Friday, September 29, 2006

Fuel Mileage FRAUD

Why don’t we real world drivers get the same fuel mileage that the window stickers say our vehicles should achieve?

1. The manufacturers do their own ratings. Well, DUH! The EPA verifies 10-15% of what’s reported to them with their own tests.
2. The vehicles tested are pre-production units, not necessarily the same as what we can buy. HOW different are they? Who knows…
3. Some vehicles are exempt, and they don’t test every combination of options, just a “representative sample” of engine and transmission sets for each model. Different wheels and tires, towing packages with different final drive ratios, accessories etc., not considered.
4. The ratings are done in a laboratory on a stationary machine, no accessories running (A/C), no wind resistance, no groceries or other loads, one person on board, at a comfortable indoor (lab) temperature.
5. They don’t measure how far a vehicle goes on a gallon of gas, but by using a formula that calculates what the mileage is from the amount of carbon an analyzing machine finds in the tailpipe emissions. DO WHAT?
6. They don’t burn gasoline. What the ^%#$@$&!??! Incredibly, they use “indolene clear” whatever the heck THAT is! You ever see THAT at your corner Super-duper Gasserup Mart? Dunno what they do for diesels, but my guess is it’s an equally sleazy trick.

Anyway, you take the above and add it all up, it equals FRAUD. And it’s endorsed by YOUR tax dollars at work in Washington DC.

The only POSSIBLE benefit of the system is that all of the manufacturers can be expected to lie equally to come up with the best possible bogus figures, and they all play the game the same way, under the same rules. In other words, if Brand X says their vehicle gets 10% better mileage than Brand Y’s comparable set of wheels, YOU would probably get 10% better mileage from Brand X if you drove them both under the same conditions. If you believe you’ll get anything like what the sticker says, I’ve got a bridge I’d like to sell you…

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/how_tested.shtml
http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=4023628

Wednesday, September 27, 2006

WAY TO GO 7-ELEVEN!!

7-Eleven dropping Venezuela-backed Citgo

Finally we see someone with the backbone to act!! Maybe this will be more symbolic than truly damaging to Venezuela and their mouthy leader, but if nothing else, chances are it sends the majority view among Americans. Maybe eventually the Venezuelan people and Chavez’ backers will see the fool for the liability he really is.