Probably because they bought Daewoo.. the Daewoo Lanos is now the Chevy Aveo.Oldguy wrote:I still get 53 mpg on my old '91 Geo Metro beater. Why doesn't GM retool a closed plant to remake them? The small frame would be ideal for an electric model too. I'm still waiting for Detroit to get a clue.
We got one because 1 I'm a GM guy and 2 I didn't know it was Korean until after the purchase. The Honda Fit came out a year later and I wish we would have waited. I like Honda better than Daewoo.
At 40K miles the 2005 Aveo is doing good, stop n go gets us about 22MPG with 28MPG on the highway. So far nothing has gone to hell but I'm not diggin the way some of the stuff is made. But the wife wanted a clown car so she gets what she wants for putting up with me all these years.
I have 2 trucks.. one full size chevy and one s10.. both with the non vortec 4.3 v6. I get about 16-18MPG city with both. Using high quality plugs and top grade gas is what makes this possible. I've considered trying to make a retrofit for the TBI along the lines of vapor injection but am afraid I might blow myself up. Since I'm not educated enough I stick with diesel conversions to veg oil. I've done a few for others and hope to have all our vehicles replaced with diesels so I can have more fuel options. The bus I had was sold to pay bills so maybe the next one I get we will get to keep. I am also keeping an eye on the auctions for a diesel truck so I can get rid of gas engines. The full size chevy is due to be a mutant so I am not really into gettin rid of it. It is my first p/u and I don't have the heart to dump it.
A really big way to be more fuel friendly is to take a bicycle and add a small motor. I've managed to convince a few neighbors and friends to go this route and have a small BMX with a chainsaw ghetto style motor mount myself. The ones I make for others use the retail kits and are chain drive. My BMX has the chainsaw sans chain sitting ontop of the wheel. If I ever get around to it I'll make a nicer one for myself using a trike. That way shopping could be done at 150+MPG.
Powered bikes are way better than cars and you save loads by not having to have insurance. This may not be for all since weather can impede the amount you get to use it but even if you only use it 1/4 of the year you are saving thousands of dollars.
The electric toothbrush I own which uses that recharge system seems to work pretty good, though.
(Hmm, when we had that big waste cooking oil spill, I learned that Transportation isn't using Food Service's waste oil to make their biodiesel. So who in the heck is taking it away, and is the University paying someone to dispose of it, or getting paid...? I would not be at all surprised to find it is the least cost effective answer. Now, if that is the case, how resistant to change would they be?)
