It’s the car that keep on going
Recycle, save the planet and all that!
The HEB! A choice.
107.9 horsepower
136.3 lb-ft of torque
1,060 liters of cargo capacity
57.6 combined US MPG
Hatchback
4 Likes
Less than an hour to go before the deadline.
If you haven’t submitted an entry and its ad, please do so ASAP.
Update:
Submissions are closed.
Reviews and results will follow shortly.
2 Likes
QFC10 Reviews, Part 1: Preliminaries
Sometime in March 2009
Jeff was at his desktop PC looking at various car review websites in search of suitable candidates for his next vehicle. Within an hour, he had found a total of 14 options - a decent amount considering Americans’ general apathy towards the (sub)compact segment prior to the Great Recession of 2008-09. His thoughts on them were as follows:
@conan - Doog Nion FRT-4 - Looks sportier than it should be (or actually is, for that matter), but it’s a great all-around package, especially since it’s very close to the top of the budget cap.
@Knugcab - IP Colibri 1.5DX - Runs the Nion close on economy, and at a lower purchase price, but with less comfort, and the fully clad undertray may be problematic during servicing (although, to be fair, the Colibri still undercuts the Nion on service costs).
@Ch_Flash - Fanella Pollux - A generally uncompetitive car overall, with poor styling (on untreated steel bodywork), an outdated all-iron engine (with too little space between the power peak and the redline), overly short gearing, and an awkward suspension tune (specifically, rear spring rates that are much higher than those at the front).
@Caligari - Edo Ureshii EcoSport 2.2 - On paper, it looks very promising, with excellent economy and reliability for something with a high-displacement engine. Speaking of which, that all-iron lump seems very min-maxy for the late 2000s, especially with its low, diesel-like redline (4800 rpm!) and coarse nature.
@Hilbert - Dongsun AC-1 1.4 VVT - A cute-looking thing inside and out, but compromised by low safety scores, and that large engine may complicate routine services somewhat. It also badly needs a softer suspension tune, especially for the dampers.
@mart1n2005 - Dafeng ZZ Love - This Chinese (?) import seems like love at first sight (just $16.5k!), but not at first drive - its engine (an iron-block, alloy-head SOHC unit with only 2 valves per cylinder) is outclassed by its opposition, and it understeers more than Jeff would like. Plain steel bodywork doesn’t do it any favors either, and nor does the 0.0 sportiness value.
@Lanson - IKIGAI 250A - One of the more attractive entries here, with a peppy yet parsimonious V6. Its very soft suspension tune (with 6.6 degrees of body roll) and pronounced understeer (though not as much as the previous car) may well hold it back, though.
@DuceTheTruth100 - Wells Leta - Very cheap to service, incredibly reliable, and less prone to rust than its peers, but its engine badly needs low-friction cast pistons (instead of regular or even hypereutectic items) to be competitive in terms of economy.
@Ludvig - Vizok Kruto 1600 BaseJump - 57.6 US mpg combined makes this one of the most economical cars here, with class-leading reliability, but untreated steel bodywork is an obvious buzzkill, and body roll is on the high side.
@FidleDo - SYN 35e - More of a movie prop on the outside (and an engineering project on the inside) than an actual car - it’s an underpowered min-max-fest through and through. The lack of low-friction pistons doesn’t help, and neither does the 4-speed gearbox. It’s also $100 over budget, but that pales in comparison to its other problems (such as 0.0 sportiness).
@AndiD - Mara Luna 1.6 HK - A generally well-engineered design let down by awkward styling that, in general, looks unfinished. It still delivers nearly 50 mpg, though, which is a big plus, and it can outlast most of its rivals, although body roll is on the high side.
@Texaslav - Callahan Carver 2.7i - More of a small wagon than a hatchback, but it still qualifies on size - just. Its pushrod V6 is its greatest strength and its Achilles heel - it’s nigh-on unbreakable, but returns inferior economy compared to most of its opposition.
@LS_Swapped_Rx-7 - Wichsen Luna 1.6i - Although it has high body roll (like its namesake) and overpowered brakes, the rest of the package is generally quite good, except for the lack of traction control. It’s also the best-looking car here.
@Vento - HEB - Unfinished styling, oversized mag wheels, a min-maxy cast-iron engine (with 5-valve DOHC heads, something that just doesn’t exist in 2009 in real life) and many other baffling trim choices make the HEB impossible to take seriously as a real car.
Stay tuned for the Top 5 picks coming soon!
6 Likes
Great reviews! In my mind, Edo essentially lightly updated an older engine design to make a “mild” hatch, as they were expecting the sport version to be a low volume seller in comparison to more economical and lower priced offerings (especially as its only been a year since the 2008 market crash). 
What makes the HEB so min - maxy I thought the engine was normal 
Engineering wise, those are the best comments Ive gotten thus far.
How was my suspension setup?
As far as the pistons go, I honestly never know which ones to pick.
You used a cast-iron block and head (which saves costs but increases weight and emissions, with the latter being a DOHC setup with 5 valves per cylinder. In 2009, no real-life engine had that configuration, which makes it unrealistic for the era in which QFC10 takes place.
@DuceTheTruth100 there is nothing wrong with your suspension setup, but hypereutectic cast pistons don’t provide a fuel economy bonus, unlike low-friction cast pistons. The only reason to use HEC pistons is for their reduced loudness and emissions, and they can withstand slightly higher RPM loads than LFC items, but the benefit is so low that LFC is generally a better choice for economy-focused applications.
2 Likes
Are most engines now a days made with aluminiun engine head? I didn’tk noww that wow!
Most new designs have been for the last 40 years or so.
Also, for the past ~20-30 years, alloy (and in more recent times, alu/silicon) blocks have become more commonplace.
2 Likes
Wow do you have some sort of secret meeting or sorts where you discuss engine head materials in secrecy this isn’t fair I want in! >:
I have been playing this game for several years now, and have built up extensive knowledge about what items are appropriate for specific eras - you just need to do the same.
1 Like
Best bet is when you want to compete in a challenge you open up Wikipedia and read up on the construction and mechanical components of the inspiration cars and any others you want to use as ideas for yourself.
5 Likes
Don’t worry, you’ll pick it up as you go along. A lot of us here are nubs quietly trying to learn the ropes, haha.
No. I am just a gearhead taking notice of what the engine is made of in the junkmobile I am wrenching on at the moment (just like I was before Wikipedia or Automation was a thing, lol 
)
4 Likes
Just use and reference real world cars in the same class as your target, and you’ll be fine. You can go with unique stuff but for some competitions it needs to fit your “lore”. Example, I was roasted early in for using 60deg V8’s, but that’s I’m my lore so I think that’s been observed. Were they common in real life? No but they did exist (SHO for one)
2 Likes
No, no secret meeting. You can usually ask if something’s realistic, and why, on the Automation discord server. Or you can just look up real life cars and engines on wikipedia, automobile-catalog, carfolio or ultimatespecs like I said you should.
2 Likes
Hop on at the right time and Discord will be your best friend.