The Car Shopping Round (Round 64): Tears in Heaven

I don’t know if it’s because you used the same file name for both, but when I download your second file it still opens as the Elephant. Sorry. I guess I should have cross referenced with what was posted in the thread.

Edit: If you can send me a working file I’ll add a late entry review.

Woohoo! Economy and comfort are what Adenine excels at. (DOHC, MPEFI, and low-pressure turbocharging are a big help!) Off-road capability was quite new to us but we were able to figure that out decently. Suspension continues to elude us…

I’ll get the next round up in the next few hours. I’m planning on bringing some new body styles to the car shopping round! :smiley:

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yup. got ninja’d by phale.
as soon as i saw the ad for you car, i knew it’s superior to my car in every single possible way.
i wanted to resubmit but it was too late.
congrats. good build.

as to how you managed to fit a dohc turbo inline6 with a 4x4 drivetrain and 5 gears within the budget really is an excellent hat trick. i was already pushing it with 3valves sohc

and thx for hosting this @oppositelock

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About what I expected. 8k sales price and me are not friends, not at all. Plus, if I’d have known the 5th seat would be worth so little, I’d have used the little micro-box as well, and then probably had money to DOHC the engine instead of being forced down to pushrods.

Well, the nice thing about turbos is that they allow you to run a much smaller engine. I’m pretty sure my 1.1L was the smallest engine in the competition. Smaller engine means less material cost and more clearance means lower service costs :wink:

The Car Shopping Round 13: The Efficient Utility Challenge

The year is 2009. I got laid off last year from my job at Inline Designs because of the recession and have spent the past few months unsuccessfully looking for work. I recently decided to start my own home repair business and I need a new car to haul my tools to and from each job. Luckily I have enough money saved to invest in a lightly used vehicle, but with gas prices at over $4 per gallon I really can’t be blowing all my revenue on fuel.

Stable release, no beta.
Trim year 2005-2008. No price adjustments for different years. Model year can be anything.
Maximum price of $20000 with 20% markup. That is estimated price, don’t do anything with factory tabs. I will be looking for the car with the best overall value, so lower is better.
91RON fuel, catalytic converter required.
Mufflers are required, I don’t want to annoy my customers when I pull up to their house. 50 loudness maximum, but lower would be better.
No limited production parts.

Utility is the most important factor. I need to be able to carry plenty of cargo and equipment, and I need to have the power to haul all of that without getting bogged down. NOTE: Monocoque and spaceframe chassis will get a 20% bonus to their utility score, to somewhat offset the large utility advantage that ladder chassis gets.
Fuel efficiency is very important. Besides that, low running costs will be a plus as well.
Drivability and safety matter. I’m smart enough to know that big vehicles aren’t necessarily safer.
More comfort is good, I’m going to be driving this daily and I may need to make some long trips. Most of the time it will just be me in the car, but having extra seats for my kids or potential customers would be a plus.
Sportiness doesn’t matter, but the faster I can get to my destination the better.
Off-road capability isn’t a must, but some places don’t have the most well-paved roads so I’d like some capability if possible.
Reliability is very important, this car is literally my job so if it goes down I’m going to be losing out on potential revenue.
Looks are important to me, this car is going to be the first thing my customers see. I want my vehicle to make a statement - not too impolite, but tough, hardworking, and 'Murican.

Mods: I have the high quality essentials pack and most of the custom car bodies. Let me know if you’re using any mods outside of the HQE.

Submission format:
Model: CSR13 - Username
Trim: Car Name
Engine: CSR13 - Username
Variant: Engine Name

DEADLINE: Friday May 20th @ Noon EST.

6 Likes

Sounds like a nice challenge, and you’ve kept it nice and open too. Expect an entry from me soon!

think i can fulfill that request… except for the looks department

It’ll be tough, but at least there’s some budget to work with. This calls for something I don’t typically do well with, but I may be able to make it work.

Sounds like something I can do. I’ll see what RPG can create for ultimate utility.

I added a rule about no limited production parts and clarified a few points.

By the way, while a pickup truck may seem like the obvious answer, I’m looking for a variety of body styles. Vans, SUVs, etc. may be options to consider. A wagon or hatchback might not offer the best utility, but might make up for it in efficiency :wink:
(For the looks, I will be judging your style, not necessarily the car body - a badass looking minivan will be perfectly fine!)

I will be working on an entry as well.

awesome just what I’ve been waiting for a ute challenge

Contractor eh? Looking for a reliable versatile car? Look no further than this 2005 Petoskey Enforcer Estate model.


