Re: Toyota and some others got caught lying (inflating their horsepowe

Mar 29, 2006 2 Replies

Car makers, unlike aircraft makers, don't give performance specs., period.



Do a Google search for "specifications Beechcraft Bonanza" and see for yourself. Then do the same for a Buick.



Car makers don't give specs we might be interested in: Full Load acceleration, braking, top speed, grade climbing performance, etc. at various ambient temperatures and elevations. Specs are embarrassing.



Keep in mind at 5000 feet on a hot day that V-8 of yours is lucky to accelerate your fully loaded Impala or Galaxie 500 out of its own exhaust smoke.



It's all-around.

The aircraft industry is behind car industry, (for small planes anyways)

A small Cesna or Piper plane will have technologies that are behind cars, but reliable. (maybe not as fuel afficient, but trusted, time-tested technologies will be used.)

I remember one of the planes in our hanger while I was learning Avionics, it had a small 4-banger Porsche engine driving the propeller. It was a carburated engine, not fuel injected, and had lots of old-school tech inside. (analog gauges for everything, etc...

I don't mind (even if I'll really get pissed) getting stuck on a road with my car's computer dying, or one of the thousand sensor/electronic stuff. I wouldn't even want to try that on a small plane :)

You *CAN'T* use hazards while parked on clouds :)

Even if I miss old carburated car engines, modern engines are more fuel-efficient, pollution-free and economical than old muscle car beasts (even if I miss the pure,brute power).

Don't get me wrong, I used to own a 4-barrel 351C modified to about 400HP (1979 Heritage T-bird), I'm looking for a M3 bimmer right now.

I do miss the T-Bird, (but in corners, my 1995 Contour will it anytime) Heck, my 1979 22R 5-speed Celica GT cornered around it :)

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