300 miles without missing a beat!!

[speedyblue]

Well next time some combi driving hippie gives you a hard time about old inefficient cars, you will be able to correct them. I have a 5 speed which helps though. I guess it benifits from the sleek body shape a fair bit. Wonder how the G-nose would affect it.

When I said $40,000 hondas, I was referring to the hybrid car they sell that is so expensive that you would never recover the extra cost by reduced fuel costs until after 10 years, which if I remember correctly, is 5 years more than the car is supposed to last. Bet they don't have that written in the marketing brochures.

'Why is it so' is a bit before my time, but I have seen ittle bits of it on the telly every now and again.

[sblake01]

It has reached the point where my memory isn't good enough to think back far enough to remember what was before my time. :classic:

[grnskyline]

hey,

I am thinking the gearbox in the car makes a fair amount of difference with fuel economy? Anyone know the difference between the auto vs stick ? My 260 4spd isnt much chop on the hwy. Sits on about 4k doing about 70/80mph. havent worked out any mpg figures, but cant be good. ha. So yeah need to get ahold of 5spd me thinks......

[sblake01]

Rear end ratio makes a difference, too.

[speedyblue]

Mine was sitting on about 2300rpm at 100km/h which it pretty good as far as I'm concerned, just need to drop it back a cog for an overtaking burst.

[TomoHawk]

My 280Z with 3 spd auto will turn about 3300 at 70 MPH... With the tacho on the fritz, I'm accustomed to the sound of the engine at 60 MPH. We've discused the pros & cons about auto v. manual transmission here before where the biggest difference seems to be the efficiency of the automatic transmission's torque converter compared to the clutch, and it seems evrerybody gets a different result, as everybody car is in different states of mechanical efficiency.

[speedyblue]

Different fuels too. I've only been running premium unleaded because it makes less soot. Burns a bit cleaner than the cheap stuff. Would be good to do a comparo with the budget stuff, but I don't fancy another trip just yet. Tyre pressures, air temp etc would do a bit too.

[TomoHawk]

From scientific research, it has been found that the lower octane gasoline gives you more horsepower. Octane boosters are only good for increasing engine ptemp., eliminating detonation and lowering your horsepower factor. I have no evidence about soot.

But you are correct by saying thar tyre pressure, air temp & atmospheric pressure, etc., all play a factor in the power of your engine and speed v. RPM.