convert U.S. gallons to U.K. gallons, divide by 1.2

EDIT: My lil thing

https://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4322/mycarr.jpg
~50MPG (about 42MPG in American units).

Actually that's an old pic, I've changed the headlights and tails sinse then.

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2009-04-26 10:20:35)

SealXo
Member
+309|6962
sorry but the HHR is ugly ):
I got an X3 8k below invoice on a lease and it gets 28 on the highway and 26 going 40 on PCH. its win. city with lots of lights is meh at 17 though):

gas is 2.55 here in SCal b/c 8% sales and 30c gas tax rapes me up the asshole along with the 600$ registration fee. fuck!

Last edited by SealXo (2009-04-26 10:14:02)

Diesel_dyk
Object in mirror will feel larger than it appears
+178|6421|Truthistan
I've got a 1997 Ford F250 with a 7.3 liter diesel it gets 18-20 mpg. A 1997 Jetta 2.0 gas it gets 31-24 mpg. and I'm currently rebuilding a 1989 Jetta with a 1.6 diesel. Current commute is 17 miles mostly freeway and takes about 20-25 minutes with traffic.

Diesel here $2.09 a gallon. Gas just went back down to $1.85 a gallon.

Diesel cars here. Really there are only the jetta and golf, and new they are about $3500 over the price of gas car. But then again VW has a virtual monopoly here.

With all the talk about Chrysler and Fiat sharing dealerships, how are the Fiat diesels cars?

I would expect to see them being imported because there is a market here for small diesel cars.
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7046|Mhz

Fiat have a bit of a reputation for being a bit cheap and nasty but the new modles aint bad, the Punto is a really good car.
Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6610|Ireland

SealXo wrote:

sorry but the HHR is ugly ):
I got an X3 8k below invoice on a lease and it gets 28 on the highway and 26 going 40 on PCH. its win. city with lots of lights is meh at 17 though):

gas is 2.55 here in SCal b/c 8% sales and 30c gas tax rapes me up the asshole along with the 600$ registration fee. fuck!
38mpg diesel X3

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/bmw- … drive-18d/

Yeah, you win.  Just not in MPG or Cost to buy/own which were my two major factors when I got the lowly HHR which I though looked better that the sterotypical commuter and can haul my wife, 2kids, and dog if needed.

I really like the looks of the X3 though and sounds like you got a good deal on it.  cheers.
Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6610|Ireland

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

EDIT: My lil thing

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4322/mycarr.jpg
~50MPG (about 42MPG in American units).

Actually that's an old pic, I've changed the headlights and tails sinse then.
Nice, what is that?  Is it a diesel?

One thing I give Europe is they got car down right.  Small turbo diesels and high octane small gas engines.  The US needs to unfuck itself in this respect.
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7046|Mhz

It's a Peugeot 206 LX 1.9l Diesel. Boot is decent for a small car, back seats fold right down into the foot well to make it into a sort of micro van which is handy for work sometimes and being a diesel you can bung a fuck ton of weight in it and it doesn't give a shit, it's a bit cramped if you're tall, I'm only 5'9" though Forgot to add it's reliable too, mines coming up on 250k miles lol.

EDIT: Mines the shit version of the Diesel, there's an HDI which is better in every respect, quieter, lower Co2 emmisions, more power and higher MPG. Costs more though

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2009-04-26 10:29:59)

Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6964|Long Island, New York
https://z.about.com/d/cars/1/0/f/G/bk_6milan_frt.jpg

2006 Mercury Milan
SealXo
Member
+309|6962

Lotta_Drool wrote:

SealXo wrote:

sorry but the HHR is ugly ):
I got an X3 8k below invoice on a lease and it gets 28 on the highway and 26 going 40 on PCH. its win. city with lots of lights is meh at 17 though):

gas is 2.55 here in SCal b/c 8% sales and 30c gas tax rapes me up the asshole along with the 600$ registration fee. fuck!
38mpg diesel X3

http://www.autoblog.com/2009/04/10/bmw- … drive-18d/

Yeah, you win.  Just not in MPG or Cost to buy/own which were my two major factors when I got the lowly HHR which I though looked better that the sterotypical commuter and can haul my wife, 2kids, and dog if needed.

I really like the looks of the X3 though and sounds like you got a good deal on it.  cheers.
Shit!

i'm just saying that I wouldn't go with an american car with the stability of the economy over here right now.
Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|7047|London, England

Lotta_Drool wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

EDIT: My lil thing

http://img245.imageshack.us/img245/4322/mycarr.jpg
~50MPG (about 42MPG in American units).

