# the race to build REALLY cheap cars
**URL:** https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253
**Category:** NYSpeed Automotive
**Created:** [April 25, 2007, 8:51am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253 "2007-04-25T08:51:02Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2
### Author:  [@BrockwayMT](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/BrockwayMT)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2007, 1:56pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/21 "2007-04-25T13:56:41Z")
[quote=“BikerFry,post:11,topic:28253"”]
It won’t come here. A 33 hp car would be dangerous on our roads. 3rd world though, oughta sell well.
[/quote]
Dangerous because American drivers are just plain awful…and too fast. Too many morons out there that think 77 in a 65 zone is normal. It wasn’t that long ago that that our vehicles have half the hp. A 77 rabbit diesel had 48 hp. An omni was about 65 as I recall. A 4 cyl ranger or mustang with fuel injection in the early 1990s was 90 hp. The hundreds of Ford trucks with the 1 bbl 300 were 120 hp. 350 hp tractor trailers were the standard for years. That’s a much worse hp/lb ratio than the 33 hp car.
Remember that an engine is most efficient around 80% load. Thats why the mileage on your hemi truck sucks. You don’t utilize the power most of the time. Thus when you tow a trailer your 11 mpg might only go down to 10. At then point when hauling a load you can’t complain about 10 mpg because 345 hp isn’t free.
The point is that I think most cars and light trucks today are overpowered if overpowered is in reference to what I would call a ‘reasonable’ standard. I am afraid that modern vehicles with more power, stability control, awd, etc. are just enabling drivers to get away with things they really shouldn’t. But thats for another thread.
Point is, I think 33 hp is enough for a 1 or 2 person commuter. Will it work well with 4 people in the mountains - not likely. But for something to get you, your briefcase, and your lunchbucket 15 miles to work and back it should be fine.
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### Author:  [@system](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/system)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2007, 2:02pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/22 "2007-04-25T14:02:20Z")
HAHAHA
id get one and beat the SHIT out of it… 😛
A new car for 3k? hahaha… 4spd manual likely… Sup that bitch up, throw a turbo on it… Hahaa… seriously, id turbo it hardcore…
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### Author:  [@airhead](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/airhead)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2007, 8:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/23 "2007-04-25T20:31:14Z")
Haha even air-cooled VWs haven’t been in that HP range since the 50’s. But as a city car? Brilliant, if it had some kind of quality to it.
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### Author:  [@Coldaccord](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Coldaccord)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2007, 8:39pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/24 "2007-04-25T20:39:19Z")
fuck it. i’d rock it for a winter beater. long as it came with a warranty. and a stick shift
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### Author:  [@The\_Russian](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/The_Russian)
#### Post date: [April 25, 2007, 8:45pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/25 "2007-04-25T20:45:09Z")
manual tranny, some kind of warrantee, and tear it up
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### Author:  [@intense98rt](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/intense98rt)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 9:38am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/26 "2007-04-26T09:38:21Z")
lol I thought these were funny comments
“Disposable cars – great “green” idea.”
“$3,000 death traps!”
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### Author:  [@jay\_g](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jay_g)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 9:50am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/27 "2007-04-26T09:50:04Z")
A car I can actually pay for with cash
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### Author:  [@JustinH](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JustinH)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 12:31pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/28 "2007-04-26T12:31:37Z")
yeah you won’t get close to those prices in the states.
I bet that 3000 car doesn’t have airbags, or other dot mandated items.
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### Author:  [@Bacon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bacon)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 12:37pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/29 "2007-04-26T12:37:20Z")
Or won’t be sold in the states for that matter.
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### Author:  [@jeeves744](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/jeeves744)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 12:46pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/30 "2007-04-26T12:46:18Z")
thats all we need is a million more cars on the roads. It doesnt matter if they are fuel efficent or not. The cheap price would make so many more people buy a car then use a bus that it would suck up so much more gas all together.
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### Author:  [@boardjnky4](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/boardjnky4)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 12:55pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/31 "2007-04-26T12:55:04Z")
[quote=“jeeves744,post:30,topic:28253"”]
thats all we need is a million more cars on the roads. It doesnt matter if they are fuel efficent or not. The cheap price would make so many more people buy a car then use a bus that it would suck up so much more gas all together.
[/quote]
i agree. it will fuel the oil companies. these cars should be electric IMO. especially with a 33hp goal.
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### Author:  [@Bacon](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Bacon)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 1:03pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/32 "2007-04-26T13:03:02Z")
But hey on the plus side, the Yaris and such could be considered an upscale car then.
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### Author:  [@The\_Russian](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/The_Russian)
#### Post date: [April 26, 2007, 1:11pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/33 "2007-04-26T13:11:40Z")
dude man my yaris has 87 horsepower, its like 3 time what your little car is.
