I think they are a fantastic car...and a toyota to boot. Toyota are very well respected here for reliability. The same sex appeal as cardboard but after 40 we all know thats not what matters. I was looking at one before i bought the v-dub but it was a good bit dearer but by the end things didnt end up that much different.
If diesels were available here I could well have made a similar decision to yours. But they do have worse emissions, and in LA that's a concern, too.
I really love how this thing glides silently. And then the ICE kicks in, and it's still cool. I actually like it more than I thought I would.
Snipped at $3,100. Auction ends at 3:15 EST and I'll be at Lime Rock park racing around the track at 100mph so I won't be there. Dad, can you call me when the auction is over?
Easy now, it's gotta make it to Z's place in one piece first.
BTW, I didn't know that the 530i was an 8 back in '94. I learn something new everyday.
how's that thing on gas?
Yeah the later 530's were L6's.
On gas? My 6 cyl 525i gets about 20mpg combined. It's a very old engine and the last few they made were but in the early 5-series of that generatioon. This small V8 gets about 22 city 28 hghiway.
Well haven't been around much (other than when at work ) because all my spare time has been going to finding a new daily driver. I had bought a 99 blazer but after a few days I noticed some things I didn't like (putting it mildly) so I spoke (:rambo:boidlynnsitegun2:thwak) with the dealer and he graciously (:cry(:) decided to refund my money in full.
So after considerably more searching I found (not quite what i was looking for size wise) a 99 malibu ls for bout $150 below private seller KBB on where I know the dealer so that is the new daily driver.
Not a super fast car, not a super sexy car, not a super fun car, not a super big car. But a good daily driver that handles ok, has a v6, has a good body, and blend's into the crowd. Just what I need for a every day vehicle.
Well haven't been around much (other than when at work ) because all my spare time has been going to finding a new daily driver. I had bought a 99 blazer but after a few days I noticed some things I didn't like (putting it mildly) so I spoke (:rambo:boidlynnsitegun2:thwak) with the dealer and he graciously (:cry(:) decided to refund my money in full.
So after considerably more searching I found (not quite what i was looking for size wise) a 99 malibu ls for bout $150 below private seller KBB on where I know the dealer so that is the new daily driver.
Not a super fast car, not a super sexy car, not a super fun car, not a super big car. But a good daily driver that handles ok, has a v6, has a good body, and blend's into the crowd. Just what I need for a every day vehicle.
'86 300ZX turbo 150k miles VG30ET V6 (currently in a state of rebuild (IE I started taking it apart and haven't had time to finish fixing what I wanted to to be able to put it back together)).
'94 Chevy Astro Almost 200k Miles 4.3 Vortec V6(was daily driver, now is in limbo as I decide whether or not I want to keep it as a part's hauler or sell it and get very little money for it)
'99 Chevy Malibu 88k miles 3100 V6 (new daily driver, road trip car)
Those are currently mine and in my possesion prior to those I have had.
'87 Chrysler Lebaron Turbo
'89 Ford Tempo (RIP, this car took all my abuse, took being ran off the road by a guy who was mad I um did "things" with his GF (I Was only 17, my mind didn't think past what was happening at the moment), had the oil drained out of it (that guys brother) blew a cylinder, and still limped 200miles home)
86 Dodge 1ton Extended Cargo Van (my very first car, boy did I kill it good)
67.5 mpg on my drive in to work today with my new Prius.
Yeah well I'm going from a 14mpg avg daily driver to a 22-25mpg avg daily driver so :moon. Besides didn't they do a study and prove that the avg mpg of a hybrid is actually lower than advertised.
Yeah well I'm going from a 14mpg avg daily driver to a 22-25mpg avg daily driver so :moon. Besides didn't they do a study and prove that the avg mpg of a hybrid is actually lower than advertised.
Yes, they are lower than advertised, but the computer report the correct mileage (the problem is the test procedures use to test gasoline cars happen to be done in a way that almost totally uses the electric motor of a hybrid and never the engine, so you don't get the kind of city mileage that's claimed in real life). If it told him he got 67.5 he got 67.5...and I wish he'd keep it to himself...cause I'm overjoyed at the 18.4mpg I started getting now that I'm down in NC where I'm doing like 75% highway 25% city instead of my usual other way around (where I get 14mpg). After my little project is done...I'll probably be at around 12mpg,
The calculation that the car does is very accurate. Within a percent, according to what I've been reading about with people who figure it the old fashioned way. Tank to tank it varies more, but that's because the method of figuring gallons/miles at the pump isn't as accurate per tank, because of the bladder in the tank. Over the long haul, the computations are accurate, though, and I trust it more than if I did it myself because of the whole bladder thing.
