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#15
by
R.O.R-2.0
on 10 Apr, 2012 11:34
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Also got 20+ MG with air ride int he Vixen.
omfg that thing is UGLY.
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#16
by
745 turbogreasel
on 10 Apr, 2012 14:57
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Is there a diesel pusher that isn't?
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#17
by
R.O.R-2.0
on 11 Apr, 2012 12:15
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that thing is a pusher?!?!?!?!
holy crap, way cool!
its still way ugly tho, just a little cooler..
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#18
by
JBG3
on 12 Apr, 2012 11:04
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heh, I actually think its kind of bad ass looking.
I saw one in person from a distance once, they are really low right? like minivan height? also, aren't they usually a 5-speed manual?
I think I could quickly fall in love with that camper, however ugly.
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#19
by
R.O.R-2.0
on 12 Apr, 2012 11:08
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what is it, GM van frame, and a Renault TD?
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#20
by
JBG3
on 12 Apr, 2012 11:17
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what is it, GM van frame, and a Renault TD?
Think its the same BMW 6cyl TD in the 524s, combined with a BMW 5-speed? Pretty sure the drivetrain is 100% BMW, but needs verification. Not sure on the body work
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#21
by
R.O.R-2.0
on 12 Apr, 2012 11:43
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what is it, GM van frame, and a Renault TD?
Think its the same BMW 6cyl TD in the 524s, combined with a BMW 5-speed? Pretty sure the drivetrain is 100% BMW, but needs verification. Not sure on the body work
hmm... BMW eh?
i know the WHEELS are GM produced.. but not positive on much else..
*edit*
HAH!! i knew it! the FRAME is GM produced..
and you could get these with a 231 Buick V6 also..
and im assuming these are FWD motor homes? it talks about the use of trans-axles in them..
(these things were built in Pontiac, Mi., so go figure, they use GM parts)
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#22
by
745 turbogreasel
on 12 Apr, 2012 21:35
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BMW 2.5 TD pusher with rear transaxle, GM maybe?
Ride height is tough to call, because its air bags.
It's sort of a modernized lightweight GMC motorhome in design philosophy.
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#23
by
R.O.R-2.0
on 12 Apr, 2012 21:45
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durr...
pusher..
engine in the rear!
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#24
by
745 turbogreasel
on 12 Apr, 2012 22:36
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#25
by
Toby
on 14 Apr, 2012 23:06
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He is clearly lying about the mileage, though.....
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#26
by
745 turbogreasel
on 15 Apr, 2012 02:17
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Oftentimes noted as the "Driver's RV",[who?] what made it stand out was a very low center of gravity and a very wide stance. Instead of lumbering down the highway, it had a manual transmission and when the turbo kicked in it zoomed down the highway. Owners often noted when they first got theirs up to 100 MPH, and yet it averaged about 30 MPG using a BMW M21 turbo-diesel engine. Due to emissions concerns this was one of the last to be imported into the US for years. Wind tunnel testing was used to create a compeletely smooth exterior encased in fiberglass top and bottom, which gave it the extra advantage it needed to get those numbers.
from the vixen wiki. My friend has one, and reports it does get around that, but his Caddy does better.
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#27
by
Toby
on 16 Apr, 2012 12:49
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He can report all he wants. If those things got 32 MPG, on their best day, they would be the hottest thing on the planet, when you consider that most gas powered motorhomes of that size get about 8 mpg. I have a buddy with an earlier model GM motorhome that claims he gets 10 or 11 MPG and people don't believe him. The TD LeSharo barely gets 20 MPG on the flat, and it is much smaller and lighter than the Vixen.
It is easy to trick/fool yourself into believing outrageous mileage on diesel vehicles because they are so hard to get consistently full of fuel, due to fuel foaming. When most people get an anomalously high reading, they stop checking the mileage and pronounce that number to be fact. I am pretty OCD about checking mileage on all of my vehicles. I have records of every gallon of fuel that has gone into the Audi and the Ranger TDs that I drive snd even though I am meticulous about my filling technique, I still occasionally get an outlier that I cant explain. 36 MPG on the Audi one tank, which is 4 MPG better than at any other time in its life, and 36.5 in the Ranger for one tank. Normally it gets 31-31 MPG. My driving routes and payload are pretty consistent as is my filling technique, so the outliers have to be in error. If one was less compulsive about filling and record keeping it would be pretty easy have even greater errors, such as this case.
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#28
by
745 turbogreasel
on 17 Apr, 2012 17:14
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LeSharo don't have a 5th gear, which is good, because they don't have the power to drive one.