Nov '08 - Rick's Bumpin' In Questions.....

I'm gonna try to answer the questions in order..  

   

1.  Have I made any personal sacrifices to drive my performance vehicle?   No.   As it turns out, my daily driver is a 340 HP, AWD station wagon.  It requires premium fuel and I drive it 50 miles / day.  I average 18.5 mpg, mixed driving.  It replaced a 42 mpg TDi wagon.  So, like an idiot - I went the WRONG way when it comes to fuel economy.  But, the grin factor is MUCH greater.  It's really hard to put a price on that.  I get spoiled by this car.  My Tdi was not stock, which made it a blast to drive - but the difference in performance levels is significant.  This brings me to my high tech GM - an 87 GN..  It gets to sit with a half tank of race gas year round.  I drive it less than 100 miles / yr (busy work schedule, 2 kids, and chores!!!) so when I REALLY want to get my 0-60 fix, I jump in and go for a joy ride.

2.  Are you driving your perf. veh. less often bc of gas prices?  Nope.  I gotta get to work..!!  I just realized, damn near every vehicle i own has a performance tweak, except the wife's Tahoe..  (did I see a 5.3l how to somewhere in that tech article list??)  

3.  Have you recently traded a perf. vehicle for an economy car bc of gas prices?  Nope.  See long-winded answer to question 1.. (ref: "...like an idiot..")

4.  Do you drive a commuter car to save $$ during the week.?   No - but I should.

5.  If fuel costs $4+ / gal, would I consider a 4 cyl. turbo Camaro instead of a V8.?  No, I would buy the blown 4 banger since I live at high altitude, and I think the 4 banger would be more fun to mod.  C'mon - they said the 4 banger *might* get 27-28 mpg hwy..  Correct me if I am wrong - but doesn't a 6 speed Corvette already get that mileage.?  Market the 4 banger as a performance option, not a gas saver...  It should have better weight distribution, so give it BETTER suspension / brake options than the '6 or the '8..  It should autocross a little quicker than the '8 and be pure fun to drive through the mountains.  Plus, the exhaust note should have a sick, snarly whistle that EVERY turbo guy absolutely lives for.  THAT'S why I'd buy a turbo'd 4 banger Camaro, anyway.......  LOL

6.  BC of the increased cost of fuel, would you like to see more small displacement perf. engines / veh. in GMHTP?   I wanna see more articles on the Ecotec powered vehicles, period.  I am a total gearhead, with no real allegiances to # of cylinders, or mfr for that matter..   I like to read about it all..  My problem is that I don't have enough LOOT to buy and play with all the cars I want - so I live vicariously through magazine articles and build ups...

7.  Would you like to see more tech stories on fuel economy, like lean cruise computer tuning..??  Been there, done that..   I programmed my GN with lean cruise tables already..  It's just too bad that I don't get it out nearly enough to test it..

Thx for the insight, Rick..  and chance to 'bump in..  

1. No sacrifices for gas price, I am just finishing my 2 year project with my '88 IROC-Z and it is going to get a 500hp 383 stroker.

2. I haven't been driving my performance vehicle for 2 years now, but my daily driver is '89 Chevy Caprice STW with horrible gas mileage.

3. No, economy vehicles just aren't my style.

4. I have to drive about 10 miles a day to get to work and I think it is not much. So if I'd have a car with one fourth of my current vehicles' consumption, it wouldn't be worth saving

5. I live in Finland where fuel costs ca. $8,30 per gallon. Most of the people drive a small car with a tiny engine and compare gas prices on different stations but I have never complained about gas prices. It's just a choice that I've made, I love V8 engines and I have to pay extra for it. I really wonder why this kind of questions are asked from GMHTP readers??? You can't get performance without fuel!

6. Absolutely no. If I wanted to read something like that, I would subscribe to some ricer magazines.

7. EFI programming articles are always interesting.  

1 yes, way more ramen knoodles, hotdogs and less milk
I'm not rich and im single.

2 Last time I really drove my car premium was bumping 2 bucks a gall.. And I was pissed..

3 No I learned a long time ago the importance of having a milage/beater 4 work and to get parts.

4 yes its a quad 4 96 grand sl.am. 30-33mpg mixed driving.

5 I wont ever be able to buy a way overpriced new car unless I win the lotto.

6 HELL NO.

7a Maybe kinda sorta..

7b Gas is 3.69 here today, I think its 2.50 a gallon over priced.. Its legal rape..

7c I have pics of my Formula in the readers rides. None with the 2years of dust on it tho..    

If you already havent taken the online poll here is the link: Performance Gas Poll  

1.yes i used to have about 5 or 6 vehicles all gm, on the road at one time. i am currently down to 2, 2002 ss camaro and an 1989 camaro convertible. i am also selling all my collectibles.
2. yes, altho every car i own is a perf car of some kind.
3.hell no, i wont do it!!!!!!!!!!
4.again hell no, both my cars now average about 23mpg. good enough for me.
5.maybe, i did drive a cobalt ss and  the acceleration  was smooth and the ride was great. a car for the wife. and gas was $2.19 today for regular, that was in southern nj.
6.that would be ok with me, so long as you did not forget v8's.
7.yes.