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Why are modern cars so huge?

Was just working out the arguements to the missus, why an LPG rangie (cheap car, cheap parts, loads of room, easy to work on, comfy for my back, cheap fuel for the minute) would make sense (I won't tell her the downside like rust, needs loads of those cheap parts if you are unlucky).

So I started looking up size specs. She always moans that my cars are two big. Amazingly, the superhumgous country pile on wheels rangie is about 4" shorter than the salesman with toys spec Octavia. Granted it is about 2" wider, and about 3 stories taller, but I was amazed at how short the ordinary 3/5 door rangie is. Not the LSE granted, but the normal one.

Reply to
Elder
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Take two cars. Both identical. Make one twice as long by welding a bit in the middle. Now the shorter one uses much more fuel at constant speed (say 70 on the motorway) than the longer one does. Nothing else changed. Its basic aerodynamics. Doesent make sense does it? But its true.

My Granada 2.3 was more economical on the motorway than the XR2i was by quite a margin for this reason. Granada could do 60 all day on cruise control (if you could stand it) and get a fuel computer reading of 48 mpg. XR2i could only manage 44 at absolute best occasionally. And the granada was an auto... Vehicles evolve slowly but thats why they keep ketting longer... They keep getting wider too though not because it helps aerodynamics because it does not, but because they want more interior space and thicker safer doors etc.

Reply to
Burgerman

Very true I suppose. As much of it is to do with safety and aerodynamics.

Still, it helped in the arguement for me wanting a rougher looking but cheaper to buy, cheaper to insure, cheaper to fuel, cheaper to repair if it needs it, yet still fun to drive V8 didn't it ;)

Reply to
Elder

I thought you were looking at Range Rovers?

Reply to
Iridium

I am, and on LPG all the above apply. And yes it is smaller than the Octavia length wise. Mid eighties 3.5 auto rangie should be all of the above if nothing goes into catastrophic meltdown. And if it does, I'm looking to buy so cheaply that I should get most of that back as parts if needed.

Reply to
Elder

We have differing ideas of 'fun' :-)

Reply to
Iridium

3.5 litre v8, comfy, Drives well for a tower block on wheels, not bothered by little things like rivers, pot holes, lowered Saxos. That kind of thing.

Suits me as fun.

Reply to
Elder

i'm tempted by the V8 idea but ever since seeing how easy them old landies roll on 5th gear a while back really puts me off!

Reply to
Vamp

So don't drive like a total twunt. Simple really. If it was good enough for the royals when they went peasant shooting, It will be good enough for me.

Reply to
Elder

Yeah, but you can get them as cheap, load them up with shit, or insure them as cheap as a Landie/Rangie. And find them fitted with decent sized LPG tanks.

Reply to
Elder

Footprints in the butter...

cheers, clive

Reply to
Clive George

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