The Enforcer has been the go to car for fleets since it first rolled off the assembly line in 1992. With the Enforcer, you know you have a car that’s tough, economical, and with a versatility second to none. The 301 TriForce V8 under the hood has a well established legacy of its own. With VVT available from the beginning, the TriForce has provided a remarkable blend between power and efficiency making sure you arrive on the site in time with minimal cost in fuel. This vehicle was recently retired from police service as a K9 unit. Hence the rear two seats are not available on this particular model, but it still has five seats with ample cargo space behind as a result.

Petoskey: Simple Budget, Exquisite Taste.

2 Likes

I know that I’m not supposed to change the rules after the first submission, but I kind of want to give a small bonus to monocoque and spaceframe chassis so they’re not totally useless compared to ladder. I’m thinking a simple +20% boost to the utility score (which is still quite a bit less than the +40% that ladder provides). I’ll allow those who have submitted a free revision if they want. Is this okay with everyone? If you think the boost should be more or less, let me know.

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I probably wouldve forgotten about that stuff and ended up making a monocoque pickup truck

I have no problem with it. Really doesn’t effect my design at all, actually. Did the coin flip method to determine which of the two I’m gonna send you. Instinct had me wanting tails, so you’re getting that one, even though the coin landed on heads.

ANZ hotrods is regrettably selling its trusted spare parts van. With only 10000km’s under her belt she is just worn in. The body comes from a 2004 FRD COU%$#R and has been completely straightened and has had the steel canopy attached to the body (the canopy is an exact copy of the factory item however ours was handmade and seamlessly welded to the body, the factory is a fibreglass box you bolt on).The paint is good old cherry apple red, the headlights are custom made units that consist of cheap readily available H^&a sealed lenses and the spotlights are 6" pencil/spread beam H$#a units as well.
The indicators come from a F
&d F%$@n and are readily available if they need to be replaced.
We have added a set of roof racks as well as heavy duty tie down bars for extra load capacity and a sunroof just cause we could. It has a new set of 17" steel mag wheels with 195/70r17 tyres front and rear, the brakes are a simple set of 290mm disc with 2 piston calipers front and rear (again to reduce service costs). The vehicle is fitted with 4 seats trimmed in high end wet-suit material (to avoid stains) a high quality B&
^P&@%T satellite navigation system with 4 3 way component speaker system and a sub-woofer mounted under the drivers seat with the amplifier under the passenger front seat. With a 8 airbag system, self-retracting seat-belts and a roll-cage she is quite safe. The suspension is factory F%&D however we have upgraded the springs and shocks as well as replaced the rubbers with stronger units.

In the engine bay we threw away the 2.6L unit and replaced it with a BOSS260 from a F&^D F@#&*N XR8. The engine has been stripped, cleaned and the crankshaft was balanced, we added a new set of rods and slightly lower compression forged pistons. The cylinder heads and camshafts remain stock standard but have been cleaned and all of the rotating assembly balanced and timed, the intake manifold remains standard (throttle body relocated to the front) as does the efi fuel system. We also fitted a set of tri-y extractors and a twin 2.25 stainless steel exhaust system.
Behind the BOSS260 is a G$%^@G 6 speed automatic gear box driving the rear wheels thru a 8.8 M86 F^%D differential. She drives smooth as butter.

Please do not Hesitate to contact ANZhotrods os 0441_____8

3 Likes

So, you’re looking for a dependable utility vehicle, something durable and fuel efficient. Something that was gently used, cared for, and can carry just about everything you ever need for your new job.

Well, at Storm Automotive, Luke’s selling his 2006 Storm Courier XL. He’s become CEO, and decided that now would be the right time to send his old work van off to someone else, preferably someone who would also care for it in much the same way he did.

The folding rear seats still work, and because of that, there’s room for four people in here, with relative comfort. The CD player works, and while the 2-speaker system is a bit primitive, this is still a work van. The carpet is made of a hard-wearing cloth material, and has been kept clean. A spare tire is still in the compartment under the cargo area, along with the original factory jack, tire iron, and electric air pump. A full service history can be found in the glove compartment, along with the original owner’s manual and a small container of factory touch-up paint in case of scratches.

0-60 is nothing special, but the van can bury the needle on its 100 MPH speedometer, should you decide you ever need to go that fast. Recommended tires are Hard Long Life, on a 15 inch steel rim. Brakes are vented disks front and rear.

Luke also has a list of modifications that were done to the van, listed here.

-Viscous Limited Slip installed to improve road handling with uneven loads.
-Progressive springs installed to improve ride quality.
-Replaced stock mufflers with dual Reverse Flow mufflers for improved noise control.
-Engine converted from MP-EFI to DFI to improve fuel efficiency.
-ECU retuned for lean fuel mixture.
-LED Maintenance Free headlights installed. Two replacement units in overhead storage compartment.

If you’re interested in this van, please, contact Luke at (Storm Automotive Main Office Number).

1 Like

The GSI Wyoming is designed by hardworking 'Mericans, for hardworking 'Mericans.

Well equipped at $18720.