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Date: Wed, 7 Apr 2004 09:30:58 +0100
From: MeatballTurbo <carl.robsonnospamcing-czechs.com>
Subject: Re: 9-3 gas mileage?


In article <8JqdnYiUkoa8au_dRVn-sAnospamphia.com>, Fred.Willsnospampam=20 says... > "Hi my name is Zon (or John, or Fred, whatever...) and I drive a SAAB *A= ND* > a BMW and I like them both!! >=20 You think you need help, my personal automotive fetishes are Saab=20 ('natch) and Skoda (specifically the rear engine ones). Now being in the US, you probabley have never heard of Skoda (except if=20 you have seen and news of VW expanding it's brand group). They are actually one of europes oldest manufacturers, and before the=20 rise of communism in the then Czechoslovakia, they made luxury cars. Then the new russian controlled government decided that only one company=20 would make for each market in any industry, so Tatra made luxury cars,=20 and Soda made "peoples" cars. Made from cheap materials, but=20 overengineered, so small engines with low power output (that could=20 actually be tuned for sustantially more 2x, 3x the power and still be=20 reliable), and cheap quality but thick steel that would last a while,=20 and using the then new plastics for the interior, made them seem cheap=20 by our standards in the eighties, becuase they didn't really evolve the=20 design from the early 70's, and in the UK, due to lack of maintenance,=20 or a not properly notified UK dealer network, they got a reputation of=20 being unreliable (rear wheels falling off because a small design change=20 had happened at the factory, and had not been communicated back to the=20 dealers on the other side of the iron curtain). I've owned 2 one a rear engined Skoda 120L which modified quite=20 sustantially, and which I bought for =A390, and a front engined Favorit=20 136 Forum (base model) again modified by me, that cost me =A380 but needed= =20 a new windscreen. I drove the 120L for the best part of a year, and=20 loved it, but a 1.2 litre engine, and a 4 speed gearbox at 80MPH is a=20 little frantic, the 1.3 Favorit with 5 speeds was a lot better for the=20 motorway, and I even made a 300 miles each way journey in it, and was=20 still comfortable, and managed an average of 40MPG the whole way. But it was low powered and front wheel drive, and had a gearchange with=20 the throw of a tractor (Was actually working on a DIY short shifter=20 before I sold it). It felt very safe, but ultimatley boring, even though=20 it was faster than the 120L. unfortunatley it looks like I might soon=20 have to make a choice between the fun of driving the 900 T16S, against=20 the cost of fuel it is using, as I now use approximatley twice the=20 petrol that my old 120L and favorit used. --=20 The poster formerly known as Skodapilot. http://www.bouncing-czechs.com

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