You've heard of "cow tipping"? Here's the new sport of Smart car tipping

[jluck]

I think there a sucker test. Do people think before purchase of these things? I love efficient vehicles as well as a big block gas monster for there intended purpose but 40 mpg is a joke for that size POS. Why not get a TDI beetle or just a new small (insert brand here) car with four doors and could haul a medium pizza and still get 40 ish MPG. Our TDI beetle got 47 MPG with four people, a dog and the boys baseball gear.

I think it's a statement car purchased to make others happy.

 

[1990Turbo]

I was gonna mention the TDIs. My mom has a Beetle and its close to 50mpg and actually has pretty good power.

 

[Dunerunner]

It seems to be the limit without going to a diesel and turbocharger right now... The Canadian and European models have a turbo diesel, can't get them here! Thanks EPA!!

 

[Mark W.]

Agreed look at the mileage the late 70's Hondas got 40-42 was nothing for a Civic or Accord. Or the old Diesel Rabbits and Jettas that got 45.

The thing they are telling you as they brag about getting 28mpg out of a new car now is that they have long ago hit the wall . The Math just won't squeeze more energy out of a drop of gasoline or diesel. And as they increase the emissions requirements for newer cars all the science can do is barely keep up.

Sure a New TDI Diesel Jetta can be squeezed to get 55+ mpg on very carefully driven trips etc. But for the most part based on automobile weight mileage hasn't increased much at all.

In the 1960's 45+ years ago a Chevy Nova with the 140cu in 4 cyl and a 4 speed would see 25-27 mpg (I know because I pumped gas during the gas shortages and the little old ladies in town that drove them were always talking to us about their mileage) My own grandfathers 1965 Chevy Malibu Station Wagon at 4000lb car with a 190hp 283 and a 2 spd powerguide transmission would get a solid 24-25mpg on freeway trips at 65-70mph We used to drive it from Silverton to Roseberg once a month to visit his sister and to pickup honey to sell.

Compare that to what a new car of a similar size gets now. Lets use the Ford Flex its about the same size and weight as the Old Malibu

Every 2014 Ford Flex comes standard with a 3.5-liter V6 that produces 287 horsepower and 254 pound-feet of torque. Front-wheel drive and a six-speed automatic transmission are standard. All-wheel drive is optional on the SEL and Limited. EPA-estimated fuel economy is 20 mpg combined (18 mpg city/25 mpg highway) with front-wheel drive. CURB WEIGHT 4471 lbs [Quote)

1965 Chevy Malibu Curb Weight 3494lbs

 

[jluck]

In the late 90's I tuned a 390hp 427 Chevrolet big block in a 3/4 ton 4x4 to get over 15 MPG. A new pickup can barley (actually) achieve that, heck... A new Toyota pickup can't do 15 MPG from what I've seen.

It is sad.

 

[Nwcid]

Yeah the issue really is what milage they get for the size. My 1 ton, long bed, crew cab, dully gets 19-20 MPG empty and it is a huge beast. Even pulling my 30' enclosed trailer I still get 14 MPG. Over 30,000 my total average (hauling and not) is about 15.5 MPG. The best milage I ever got out of any truck under good conditions was 15 MPG.

Those little cars should be getting much better.

 

[Certaindeaf]

They've come up with this unrollable special!..

 

[Mikej]

In the 1960's 45+ years ago a Chevy Nova with the 140cu in 4 cyl and a 4 speed would see 25-27 mpg (I know because I pumped gas during the gas shortages and the little old ladies in town that drove them were always talking to us about their mileage) My own grandfathers 1965 Chevy Malibu Station Wagon at 4000lb car with a 190hp 283 and a 2 spd powerguide transmission would get a solid 24-25mpg on freeway trips at 65-70mph We used to drive it from Silverton to Roseberg once a month to visit his sister and to pickup honey to sell.

Compare that to what a new car of a similar size gets now. Lets use the Ford Flex its about the same size and weight as the Old Malibu

Misprint? And I thought you were close to my age Mark! You must be way younger and making stuff up. I don't think there were ANY American made cars in the '60 with a 4-banger. That little Honda "ShoeBox car that had the 650ish twin cylinder in '65 or so. Goofy looking thing with a big rubber gasket affair around the back window.

 

[Mark W.]

Misprint? And I thought you were close to my age Mark! You must be way younger and making stuff up. I don't think there were ANY American made cars in the '60 with a 4-banger. That little Honda "ShoeBox car that had the 650ish twin cylinder in '65 or so. Goofy looking thing with a big rubber gasket affair around the back window.

I'm sorry your not knowledgeable about American made cars. As to the age thing I am 56. I took my drivers test in a 1956 Chevy 210 4 door wagon with a 265 V8 and a Powerguide tranny. It was Red and White.

As to the 4cyl American made cars I stated what car I was talking about in my post you quoted

I did get the cu in displacement of the engine wrong I was typing faster then I was thinking.

A Chevy II or Nova was available with the 153 cuin 4cyl engine. from 1962 to through 1970

One of my younger brothers friends dads worked at a dealership in Salem and even special ordered a Nova Super Sport in 1964 with a 153 4cyl and the Muncie M21 4spd with a posi rear end and 3.73 gears

production numbers for the 153 powered Nova and Chevy II

1962 24,000
1963 3,270
1964 1,121
1965 327
1966 ?
1967 480
1968 1,270
1969 6,103
1970 2,062

For a total in access of 35,733 Novas were built with 4cyl engines

Willys and Kaiser used 4cyl engines in the Jeep CJ 134F head

Nash used both a 1200 cc and 1500cc in the Nash Metropolitan up until 1962

International Harvester also used both a 152 and 196 cu in 4cyl engine in their Scouts through the 1960's

 

[Redcap]

I'm sorry your not knowledgeable about American made cars. As to the age thing I am 56. I took my drivers test in a 1956 Chevy 210 4 door wagon with a 265 V8 and a Powerguide tranny. It was Red and White.

