Captain Planet! Fleet Update

"HammerheadFistpunch" (hammerheadfistpunch) 06/26/2020 at 14:33 • Filed to: Fleet

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It occurred to me the other day that my most fuel-efficient city car gets 17 mpg.

Not great. Granted it does get about 26 highway which, while still not great, is a damn sight better than the 19 or 13 I get with my other cars.

So, fleet update time in order from least to most terrible to the earth.

2006 Hyundai Azera.

3.8 liter V6. All Alloy, DOHC, VVT

263 HP @ 6000 rpm

257 lbs-ft @4600 rpm

69hp/liter

~3600 lbs

13.7 lbs/hp

5 speed auto - FWD open front diff with TC

17 city/26 highway - This is the smallest engine, most fuel-efficient vehicle in my fleet...which is sad.

Pros: better on gas...sorta. Really good sounding stereo. Comfy. Not slow (not fast, but not slow)

Cons: kinda crummy suspension. funky faults and failures.

2008 Lexus GX470

4.7 liter V8. Iron block, alloy heads. DOHC Dual VVT

268 hp @ 4800 rpm

328 lbs-ft @ 3400 rpm (subtract 6hp and 18 lbs-ft for regular fuel not premium)

57 hp/liter

~4900 lbs

18.3 lbs/hp

5 speed auto - Full time 4wd with Torsen center with locking and low range. open front and rear diffs with TC

15 city/19 highway

Pros: pulls like a train, rides great, pulls trailers like they aren’t there. Stereo is quite good. Very versatile.

Cons: crappy city mileage, not very refined from the transfer case back (driveline shunt and so on)

1997 Land Cruiser

4.5 Liter I6. Iron block alloy head. DOHC.

212 hp @ 4600 (pfft, right.)

275 lbs-ft @ 3200

47 hp/liter

~5400 lbs (as is)

25.5 lbs/hp

4 speed auto - Full time 4wd with viscous over open center differential with locking and low range. Front and rear e-locking diffs.

13 city/13 highway (once I got 17!)

Pros: Is a tank. Kills it off-road. Refuses to die. Extremely charismatic.

Cons: Most everything else. Ride is stiff to punishing (stupid overdamped ICON shocks!). Stereo sucks. It’s old. Crappy mileage everywhere. Loud. Hot.

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Combined

13 liters and 20 cylinders

743 hp

860 lbs-ft

13,900 lbs

19.2 lbs/hp

15 mpg city/19 Highway

4.5 speeds

Minimum number of driven wheels 4 (1+1.5+1.5)

Maximum number of driven wheels 7 (1+2+4)

Over-all, pretty poor.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 14:44

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I’m confused as to how you’re coming up with 1 and 1.5 driven wheels...

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > Snuze: Needs another Swede 06/26/2020 at 14:48

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LSDs  on the Cruisers?

HammerheadFistpunch > Snuze: Needs another Swede 06/26/2020 at 14:50

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The 2 full time 4wd’s have center differentials that don’t really allow for full torque transfer when unlocked.  Its still technically 2 wheels driven, but it can drop to as low as 1 wheel drive in extreme situations.  i.e. if my cruiser had 3 wheels on ice and 1 on pavement, only a small amount of torque would get to the good wheel.  I figure 1.5 is close.

Distraxi's idea of perfection is a Jagroen > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 14:53

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No idea of the official stats, but the Skoda does 33mpg, the 86 30 now I’ve got grippy  tires on it, the Pajero 15 though that’s mostly with a trailer attached, the Kubota’s in the gallons per mile range and the Case is probably into gallons per hundred yards, on the odd occasion it’s actually running.

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 14:57

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My Isuzu has the largest engine and lowest output in my fleet. 2.6L and 120 HP. It will cruise at 75 on the highway with a load but it does take a while to get there.

HammerheadFistpunch > Highlander-Datsuns are Forever 06/26/2020 at 15:00

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I got to 105 mph onc e in the cruiser. Do not recommend.

Snuze: Needs another Swede > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 15:02

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I assume the 1 driven wheel is the Hyundai, but that’s not entirely true. For maximum driven wheels, it should count as 2. Open differentials drive both wheels under normal conditions, such as accelerating and even with a minor speed difference, such as when turning. It’s only when you break traction on one wheel (see your ice example above) that they shuttle all the power to the slipping wheel.

Similarly, both your 4wds are driving all 4 wheels under normal circumstances since they are both full time 4wd units . It’s only when you encounter slip conditions that things start to change due to the open center diffs.  The Lexus seems like it would have a minimum of 2 driven wheels with the center locked and the TC functioning since it can lock the slipping wheels and force power to the other 2 wheels.  And with the Cruiser, it’s 4 driven under normal conditions, and with front and rear e-lockers it should be able to turn all 4 regardless of condition when those are engaged. 

Highlander-Datsuns are Forever > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 15:02

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I know we have gotten the Isuzu up to 95, it was not safe at all. I’ve always had good shocks and good tires on the Isuzu too so it’s just a very short wheel base and terrible aerodynamics. 

Who is the Leader - 404 / Blog No Longer Available > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 15:03

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Mine is easy since I have one car.

136 hp from a 1.8 liter 4 pot comes to 75 horses per liter and 34 horses per cylinder.

When distributed from a 6 speed torque converter to the front wheels, it feels like less than that.

