Jamie Lee Curtis re: the financial crisis and our future:

[RazBerryBeret]

Good words to keep in mind for the upcoming election.

entire blog here:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jamie-lee-curtis/big-bottom_b_133869.html



When the bottom starts to rise, and it WILL, what will we do differently?
Gas is now at $77.70 a barrel. Will lower gas prices make you jump in your SUV or will you still carpool with your co-workers as you have been forced to during this crisis.
Will you rip up your credit cards?
Will you demand more efficient, renewable power sources?
Will you help your local economy? Support local businesses. Do your research on who is really working, at a corporate level on sustainability and growth. Today, in the paper they talk of a merger between GM and Chrysler. The question needs to be asked, are they merging the old, bad, guzzling ideas OR are they joining to embrace the boom that will follow with expansive change, and innovation... America's brightest doing their best?
Will you change? Will you change so your children will be raised around change, so they won't be afraid of it?
Will you vote for change?

The future is green
The future is change.
The future is now, right this second.
The bottom is here. We are all in this together.

[ddeclue]

1. I got rid of my 4x4 3/4 ton Dodge Ram P/U back in January

when gas was still lower than it is right now (a little over $3/gallon) and traded it in on a Dodge Charger which gets better (not great) gas mileage.

I don't see me going back to the 12MPG monster anytime soon unless gas gets at or below $2/gallon for an extended period.

Even then I only drove the truck occasionally mostly to move things I couldn't move in a Camaro. (Still got that and it gets 30mpg on the hwy).

Doug D.

[RazBerryBeret]

2. wow, a camaro really gets 30 mpg?

that's great.

I have a Toyota FJ Cruiser...not great gas mileage, but not bad.
I would like to trade down to something smaller, but I imagine that would be hard right now.

[BlooInBloo]

3. Downhill in a hurricane, maybe.

[ddeclue]

5. No it actually will if driven conservatively at the conditions I state.

Remember this is a six speed manual not the five speed automatic:

65mph
top up
windows up
tires properly inflated to max pressure allowed
sixth gear
cruise control
run through the whole tank of gas before stopping.

You will get the mileage I'm describing.

My Dodge Charger R/T (2008) gets 23 mpg on the hwy with 70 more horsepower and a much heavier car and only a 5 speed automatic.

A hardtop version of the 1995 Z28 Camaro ought to get even better mileage under the conditions I describe.

[BlooInBloo]

6. I'll believe it when I see C&D, R&T, Consumer Reports, or some such verify it....

Unless it's a wussy 6 cylinder, in which case it's more plausible.

[ddeclue]

8. No it's a V8 and I've owned since new and it has 188k miles on it now.

This is a really light car and fairly aerodynamic and the transmission gearing is a big part of why this works.

The LT1 engine used to be in the Corvettes for many years till they moved on to better but even still it is very light (aluminum heads) and well designed fuel injection system.

You have to follow the guidelines I put down though. If you don't then the mileage gets to be worse.

Someone else here has confirmed my post also.

Finally there is the downside: premium gas. The mileage is really good for a big V8 but premium gas is expensive. The engine has a 9.2:1 compression ratio so it does not run well at less than 90 octane. My Charger R/T has a hemi and will run off of regular unleaded so even though the mileage is lower in this car, recently at least it is more per mile to run the Camaro.

Thanks
Doug D.
Aerospace Engineer

[ddeclue]

10. Here are some mileage cites for non-believers..

You get what you pay for with the Camaro:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/FEG/noframes/11653.shtml - government says "26" but this is for the 5 speed automatic which is far more common that the six speed manual which gets significantly better mileage.

http://www.bfranker.badz28.com/96ss/96ss.htm

[BlooInBloo]

12. LOLOL! The first link doesn't verify your claim, and the second link is just some random anecdote...

Sorry, personal anecdotes are not evidence.

[ddeclue]

14. Look I've got 13 years of experience and 188k miles that say so.

Do YOU own an 1995 Camaro Z28?

I DO.

And I explained the first link to you and the second link also says what I said and so does another "random" poster here.

What do you drive for the record?

I've owned a number of cars since I started: 1980 Mazda 626, 1987 Plymouth Sundance, 1984 Mazda 626, 1982 VW Rabbit, 1995 Z28 Camaro, 1995 Dodge RAM 2500 truck, and most recently the 2008 Dodge Charger R/T.

Of all of these the Camaro was tied with the 1984 Mazda 626 (had a five speed manual) for best mileage.

It DOESN'T get GREAT mileage - just good mileage for a V8.

Sorry if you don't believe it but that's your problem not mine. All I have to do to convince myself is fill it up - drive it somewhere and calculate the mileage.

Doug D.

[LeftyMom]

7. My mom got 32 on a trip to Oregon and back in her Camaro. Also late 90's and a stick.

Which isn't bad at all- I'd do about the same with only four cylinders, but more space for people and stuff.

[ddeclue]

9. Thanks for confirming this. Is hers a hard top?

Mine is convertible which I believe costs me some mileage.

By way of comparison, 32mpg isn't really spectacular, just really good for a V8. I had a friend in the 1980's who got 54mpg out of a Jetta diesel 5 speed and another with a Honda CRX who routinely got over 60 mpg in the early 90's.

Doug D.

[LeftyMom]

11. Yes, it's the hard top.

Still, for a performance-minded car that isn't at all light, that is VERY good. My kid sister's Mercedes is also a v8, a fair bit smaller, and she only gets in the teens on the highway.

[ddeclue]

15. It's pretty light for an American car...

It's no miata or anything but then again I don't fit into a miata.

Doug D.

[ddeclue]

4. 1995 Z28 convertible w/ LT1 engine and 6 speed manual.

will get 30mpg+ on the interstate in sixth gear at 65mph, top and windows up and cruise control on. Tires must be properly inflated to near max rated pressure.

Around town it gets 17mpg.

Downside: requires premium gas.

The 2008 Dodge Charger R/T I have gets worse gas mileage but:

a) Has a bigger engine.
b) Is much heavier.
c) Has a 5 speed automatic transmission.

Gear ratios are a huge part of the gas mileage in the Camaro. In sixth gear at 65 mph the engine only turns at 1600 RPM barely above idle.

Doug D.

[ferrferr]

13. We've already made many changes in our lifestyle..

We have ONE credit card (which my boyfriend just haggled the APR down on)
We have ONE car, and that's a Toyota Prius (we got and average of 40 MPG on the last tank)
We cloth diaper our 1 year old (since she was a week and a half old, and my 3 year old was in cloth for a total of 9-10 months)
I use cloth grocery bags, and produce bags 99% of the time (sometimes I forget, sue me) ;)
We use Green Mountain Energy as our power company (even though it does cost a little more)
I am also a recycling nazi in the house (I will pluck things out of the trash when my boyfriend forgets)



I think we're doing pretty damn good all things considered.

[BrklynLiberal]

16. Let us hope that everyone has long memories....and realizes that this could happen again.

[Pastiche423]

17. Most people do NOT have long memories

of the fuel crunch of the 70's. The best thing I ever did, was to listen to President Carter. His words impressed upon me to conserve energy and to be a good steward to Mother Earth.


Unfortunately, too few cared enough.

[BrklynLiberal]

19. Sadly, I think you are right....

If gas prices go down too much, everyone will be jumping back into their SUV's and driving all over the place.

[Imagevision]

18. I expect Obama team to keep everyone's memory in check...