Yes, they are lower than advertised, but the computer report the correct mileage (the problem is the test procedures use to test gasoline cars happen to be done in a way that almost totally uses the electric motor of a hybrid and never the engine, so you don't get the kind of city mileage that's claimed in real life). If it told him he got 67.5 he got 67.5...and I wish he'd keep it to himself...cause I'm overjoyed at the 18.4mpg I started getting now that I'm down in NC where I'm doing like 75% highway 25% city instead of my usual other way around (where I get 14mpg). After my little project is done...I'll probably be at around 12mpg,
The way all cars are tested for mileage by the EPA is inaccurate. The difference seems greater with the hybrid, but that's because it's a percentage, and getting 15 mpg when your car is rated at 20 doesn't seem as big a difference as getting 45 when it's rated at 60, but the percentage difference is the same. My drive is well-suited to the Prius.
The way all cars are tested for mileage by the EPA is inaccurate. The difference seems greater with the hybrid, but that's because it's a percentage, and getting 15 mpg when your car is rated at 20 doesn't seem as big a difference as getting 45 when it's rated at 60, but the percentage difference is the same. My drive is well-suited to the Prius.
All of our cars (98 BMW 540, 85 Mercedes 380SE, 94 Olds Bravada, 02 Porsche 911) get just the mileage the window sticker claims.
Here's how it was explained to me on priuschat.com:
THE EPA NUMBERS
When the EPA tests cars and rates their gas mileage they don't actually drive on a road. They use a device called a dynometer. They use the exact same pattern of driving that's been used for every tested vehicle for over 20 years. The "city" portion is nothing like what most of us consider city driving...there are many stretches of 1/2-2 miles at 21mph. And although there are many stops built in there is nothing like the stop and go driving of a real city. Thus, many people in 'real' cities don't see anything like the city mpg numbers.
The highway test portion is equally outdated with an average speed of 48mph. For those of us who use the interstate transit system in the US and know that posted limits of 70mph are, in reality, minimum speeds with most vehicles in the 75-80mph range this portion of the EPA test is equally unrealistic.
To further exacerbate the issue of innaccuracy with 'real world driving' the EPA tests all the cars in a temperature and climate controlled building at 68-86 degrees fahrenheit with a vehicle that is already warmed up (highway only, city portion is cold start) and A/C turned off. It assumes a flat level road (ie no hills). It measures exhaust CO2 to determine how much fuel was used.
See How Vehicles Are Tested in detail at this link, complete with photos.
a)Hybrids (as other cars) have their lowest MPG in the first 5-10 minutes of driving while the vehicle warms up. Thus, for those of us with only a 5-10 mile commute we're unlikely to ever get the car into it's most efficient operation condition.
b)Due to the battery power and the range of SOC of the battery, particularly on the city portion of the test, much of the driving may be under battery power and a small portion of energy used is never measured by the EPA (as they have no means to do so) thus giving a slight higher MPG rating than is really possible. They say that the battery SOC must be at the same level at the beginning and end, but even so there is some innaccuracy in that readout.
c)All cars perform less efficiently and require longer warm up times in colder weather...even at 50 degrees there's an impact. This becomes most noticable in a high mpg vehicle like the Prius.
The best way to think about this is to consider the Prius compared to another vehicle. If the Prius gets 55mpg in 72 degree weather but suffers a 10% decrease in mileage at 45 degrees that means that your gas mileage will drop to 49.5mpg--you're getting 5.5mpg LESS than you were at 72 degrees!! Pretty demoralizing. If you're driving a Camry that gets 25mpg at 72 degrees and suffer that same 10% hit at 45 degrees you drop only to 22.5mpg...hardly even noticable at a fill up since it's only 2.5mpg less than before. It's the same 10% but it's relatively more due to the lower 'gallonage' of the Prius (that is uses less gas for distance traveled).
Here's how it was explained to me on priuschat.com:
Interesting info. Especially interesting since on the highway at an average of about 70, that Porsche actually gets better mileage than claimed highway on the window sticker
<hr style="color: rgb(102, 102, 102);" size="1"> <!-- / icon and title --><!-- message --> So as some of you know I went to pick up my new to me 1994 530i 5-speed yesterday, which was about 3 hours from my house.
<o:p> </o:p>
In the auction, the seller stated there was a serious oil leak, and the car shouldn’t be driven. I asked for his mechanics phone number and the mechanic said he was 99% sure it was the rear main seal that was leaking. I said, okay no problem, I can fix that.