GTO pulls up…bwhahahahaha
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### Author:  [@venompwr2](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/venompwr2)
#### Post date: [April 29, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/34 "2007-04-29T21:04:31Z")
[quote=“BrockwayMT,post:21,topic:28253"”]
Dangerous because American drivers are just plain awful…and too fast. Too many morons out there that think 77 in a 65 zone is normal. It wasn’t that long ago that that our vehicles have half the hp. A 77 rabbit diesel had 48 hp. An omni was about 65 as I recall. A 4 cyl ranger or mustang with fuel injection in the early 1990s was 90 hp. The hundreds of Ford trucks with the 1 bbl 300 were 120 hp. 350 hp tractor trailers were the standard for years. That’s a much worse hp/lb ratio than the 33 hp car.
Remember that an engine is most efficient around 80% load. Thats why the mileage on your hemi truck sucks. You don’t utilize the power most of the time. Thus when you tow a trailer your 11 mpg might only go down to 10. At then point when hauling a load you can’t complain about 10 mpg because 345 hp isn’t free.
The point is that I think most cars and light trucks today are overpowered if overpowered is in reference to what I would call a ‘reasonable’ standard. I am afraid that modern vehicles with more power, stability control, awd, etc. are just enabling drivers to get away with things they really shouldn’t. But thats for another thread.
Point is, I think 33 hp is enough for a 1 or 2 person commuter. Will it work well with 4 people in the mountains - not likely. But for something to get you, your briefcase, and your lunchbucket 15 miles to work and back it should be fine.
[/quote]
I agree with that, I had an '05 sentra with the 1.8 (120hp) and I didnt feel safe merging into traffic onto the thruway in that car- so I can only imagine what this one would be like. For getting around in a city though, it should be adequate for those keeping $$ in mind.
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### Author:  [@SI01](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/SI01)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 5:13am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/35 "2007-04-30T05:13:13Z")
> The automaker claims it will even pass a crash test.
:eek:
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### Author:  [@91MR2](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/91MR2)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 5:22am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/36 "2007-04-30T05:22:27Z")
This will KILL the used car market if it actually happens.
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### Author:  [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 5:37am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/37 "2007-04-30T05:37:45Z")
Smell that? It’s the CEO’s at GM and Ford shitting their pants. China/India labor rates will be the death of GM and Ford if these slave labor rate cars make it to the US without heavy tarriffs.
And lol @ 77 on the thruway being “dangerous”. Did you know that the fatality rate actually went down when we raised the speed limit? A 29% drop actually. [http://www.motorists.com/issues/speed/nystudy.html](http://www.motorists.com/issues/speed/nystudy.html) If you can’t get your modern 1.8 up to merging speed you need to start taking the bus, probably the short one. My 85 Tercel could get up to 75 on any on ramp on the 90, even with it’s massive 80 hp and 3 speed auto.
That fact is the 55 limit is great for only one group, the insurance industry, who get to charge you a massive penalty when you’re caught going 75 in a 55 on the thruway, despite the fact that you are just as safe at 75.
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### Author:  [@Blue\_Eyed\_Devil](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Blue_Eyed_Devil)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 5:59am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/38 "2007-04-30T05:59:46Z")
^I wondered if anyone would address the financial aspect.
My company has to try and compete with cheap shit imports every day.
My industry gets FUCKED basically but I bet the UAW will get special treatment and there will be huge tariffs on these cars or the whole import industry will change in someway.
If nothing does happen you can say goodbye to the high paying United Autoworker jobs.
This may be a good thing as far as our competitiveness world wide but you can say goodbye to the middle class in the USA.
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### Author:  [@Fry](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/Fry)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 7:27am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/39 "2007-04-30T07:27:37Z")
Not a snowball’s chance in hell that I’d drive one. Don’t overestimate just how ungodly slow a 33hp car would be. Forget about ever being able to merge onto a busy highway.
Did it say anywhere how much one of these would weigh? I’ve driven 40whp 400 pound motorcycles. They’re about as fast as an average car. Triple the weight, less power, :bloated:
Meh. Whatever. I’m thinking about it as if those cars might actually come here. :mamoru:
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### Author:  [@JayS](https://forums.speedlife.net/u/JayS)
#### Post date: [April 30, 2007, 7:31am UTC](https://forums.speedlife.net/t/the-race-to-build-really-cheap-cars/28253/40 "2007-04-30T07:31:50Z")
I hate to say it, but 33hp would work for me or my wife as a DD. The highest speed limit I see on the way to work is 35, and the highest speed limit she see’s is 45.
I’m still not giving up my 400hp goat though. People drive so fast on the thruway it’s just unsafe merging with anything less. Besides that, if it’s going to have 33hp you know it’s going to be made out of tissue paper and balsa wood, and in a crash with a 5000lb SUV it’s going to resemble a bug on the bumper.
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