Cost of running a V8 sportscar

[anonymous-user]

The Nur said:

Why is that priceless?

A hybrid driver said:

I rather not drive than watch my mpg

[The Nur]

I shall ask again. Why is that priceless?

[anonymous-user]

The Nur said:

I shall ask again. Why is that priceless?

Oh for goodness sake. Frosted has gone off on some tangent of his own throwing macho garbage into a thread

• which isn't about mpg
• has never suggested a C5 auto will do 32 mpg
• has never suggested a Corvette has to be molly-coddled to keep costs down.

My objective is purely to show that you can run a reliable V8 sportscar in UK without getting eaten alive by costs.

[The Nur]

Show me a happy person on ph and I'll show you someone New.

[Monkeylegend]

The Nur said:

Show me a happy person on ph and I'll show you someone New.

Well you might be a miserable old git,but don't assume we are all like that.

[Devil2575]

Scuffers said:

5 USA said:

20p per mile for petrol

I must be missing something?

20p per mile for petrol, that's what 7 miles per litre (at £1.40 a litre)
7 miles/litre is what almost 32Mpg? is that for real?

Average price of a litre in the UK over the last 13 years is about 97.6p according to this data:

http://www.speedlimit.org.uk/petrolprices.html

This works out as £4.44 per gallon. 20p/mile = 22.2 mpg.

[otolith]

irocfan said:

how is it that the Aussies can have RHD 'Vettes/f-bodies/'Stangs etc while when they're imported (officially!!!) over here we've got no choice but to have lhd? Not that it bothers me overly, I quite enjoyed the whole lhd thing

They get flipped when they turn them upside down

[frosted]

No way a corvette can average 30mpg , think your figures are wrong somewhere unless all you drive is on the mway at 1200 rpm

[AdeTuono]

frosted said:

No way a corvette can average 30mpg , think your figures are wrong somewhere unless all you drive is on the mway at 1200 rpm

Better update your profile. You've missed out all the cars you've had with the LS V8 engines.

[sparks_E39]

frosted said:

No way a corvette can average 30mpg , think your figures are wrong somewhere unless all you drive is on the mway at 1200 rpm

They can..

[427James]

frosted said:

No way a corvette can average 30mpg , think your figures are wrong somewhere unless all you drive is on the mway at 1200 rpm

Mine (2001 Z06) used to do 28-30 on a boring run up and down the motorway. 20-25 average was easy. But also 0-60 in 4 secs flat. Great cars spoiled by uncomfortable seats and a radio that refused to have an aux input. Apart from that, over 3 years the only thing that went wrong was a starter motor (once). Incredibly reliable and cheap to run.

[frosted]

For a car to average 30mpg it must also average 50mpg to compensate for 10mpg average when it's getting pushed on,in town or stop start traffic etc, which in a v8 is not difficult to achieve. I do have a v8, although it only has 280 bhp and 4.3L

[Devil2575]

I'll post it again for those that struggle to read...

Average price of a litre in the UK over the last 13 years is about 97.6p according to this data:
http://www.speedlimit.org.uk/petrolprices.html
This works out as £4.44 per gallon. 20p/mile = 22.2 mpg.

[V88Dicky]

frosted said:

No way a corvette can average 30mpg , think your figures are wrong somewhere unless all you drive is on the mway at 1200 rpm

Why not?

A much heavier Monaro like mine (steel bodied), with the same LS1 engine and Tremec T56 box, can easily do 31+ mpg on a trans-country run.

The ridiculously tall 6th, means 70mph is 1650rpm. Couple this with a function called 'lean cruise' and you have exceptional economy for a 5.7 litre engine.

[AdeTuono]

frosted said:

For a car to average 30mpg it must also average 50mpg to compensate for 10mpg average when it's getting pushed on,in town or stop start traffic etc, which in a v8 is not difficult to achieve. I do have a v8, although it only has 280 bhp and 4.3L

You can't have an average of 50 mpg, an average of 10 mpg and an average of 30 mpg all on the same car. An average is....oh, forget it. You believe what you want. I've had two Z06's, and I don't dis-believe. Mind you, I'm getting 15mpg (average...) out of the new one. But that's probably down to youthful (!) enthusiasm and novelty value.

[Fartgalen]

AdeTuono said:

Fartgalen said:

Also don't forget they're only LHD. Plasticky interiors. And cart springs.

Glad I checked your profile before I responded to this...

Oooh - like that Camaro !

[minipower]

It is quite astonishing how efficient they are.
I was a passenger in one on a french road trip and it averaged 26 US MPG. That was with AC on all the time, a bit of urban driving and a "we might impound your car" style speeding ticket! Luckily the driver was only fined in the end.

[jbi]

Gaz. said:

frosted said:

No way a corvette can average 30mpg , think your figures are wrong somewhere unless all you drive is on the mway at 1200 rpm

30mpg seems to be uniformly reported in the Vette forum. I can't see why not, it is a very areodynamic car with a small frontal area, really long gearing and not realy that heavy for the engine/segment.

indeed... one of the biggest obstacles to fuel economy is weight, which is why a 7.0 litre engine can achieve similar fuel economy to a 2.0 litre

[Haggleburyfinius]

frosted said:

For a car to average 30mpg it must also average 50mpg to compensate for 10mpg average when it's getting pushed on,in town or stop start traffic etc, which in a v8 is not difficult to achieve. I do have a v8, although it only has 280 bhp and 4.3L

Er, what?

You are making a silly assumption.

[The Nur]

Monkeylegend said:

Well you might be a miserable old git,but don't assume we are all like that.

I'm only 25! Wasn't assuming we are all like that, just seems that negativity is spreading across ph a bit these days. I do realise the irony in perpetuating this now, I didn't this morning. I'm not really a morning person, I do try not to post in the AM but sometimes I forget.

On topic, I too believe it is possible to run a car like that for reasonable money. Kudos to the OP for putting theory into practice.