<o:p> </o:p>
I’m driving back home with my friend behind me in his Subaru. We decide to stop every 30 minutes to check the oil level just to be safe. The first time, everything was fine and dandy. The second time, the oil looked kind of milky. We opened the coolant cover and low and behold there was oil floating on top. We both immediately say to the other, “head gasket!”
Luckily, Andy lives 10 minutes from where we were. We parked it there and took his car the rest of the 200 miles home. How I'll have to rent a truck and tow it home
<o:p> </o:p> I guess this could either be bad, good, or the same as the rear main seal leaking. On one hand, I won’t have to drop the tranny to fix it. On the other hand, I have to spend another couple hundred in a top end rebuild kit. I am pissed at the seller/mechanic though. It would have been nice if he told me it was the head gasket instead of the RMS. I still would have bought it, I just wouldn't have tried to drive it home. It was also obvious that there was brand new oil and coolant in there Oh well, I got a good enough deal on it so I shouldn't complain.
Don't worry, its not on fire. The light is from a flashlight.
Everyhting is perfect and works as it should, except the engine. It's only firing on 6-7 cylinders since there is no compression because of the head gassket leak.
So I have to barrow a truck and trailer to get it home, because I don't want to cook the bearings. Don't worry dad, I should be picking it up saturday morning.
Anyone know a place I can get an upper engine rebuild kit for it?
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I think I might have turned around
and driven back. Kinda sounds like the seller misrepresented the condition
of the car.
Moderator Journeys/Sports/Big Picture :: Need some help with dgrin?
Sorry to hear about your misfortune. I think I might have turned around
and driven back. Kinda sounds like the seller misrepresented the condition
of the car.
Agreed. Even if he didn't take it back, I'd make sure that I peed as much oil and coolant on his driveway as I possibly could.
Oh, and I ate 66.7 cheerios this morning, just in case you were all wondering.
I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
Edward Steichen
We stopped after the first half hour of driving and it was very obvious that one of the headgaskets was leaking, not the rear main seal. All the coolant was mixed in the engine and there was oil in the coolant. We had to stop and leave it at my fathers house because I didn't want to cook the bearings. I knew it had a problem, but if you had just been straight up with me and said it was a head gasket leak I wouldn't have even tried to drive it home. This adds another 2 weeks to my final purchase and an extra few hundred dollars to the final cost.
I know you didn't guarantee it was the rear main seal, but it would be nice if you could send me back a couple hundred dollars to make up the cost between the seal I already bought, and the head gaskets and other various gaskets I'll have to replace now.
Driving into work this morning, my new Prius started beeping at me. As you can probably guess, there's a million and one things that could go wrong with that car, so I'm on the freeway, looking around like crazy, trying to figure out WTF is wrong, no lights are lit...it keeps beeping...I finally figure out that it's trying to tell me to buckle up my laptop case that's been sitting on the passengers seat for the past 45 minutes.
Luckily, Andy lives 10 minutes from where we were. We parked it there and took his car the rest of the 200 miles home. How I'll have to rent a truck and tow it home
[said in your best Dr. Z voice] When will you realize that Mercedes is the superior German automobile, silly kinder.
Comments
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If diesels were available here I could well have made a similar decision to yours. But they do have worse emissions, and in LA that's a concern, too.
I really love how this thing glides silently. And then the ICE kicks in, and it's still cool. I actually like it more than I thought I would.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Snipped at $3,100. Auction ends at 3:15 EST and I'll be at Lime Rock park racing around the track at 100mph so I won't be there. Dad, can you call me when the auction is over?
http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
Yes yes, we saw...quit rubbing our noses in it:bluduh
Seriously though, good find. So...when do you plan on putting in an ESSTuning supercharger?
BTW, I didn't know that the 530i was an 8 back in '94. I learn something new everyday.
how's that thing on gas?
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
On gas? My 6 cyl 525i gets about 20mpg combined. It's a very old engine and the last few they made were but in the early 5-series of that generatioon. This small V8 gets about 22 city 28 hghiway.
http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
Well haven't been around much (other than when at work
So after considerably more searching I found (not quite what i was looking for size wise) a 99 malibu ls for bout $150 below private seller KBB on where I know the dealer so that is the new daily driver.
Not a super fast car, not a super sexy car, not a super fun car, not a super big car. But a good daily driver that handles ok, has a v6, has a good body, and blend's into the crowd. Just what I need for a every day vehicle.
www.zxstudios.com
http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
'94 Chevy Astro Almost 200k Miles 4.3 Vortec V6(was daily driver, now is in limbo as I decide whether or not I want to keep it as a part's hauler or sell it and get very little money for it)
'99 Chevy Malibu 88k miles 3100 V6 (new daily driver, road trip car)
Those are currently mine and in my possesion prior to those I have had.
