Good to know, thanks Curtis.
This is more of a thought exploration than anything. I don't think what I want exists, maybe at all, but definitely not at my pricepoint.
I want one car that can seat four, haul smallish sized loads, can be slept it, gets 40 mpg, and is as cheap as possible. I saw that 80s Datsun and thought, "Oh this checks all the boxes except seating for four" (we don't have kids yet, but plan to). I also want to explore using Biodiesel.
Right now, I use my Festiva to haul stuff. I just unloaded a bunch of horse manure from it. It works, but isn't exactly ideal. There was a nice VW Caddy for sale around here, but it sounds like they are dogs.
If they built a diesel Toyota Previa in this country, that'd probably be what I want.
It sounds like a used Colorado/Canyon diesel might be right up your alley, but I haven't priced them. They're also pretty much rare as hen's teeth around this area.
There are some vans out there that have smaller diesels in them, but again, they are out of my price range. Sprinter, Ram van, and I think the Transit had a diesel option, right?
I tend to discount diesels because around here diesel gas costs $1/gal more than unleaded.
If you're talking about real trucks, I've seen 2.7 Ecoboosts get mid 20's. Unfortunately you either get "eco" or "boost". If you like to put your foot into it, the mileage will be no better than a V8.
My old '80 diesel caddy brought home 52mpg. It was worthless as more than an uncovered station wagon though. Then I put a canopy on and it was a two seat station wagon
52 mpg! That’s very impressive. I had heard now like 30.
I wish there was something more modern that could post those kinds of numbers.
All of the cars I want don’t exist.
Curtis, the Sprinter diesels are super expensive around here. Did the Transit really come with a diesel option?
In reply to CyberEric :
That's about right the 1.6na made 52hp topped out at a little over 52mph and got about 52mpg. Individual results may vary but stepping up to the 68hp 1.6td makes them pretty tolerable as far as power is concerned.
Or if you're in or close to Canada we had a 1.9td idi diesel from 93-99 which is a great swap if you can find one that had the key way issues addressed. Almost as powerful as a tdi but the wiring is 12v to the pump and it runs so long as you can make the starter turn.
Mine was a very early 1.5, I think 48 hp and I once gps verified 68 mph downhill on i80 between Youngstown OH and Clarion PA. By the top of that hill it was 50 or so lol
CyberEric said:
Good to know, thanks Curtis.
This is more of a thought exploration than anything. I don't think what I want exists, maybe at all, but definitely not at my pricepoint.
I want one car that can seat four, haul smallish sized loads, can be slept it, gets 40 mpg, and is as cheap as possible. I saw that 80s Datsun and thought, "Oh this checks all the boxes except seating for four" (we don't have kids yet, but plan to). I also want to explore using Biodiesel.
Right now, I use my Festiva to haul stuff. I just unloaded a bunch of horse manure from it. It works, but isn't exactly ideal. There was a nice VW Caddy for sale around here, but it sounds like they are dogs.
If they built a diesel Toyota Previa in this country, that'd probably be what I want.
Did you have the manure in the car?
Do you have access to commercial biodiesel? I looked into it back around the turn of the century and my only real options were to make it myself, and many people advised against it. It's not that you can't do it right at home, it's just that you really need to test and put a lot of effort into making quality fuel. If you don't distill the methanol just right, or if you don't use enough lye you don't fully separate the glycerin, yadda yadda.
But if you have access to a pump with biodiesel, it's fine and dandy.
My turbo rampage has done 41mpg before.
There’s the manure. It doesn’t stink much actually.
Curtis, yeah there is a shop about 15 min from me that sells only Biodiesel, at various levels. It’s an asset that I’d like to take advantage of. One of the benefits to living near Berkeley.
https://biofueloasis.com/
Now I want a Rampage! I'm going to go on a rampage for Rampage! (Sorry. Terrible joke).
I've never had a Caddy, but I did have a diesel Rabbit (same car with the back chopped off)
50+ MPG was easy. I topped 60 sometimes on long trips.
But it sucked.
0-60 in about an hour and a half. If you ever had to get out of someone's way, you'd better hope for a sudden gust of wind.
I'll never own one again.
As far as I am concerned, the Caddy is worse. No back seat, really limited leg room (because the seat hits the back of the cab), and seriously underrated springs in the rear that are incapable of hauling anything that weighs more than a loaf of bread. That's not why I buy a truck.
In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah but um...they are cool.
CyberEric said:
Hehe, are the VW Caddy's that slow?
slow isn't the right word. The "acceleration" is geological. And 40+mpg is easy. But the ones I see are either rusted out heaps for new Jetta money, or nicely preserved examples for way more.
1SlowVW said:
In reply to SVreX (Forum Supporter) :
Yeah but um...they are cool.
Yep. They are cool. As long as YOU own them, and NOT ME.
I'm taking as many crappy vehicles as I can off the "cool" list.
CyberEric said:
There’s the manure. It doesn’t stink much actually.
Curtis, yeah there is a shop about 15 min from me that sells only Biodiesel, at various levels. It’s an asset that I’d like to take advantage of. One of the benefits to living near Berkeley.
https://biofueloasis.com/
Now I want a Rampage! I'm going to go on a rampage for Rampage! (Sorry. Terrible joke).
Rampages aren't really easy to find but they are out there.
I did a fly and drive for mine from a member of the forum
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
Is the 1.9 TDI a desirable motor?
There is a Vanagon in my area with one swapped in. Asking price is $12k. Ouch.
The buy-in price for diesel, truck or otherwise, is HIGH in my area.
In reply to CyberEric :
The buy-in for diesel is always high. They last 1.5- 2 X as long.
The jetta wagon Ute kit might be an option if you're handy with bodywork.
Recon1342 said:
Cyber Truck???
I keep thinking the thread title says eMPG every time I scroll past.
CyberEric said:
In reply to Curtis73 (Forum Supporter) :
Is the 1.9 TDI a desirable motor?
There is a Vanagon in my area with one swapped in. Asking price is $12k. Ouch.
The buy-in price for diesel, truck or otherwise, is HIGH in my area.
Massive aftermarket, huge community of people who modify them, and they are pretty good motors. They aren't like an OM606 that you can crank up to 500hp/750tq on a stock bottom end, but they make some impressive power. In my minimal research, you need to consider upgrading rods at around 300 lb-ft, and they tend to be pretty smoky after about 150hp, but they are relatively desirable.
Put it this way.... I wouldn't say they are amazing engines, but the avid followers have already tried everything, know the shortcomings, and know how to make power with them.
CyberEric said:
Haha!
Wow, the Rampage! Had no idea they were that efficient.
Unfortunately, they weren’t. I had that silver one in that ad new in 84. Very fun for the times... first fwd I ever owned. Learned some pretty cool fed tricks!
But for mpg... it was not horrible, but nothing even close to that. Granted, with my foot in it a lot, half that is no surprise, but I drove it carefully some, and it wasn’t a lot better
I do mis that one, and would commute in one in a heartbeat, but...
Antihero (Forum Supporter) said:
My turbo rampage has done 41mpg before.
Oooh! Antihero is now MY hero! A turbo’d rampage would be awesome!
