A scary scenario.

[Spitfire]

John, There is only one thing I take issue with in your posting. As stated, my current car is a 1.2L and at the maximum motorway speed it is only doing 3000 revs/min in fifth gear. Hardly `flogging itself to death` in anyone`s language. In these days,`small` is certainly not inferior, both in performance and reliability.

[anacortesdamp]

A school of thought has popped up that says we should use up all the oil we can as quickly as possible so that the world's experts will HAVE to solve the problem. A positive side effect might be that the Arabs will have to go back to riding camels and living in tents.

We have decided to follow this idea and have bought a 2002 Georgetown 32' motorhome! Maximum gross weight is 20,000 lb., it has a 6.8L V-10 engine and gets much better gas mileage than our previous RV (between 8 and 12 miles per US gallon compared to bewteen 4 and 7 for the old one). The first time we fill its 83 gallon fuel tank will be an eye-watering moment.

There's a phrase about MH capacity which we will follow - "Drinks for 8, dinner for four - sleeps 2" - in our case +2 Labradors.

We will probably downsize our car at some point, from a 3.5L V6 people carrier to maybe a 2.0L four-door. We no longer need tha capability to haul 7 people, as the grandkids (with one exception) are all driving themselves and don't ride with the "codgers" any more.

We could then use the smmaller car as a "toad", RV speak for a vehcle you tow behind the MH for use when you'r staying somewhere and want to go sightseeing.

Jim - 3000 rpm at 70 mph is screaming a bit - I doubt the motor will last 250,000 miles. My old Renault 18 had a tall 5th gear which gave 1900 rpm at 60 mph. Being a 2.2L engine, it had enough torque to handle that tall gearing without needing a lot of shifting. It was also my last "pudding stirrer". Everything since has been automatic - even the buses I drove.


Frank

[Spitfire]

Frank, Fortunately, I`ll have no idea of how many miles the engine will do as I change the car at the end of the warranty. That will be some other poor souls problem. You know when you find the `sweet spot` in a vehicle (where it cruises without effort (and very little accelerator/gas pedal used)), well mine is at 3000 rev/min and isn`t even complaining, let alone screaming. For a three cylinder engine, I find that quite amazing.
The new RV sounds great. Had you filled it up over here (at today`s price) you would have been paying £424.80, which makes my £49 fill-up on Saturday sound like quite a bargain.

[anacortesdamp]

Jim, At the current price at our local Native Tribe gas station, 83 gallons (US) of 87-Octane regular would go for $228. That's just over 315 litres. Are you really up to £1.39 a litre or did you not allow for the smaller gallon (3.8 litres) over here?

BTW, what's the red-line rpm on the little engine of yours?


Frank

[Alan Marsden]

Some years ago we purchased two new cars , a Chev Impala v8 305 cubic inch motor and a Honda Civic 1200cc . the Chev was the most problematic car I've ever owned - always something wrong with it , overheating,radiator, a/c, you name it ,it was replaced , couldn't rely on it at all - eventually the camshaft had to be replaced well before achieving 100,000km (62,000miles) we were relieved to get rid of that vehicle ! Several years later the little Honda with over 260,000km on the clock and still using no oil was sold , little needed replacing on that car other than tyres and brake pads. !

[Spitfire]

Frank, I (as you may have guessed) used the imperial conversion of 4.5L/gallon. I based it on 118p/L. I well remember the days of my youth when it cost 4/2d per GALLON (litres hadn`t been heard of by most people at that time).
The red section on my rev counter is from 6000 to 8000 rpm. although I havn`t been anywhere near there as yet. Back in the days I`ve just mentioned - I`d probably have touched it in second gear [][]

[rocketmanjohn]

3000 rpm certainly is'nt slow. It'll never do 250,000 miles. My truck cruises at 70 mph at 1700rpm. I've never had it up to 3000. I stand by what I said.
I had a Buick LeSabre for 21 years. 285,000 miles on it when I sold it. Apart from consumables the only problem I had was a modulator on the auto transmission, and that was because it was flooded.
John

[Spitfire]

As I said John, It`s not a problem for me as I havn`t reached 10,000 miles in any of my last four cars.

[Gonzo66]

quote:

---

Originally posted by rocketmanjohn

Reply to some of the latest entries.
America gives more in foreign aid than the rest of the world combined. That is a fact.
Katrina has not been overcome. Less than 50% of the New Orleans area has returned to normal. Nobody cares, it's old news.
More than 50% of new cars now get 30+ mpg. Gas guzzlers are much in the minority.
I don't understand the thought that we should tax the living daylights out of petrol and force people to buy smaller and smaller cars that don't last as long because they're flogging themselves to death. Then replace the car and waste twice as much energy building it in doing so, it does'nt make sense. I would expect a car here to do at least 250,000 miles before it needs a new engine and transmission. Try that with a 1.2 litre 4 banger.
There are more than 4500 oil and gas rigs [wells, not drilling] in the Gulf of Mexico, operated by all the oil companies, not just BP. All use the same regulations.
Don't think that big business does'nt rule all the industrialised world, of course it does. Both here, and all of Europe, plus most of the far east.
John

---

America does give more foreign aid. In 1970, the world’s rich countries agreed to give 0.7% of their gross national income as official international development aid, annually. Since that time, despite billions given each year the US is often the largest donor in dollar terms, but ranks amongst the lowest in terms of meeting the stated 0.7% target.

Katrina - nobody cares, old news? The nation that gives the most foreign aid can't even help one of its most well known cities - a black stain on the American conscience surely.

30MPG?? My little hatchback gets about 42-50mpg, is 13 years old and passed its MOT with flying colours.

America can't build decent cars. The Hummer2 - put your foot down and you get 1MPG. Muscle cars - how is it possible to get so little BHP from a large engine?

As for the latest developments regarding America's vilification of Britain in the media regarding the release of the Lockerbie 'bomber' perhaps the CIA and the British Government should make public the secret evidence they refused to open during the trial and subsequent appeals. They won't of course. Cloak and daggers in the self important game of international politics.

[rocketmanjohn]

Gonzo 66
Hummer don't build vehicles anymore, they went bust.
America can't build cars, or get decent HP? Ford Mustang 550, 5.4L V8 550HP. Chevrolet Camaro, V6 3.6L 312HP 29mpg. I could go on.
If the US can't build cars why are the only British cars imported Mini and Jaguar [Land Rover]? British cars have a bad reputation for reliability and buid quality. Why are no French cars imported? Saab and Volvo sell poorly. Mercedes and BMW sell well, VW does'nt. Do anymore European countries build cars? they don't come here.
Please tell me a little more about your hatchback, make, mileage etc.
John