'87 Chrysler Lebaron Turbo
'89 Ford Tempo (RIP, this car took all my abuse, took being ran off the road by a guy who was mad I um did "things" with his GF (I Was only 17, my mind didn't think past what was happening at the moment), had the oil drained out of it (that guys brother) blew a cylinder, and still limped 200miles home)
86 Dodge 1ton Extended Cargo Van (my very first car, boy did I kill it good)
www.zxstudios.com
http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
www.zxstudios.com
http://creativedragonstudios.smugmug.com
Yes, they are lower than advertised, but the computer report the correct mileage (the problem is the test procedures use to test gasoline cars happen to be done in a way that almost totally uses the electric motor of a hybrid and never the engine, so you don't get the kind of city mileage that's claimed in real life). If it told him he got 67.5 he got 67.5...and I wish he'd keep it to himself...cause I'm overjoyed at the 18.4mpg I started getting now that I'm down in NC where I'm doing like 75% highway 25% city instead of my usual other way around (where I get 14mpg). After my little project is done...I'll probably be at around 12mpg,
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
The way all cars are tested for mileage by the EPA is inaccurate. The difference seems greater with the hybrid, but that's because it's a percentage, and getting 15 mpg when your car is rated at 20 doesn't seem as big a difference as getting 45 when it's rated at 60, but the percentage difference is the same. My drive is well-suited to the Prius.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
All of our cars (98 BMW 540, 85 Mercedes 380SE, 94 Olds Bravada, 02 Porsche 911) get just the mileage the window sticker claims.
That's surprising, since the EPA tests cars on a rack. There's a lot they do that's far from real-world in determining their mileage rating.
http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/how_tested.shtml
Here's how it was explained to me on priuschat.com:
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
Interesting info. Especially interesting since on the highway at an average of about 70, that Porsche actually gets better mileage than claimed highway on the window sticker
Oy.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
<o:p> </o:p>
In the auction, the seller stated there was a serious oil leak, and the car shouldn’t be driven. I asked for his mechanics phone number and the mechanic said he was 99% sure it was the rear main seal that was leaking. I said, okay no problem, I can fix that.
<o:p> </o:p>
I’m driving back home with my friend behind me in his Subaru. We decide to stop every 30 minutes to check the oil level just to be safe. The first time, everything was fine and dandy. The second time, the oil looked kind of milky. We opened the coolant cover and low and behold there was oil floating on top. We both immediately say to the other, “head gasket!”
Luckily, Andy lives 10 minutes from where we were. We parked it there and took his car the rest of the 200 miles home. How I'll have to rent a truck and tow it home
<o:p> </o:p> I guess this could either be bad, good, or the same as the rear main seal leaking. On one hand, I won’t have to drop the tranny to fix it. On the other hand, I have to spend another couple hundred in a top end rebuild kit. I am pissed at the seller/mechanic though. It would have been nice if he told me it was the head gasket instead of the RMS. I still would have bought it, I just wouldn't have tried to drive it home. It was also obvious that there was brand new oil and coolant in there
Here are some pics I took with my other new toy, which I still have no idea how to use, as evident in the pictures <img src="https://us.v-cdn.net/6029383/emoji/headscratch.gif" border="0" alt="" >
Don't worry, its not on fire. The light is from a flashlight.
Everyhting is perfect and works as it should, except the engine. It's only firing on 6-7 cylinders since there is no compression because of the head gassket leak.
So I have to barrow a truck and trailer to get it home, because I don't want to cook the bearings. Don't worry dad, I should be picking it up saturday morning.
Anyone know a place I can get an upper engine rebuild kit for it?
http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
Whaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaat?????????
:rambo
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and driven back. Kinda sounds like the seller misrepresented the condition
of the car.
Oh, and I ate 66.7 cheerios this morning, just in case you were all wondering.
moderator of: The Flea Market [ guidelines ]
Maybe I can get him to give me $300 back so I can buy a new gasket set.
http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
I knew, of course, that trees and plants had roots, stems, bark, branches and foliage that reached up toward the light. But I was coming to realize that the real magician was light itself.
Edward Steichen
http://zwilliams.smugmug.com/
Good luck!
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Oy.
Dgrin FAQ | Me | Workshops
[said in your best Dr. Z voice] When will you realize that Mercedes is the superior German automobile, silly kinder.