Here’s the latest reader question, along with my reply!
Greg asks: Why have the manufactures dropped the old reliable engines that put out a lot of load-moving torque right off of idle? I’ve always found such vehicles a lot more pleasant to drive as they are able to shoulder the load in the lower RPM band where they are also quieter and even more fuel efficient. The experiences I’ve had with a limited amount of newer pick ups left me grateful my old one is so reliable yet and I’m nowhere near forced to buy new. What I’d really wish for would be a new 300 six ford with a 4/5 speed transmission. They could move massive loads reliably and dependably when called on and they suited my needs just fine.
My reply: You can thank Uncle. Which is to say, the government. Which is to say – the arrogant control freaks who are “the government.” These control freaks think your next new vehicle – car or truck – must average a certain mandatory minimum miles-per-gallon. Currently, the mandatory minimum is about 36 MPG. If they don’t, they get fined – and of course, these fines are passed on to the buyer. So engines get smaller – to use less gas. But this has a cost, too.
Power.
To make up the horsepower lost via less displacement, these small engines are turbocharged. A turbo isn’t cheap. In fact, it costs a great deal more than the gas “saved.”
But no matter – as far as the control freak busybodies are concerned. But it is going to be very hard for these creeps to keep it up given the way they are tearing down the economy – and because gas is now well under $2 per gallon, making any “savings” absurd vs. the costs being imposed.
The key to ending all of this is repudiating “the government’s” having anything whatever to say about how much gas our vehicles burn. If they wish to “conserve” let them. But they have no more right to force us to “conserve” things we’ve bought and paid fo than they have to tax the things we paid for, like our homes.
. . .
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Kind of like those Obama fans who were hopeful that term 2 Obamessiah would end all of the wars and bring peace to the world.
Jeremy
Difference was, The Limp Wristed Queen was a fraud through and through, though that said, not holding my breath either
I’m still hopeful that Term 2, Dank God Emperor takes down the useless bureaucracies, like the Epa and stuff.
Still used Muscle cars with their V6’s and V8’s, still the big boy 300/Charger, just in general, gotta be willing to look for them
Oh yeah, plenty of Vista Cruisers out there if you look for them. They’re either $1,000 junkers or $100,000. I’d hate to know I had to drive a Fiat of any flavor.
My ’19 Ram’s solid as hell, though I don’t completely disagree with your sentiment
Personally, thinking of getting a GT ‘vert this summer, as I see tons of nice Foxbodies/SN95s/S197s available, and few simple mods will make it mean