Several of the older guests complained how this small car or that small car back in the 1970's got fifty miles-per-gallon and now even the highest mileage machines are only achieving thirty-eight MPG or so. Technology hasn't advanced at all when to comes to fuel mileage they exclaimed.

I reminded them that most cars now are much larger because consumers want the comfort. Cars are also heavier due to added safety features like front and side airbags, anti-lock brake systems and more. And luxury features like premium sound systems and road noise deadening material all add weight to modern cars. On top of that, consumers want more performance so engines are larger with more horsepower, even in most compact cars. Throw in the mileage reducing factor of ten-percent ethanol fuel and it all adds up.

One of the guests then declared, "Well the car makers could make very high mileage cars but they are conspiring with big oil companies to keep the mileage down and oil profits up." He went on to mention how cars in research competitions can achieve a hundred miles per gallon or more.

Remember, high mileage research vehicles are not only tiny in most cases, the technology and materials used to reach those lofty mileage goals are usually very expensive. It reminds me of the time I was able to drive one of Honda's fuel cell powered cars during the New York International Auto Show a few years ago. As I zipped in and out of mid-town Manhattan traffic in the zero-emissions machine, I asked the Honda engineer riding along how much the car was worth. " Oh about a million-point-seven I suppose," he said. That made me slow down a bit I can tell you.

The thing we need to remember is the manufacturing cost of a car is a very important factor in the fuel mileage it can achieve. I do not buy into any "conspiracy theory" at all. The market place dictates what cars manufacturers mass produce and the mileage they achieve. If car companies introduce a car and the public does not buy it, it fails. Pure and simple.

The first fully electric car with a realistic range between battery charges will soon be available. The "Tesla" will sell for about $100,000 for a two-seater. That's not exactly the next model "T". With gasoline now at three-and-a-half dollars a gallon, the government should not mandate minimum fuel mileage to car makers. You will take care of that by the cars you choose to buy and drive.

Thanks!

Dennis Buterbaugh

abc27  Consumer Reporter

Ethanol contains less energy than gasoline so it gives you fewer miles per gallon. I've heard from some viewers who notice a drop in mileage with the ethanol blend. Some tell me the performance of their vehicle drops off. The effect on performance is sometimes subtle, but one viewer told me his early 80's motorcycle is practically useless when he buys the ten percent ethanol fuel because of rough idling and stalling.

I would be interested in hearing from some of you about your experience with the ethanol fuels, both the ten percent blend and the E85 version that is 85 percent ethanol and 15 percent gasoline. Any gasoline vehicle can burn the ten percent blend but only purpose built "flex-fuel" vehicles can use the E85. Only a handful of stations in our area even carry the E85. The mileage on a flex-fuel pickup truck I recently reviewed dropped from about 19 miles-per-gallon on regular gasoline to about 14 miles-per-
gallon when I filled up with E85. By the way the only reason that E85 is priced about the same as regular gas is because tax dollars are used to subsidize each gallon sold.

Because of demand for ethanol the price of corn is up and many foods that contain corn or corn products cost more. Growing more corn also creates more water pollution because of increased fertilizer and pesticide use. There is no doubt that ethanol can reduce our dependence on foreign oil but at what cost to consumers?

 When the time comes to buy an older, high mileage car with an automatic, be sure to check the transmission fluid before you buy the car.  Fluid with a "burnt" smell that is very dark could be an indicator of trouble already brewing.  Pay attention to how the car shifts when you take it for a test drive.  Rough shifting with noticable slipping are warning signals.  I always tell people that if you only have $2000 to spend on a car, choose one with a manual transmission.  Manuals are usually cheaper to repair and more dependable to start with on a high mileage vehicle.  Do some research in Consumer Reports magazine to see if the transmission of the car model you're considering has a history of problems.  Checks blogs and chat rooms on line.

If you have to use a transmission shop, ask friends and even car dealers if there's a shop they've had good success with in the past.   Check with the District Justice Office in the area where the shop is located to see if consumers filed complaints that ended with judgements against the shop .   Also check with the Better Business Bureau.  

Dennis Buterbaugh abc27 News Consumer Reporter