Which car to buy for long commutes? - Page 3 - Fuelly Forums

Click here to see important news regarding the aCar App

Go Back   Fuelly Forums > Fuel Talk > General Fuel Topics
Today's Posts Search Click Here to Login
Reply
 
Thread Tools Display Modes
 
Old 11-28-2006, 03:52 PM   #21
Registered Member
 
basjoos's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 392
Country: United States
Get a 92 -95 civic VX or CX and give it the aero treatment. I get 66 mpg at 70-75mph. In addition to improving the mileage, the aero mods have made the car a lot quieter and given it more "horsepower" at highway speeds. Use the money you saved in buying an older car to install more comfortable seats, a killer stereo, and other creature comforts.
__________________

__________________
]
aerocivic.com
basjoos is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-29-2006, 10:11 PM   #22
Registered Member
 
GasSavers_Ryland's Avatar
 
Join Date: Mar 2006
Posts: 1,325
Country: United States
Send a message via AIM to GasSavers_Ryland
I say go for the Insight with a 5 speed if you can, remember that it's only 2 seats, but if you are commuting that much, then what more do you need? it's also mostly alluminum, so if you live in the rust belt of the US, it will not rust out! but mostly, it's a car designed for commuting and getting the best mileage out of any car sold in the US, sure other people have gotten good mileage with other cars, but comparing what it is off the shelf, you can't get much better.
__________________

GasSavers_Ryland is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2006, 12:41 AM   #23
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,978
Country: United States
Insight Boxing Tournament

Quote:
Originally Posted by Ryland
I say go for the Insight with a 5 speed if you can, remember that it's only 2 seats, but if you are commuting that much, then what more do you need? it's also mostly alluminum, so if you live in the rust belt of the US, it will not rust out! but mostly, it's a car designed for commuting and getting the best mileage out of any car sold in the US, sure other people have gotten good mileage with other cars, but comparing what it is off the shelf, you can't get much better.
I agree there, but having driven one recently, there is a huge "comfort factor". The suspension is very rigid and there's a lot of road noise -- something similar to the old Integra Avus mentioned earlier. Otherwise, the car would be perfect (in fact, I kinda want one myself).

RH77
__________________
rh77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2006, 04:08 AM   #24
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 1,978
Country: United States
Speculation

Quote:
Originally Posted by theclencher
I wonder why they designed such a stiff suspension?
This is just foggy recollection, but I think they wanted to keep it lowered for under-car airflow drag, and consequently less suspension travel. I'm told you feel like your kidneys have been in a boxing match after a long commute.

Brainstorming, what would be wrong with a heavy-duty truck style seat to absorb the shock? I'm sure most of us have seen bus drivers or other large-vehicle operators bouncing up-and-down in their air-suspension seats. Since my lower-back lacks "shock absorbers" anymore, I need all I can get -- or else the consequences are quite unpleasant (otherwise I'd lower the 'Teg for cD).

But the problem is that the Insight doesn't have a lot of headroom for this kind of application, even if there's something that will fit in there -- unless a custom setup is developed. You could probably take a standard Insight seat and develop a scissor-style vertical movement mechanism with adjustable pneumatic "shocks" mounted horizontally (adjustable to individual weight/preference). Cushy bump-stops would be a "must" on both limits. A big problem: DOT compliance and safety. If it's custom, accident/impact dyanamics would have to be examined and if you could keep it a secret if inpections are required.

RH77
__________________
rh77 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2006, 04:26 AM   #25
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 541
Country: United States
pic below is better . image here deleted.
onegammyleg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2006, 04:34 AM   #26
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 541
Country: United States
onegammyleg is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2006, 07:56 AM   #27
Registered Member
 
Join Date: Apr 2006
Posts: 49
Country: United States
The basic problem here, in light of fuel cost, environmental concerns, and mental health, is that no one should consider having to drive that far top get to work. I live 2 miles from work, and that was an intentional decision made years ago when we bought the house, when we moved so I take my current job. A 250 mile commute is obscene.
WisJim is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 11-30-2006, 09:33 PM   #28
Registered Member
 
95avusblue's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 36
Country: United States
Thanks for the suggestions, everyone. I am putting the integra up for sale.

I looked at the www.fitfreak.net/ forum, and some are getting mileage that didn't do as well as factory numbers.
95avusblue is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2006, 12:37 AM   #29
Supporting Member
 
cfg83's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 1,779
Country: United States
rh77 -

Quote:
Originally Posted by rh77
This is just foggy recollection, but I think they wanted to keep it lowered for under-car airflow drag, and consequently less suspension travel. I'm told you feel like your kidneys have been in a boxing match after a long commute.

[...snip...]

RH77
Wow. I had heard things like this about the Insight. Great for commuting as long as your not the one commuting. Kidneys or MPG? ..... I thought about it for awhile, and ..... kidneys (but just barely, ). The Insight needs smooth roads to be practical. What a mess. Might as well get a Hog.

Sounds like the Honda VX is still the commuter winner.

CarloSW2
__________________
Old School SW2 EPA ... New School Civic EPA :

What's your EPA MPG? https://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/calculatorSelectYear.jsp
cfg83 is offline   Reply With Quote
Old 12-01-2006, 08:29 PM   #30
Registered Member
 
Spule 4's Avatar
 
Join Date: Sep 2006
Posts: 175
Country: United States
Quote:
Originally Posted by rh77
Rumor has it that an Orthopedic Surgeon helped design the seats in the Prius-I (I can agree that someone knew what they were doing becuase they're really comfortable and supportive).
RH77
Nothing new really, Volvo started this over 40 years ago in the Amazon/122..... I have yet to find a Toyota car that had BAD seats in the last 25 years. My last Camry was miles above my Merc W123 in the seat department.
__________________

__________________
"Knowledge is Good"

-Emil Faber
Spule 4 is offline   Reply With Quote
Reply


Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off
Trackbacks are Off
Pingbacks are Off
Refbacks are Off


Similar Threads
Thread Thread Starter Forum Replies Last Post
Fuelly badge not updating for about 2 - 3 weeks Need Fuelly Web Support and Community News 18 07-01-2012 03:01 PM
Fuelly Android App - eehokie Fuelly Web Support and Community News 2 07-14-2010 09:59 PM
VW Jetta fast riser coolbreeze General Fuel Topics 5 07-22-2009 12:25 AM
Condensator orevgym General Fuel Topics 0 07-23-2006 11:25 AM
Modifying exhaust to increase mileage? Matt Timion General Fuel Topics 15 01-07-2006 08:44 PM

» Fuelly iOS Apps
» Fuelly Android Apps
Powered by vBadvanced CMPS v3.2.3


All times are GMT -8. The time now is 12:04 AM.


Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.8 Beta 1
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions, Inc.