What would it take to make small cars desirable?

[OokiiMamoru]

Originally Posted by VetteOwner

m47

like i keep saying from the outside the chevette looks TINY yet im 6'3" and can fit comfortably in the back seats with the fronts all the way forward...

to get people to like small cars they have to be in em, its like people say they don't like chineese food but have never tried it but have heard "stories" about it lol

also car companies have to make em look sporty, super neat interior design, available power features and whatnot... they have to look appealing...

Originally Posted by VetteOwner

thast the problem right there i think, ok i can see if a really tall person needs a bigger velchle to fit in and be comforiatble but when you have some

As someone who is 6'8" 300lbs . Don't really need bigger, just a different dash layout.

I once tried to squeeze into a Dodge Neon. Plenty of head room, seat all the way back Fit into the car right nicely. The Dash board was so low, I could not touch the gas petal.

The Saturn Station Wagon. Head room , I did manged to fit behind the wheel in that one. After the sales weasel laid the seat all the way back. Yep, talk about safety.

The passenger side of small cars are not much better. I do not relish the idea of the airbag exploding into my knees which are pressing into the dash. Or my femur being shoved through my hips shattering those.

My favorite is the time a Toyota Pirus owner cut into me about my gas hog. A V-8 Cadillac Eldarodo 1989. (As a side note, best gas millage I've ever had in a car.) I politely asked if I could see the interior of the car. There was no way the seat could be all the way back. It was. Asked the driver if he thought I had any chance of fitting behind the wheel. He sheepishly said no. Turned into a rather nice eco conversation. All I ask is safety, no leg fatigue or cramps. (I can force it by holding my leg at an odd angle on some cars but after about 30 miles, I just want to die. )

I hope to have an 2000 to 2003 Impala by this fall. My driving habits should have me around 25 MGP AVG. 7 more than I get now. I can't comfortably sit behind the wheel of the 2004 - 2008. I've tired.

OM

[fumesucker]

Originally Posted by OokiiMamoru

As someone who is 6'8" 300lbs . Don't really need bigger, just a different dash layout.

My wife's brother was an inch or two shorter than you and maybe fifty pounds heavier.. He didn't fit into cars either.. Mostly he rode motorcycles, a Honda V45 Magna was his last one, I think he had about 150K miles on it when he passed away a few years ago.

Seat belts aren't designed for someone your size either..

[OokiiMamoru]

Originally Posted by fumesucker

Seat belts aren't designed for someone your size either..

Tell me about it. My poor neck. Things have been better in the Caddy.

1980 Olds Cutlas. Nice friendly (donkey) police officer pulled me over because he could not see my seat belt from behind. I do wear the thing. I'm uncomfortable without it.

Well anyway, once he saw I was wearing it, suggested I have the car modified so it would be easier to see, and I would not get pulled over.

I had a better idea. I just stayed out of that county. No problems since.



1989 Cadillac Eldorado 15 / 24 ~ 18 New EPA 18 Avg with E10

[GasSavers_RoadWarrior]

Originally Posted by OokiiMamoru

I once tried to squeeze into a Dodge Neon. Plenty of head room, seat all the way back Fit into the car right nicely. The Dash board was so low, I could not touch the gas petal.

Yeah, I find those tight, have to drive with my knees splayed or I can't get the pedals for my shins hitting the bottom of the dash.

Fit okay in my Escort, kept trying to headbutt the sun visor when leaning forward to see out of intersections, but got used to it. Rearview mirror could use an inch or two more height, seems like it's in the middle of the windshield sometimes.

[dkjones96]

To me, the problem with the smaller cars is a lack of RWD and features. The Civic is by far the closest though (Hyundai is pretty close behind) with navigation, great sound system, moon roof, leather trimmed seats (Hyundai has full leather seats in the Elantra), great mileage and a good fit and finish: almost enough to make me look past the FWD platform.

The economy cars (american makes anyways) always seem to have a crappy fit and finish and never enough features. They make them as a 'Point A to Point B' car which is boring for most.

[VetteOwner]

Originally Posted by OokiiMamoru

As someone who is 6'8" 300lbs . Don't really need bigger, just a different dash layout.