3000 pounds dead, basically. So every horse has to drag 22 pounds.

MPGs are tricky since the mpg tracker doesn’t work well, but I would guess I usually get around 28 combined. I do have a bit of a lead foot when accelerating.

HammerheadFistpunch > Snuze: Needs another Swede 06/26/2020 at 15:06

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I guess I should be more clear in that I am saying that in a worse case, the azera is still 1 wheel drive, the GX is 2 wheel drive (being able to lock the interaxle diff) and the cruiser (being able to lock both axles and interaxle) can drive 4 no matter what.

avalonian > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 15:14

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Have you considered a stereo upgrade for the cruiser? It can't be too expensive?

HammerheadFistpunch > avalonian 06/26/2020 at 16:21

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It really just needs a sub. I have a custom made mounting bracket for one of those 10 inch self powered jobbers but it keeps getting pushed behind other jobs.

jminer > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 17:36

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My regularly driven fleet has way higher mileage than I ever would have thought 10 years ago

2014 TDI Sportwagen - 38 mpg mixed

2016 RAV4 Hyrbid - 34 mpg mixed

2014 CB500 - 62-65  mpg no matter how hard I flog it

HammerheadFistpunch > jminer 06/26/2020 at 17:45

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I keep thinking about a RAV4 hybrid to replace the GX. We don’t really use the seating capacity, though losing the towing would be a major downer.

avalonian > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 18:13

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Ya know what interesting about doing projects, the second you wanna do one more important ones pop up, I guess that's in the circle you currently find yourself in? But changing speakers isn't crazy expensive either and I'm sure that would add serious boom with a sub.

HammerheadFistpunch > avalonian 06/26/2020 at 18:15

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speakers is a no go, their aren’t good speakers in this size that don’t require a lot of modification to work.  Not that worried about it.  The sub is a must and will happen.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 19:05

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My fleet consists of my Honda Fit... and that’s it.

And since I bought it, I’ve been averaging about 38 mpg (US Gallons) or about 6.2L/100km.

And that includes city and winter driving.

In the summer and on the highway in ideal conditions, I can average around 5L/100km or about 47mpg.

And in the worst circumstance like in winter with snow, the worst I’ve averaged is around 7.1L/100km or 33mpg on a tank.

So the moral of the story is... you need to buy a Tesla!  Or the Ford Mach E when it comes out!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 19:09

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I say keep the GX around for towing and replace the Hyundai with a Tesla Model 3 or the Ford Mach E.

avalonian > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 19:14

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Really? I thought like all Toyotas the speakers just were speakers. Huh interesting 

HammerheadFistpunch > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 06/26/2020 at 19:15

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Originally I was going to buy something like a lead but I got the azera for free

HammerheadFistpunch > avalonian 06/26/2020 at 19:20

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Depth. These speakers are thin. Man, remember doors that weren’t a foot thick? Toyota remembers

avalonian > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 20:15

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Hhahaha, my last toyota was an avalon so it had JBL, and my current lexus has Mark Levinson lol. So I don't unfortunately know, but dang that sucks seriously. Good luck!

jminer > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 20:42

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We moved from a Flex to it two years ago and are very much loving the ‘downgrade’ as the gas mileage is literally double what we got in the flex and the size is much better for how we use it.

The RAV4 turns into a decent little explorer even stock, get the new adventure one or put a mild lift and decent tires and they’re downright capable. We’ve done a good bit of fire roads here but to be honest not much I wouldn’t take my sportwagen though anyway.

I think the RAV4 is rated to tow 2,000 pounds which isn’t much but enough for a small camper or a trailer to homedepot.

HammerheadFistpunch > jminer 06/26/2020 at 21:24

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The adventure is 3500, but at this elevation it would probably be more like 2800. Or camp trailer weighs about 3500. The boat weighs 6000

jminer > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 22:10

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Oof - I remembered you had a camper and figured it could handle that but a big boat no way.

I wish companies still made small utility vehicles with actual meaningful utility. Think like the 2nd gen explorer that could be had with a v8 and tow a good deal of weight. I think the 4runner is the closest still available now but it’s big and surprisingly little space on the inside I test drove one when we were looking at the RAV4 and I absolutely loved it but the $50k price tag decently equipped and nearly that used made it a no-brainer.

To be honest I’d love something like your GX to turn into a weekend adventure rig. The hope is to move out west this year and I’d love to venture off-grid a lot more than I can here in the midwest.  Since they have such a cult following I’ll probably end up with something like a pathfinder or 3rd gen 4runner though.

HammerheadFistpunch > jminer 06/26/2020 at 22:16

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By the time you come out maybe I'll sell you mine

HammerheadFistpunch > Manwich - now Keto-Friendly 06/26/2020 at 22:19

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I wanted a fit, but free azera is free azera

jminer > HammerheadFistpunch 06/26/2020 at 22:24

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That would definitely be tempting - if you seriously want to sell it I’d be very interested.

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > HammerheadFistpunch 06/27/2020 at 09:16

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Sell the Azera and buy a Fit!

Manwich - now Keto-Friendly > HammerheadFistpunch 06/27/2020 at 09:21

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Another option... sell the boat, sell the camper, sell both Land Cruisers, sell the Hyundai, then buy a Tesla Model S!!!