Motor Running Time For Long Drives?

[ElioDigger]

one good thing about not having a low reservations number is by the time they get to the high numbers, we will know how they perform straight out of the box (so to speak) ...

Jim

My thought exactly. might even get the year 2 options......

 

[Music Man]

An engine should last more than 75k these days but what was the original cost of the Sprint and how much was a new engine? With an Elio at $6800 that's about what a dealership would charge just to swap one out- A replacement engine for the Elio would be $1000? $1200? Two strong guys can do it in no time

Hmmm. . . . . That being the case, then maybe the prudent thing to do, might be to buy an EXTRA motor, as soon as they become available and store it in the back room for when that "moment of need" arises.
The new motor will be at it's cheapest cost early on.

Hmmm. . . . . . .

 

[JEBar]

Hmmm. . . . . That being the case, then maybe the prudent thing to do, might be to buy an EXTRA motor, as soon as they become available and store it in the back room for when that "moment of need" arises.
The new motor will be at it's cheapest cost early on.

Hmmm. . . . . . .

I suspect that early on there won't be too many spare parts of any kind .... most everything will be going to the assembly process

Jim

 

[Elio Amazed]

I have a 85 Yamaha Venture Royale I bought on Ebay. I flew to Newark, NJ on Wednesday morning and got back to north Houston about 2300 on Thursday. Just over 1700 miles only stopping for gas(and coffee). A long, long day but an unforgettable adventure.

I did 1400 miles from Western PA to Houston in the 70's one July in one shot. I was in a Vega who's engine overheated and almost froze on the Mississippi bridge. Luckily, it seemed to come back to life after sitting and sputtering for 10 minutes on the bridge and then it limped the rest of the way. Head gasket, even though it held the anti-freeze level. I had to scap it after I slept for 15 hours. I had a ton of down home finger food on the seat beside me all the way. I drove cross-country 18-wheeler for a year about 8 years ago and 600 miles a day was about the average. I wouldn't even comtemplate a trip like that now. It's not worth it.

 

[Elio Amazed]

we owned a Chevy Sprint that came with a 3 cylinder, 1 liter motor .... it ran smoothly, was able to maintain interstate speed with no problems while delivering 50+ mpg .... at 75,000 miles the motor was done .... that is the only 3 cylinder engine I have used and sure hope that the motor Elio Motors will produce will offer much higher longevity

Jim

Well Jim, that was a bad engine or someone either neglected or abused it, or both. The sprint and geo 3-cylinders averaged 130,000+ if the rest of the car was kept up and the body and frame didn't send the vehicle to the yard prematurely. The rest of the car was a ten to (at the outside) fourteen year deal by it's very design. The vast majority of those engines would do 150,000 easily. There are a few that were given the chance and are still pulling their weight down the road @ 200,000 miles on the clock. All in all, a pretty good deal considering the original cost, the mpg, the not fantastic, but decent, handling, the winter get-around ability and the over all practicality of the vehicle.

 

[skygazer6033]

I used to buy wrecked Honda GL1800 Goldwings, repair and resell them. Just as a hobby. Goldwings would be totalled with nothing more serious than scratched and cracked plastics. Anyway buying on Ebay led me on a lot of long distance adventures in a mini van with a utility trailer. As long as I can get an occasional 20 or 30 minute nap I can cover a lot of territory.

 

[JEBar]

Well Jim, that was a bad engine or someone either neglected or abused it, or both. The sprint and geo 3-cylinders averaged 130,000+ if the rest of the car was kept up and the body and frame didn't send the vehicle to the yard prematurely.

according to that, ours must have been a bad one .... if the motor had of lasted 130,000 miles I'd of been well pleased .... when I say the motor was done at 75,000 it still ran but we literally had to add oil every time we added gas .... its the only GM motor we have ever had a problem with

Jim

 

[creekstone]

Maybe have to start an Elio Iron Butt Club.

You joke, but I'd be in.

Even though the Elio is technically a motorcycle, I doubt the Iron Butt Association will recognize Elio "rides". I believe they certify Can-Am rides but don't allow them in sanctioned rallies.

 

[Chris F]

we owned a Chevy Sprint that came with a 3 cylinder, 1 liter motor .... it ran smoothly, was able to maintain interstate speed with no problems while delivering 50+ mpg .... at 75,000 miles the motor was done .... that is the only 3 cylinder engine I have used and sure hope that the motor Elio Motors will produce will offer much higher longevity

Jim

I had a Sprint also. I put 125K on the car with no motor problems. The transmission went bad and needed a complete rebuild, so I traded it in on a GEO Prizm (now with 185K miles). Still going pretty well (but not too pretty to look at any more). Keeping it until I get my Elio.

 

[Chris F]

I had a Sprint also. I put 125K on the car with no motor problems. The transmission went bad and needed a complete rebuild, so I traded it in on a GEO Prizm (now with 185K miles). Still going pretty well (but not too pretty to look at any more). Keeping it until I get my Elio.

The Sprint was a rebadged Suzuki Swift, so it was not a GM engine (or transmission for that matter).