Economical 4 cylinder Automatic

[buggerlugs]

Bought the daughter a 2004 Lancer 2 litre Automatic for her first car 12 months ago. She has an auto licence. Car has been great but seems to really like a drink. Daughter does a lot of k's. Any suggestions on another model that is economical ???

[ebxr8240]

Cannot beat Mazda imo..
I guess the diesel Mondeo is too $$$. They have more get up and go than you think being diesel..http://www.wheelsmag.com.au/wheels/s...25739A0000F4E1
Being auto ?? Driving style can do it also..
Auto's tend to kick down and rev in lower gears if your heavy on throttle in stop go traffic...

[ea90gl]

Thats strange, is everything up to scratch on the lancer you have? Plugs, leads, air + fuel filters etc etc. Consumption obviously depends on driving style, if she has a heavy foot it will definately use noticeably more fuel being a 4 cyl auto. City driving will also decrease economy, Im sure you know all this. my fiance has an 06 auto Lancer and it really has squat downlow, to get going you have to give it more than you'd think. On the highways they are great, still good in the city but I was expecting it to be a little better on fuel

[buggerlugs]

Yep, recently had a full service, your right, it does take a bit to get it going down low....

[bok1]

bought my wife a mazda 2 about 6 months ago and it is a great little car.hanldes well and great on economy.abs and airbags as well.


phil

[GasoLane]

Put it on Gas.

[Buzz Box]

Well our Fairmont is cheaper to run than the Focus.

I think its the 4cyl's because you need to kick them in the guts to go anywhere and to overtake etc.

P.S. I would NEVER buy another 4cyl again

[Unco]

what exactly is your definition of 'likes a drink'? it might help if you actually post the fuel efficiency that you/your daughter are getting. e.g. 5L/100Km? 10L/100Km? 20L/100Km? is it city or highway driving?

[matty88]

Hyundai Getz, my bro has one and geta round 8l/100km in the city

[sgt_doofey]

Turbo Diesel for the win. We average about 6L/100kms in the 307, and it aint a small or light car either.

[bathurst77]

I think fuel economy is over rated.
Given the costs of owning a car, purchase price, rego, insurance, tyres, servicing, perhaps interest probably add up to over 100 per week, the petrol saving becomes pretty minor.

Look at it this way.
Lets say petrol costs $1.25 a litre and the average driver does 20,000 km a year (385 km a week).

IF your car does 11litres/100km and petrol is $1.25 a litre thats $2,750 for 20,000km. thats $53 a week on petrol.

IF your car does 10l/100km thats $2,500 or $48 per week

IF your car does 8l/100km (eg matty) thats $2,000, $38.50 a week.


Going from a 6 cyl falcon or similar that does 11 litres 100km to a getz or somethign that does 8s saves about $13.50 a week in fuel. Ok so petrol will cost more sometimes and you may do a few more km than 20,000km a year so lets call it about $20 a week (a big stretch from $13.50)

For that $20.00, you are sacrificing, space, comfort, power, cruising ability, noise, smoothness, safety, long termm robustness etc. How will reliability, servicing costs etc holdup when the car gets higher km?

And if, as you say, your daughters car is a 4 cyl now, how much more can you save by trying to get an even less thirsty one? if its doing 8s or 9s now and you get one that does 7s or better (would have to be a super econo tin box), you may save another $5 a week if you lucky. Doesnt seem worth it to put her in a flimsy tin box.

If my daughter was dong lots of km I woudl happily pay the $15 or so to put her in a big car in case she crashed. Prob get it back on reliability and repair costs.
(Or get a used LPG Falcon, best of both worlds?)

[ebxr8240]

Umm ?? Maybe daughter is holding the old man up for some $$ ,,, Lol...
Running a car is not cheap and putting petrol in them is part of the deal..
Like paying rent, mortgage etc.. The young one's have to get used to it...

[cosmo20btt]

My Mrs had the same lancer auto as a company car, it would not pull the skin off a rice pudding & it was good thing the company was paying the petrol bills as it was a thirsty little bugger as well. Does not compare with the 3 she has now.

[Mr Hardware]

2004 Lancer 2 litre Automatic on Gas

P.S. I would NEVER buy another 4cyl again

4cyl = False Economy.
My parents camry does 13.5L/100klms. Case closed.

[EDManual]

Auto 4 cylinder cars are always thirsty. Usually around 2 litres per hundred worse than a manual.

[The Snout]

Originally Posted by bathurst77

I think fuel economy is over rated.
Given the costs of owning a car, purchase price, rego, insurance, tyres, servicing, perhaps interest probably add up to over 100 per week, the petrol saving becomes pretty minor.

Look at it this way.
Lets say petrol costs $1.25 a litre and the average driver does 20,000 km a year (385 km a week).

IF your car does 11litres/100km and petrol is $1.25 a litre thats $2,750 for 20,000km. thats $53 a week on petrol.

IF your car does 10l/100km thats $2,500 or $48 per week

IF your car does 8l/100km (eg matty) thats $2,000, $38.50 a week.


Going from a 6 cyl falcon or similar that does 11 litres 100km to a getz or somethign that does 8s saves about $13.50 a week in fuel. Ok so petrol will cost more sometimes and you may do a few more km than 20,000km a year so lets call it about $20 a week (a big stretch from $13.50)

For that $20.00, you are sacrificing, space, comfort, power, cruising ability, noise, smoothness, safety, long termm robustness etc. How will reliability, servicing costs etc holdup when the car gets higher km?

And if, as you say, your daughters car is a 4 cyl now, how much more can you save by trying to get an even less thirsty one? if its doing 8s or 9s now and you get one that does 7s or better (would have to be a super econo tin box), you may save another $5 a week if you lucky. Doesnt seem worth it to put her in a flimsy tin box.

If my daughter was dong lots of km I woudl happily pay the $15 or so to put her in a big car in case she crashed. Prob get it back on reliability and repair costs.
(Or get a used LPG Falcon, best of both worlds?)

Yep.

Wheels Mag did an article on this from memory a few years back and the price of the car itself is by far the biggest influence. If you really want to save money, buy a cheaper priced car.

[Road_Warrior]

After driving an automatic 2007 Corolla around all last week and seeing it rev at 3000 rpm at 100 on the freeway, there is no way I'll be going from a full size car to something like that.

[sgt_doofey]

Originally Posted by The Snout

If you really want to save money, buy a cheaper priced car.

Probably more importantly, buy one that is a few years old and has already taken the depreciation hit. That would be one of the biggest money savers.