Cost of ownership for fuel efficient car

[donald]

Who cares about a broken catalyst converter anyway, as long as inspection is not due soon

Everyone does, since once it's broken, your car becomes a sluggish and powerless. Engine needs properly rationed flow of air throughput in order function. I had a broken cat in my old BMW and it was like driving a Fiat Uno Fire (0.8l engine). And you don't want to have it replaced either, since mine cost 1350e to replace.

So everyone does cares about a broken cat.

Sure, man! A broken cat sdoes most likely not hinder the air flow, but there's the lambda sonde at the end of the exhaust gas tube that controls the type of exhaust gases coming through the whole system. This is for the injection system to know the right timing and amount of the injection. If the cat is broken, the lambda sonde will read !"#¤% out of the exhaust gas mix and consequently the injection system goes nuts and does not know how to inject the fuel.

But... if you have no other option, you *could* bump start a car with a catalyst converter (provided the electronics in the car are not too sophisticated), risking though to damage it.

[Mook]

Cant bump start an automatic----if you have a flat batt

Nowadays you shouldn't bump start manual transmission cars either - it could damage the catalyc converter (or how do you call in in English).

Out of curiosity how?

Unburnt fuel poisons it.

[IE7BETA]

Does someone have opinions about ownership cost of Hyundai, Kia and Suzuki cars, and as winter cars? I have been thinking of new Hyundai (Getz, i30), Kia Ceed, Suzuki SX4, in addition to 1-2 yrs old Toyota Corolla, Honda Jazz.
Are some models of Nissan, Mitsubishi & Mazda worth considering?

Would 1.4 L engine be more fuel efficient than 1.6 L by default? Does AKE annual car tax is based on engine size?

[Hank W.]

1,4 vs 1,6 is one coffee cupful. Save the planet. What you need to ask is how many people do travel? An old frail granny weighing 40kg can get by in a 900cc Fiat. Low consumption and engine runs fine. Now when there is 2 100kg people in the front and three fat kids in the back, the 900cc engine must use so much revs that the consumption is triple and the engine blows out faster. So, the bigger the engine the better as you don't have to flog it like a strangers pig.

[IE7BETA]

1,4 vs 1,6 is one coffee cupful. Save the planet. What you need to ask is how many people do travel? An old frail granny weighing 40kg can get by in a 900cc Fiat. Low consumption and engine runs fine. Now when there is 2 100kg people in the front and three fat kids in the back, the 900cc engine must use so much revs that the consumption is triple and the engine blows out faster. So, the bigger the engine the better as you don't have to flog it like a strangers pig.

Hank, how come your picture changed or you had reincarnation I remember you posting your picture somewhere with long beard

Thanks for suggestion. I mostly drive alone, or sometimes with 1 extra person, so 1.4 L should do fine.

[sotka_]

I mostly drive alone, or sometimes with 1 extra person, so 1.4 L should do fine.

At least if you get one of those 1.4 aaaTSIh's from VW, either one with both Roots and a turbocharger (103 and 125kW versions), or only turbocharged one (90kW).

[hanj]

i think you can bump start even a car with auto tranmission......as for the question if it damage the car...i have not comment abt that.

i'd prefer manual over auto anydays...espeically if you're looking to get a 2nd hand....auto just have too many things that can go wrong.

as for the size.....bigger the better! hehehe.......drive around in one of those hummer.....which interior space the size of your ordinary sedan.....

[Hank W.]

gasoline gets into the exhaust i you got wet plugs.

[nidhal]

Some suggestions, as to which car would incur least insurance & overall cost?

I am planning to change my car to some fuel efficient one, and considering.. Mercedes A-Class, Honda Civic/Jazz, Corolla...

Some other suggestions?

man it depends wht u like !!! generally its true french and italien cars r not the best! buy some nissan or toyota if u dont want to spend much money! of course if u like sport one u can buy some americain like i have :d u sould buy the car before 20+ th of april IF insurance have offer 50% for the first year!! and good luck

[hanj]

which American car is fuel efficient?? not to mention a 'sport' version....

[nidhal]

which American car is fuel efficient?? not to mention a 'sport' version....

well i have ford probe V6 GT 2.5 i pay only 65e / month for IF they have for the first year half price !!!!check it

[hanj]

dude...you're talking abt insurance premium.....thought we're talking abt fuel efficiency.....normally expressed as number of liter/100km .

[Tiwaz]

Not to mention question of practicality...

You have your fuelhog US of A Ford something sport.

Eats insane amount of fuel, got pisspoor space for carrying junk and most of the time you have no use for most of it's horsepower. And most likely rides so low that you are better sticking to only well maintained part of road network.

120km/h, max speed you will find out there. And even that only during summer.
Well maintained road network, small and getting smaller every year.
Price of fuel, up and soaring further with every passing year.

[Desundial]

wait, wait to be fair to ford lots of 'em sold in finland are sensible consumers (versus guzzlers) with small engines. Kia anyone? I myself had a lovely junky ford fiesta, fired up like a rocket (such a junker any speed felt very fast) but drank very sensible from the pump.

[nidhal]

Not to mention question of practicality...

You have your fuelhog US of A Ford something sport.

Eats insane amount of fuel, got pisspoor space for carrying junk and most of the time you have no use for most of it's horsepower. And most likely rides so low that you are better sticking to only well maintained part of road network.

120km/h, max speed you will find out there. And even that only during summer.
Well maintained road network, small and getting smaller every year.
Price of fuel, up and soaring further with every passing year.

thats the !"#¤% thing in Finland!! maximum 120km/h!! i wonder know why other EU countries like Germany it´s open without limit in the high way!! BUT now in our days u can order a machine from UK its something like 400 euro and u can know if some police or radar or camera in you way