I once tried to squeeze into a Dodge Neon. Plenty of head room, seat all the way back Fit into the car right nicely. The Dash board was so low, I could not touch the gas petal.

The Saturn Station Wagon. Head room , I did manged to fit behind the wheel in that one. After the sales weasel laid the seat all the way back. Yep, talk about safety.

The passenger side of small cars are not much better. I do not relish the idea of the airbag exploding into my knees which are pressing into the dash. Or my femur being shoved through my hips shattering those.

My favorite is the time a Toyota Pirus owner cut into me about my gas hog. A V-8 Cadillac Eldarodo 1989. (As a side note, best gas millage I've ever had in a car.) I politely asked if I could see the interior of the car. There was no way the seat could be all the way back. It was. Asked the driver if he thought I had any chance of fitting behind the wheel. He sheepishly said no. Turned into a rather nice eco conversation. All I ask is safety, no leg fatigue or cramps. (I can force it by holding my leg at an odd angle on some cars but after about 30 miles, I just want to die. )

I hope to have an 2000 to 2003 Impala by this fall. My driving habits should have me around 25 MGP AVG. 7 more than I get now. I can't comfortably sit behind the wheel of the 2004 - 2008. I've tired.

OM

ok, I dont even fit comfortably in a neon, feels like im sitting on the floor lookin over my knees to drive...

ive rode in the back seat of a prius numerous times and was not satisfied at all... i had to spread my knees out and they were still diggin into the sides of the seat while my butt was going numb

my student driver car was a 2001 impalla, i liked the ride and the general layout of stuff. seemed the seat was always in an odd position and took 5 years (so it seemed) to adjust the seat so i could climb in the car. I liked how the power steering was there but not so crazy, you still had to give it a bit of force which is what i like, i hate cars with such powerful power steering it feels like your in an arcade racing wheel...id recommend one.

[fumesucker]

LOL.. My wife's first car was a '72 Toyota Corolla, tiny little thing with a 1.6 that looked just like half of a Chrysler Hemi, she got it when she graduated HS and I taught her to drive in it (4 spd)..

Five of us drove six hundred miles to Florida in it, the only person under 6' was my wife and she is 5' 9"..

That was a great little car.. RWD too, fwiw.. No AC, no power anything, but I put the very first Pioneer Supertuner cassette deck ever made in it along with four two way speakers (Jensen?)..

Had great tunes for the era..

[dkjones96]

Originally Posted by fumesucker

LOL.. My wife's first car was a '72 Toyota Corolla, tiny little thing with a 1.6 that looked just like half of a Chrysler Hemi, she got it when she graduated HS and I taught her to drive in it (4 spd)..

You do know that thing did it fact have hemispherical chambers right?

The 'T' series engines used in those corollas were true HEMI engines. A friend of mine put a Dodge bumper sticker on his with the ram cut off that said 'Yeah, it's a hemi'. I'll tell you tho, that little OHV engine can really take a beating. He overrevved that engine and overheated it like 5 times because of a bad radiator before it got replaced and everything at like 230K miles and it still never burned oil or lost a head gasket.

[OokiiMamoru]

Originally Posted by dkjones96

To me, the problem with the smaller cars is a lack of RWD and features. The Civic is by far the closest though (Hyundai is pretty close behind) with navigation, great sound system, moon roof, leather trimmed seats (Hyundai has full leather seats in the Elantra), great mileage and a good fit and finish: almost enough to make me look past the FWD platform.

The economy cars (american makes anyways) always seem to have a crappy fit and finish and never enough features. They make them as a 'Point A to Point B' car which is boring for most.

The 89 Cadillac is a FWD, and I've really enjoyed the handling over a RWD. I don't really see the need to go back, other than more room to do the basic maintenance myself. I hate not being able to change all the spark plugs. While my arms are small for my body type, I just can't reach down on the back side of the motor.

[R.I.D.E.]

I bought a 72 BMW 2002 hit in the rear for $300 with $1200 in reciepts in the glove box from the last month.

Also had a Hemi engine I think, nice running and driving car.

What will make small cars desirable?

$5 a gallon gas and 57 MPG.

regards
gary