Loremo 100 mpg+ diesel from Germany - Page 6 - PeachParts Mercedes-Benz Forum

Mark DiSilvestro · #76 02-22-2008, 08:24 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by vstech

think Urkel mobile... that's what he drove in the show... I think one episode he got it up to "top speed" around 25MPH... funny
about 1/2 way down the page on this one is the original and the concept update from BMW...
http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://media.diariomotor.com/imagenes/isetta3.jpg&imgrefurl=http://joshisjosh.com/&h=207&w=320&sz=12&hl=en&start=7&tbnid=GQUYCV7ufEkiqM:&tbnh=76&tbnw=118&prev=/images%3Fq%3Disetta%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26client%3Dfirefox-a%26rls%3Dorg.mozilla:en-US

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I recall hearing a tale about a late '50s lot attendant that had to park one of these things, and got it right up against a wall so the door wouldn't open. Then he couldn't get it into reverse!

Happy Motoring, Mark

t walgamuth · #77 02-22-2008, 09:06 PM

I think reverse can be cranky on them.

My junior high was right next to DePauw campus. There used to be one of those little dudes parked next to where we practiced for the marching band. I remember one of the drummers picked one of the wheels off the ground on it one day....he was an eighth grader!

Tom W

aklim · #78 02-23-2008, 08:29 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by zu!

If everyone drove like they were strapped to the front of their vehicles, there would be no accidents.

It would not matter what you drove, only that you drove carefully.

People would still make mistakes.

This is like the "do unto others" crap. It works if EVERYONE did that.

Most of the accidents I have been involved in were someone who hit me and I had no control over what they did. So, luck aside, there are times where nothing you do will prevent it.

aklim · #79 02-23-2008, 08:31 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by t walgamuth

I remember one of the drummers picked one of the wheels off the ground on it one day....he was an eighth grader!

And if by some odd method, drugs and/or alcohol, money, threats, etc, etc, someone could get me to drive a Honda Civic and I hit one of these things, I wonder what the driver's brain would be like? A James Bond Martini? Shaken, not stirred? Assuming I don't penetrate the cabin and crush him, that is.

barry123400 · #80 02-23-2008, 08:24 PM

The little bmw Issetta or however you spell it was given away with any used car purchased in the Toronto area by certain used car dealers near the end. Otherwise the full new retail price bottomed out at 300.00 or 250.00 if I remember.
There was a dealer about a mile from my family home back then. I think they had a one cylinder bmw motorcycle engine and possibly a motorcycle type transmission. I personally could not figure what they were about. The closely spaced rear wheels eliminated winter usage pretty well in Canada.
I also do not remember if they had a heater. If so it would have to have been the cooling air off the engine.
Looked to be pretty nimble with a top end of probably about 50 mph. Unfortunatly I never drove one. To top everything off fuel was at pretty well giveaway prices then. I think it took 2.00 a week to drive to work and back with a normal american car.
I never heard of them having the volkswagon problem of rolling over forward though. I almost experienced that delightful sensation once myself. If I had been going as little as five mph faster I think I would have gone. Hard to believe and not desireable to even semi experience.
So where was the logic? I understand people like different things but that Isseta was not really even practical.
I also had a tennant with a messershmitt car. He sold it about two weeks before I knew he had it. If I had heard he had it and was for sale at the time I would have grabbed it. He had owned it and kept it in storage for years. That was kind of a novelty car. Probably somewhat upscale from the Isseta. Since it was tandem seating I can only assume your better half was always a back seat driver.

I wonder what Willy Messersmitt did after that venture?
Regular non leaded gas made it to 4.50 an american gallon here this week with diesel a little higher. Unfortunatly I can remember five gallons for a dollar like it was yesterday.

t walgamuth · #81 02-23-2008, 08:59 PM

Those cars were produced in a Germany devastated by the war. They were produced because so many Germans could afford nothing more. Importing them to the us was a small diversion from their main purpose.

Tom W

Bob Albrecht · #82 02-23-2008, 10:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by rs899

For the last 30 years or so the marketing mantra has been to make them bigger and faster and people have sucked it up.

Years ago (lets say 1972 or so) 100 HP was plenty of power to do the job ( I'm not talking muscle cars) yet one was hard pressed to approach 1 HP per cubic inch displacement. Now everyone expects 200+ HP in everything and its no big deal to find that in an econobox. Why can't manufacturers produce a smaller displacement engine that develops reasonable useful power? I would think one ought to be able to get 100 ponies out of about 1 litre, but no one seems to be interested until now, maybe.

Rick

Most diesels in this country are trucks used for business. I can't imagine why anyone would need/want a 7 liter diesel in a pickup when they live somewhere flat like the Midwest or Florida, especially with $3.30+/gal. Diesel trucks in Europe run around on 2 liter engines and don't seem too slow. Besides, most drivers never really put their foot into it and rarely tow anything or load up the bed.

My wife's 4+L / 270HP Trailblazer is downright scary if you put the pedal to the metal.

aklim · #83 02-23-2008, 11:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Albrecht

Most diesels in this country are trucks used for business. I can't imagine why anyone would need/want a 7 liter diesel in a pickup when they live somewhere flat like the Midwest or Florida, especially with $3.30+/gal.

Diesel trucks in Europe run around on 2 liter engines and don't seem too slow. Besides, most drivers never really put their foot into it and rarely tow anything or load up the bed.

My wife's 4+L / 270HP Trailblazer is downright scary if you put the pedal to the metal.

I went from a 5.3L gas to a 7.3L diesel because while $3.30 a gal is scary, going up altitude with a small trailer at WOT doing 30mph was even more scary. Now, I can tow whatever I want knowing that where I go, I have more than enough power.

