From: MBAUMEISTR@aol.com
Date: Sat Feb 08 2003 - 19:18:21 MST
In a message dated 2003-02-06 08:18:24 Eastern Standard Time,
rblackford@hotmail.com writes:
> I just calculated that my 1988 Honda Integra with a somewhat hotted up 1.6
> litre engine can still do about 45 miles per gallon in highway traffic
> (though it drops to something more like 30 miles per gallon in city
traffic
> conditions), with plenty of power for climbing hills, etc. It also
delivers
> a lot of comfort. And that is a 15-y.o. car. Surely we could do better now.
>
Maybe they can do better, but I'm not finding cars better than my 1989 Geo
Metro available. I love that car. 50 mpg on the highway now (and used to
get 58 mpg when younger). Sigh. I also have a 1999 VW New Beetle and it's
getting about 35 mpg highway. Plus the visiblity is horrid. Does feel nice
on the highway, though. Handles nicely and feels solid. :)
Yes, I am disappointed about the gas mileage.
In a message dated 2003-02-06 08:18:24 Eastern Standard Time,
rblackford@hotmail.com writes:
> So exactly why are cars like this so unpopular in the US? Is it the
> felt need to chauffeur around a stack of kids in something that feels
> "protective"?
I've wondered that too. I always thought defensive driving was *my*
responsibility, so I didn't worry overly much about the size of my car. As
long as we could fit all our gear in we were ok. Of course if you're
dragging 6 kids with full hockey gear everywhere, that's gonna take some
larger vehicle - especially given that each kid *must* have certain child
restraints, etc. Required by law here.
When we had our first child all we had was an ancient Porsche 356 and the kid
slept in a basket in the "back" - behind our seats. But nowadays that would
not be allowed, IIUC. In the US, that is.
BillK wrote:
> Small cars have no room for a gun rack. So, obviously they are out of
> the question for middle America. :-)
Oh, come on - in the Geo one would fit between the rear seat and the "back
back"! :) You know, like those "fences" people put in cars to contain dogs!
:)))
michaelroyames@yahoo.com wrote:
> I 'googled' the Geo Metro discovered that it was discontinued by GM in
> 1997. I was flabbergasted! This is a really good car, and I even like
> its shape! Mine is a 1996 with almost 50,000miles on the clock... and
> nothing has ever broken! North America car buyers *used to* have
> options... I wonder why GM dropped this one?
Ha! Bigger on the inside than on the outside, even. :) And the earlier
ones had greater gas mileage than yours. The reason I didn't buy another was
(mostly) that change - for the worse IMHO. I love my Geo, still have it (at
140 000 miles), it runs like a top, but it is old enough now that I begin to
wonder if it will suddenly disintegrate on me when I'm taking a long road
trip. So I bought the VW New Beetle.
Spike wrote:
> GM decided the little bit of profit they made
> on the Geo wouldn't cover the liability.
Have always heard that car dealers do not like selling little cars, not much
profit there. No doubt the manufacturers feel similarly.
MB
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