Actually that's an old pic, I've changed the headlights and tails sinse then.
Nice, what is that?  Is it a diesel?

One thing I give Europe is they got car down right.  Small turbo diesels and high octane small gas engines.  The US needs to unfuck itself in this respect.
The reason smaller cars aren't prevalent in the US is because the crash tests/safety standards are higher. Because everyone in the USA drives a fucking tank, these cars won't pass any tests in safety. So you're essentially stuck in a cycle where all your cars need to be tanks in order to be allowed for sale (or something like that), and you can't get good economy out of a tank, you can only get so much.

Even that BMW X3 that someone posted, that's a pointless vehicle. It boasts a good MPG etc.. but it would be better off just fitting the engine into a 3 series instead and you'd probably get even better economy. A car like that would only do good in the USA where it has to be a big thing like that and not a 3 series compact
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7046|Mhz

I cant see how it fails safty testing, you can drive that thing into a house at 40mph and come out with nothing more than whiplash and some glass cuts.

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2009-04-26 10:47:11)

Mekstizzle
WALKER
+3,611|7047|London, England

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

I cant see how it fails safty testing, you can drive that thing into a house at 40mph and come out with nothing more than whiplash and some glass cuts.
A Peugeot 206?
TheEternalPessimist
Wibble
+412|7046|Mhz

Mekstizzle wrote:

TheEternalPessimist wrote:

I cant see how it fails safty testing, you can drive that thing into a house at 40mph and come out with nothing more than whiplash and some glass cuts.
A Peugeot 206?
Yeh, well the newer modle of it, mines pretty bad on safety, the last modle of it rates well though if I remember correctly.

EDIT:Looked mine up, it's ok but not great, the Toyota iQ on the other hand which is fucking tiny, is basically a miniature tank.

Last edited by TheEternalPessimist (2009-04-26 11:00:10)

FatherTed
xD
+3,936|6927|so randum
Best small car atm is a Fiat Panda. recently Fiats quality has come on in leaps and bounds, if you ignore the rather odd driving position the putnos have. If i wanted a small, cheap motorway able car i'd probably go for a Fiesta or Focus.
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6610|Ireland

FatherTed wrote:

Best small car atm is a Fiat Panda. recently Fiats quality has come on in leaps and bounds, if you ignore the rather odd driving position the putnos have. If i wanted a small, cheap motorway able car i'd probably go for a Fiesta or Focus.
I figured that if I was going to drive a small POS commuter I was going to get something that didn't look like every other small POS commuter.  That is why I threw out the focus and Mazda 3/5.  I test drove a pontiac Vibe and almost hurled due to the lack of power and road noise.  The car I really wanted was a VW Passat TDI but everybody knew what they were worth.  The HHRs devaluated quickly (good for me buying used) and many people think they look like hairy ass except for the the queers that think they look like tight pussy, but either way they sit on the lot forever without anyone looking at it.

At first I thought it looked like shit, but after getting up close and looking at it I found it to be quite stylish.  Of course I am an American and I get a hard on over low cars, big hoods, fenders, and chopped roofs.  Oh wait that makes me Mexican.

Last edited by Lotta_Drool (2009-04-26 11:11:05)

FatherTed
xD
+3,936|6927|so randum
Focus 1.8 would be a good choice then. Plus they're cheap to insure + fix. Drive very well too.
Small hourglass island
Always raining and foggy
Use an umbrella
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6832|North Carolina
I bought one of the most popular cars in Europe, but unfortunately, it's not that popular here.

https://www.automedia.com/NewCarBuyersGuide2008/photos/2008/Saturn/Astra/Coupe/2008_Saturn_Astra_ext_1.jpg

(Mine is silver.)
FEOS
Bellicose Yankee Air Pirate
+1,182|6837|'Murka

Posting a picture of a minivan wouldn't do anyone any good.
“Everybody is a genius. But if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”
― Albert Einstein

Doing the popular thing is not always right. Doing the right thing is not always popular
Flecco
iPod is broken.
+1,048|7091|NT, like Mick Dundee

$2 a gallon?


Shit not that long ago it was $2.50 AU a liter where I lived last year. This was at the peak of the boom so that was basically $2.30 US.

A liter.
Whoa... Can't believe these forums are still kicking.

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