Don't seem too slow to whom? You? Maybe. Me, even my wife's 99E300 is poochy. While I rarely tow, relatively speaking, I want to KNOW that I can tow when I want to and not have to wonder. I KNOW my Excursion will tow my 8000# Toy Hauler plus 2 ATVs anywhere I want in continental USA and up any grade and altitude even if I doubled that load.

My Vette makes 410 at the wheels on a dyno. I don't find that scary. If you were my passenger, based on your comments, I'd have you wear "depends" before you got in.

aklim · #84 02-23-2008, 11:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DieselAddict

What if it costs you more in gas and also causes permanent damage? You act like driving a bigger vehicle is a guarantee of safety. If you get hit by a semi-truck it will probably make no difference if you're in your Excursion or a Civic.

Also let's not overlook the fact that many people get killed in SUV and truck rollovers.

The safest vehicles are usually large sedans, not trucks or SUV's.

There are NO guarantees in life, if that is what you are looking for. A bigger vehicle is NOT a guarantee of safety. It gives you better odds tho. In my Excursion, I know I am larger than most vehicles on the road. When a semi is concerned, I know I won't beat it. But I can beat most.

Well, if you are going too fast for conditions or skill, whichever is lower, NOTHING will help you. You could cause a rollover in an M1 Abrams tank if you are going to be stupid about it.

Given my druthers, I'd go for a large sedan too. I can corner way faster in a sedan than a truck or SUV. However, there is a limit to the vehicles I can have. Money, space, maintenance, etc, etc. So, since I have 4 dogs, tow a 8000# toy hauler here and there, tow other things, and need a 2nd vehicle (Vette doesn't really cut it in winter, besides it is more of a hobby toy), I'm kinda stuck with an SUV or a truck. Since I want to run the AC for my dogs, that kinda narrows it down to an SUV. Because I tow, I definitely need a turbo diesel. Otherwise, I'd have bought a GM instead of a Ford. Since I have the Excursion, I have to drive accordingly. Can't go thru the corners like I do in the wife's E300 or my Vette, make sure I don't go up embankments that can turn me over, etc, etc. Still, I know in a head on with most vehicles, I will fare better. Somebody hit me and moved my frame 37mm to the right. He was severely injured (unfortunately for the drunk, he didn't die or have insurance) while the wife bruised her knees. His S10 formed a "V" between the cab and the bed.

showme · #85 02-24-2008, 06:00 PM

And I was envious of the VW Golf's 50 mpg! I think it looks sharp. I'm sure there'd be a lot of whining from the little woman, though, with her trying to negotiate entry and exit. ("Little" being an expression that I like to use in lieu of realism). But it sure would be a good return on your investment when you look at that fuel mileage! I just wonder what's going through the oil companies minds at this moment. There's probably a "How Can We Kill It" committee meeting sweating bullets over it as we speak.

aklim · #86 02-24-2008, 06:03 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by showme

I just wonder what's going through the oil companies minds at this moment. There's probably a "How Can We Kill It" committee meeting sweating bullets over it as we speak.

Probably not. What you won't buy, there are others in line to buy.

Bob Albrecht · #87 02-25-2008, 11:15 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aklim

I went from a 5.3L gas to a 7.3L diesel because while $3.30 a gal is scary, going up altitude with a small trailer at WOT doing 30mph was even more scary. Now, I can tow whatever I want knowing that where I go, I have more than enough power.

Don't seem too slow to whom? You? Maybe. Me, even my wife's 99E300 is poochy. While I rarely tow, relatively speaking, I want to KNOW that I can tow when I want to and not have to wonder. I KNOW my Excursion will tow my 8000# Toy Hauler plus 2 ATVs anywhere I want in continental USA and up any grade and altitude even if I doubled that load.

My Vette makes 410 at the wheels on a dyno. I don't find that scary. If you were my passenger, based on your comments, I'd have you wear "depends" before you got in.

I babysat my parents 87 Vette Roadster for a year. It was plenty fast and didn't spend much time in the lower gears. I scared the hell out of some passengers too. As fast as that is there is nothing like going 125 in an Enduro Kart. Speed is fun but fossil fuel is killing our my children's and their children's future.

aklim · #88 02-25-2008, 11:53 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Bob Albrecht

I babysat my parents 87 Vette Roadster for a year. It was plenty fast and didn't spend much time in the lower gears.

Speed is fun but fossil fuel is killing our my children's and their children's future.

That is about as fast as my 91 Firebird stock.

Fossil fuel is like chemotherapy. It will kill them some and help them some. They are already tied to it. Besides, I don't think I'll worry about that too much. It is just like "dired up" oil wells. Yesterday it was dry but today, it is pumping again. Why? New technology. Something will come up and fix it.

SD Blue · #89 02-25-2008, 10:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by showme

I just wonder what's going through the oil companies minds at this moment. There's probably a "How Can We Kill It" committee meeting sweating bullets over it as we speak.

I would be willing to bet they haven't paid it a moments notice.

As far as that thing is from any kind of mass production, especially worldwide, it wouldn't even cause a hiccup. It's a concept car, at best.

Here we go again, instead of talking about a car it turns to "those evil oil companies".

#90 02-25-2008, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SD Blue

I would be willing to bet they haven't paid it a moments notice.

As far as that thing is from any kind of mass production, especially worldwide, it wouldn't even cause a hiccup. It's a concept car, at best.

Here we go again, instead of talking about a car it turns to "those evil oil companies".

Yup, this little car has the opposite problem; fuel is still much too cheap to create a market. At current prices Bubba is still driving his silly giant trucks (with nothing in the back except beer cans) and no-one else is seriously considering downsizing their cars. If fuel was $7/gallon folks might start to get interested in something a little smaller. The "oil companies" aren't worried, it would take about 20 of these to offset one Bubba.