muzicmakr wrote:
> <isquat@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >
> > It's doable but since an average car buyer is a moron
> > who is buying a heavy pig (such as a prius) and does not
> > pay any attention to the weight aluminum frames for the masses ain't
> > gonna happen.
> >
>
> The Honda Insight has an aluminum frame. 1875 lbs I think.



And body. And engine. The exhaust is lightweight magnesium & the
underbody is covered with plastic to reduce air friction.

The Civic Hybrid incorporates some, but not all, of the insight's
innovations which makes it nice & light. For example the engine is
aluminum, and ditto the hood. The underside has the plastic covering
to reduce friction.



The problem with using aluminum is that it requires a higher
temperature to become malleable, and therefore costs more to produce.
That's why Honda discontinued its Aluminum insight, and VW
discontinued its Aluminum 90mpg Lupo. It was just too costly.

 

muzicmakr wrote:
> <isquat@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >
> > It's doable but since an average car buyer is a moron
> > who is buying a heavy pig (such as a prius) and does not
> > pay any attention to the weight aluminum frames for the masses ain't
> > gonna happen.
> >
>
> The Honda Insight has an aluminum frame. 1875 lbs I think.



And body. And engine. The exhaust is lightweight magnesium & the
underbody is covered with plastic to reduce air friction.

The Civic Hybrid incorporates some, but not all, of the insight's
innovations which makes it nice & light. For example the engine is
aluminum, and ditto the hood. The underside has the plastic covering
to reduce friction.



The problem with using aluminum is that it requires a higher
temperature to become malleable, and therefore costs more to produce.
That's why Honda discontinued its Aluminum insight, and VW
discontinued its Aluminum 90mpg Lupo. It was just too costly.

 

muzicmakr wrote:
> <isquat@gmail.com> wrote in message
> >
> > It's doable but since an average car buyer is a moron
> > who is buying a heavy pig (such as a prius) and does not
> > pay any attention to the weight aluminum frames for the masses ain't
> > gonna happen.
> >
>
> The Honda Insight has an aluminum frame. 1875 lbs I think.



And body. And engine. The exhaust is lightweight magnesium & the
underbody is covered with plastic to reduce air friction.

The Civic Hybrid incorporates some, but not all, of the insight's
innovations which makes it nice & light. For example the engine is
aluminum, and ditto the hood. The underside has the plastic covering
to reduce friction.



The problem with using aluminum is that it requires a higher
temperature to become malleable, and therefore costs more to produce.
That's why Honda discontinued its Aluminum insight, and VW
discontinued its Aluminum 90mpg Lupo. It was just too costly.

 

"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>
> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.

This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
the money to pay for the registration and insurance.

 

"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>
> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.

This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
the money to pay for the registration and insurance.

 

"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>
> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.

This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
the money to pay for the registration and insurance.

 

"JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>
> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.

This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
the money to pay for the registration and insurance.

 

"Brian Smith" <Halifax@NovaScotia.Canada> wrote in message
news:WcLAh.74962$Fd.40802@edtnps90...
>
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>>
>> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
>> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
>> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
>> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.
>
> This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
> not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
> the money to pay for the registration and insurance.


It's not true, but it would be if I were king. People without licenses still
get away with driving. I'd find a way make it harder for them to have access
to vehicles.

 

"Brian Smith" <Halifax@NovaScotia.Canada> wrote in message
news:WcLAh.74962$Fd.40802@edtnps90...
>
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>>
>> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
>> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
>> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
>> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.
>
> This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
> not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
> the money to pay for the registration and insurance.


It's not true, but it would be if I were king. People without licenses still
get away with driving. I'd find a way make it harder for them to have access
to vehicles.

 

"Brian Smith" <Halifax@NovaScotia.Canada> wrote in message
news:WcLAh.74962$Fd.40802@edtnps90...
>
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>>
>> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
>> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
>> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
>> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.
>
> This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
> not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
> the money to pay for the registration and insurance.


It's not true, but it would be if I were king. People without licenses still
get away with driving. I'd find a way make it harder for them to have access
to vehicles.

 

"Brian Smith" <Halifax@NovaScotia.Canada> wrote in message
news:WcLAh.74962$Fd.40802@edtnps90...
>
> "JoeSpareBedroom" <dishborealis@yahoo.com> wrote in message
> news:yXKAh.2845$ya1.317@news02.roc.ny...
>>
>> Culture: We have the right to travel anywhere in the U.S. freely. Some
>> people think this means we have the right to drive cars. Wrong. We need
>> driving tests that are almost impossible to pass. If you fail, not only
>> don't you get a license, but you're not allowed to own a car.
>
> This last sentence is interesting. Is it true? Here in Canada, one does
> not need to hold a drivers licence to own a vehicle. One only has to have
> the money to pay for the registration and insurance.


It's not true, but it would be if I were king. People without licenses still
get away with driving. I'd find a way make it harder for them to have access
to vehicles.

