Well then, I have just the car for you, the Wagon Queen Family Truckster.

http://losingman.files.wordpress.com.../truckster.jpg

You think you hate it now, wait until you drive it.

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/79/79awhatthehell.phtml

http://snltranscripts.jt.org/79/space2.gif
79a: Steve Martin / Blondie

What The Hell Is That?

Tourist #1.....Steve Martin
Tourist #2.....Bill Murray
<center>http://snltranscripts.jt.org/line.jpg</center> [ Tourist #1 wanders onto set, looks straight into camera inquisitively with a dumb look on his face ]

Tourist #1: What the hell is that?! [ squints ] What the hell is that? [ chuckling at himself ] What's that danged thing doing here! How did that get here? What the hell is that?! [ squints ] What the hell is that?! How'd that dang deal get here?! [ turns off-camera ] Hey! Come on over here and look at this deal!

[ Tourist #2 wanders onto the set to take a bewildered look ]

Tourist #2: What the hell is that?

Tourist #1: I don't know what the hell that is!

Tourist #2: What in the hell is that?!

Tourist #1: Hey, you kids! Get away from there!

Tourist #2: I would not mess with that thing..

Tourist #1: Don't put your lips on it!

Tourist #2: [ ever curious ] What the hell is this?

Tourist #1: Well.. get a photo of me with it, anyway!

[ Tourist #1 hands camera to Tourist #2, then walks away from camera view to have his picture taken ]

Tourist #2: Be careful with that thing. [ snaps Tourist #1's picture, as spark of ingenuity develops on his face ] Oh, I know what that is!

Tourist #1: [ returns next to Tourist #2 ] Well, what the hell is it?!

Tourist #2: [ looks closer ] What is that thing..?

Tourist #1: I don't even care what it is. [ pause ] What the hell is that?!

Tourist #2: I don't know what the hell that thing is.

Tourist #1: Oh, I know what it is!

Tourist #2: [ seeing it ] Oh, yeah.. oh yeah.. [ chuckles ]

[ Tourist #1 & #2 walk away from the stage. A beat, before their heads peer back into frame, more inquisitive than ever. ]

Tourist #1: What the hell was that?!

[ fade ]

Heh, was thinking of the part of the Christmas Vacation movie where the two hicks on a shitty pickup were racing Clark and when Clark distracted his wife and kids on something on the side of the road, he gave those hicks the mile high salute.

that caddy might not be the safest car on the road (no air bags) but it has as much power to weight ratio as any of these little cars and is more comfortable. MUCH more comfortable, why do you think the expression "rides like a cadillac" came about?

Accessories soak up a lot of the power generated by the engine. It is the GPS, CD changer, TV for the back seat, heated seats, power everything, etc that makes most of the difference I would guess.

eh maybe. doesnt anyone else feel like if oil people werent lining pockets cars could and should get better mileage?

Theres a ton of wasteful energy in the 4 stroke internal combustion engine, so theres probably a theoretical limit to just how much gas mileage you can expect to get out of that design.


http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Four-stroke_engine

Otto engines are about 35% efficient – in other words, 35% of the energy generated by combustion is converted into useful rotational energy at the output shaft of the engine, while the remainder appears as waste heat

Modern engines are often intentionally built to be slightly less efficient than they could otherwise be. This is necessary for emission controls such as exhaust gas recirculation and catalytic converters that reduce smog and other atmospheric pollutants.

Well, crude now trading over $100/barrel and looks to be staying there.

Yep and all it takes is a sideways fart in some crap hole in the middle east to make it go up again.

My wife drives an 06 Trailblazer with the 4.2 ltr I6

I drive an 04 Sport Trac with 4.0 ltr V6

Gas milage is around 17MPG average on both.

Yeah that sucks ass but BOTH of the cars are paid for in full.

Gas would have to go so gawdamn high to force me to buy a death trap on wheels just to save $ that the economy would be in the tank even futher than it is.

I hope the hell this gets resolved soon.

:shake:

Sounds like the Saudis are considering increasing their output to cover the loss of Libya's production.

I am looking forward to $5-$6 dollars a gallon by summer...

Once we hit the $5 mark by July.. How does everyone feel about it.

Will it effect the economy at all?

I had planned on starting to ride my bicycle to work a few day s a week this spring/summer/fall to get some exercise. 7 miles each way.
Gas going to $4 and north of that will only make me want to ride as often as possible.
My wife is going to start riding to her work as well; 2 miles each way or there abouts.

Thankfully my vehicle is paid off. I can’t imagine being in the situation we were in 2 years ago ; I had a 74 mile round trip commute each day; same with the wife. Our fuel bill each month was absolutely insane when it got to $3/gal….which is now the norm.

I would think that people would begin seriously curtailing well before $4 or $5. Probably $3.50 is when most would start, IMO.

Thats probably the point when most people start cutting back on driving yes. $3.80 to $4 is when people do a lifestyle change....sell the gas guzzler, walk more, ride a bike, kill yourself..