As to the 4cyl American made cars I stated what car I was talking about in my post you quoted

I did get the cu in displacement of the engine wrong I was typing faster then I was thinking.

A Chevy II or Nova was available with the 153 cuin 4cyl engine. from 1962 to through 1970

One of my younger brothers friends dads worked at a dealership in Salem and even special ordered a Nova Super Sport in 1964 with a 153 4cyl and the Muncie M21 4spd with a posi rear end and 3.73 gears

production numbers for the 153 powered Nova and Chevy II

1962 24,000
1963 3,270
1964 1,121
1965 327
1966 ?
1967 480
1968 1,270
1969 6,103
1970 2,062

For a total in access of 35,733 Novas were built with 4cyl engines

Willys and Kaiser used 4cyl engines in the Jeep CJ 134F head

International Harvester also used both a 152 and 196 cu in 4cyl engine in their Scouts through the 1960's

The International motors were either a 304 or 392 with one bank of cylinders lopped off.

 

[oknow]

It a new way of doubling parking spaces for these new mini cars

 

[Mikej]

I'm sorry your not knowledgeable about American made cars. As to the age thing I am 56. I took my drivers test in a 1956 Chevy 210 4 door wagon with a 265 V8 and a Powerguide tranny. It was Red and White.

As to the 4cyl American made cars I stated what car I was talking about in my post you quoted

I did get the cu in displacement of the engine wrong I was typing faster then I was thinking.

A Chevy II or Nova was available with the 153 cuin 4cyl engine. from 1962 to through 1970

One of my younger brothers friends dads worked at a dealership in Salem and even special ordered a Nova Super Sport in 1964 with a 153 4cyl and the Muncie M21 4spd with a posi rear end and 3.73 gears

production numbers for the 153 powered Nova and Chevy II

1962 24,000
1963 3,270
1964 1,121
1965 327
1966 ?
1967 480
1968 1,270
1969 6,103
1970 2,062

For a total in access of 35,733 Novas were built with 4cyl engines

Willys and Kaiser used 4cyl engines in the Jeep CJ 134F head

Nash used both a 1200 cc and 1500cc in the Nash Metropolitan up until 1962

International Harvester also used both a 152 and 196 cu in 4cyl engine in their Scouts through the 1960's

Holy crap! I bow before you.... I scanned the Wiki site and missed the the 4-cylinder reference completely.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chevrolet_153_4-cylinder_engine

So all I can say now is...I've got a couple of years on you, so please be kind to your elders.

Mea Culpa

 

[Kruel J]

I think this whole thread stinks. Would you laugh if it was your property. Whether you or I like the Smart Car the person that bought it plunked down THEIR hard-earned money for it. If the trend was flipping Dodge Ram trucks (logistics aside) I'd bet we hear more chitty-chitty bang-bang. Grow up folks. Just cause you don't like Smart cars doesn't make this right.

Mods, delete this thread. How many responders here are CHL holders? Aren't we supposed to be the good guys, without prejudice?

 

[Kruel J]

Self edited.

 

[BAMCIS]

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Schadenfreude

Posts calling to close threads (even ones I don't like or agree with) concerns me. This is the same mentality that calls to ban certain freedoms (read firearms, since this is a FIREARMS website) just because they don't like them. I've seen nothing on this thread that condones these acts.

 

[Kruel J]

Maybe you would think differently if you read it BEFORE the mods edited it. Maybe not. To each his own. I am long over it.

And I'm pretty certain tipping over someone's car has exactly NOTHING to do with firearms. Anyway, have a great evening.

 

[CLT65]

I think that the humor many here find in the reports of smart-car tipping is basically just a reaction to the smug self-righteousness of some smart-car proponents. Once we think about it further, I'm sure most of us realize that it is criminal vandalism, and absolutely wrong no matter who it is.

As to fuel mileage- I'm surprised that they don't get any better than that. My 15 year old Saturn sedan with well over 200k miles on it get close to 40 mpg. It's been a great little car and has saved us a bundle over the years.

Now for the real reason I posted: cow tipping. Cow tipping is a myth, and a personal pet peeve of mine. Ever since some stupid movie showed that backwards hillbillies and stupid farmers were so boring and pathetic that they snuck up on sleeping cows and tipped them over for fun, ignorant people have been talking about cow tipping. Cows don't sleep standing up and you can't tip them over! (rant over)

Added- no offense intended toward the OP; I know it's humor. Just a silly pet peeve of mine.

 

[AMProducts]

While on the one hand, when I hear words like "smart car tipped over" and "prius burns after car accident" I'm forced to think of the smug self-satisfied arguments SOME of the owners of such vehicles make. Since unfortunately, there are few guarantees that these people were the ones targeted, this still qualifies as a "richard move" even if in a certain context it is funny.

 

[jluck]

And a big thanks to the media, this trend is spreading.

 

[BAMCIS]

I think that the humor many here find in the reports of smart-car tipping is basically just a reaction to the smug self-righteousness of some smart-car proponents. Once we think about it further, I'm sure most of us realize that it is criminal vandalism, and absolutely wrong no matter who it is.

Absolutely right.

Now for the real reason I posted: cow tipping..........Cows don't sleep standing up and you can't tip them over! (rant over)

Added- no offense intended toward the OP; I know it's humor. Just a silly pet peeve of mine.

No offense taken. Some have taken this thread way to seriously and that in and of itself is humorous. But are you sure cows don't sleep standing up? Years ago I saw these guys try their hand at cow tipping:

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This is what happened:

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As one can see it didn't turn out to well. They must have done something wrong....