 

"Bob" <no@spam.here> wrote in message
news:MPG.203d34a98d1ad9159896a6@news-server.austin.rr.com...
> I'm not saying 400mpg is possible now, but technology changes.
>
> At one time everyone agreed that :
> the world was flat
> Man could not fly
> we couldn't put a man on the moon
> we couldn't move faster than the speed of sound
>
> etc.. etc.. etc..
>
> I don't think we have really been trying to make great steps in fuel
> economy. Yes we talk the talk, but I have a 1961 car that weighs about
> a million pounds, yet it still gets ~10-12mpg.
>
> I find it hard to beleive that with the technological advances we have
> had in the last 40 years that if we had been really working on it we
> haven't been able to improve on the mileage we got back in the early
> 60's.

Today, a Pontiac Grand Prix gets 20/30 mpg, about twice what your old car
got. In UK, they have a Mondeo (which is the later version of the Contour)
gets about 25/40 mpg with a small (1.8 l gas engine) and 30/50 with a turbo
diesel.

In Europe, the price of fuel is significantly more than in the US.

Jeff.



> *************************************************
> Scott H. Sexton help@
> www.sexton.com sexton.com
> Eeyore's Birthday Party http://eeyores.sexton.com
> *************************************************

 

"Bob" <no@spam.here> wrote in message
news:MPG.203d34a98d1ad9159896a6@news-server.austin.rr.com...
> I'm not saying 400mpg is possible now, but technology changes.
>
> At one time everyone agreed that :
> the world was flat
> Man could not fly
> we couldn't put a man on the moon
> we couldn't move faster than the speed of sound
>
> etc.. etc.. etc..
>
> I don't think we have really been trying to make great steps in fuel
> economy. Yes we talk the talk, but I have a 1961 car that weighs about
> a million pounds, yet it still gets ~10-12mpg.
>
> I find it hard to beleive that with the technological advances we have
> had in the last 40 years that if we had been really working on it we
> haven't been able to improve on the mileage we got back in the early
> 60's.

Today, a Pontiac Grand Prix gets 20/30 mpg, about twice what your old car
got. In UK, they have a Mondeo (which is the later version of the Contour)
gets about 25/40 mpg with a small (1.8 l gas engine) and 30/50 with a turbo
diesel.

In Europe, the price of fuel is significantly more than in the US.

Jeff.



> *************************************************
> Scott H. Sexton help@
> www.sexton.com sexton.com
> Eeyore's Birthday Party http://eeyores.sexton.com
> *************************************************

 

"Bob" <no@spam.here> wrote in message
news:MPG.203d34a98d1ad9159896a6@news-server.austin.rr.com...
> I'm not saying 400mpg is possible now, but technology changes.
>
> At one time everyone agreed that :
> the world was flat
> Man could not fly
> we couldn't put a man on the moon
> we couldn't move faster than the speed of sound
>
> etc.. etc.. etc..
>
> I don't think we have really been trying to make great steps in fuel
> economy. Yes we talk the talk, but I have a 1961 car that weighs about
> a million pounds, yet it still gets ~10-12mpg.
>
> I find it hard to beleive that with the technological advances we have
> had in the last 40 years that if we had been really working on it we
> haven't been able to improve on the mileage we got back in the early
> 60's.

Today, a Pontiac Grand Prix gets 20/30 mpg, about twice what your old car
got. In UK, they have a Mondeo (which is the later version of the Contour)
gets about 25/40 mpg with a small (1.8 l gas engine) and 30/50 with a turbo
diesel.

In Europe, the price of fuel is significantly more than in the US.

Jeff.



> *************************************************
> Scott H. Sexton help@
> www.sexton.com sexton.com
> Eeyore's Birthday Party http://eeyores.sexton.com
> *************************************************

 

"Bob" <no@spam.here> wrote in message
news:MPG.203d34a98d1ad9159896a6@news-server.austin.rr.com...
> I'm not saying 400mpg is possible now, but technology changes.
>
> At one time everyone agreed that :
> the world was flat
> Man could not fly
> we couldn't put a man on the moon
> we couldn't move faster than the speed of sound
>
> etc.. etc.. etc..
>
> I don't think we have really been trying to make great steps in fuel
> economy. Yes we talk the talk, but I have a 1961 car that weighs about
> a million pounds, yet it still gets ~10-12mpg.
>
> I find it hard to beleive that with the technological advances we have
> had in the last 40 years that if we had been really working on it we
> haven't been able to improve on the mileage we got back in the early
> 60's.

Today, a Pontiac Grand Prix gets 20/30 mpg, about twice what your old car
got. In UK, they have a Mondeo (which is the later version of the Contour)
gets about 25/40 mpg with a small (1.8 l gas engine) and 30/50 with a turbo
diesel.

In Europe, the price of fuel is significantly more than in the US.

Jeff.



> *************************************************
> Scott H. Sexton help@
> www.sexton.com sexton.com
> Eeyore's Birthday Party http://eeyores.sexton.com
> *************************************************