the gas mileage is great. Increased from average of 20 to 27 mpg with 200 HP V-6 Mercury Sable. Cadillac 429 will still be exercised every Sunday at 8 mpg, as of today, $3.79 for super unleaded, still wont deter me of my Sunday ride with kids.
Jackie,
You may want to get your Sable tuned up, that is pretty poor gas mileage for a light weight car and a 3.0L V6.
My wifes 96 Concours 300 hp 4.6L Northstar gets 24-25 mpg at 75-80 mph and my 94 Fleetwood Brougham with the Corvette LT1 5.7L gets 21-22 mpg at 75-80 mph.
"I cant drive 55!"
David
"I cant drive 55". Sure you can...you do it each time youre on your way to 80.
Great, we wait 20 years to get a reasonable speed limit back, and now people are already wanting to take us back into the Dark Ages. Time to break out the CB radios again, just in time for an EOR of Smokey and the Bandit.
Sheesh. If you people want to drive 55, put explosive devices in front of your faces, replace your suspensions with truck springs and lawn mower tires and strap your children into straitjackets, go ahead...but please give us a break from your proselytizing.
-denise
Jackie is right. 55 mph DOES save gas. That is why they suggested it back in the 70s when we had the energy crisis. But the average cars mpg in the mid 70s was only 11 mpg! Today our new cars get double that easily. I dont mind if some people want to drive 55 again. Just dont do it hogging the left lane. In fact, I dont care what speed you are driving, just move to the right after you pass someone. Because there is always somebody who wants to go faster.
Besides, if Denise is going to be barreling down the expressway in her new Chrysler with drum brakes and no ABS, we need to give her some room!!! He he he!
David
:)
Actually, just to throw a wet blanket over what was an amusing post, the seller of the NY that Im looking at claims that it does have anti-lock brakes. According to my owners manual, some of the 1976 Cadillacs have them on the rear wheels only, so maybe its something like that.
Driving slower does make a difference in the older cars, but in my 2004, and even in our 92 truck, we havent seen any difference in gas mileage between 55 and 75. Its consistently 25 and 17, respectively, at any freeway speed. Might as well get there in a reasonable amount of time, especially since going anywhere interesting from Tucson, even at 75 mph, takes a whole day.
I wouldnt mind getting three times the gas mileage that we got in the 70s, if they could make a car that was reasonably comfortable to drive. Evidently many people agree with me, because there has been such a sharp rise in the sales of trucks and SUVs that get mileage in the low teens. Does this remind you of anything? How about the government-mandated 1.6 gallon flush toilets that you have to flush six times?
-denise
Densie,
Cadillac had ABS (Trackmaster) way back in 1971, available on the Eldorados at least.
And yes, driving slower does save on petrol useage, and driving at 30 mph stops the bugs from splattering on the windscreen as well.
But, There is nothing like pulling up a motorist and letting him try to explain just how the windscreen isnt splattered with the "Hundred mile an hour bugs" if he was only supposedly doing 65 mph.
That is real evidence.
Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV
Hey Rusty,
I guess the nanosecond in time Im passing 55 does exist so you are right!
David
Guess you guys down there dont have the swarms of love bugs that we have in FL. I cannot drive down my block without using the washers.
Stampie
I guess not. I drove 150 miles on the freeway today and there arent any bugs on my windshield. There was almost a mini truck with two persons of questionable citizenship on it, though. They pulled out from in front of a car that was on the shoulder, right in front of me, 10 mph and never gave it any gas. I managed to avoid rear ending them, but they were still going down the freeway at 20 mph. Most drivers would eventually speed up, but they didnt. I had to wait until everyone behind me passed me, then I tried to get into the left lane, and the stupid truck slowed down. I almost rear ended it again. Finally got around it, and after a few seconds, they were almost out of sight in my mirror. Either they were pulling an insurance scam, were profoundly mentally retarted, driving an almost inoperative vehicle, had never driven before, or any combination of the above. Im just glad that there wasnt a pileup, at least that I was around to see.
-denise
To quote The movie "Gumball Rally",----- " 55 is unsafe, Its fast enough to kill ya, and slow enough to make you think your safe."
On newer vehicles gearing has changed + overdrive is standard on most. Speed does NOT kill, impact does, at any speed.
http://www.ibiblio.org/rdu/sl-irrel.txthttp://www.speedtrap.org/speedlimits/dumb.htmlhttp://www.geocities.com/WallStreet/3417/trap.htmlhttp://www.townhall.com/columnists/debrasaunders/ds20010827.shtml"They that can give up essential liberty to obtain a little
temporary safety deserve neither liberty nor safety."
Benjamin Franklin, 1759.
It doesnt seem to me that people drive any faster or slower since the speed limit went from 55 to 75, just as the violent crime rate hasnt increased since they started issuing concealed weapon permits. Maybe we dont need laws as much as some of us thought we did.
What I wonder is, how are they making up the lost revenue from the speeding tickets?
-densie
:CRACKING UP: RE: What I wonder is, how are they making up the lost revenue from the speeding tickets? :ROTFL:
Oh, please, have mercy; I almost burst from laughing.
They are called RGs not police = Revenue Generators, and they are writing more tickets than ever before.
Now, here is my pet peeve for those that constantly complain about speeding tickets being issued for Revenue Raising.
Firstly, the speed limits are set by legislation.
Secondly, the Legislators are voted into their position of power.
Thirdly, nobody forces anyone to break the law. That is done by choice.
Fourthly, Why, then complain when you get caught and issued with a legal document that has a fine attached.
Finally, nobody is forcing you to pay the fine, except that if you dont, then you might have to pay it off by spending time at the Governors Pleasure, and that is going to cost the community a lot more than the actual fine, and in doing so, might just have a bearing on your future prospects of gaining employment.
Bruce,
The Tassie Devil(le),
60 CDV
Bruce,
Exactly, we have a local intersection and they just posted it 35 mph in lieu of 45, with signs where the new speed limit starts and ends, I obey it. Also leary of a radar speed trap at that intersection, as I should be.
Why post the signs if they arent going to enforce it occassionally ?
Ive been busted before a few times, no arguement here, like you cant read the sign ? Granted sometimes it is absurd or you were harmless but not as if you can argue the fact.
I hate the morons that tailgate me when I do the speed limit, they get very indigent too, all in a hurry to get nowhere, or get there any faster for that matter.
Pooter
09-08-05
Densie, some states, like the one I live in, just increase the fine. It is now $104.00 (was$87.00) for failure to wear your seat-belt. Same for failure to "signal" when changing lanes.However, it seems that the law enforcement have/had an exception written into the law, because it is rare that you see the police wearing seat-belts or useing their "turn-signals".
Good Luck, Jim
It is important for people to have respect for the law, and giving speeding tickets to people who dont believe that they are doing anything wrong is detrimental to that respect. I have watched attitudes toward law enforcement change for the better since the unreasonable speed limit was done away with.
-denise
It sounds like theres something wrong with your 429-engined Caddy. Ive gotten 14-15 from my 67 DeVille convertible driving 65-70 with the top down on the highway.
Right in the middle of the crest on the front of the hood. Looked like someone threw up on it. The wardens here in NC ought to tag some of the bugs we have!
What is the average mileage for a 429?
Pat
With my 66 429 CDV I used to get 12 around town and 17 mpg @ 70 mph on a highway cruise. Never burned any oil either.