Comments on: Better Fuel Efficiency For Less Money?

By: Facebook User

Facebook User — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 15:46:55 +0000

Nice to see the return of the stripper car, though it’s not for me at this point in my life. Living in California’s Central Valley where temperatures pass 100 on a routine basis during the summer time makes AC almost a necessity, though I have owned two cars without AC, an 87 Mazda Rx7 and a 58 Chevy truck. I survived and even enjoyed driving the cars when I had them. More than an issue of improved gas mileage, I look at this as an opportunity to only get the features you truly want on a car. It used to be that you could start with a bare bones car and add items either in packages or one by one to build the new car that you truly wanted. Personally, I don’t want to pay for every option under the sun by selecting the highest trim model just to have leather seats, AC, and power mirrors.

By: jerry weber

jerry weber — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 13:39:58 +0000

First, I think air is available on the strippers.
Secondly, everyone forgets the limousine liberal green cars of the competition will never be truly eeconomy cars for the masses. I don’t car if the GM plug in volt gets 90 mpg, it can’t be mainstream in the $40k range. The Honda prius approaches $30K and so on for so called econo cars. Do the math. If you can buy a stripper for $10-12K add about $600.00 for a bumper to bumper 10 year warranty, then get 10mpg less than say a prius on a daily commute; who do you think wins when you factor in the payment on costs per mile driven? Which car will take someone 30-50 miles per day to work for less? Can some working people ever finance $40K for an “economy car”, The highly successful VW beatle, sold for under $2,000 and was truly economical in it’s day (cost per mile driven). In the case of the beetle it even had high resale value. Huyndai is not wrong to offer good little beaters for the masses.

By: mhardgrove

mhardgrove — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 06:38:16 +0000

Why it’s the Accent L! I have a 2000, no a/c, crank windows, 5 speed (29mpg city/33 highway)! The only thing power is the steering. This “Blue” line is not a new idea, but a good idea if you don’t need (or care to have) a/c or power anything.

By: John Horner

John Horner — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 03:15:04 +0000

A/C, power door locks, power windows and power rear view mirrors are high on my must have list. Luckily they are easily found, and cheaply so, on 15 year old Volvos.

By: Demetri

Demetri — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 02:14:34 +0000

Yeah, I don’t see much worth in the power seats. I think it’s important for a lot of people to have AC though because it significantly reduces the sweat/stink factor.

By: David Holzman

David Holzman — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 01:52:07 +0000

Granted I do’nt have to commute. But I’m doing without AC in the Boston suburbs. It went out spring of last year, the summer was cool, and I just never got it fixed. Cool again most of this summer. When I was younger, I had a car without AC in Wash. DC. Couldn’t do that now, but I would think people in their 20s could manage ok, and even fit people in their 30s, and the savings might make cars that much more affordable to them.

A lot of luxo items like motorized seat adjustment add a lot of extra weight for not much convenience. I’m all for leaving that off.

By: Demetri

Demetri — Tue, 25 Nov 2008 00:40:50 +0000

Unless you live in the tundra, no AC is going to kill you come trade in time. That’s if the summer heat doesn’t do it first.

By: Bunter1

Bunter1 — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:17:34 +0000

The time probably is right for strippers to return.
Hyundia should go GM one better. They should make changes that show up when the car is off the EPA treadmill.
A recent XFE test on Edmunds got just 25mpg (29 best tank), typical of “normal” Cobalts in road tests. Civics and Corollas typically get high20s to low 30s in road tests.
Wonder why GM has prolems?

Bunter

By: krhodes1

krhodes1 — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 21:15:44 +0000

I don’t care how expensive gas is, I want A/C. And I live in Maine where it isn’t THAT hot in the summer. But nothing is more miserable than being stuck in traffic on a hot muggy day in the summer. Well worth the couple mpg hit.

Still, every little bit helps. I think BMW has the right idea with their “efficient dynamics” tech that combines engine stop/start with assorted other tweaks. Costs little, and makes a big difference around town. Not that we are getting it in the States any time soon.

By: forraymond

forraymond — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 20:01:40 +0000

Wasn’t that the role of Chevrolet, back in the day. Simple, modest family cars and work trucks? What the hell happened that the Koreans (Germans, Chinese, Japanese, Australians) have to teach the US about the auto industry?

By: don1967

don1967 — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 19:10:24 +0000

Now this is an honest-to-goodness economy car, rather than some silly fashion accessory for the Church of Global Warming crowd. It conjures up fond memories of my first new car, a 1988 Civic hatchback that had vinyl seats and power nothing. Damn thing could go forever on 20 bucks, and was paid off within two years.

Nice to see a car maker going back to basics…

By: mattb

mattb — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:51:15 +0000

sounds cool. I’d be all-in for a turbo 4cyl Genesis Coupe w/ 6MT, no aircon, no power windows, etc for ~$15k

By: Michael Karesh

Michael Karesh — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:51:00 +0000

The improvements will be considerably smaller than those from a hybrid.

Hyundai included a few cheap tweaks for the regular models this year. Numbers went up by one or two MPG in a few cases.

By: gslippy

gslippy — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:31:00 +0000

These will also be cars more people can afford without risk of repossession, albeit with some sacrifice. Just think, they might have to crank up their own windows.

I’d be glad to pay less for better fuel economy, rather than a $5-$15k premium for some fancy hybrid with a host of future service nightmares.

By: autonut

autonut — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:14:25 +0000

Wasn’t Nissan pioneering it few days ago with stripped version of Versa for under 10K. I know idea was to drop price down, but without power options car looses heft as well. How those tires work during winter, especially snow? Any idea?

By: Cicero

Cicero — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:06:39 +0000

What’s the point of being green if you can’t be smug and ostentatious about it? Toyota has nothing to to worry about.

By: John Horner

John Horner — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 18:03:38 +0000

And to think that you could have titled this one “The Return of the Stripper” … and had an excuse for an appropriate photo ….

I suspect these will end up as Hyundai dealer ad cars which almost nobody will buy.

By: OldandSlow

OldandSlow — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:52:14 +0000

Do they intend to make any money on these loss leaders?

By: jgh

jgh — Mon, 24 Nov 2008 17:34:11 +0000

Brilliant!