Dealer has New 2013 Chevy Sparks $9999, TOWING comments?

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stevek
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Dealer has New 2013 Chevy Sparks $9999, TOWING comments?

Post by stevek »

I have been looking for something small/ light to TOW.
A nearby Chevy Dealer has a bunch of brand new 2013 Chevy Sparks for $9,999. All have Manual Transmissions.
I have checked and they do make a base plate to tow this vehicle.
Any comments? Plus or Minus? Good or bad? :shock:
Last edited by stevek on Fri Mar 01, 2013 8:40 am, edited 1 time in total.
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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bcope01
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Post by bcope01 »

Be sure you can live with a manual tranny. :D

I went with my Smart Car with an automated manual transmission because my days of shifting gears at stops and in traffic are over. :D

Bill
Barb & Bill
2004 Born Free 22' Built for Two (Sold)
no longer towing a 2008 Smart ForTwo

Escondido, CA
jlef123
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Post by jlef123 »

I used to tow a 2005 manual transmission Chevy Aveo. Similar size to the Spark. I bought it used and setup for towing. Used it for one summer. It was great for towing. I got rid of it because I always felt unsafe driving it, especially on highways or busy interstates. It is basically a great city car. Chevy advertises the Spark as an urban car which leads me to believe that they don't like it on higways either. I also got tired of the manual tranny. Small engine, required keeping the RPM up to keep up with traffic. Build quality was terrible. Replaced it with an automatic transmission 2012 Ford Focus (about 400 lbs heavier than the Spark). Fun car to drive, hookup and towing is easy, and I feel much safer driving it than the Aveo. I considered the Sonic but it is smaller and safety was a concern especially on highways. Two other items to add to the price are the baseplate and wiring hookup about $1200 and an aux. brake about $1000. [/b]
Joel & Sandy
2002 26' RB
2015 27' Splendor
2020 Coachmen Beyond
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stevek
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Post by stevek »

Thanks everyone.
I drove over to the Dealer and most of the Sparks were sold.
Looked like a pretty nice car and sat good behind the wheel.
Lots of room. Looked well made.
But did not buy one or drive one.
They make a real nice lite PINK color, for all you Gals,
but not for me.

I also stopped by the Mercedes Dealer and drove a new 2013 Smart Car.
Drove real nice. Not bad with a starting price of $13,300.
They had quite a few in their inventory.
They are rear engine, rear wheel drive, which was new to me.
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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stevek
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Post by stevek »

Well the Medford Oregon dealer had a bunch of 2013 Sparks again.
So I bought one.
Sill $9,999 for a new one.
Ordered a Blue Ox base plate off Amazon.
So... will let you know how it goes.
Weight is 2289
L= 145"
W=63"
5 speed.
Driving home I got 37mpg according to "electronic readout".
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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whemme
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Post by whemme »

From my experience the electronic readout of mpg on almost all vehicles is optimistic. I have three such cars and the digital mpg readout varies from 4% to 8% more than the actual mpg by physical measurement means.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
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stevek
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Post by stevek »

Thanks Sam.
I will try to be truthful of how I like the car.
Both the good and the bad.

Bill.... regarding the optimistic mpg electronic readout, do you think the same applies to my BF?
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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whemme
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Post by whemme »

Steve,

I don't know. My Born Free is a 2002 model and did not yet have the digital readout mpg feature. The only way to tell is to record the miles driven and the gallons of fuel added over at least 5 fill ups or more and then calculate the actual mpg that way versus what the digital mpg readout average for those same fill ups. If you have a GPS, I would also determine your odometer error and factor that in also. My BF E450 odometer actually reads low by 0.9% as determined by my Garmin GPS over thousands of miles of travel.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
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stevek
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Post by stevek »

Looks like the digital MPG readout on the Spark is pretty good.
So far we have put 1,218 miles and 33.27 gal of gas, equals 37.61 MPG.

A good mix of driving...
in town,
hills and mountains.
freeway.
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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whemme
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Post by whemme »

I asssume the 37.61 mpg figure was the average of your digital readout for the total of 1,218 miles. Your actual mpg comes to 1,218/33.27 = 36.61 mpg which means the digital readout was optomistic by 2.7 percent. Not a real bad error but notice that it is on the optomistic side claiming a higher mpg than actual which is what I have been saying.
Bill Hemme - Spencer, Iowa
E-mail: whemme@earthlink.net
2002 Born Free (Ford E-450 V10) 26' RSB
2016 VW Golf GTI - toad
shezonit

Post by shezonit »

Congratulations on the new Spark! And I agree about having a back seat. Smart Cars are cute, but as said above, can't beat the huge service network for a Ford or Chevy. As I read this thread, I saw... "$1200. for a base plate and $1000. for auxiliary brake."
I am right now getting my elderly BF frame fixed up to carry my 300 lb motorcycle on the back. This set up will be close to $1000., including the rack to carry the bike. My motorcycle carries me, groceries in saddlebags and my 2 dogs on the back at 70 mpg. :-)
I can/ might pull a small enclosed trailer to carry my big motorcycle occasionally. This may/may not be same hassle as pulling a car? I am loathe to tow anything as backing up is not my forte........and I like to boondock and stealth camp, and a trailer might complicate that.
My rig seems to already have the aux brakes. There is a "Brakemaster" unit in the back under the bed. It also came with automatic levellers, for which I am so gratefull....
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stevek
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Post by stevek »

Thanks everybody.
Well... so far, things are good with the Spark.
Driving it everyday.... still getting on the ave. 36/ 37 mpg.
I can tell it is a small car. Somewhat bumpy ride. Real positive steering.
But power seems good.
Sam...the electronic readout just reads the MPG and thats all.
Bill... thanks for correcting my Math.

As an option, I did think about towing a motorcycle or scooter.
I found this on the internet, but not sure if it is still made.

Image
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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shezonit

Post by shezonit »

Hi Steve. I actually have one of those and I did once tow a motorcycle from LA to Montana with it. 2 problems (for me anyway). First, You can't back up with it. 2nd - some motorcycles rely on the oil in the sump to lubricate the transmission. From what I understand, the oil is only pumped when the engine is running. So if you tow your bike this way, you are turning parts with no oil. At least this is the dire warning I was getting. You are for sure putting wear on the rear tire.

I carried my bike on the back of my Class B for 4 winters with no problems. Put on a one ton hitch and added air bags.

We designed it and had a welder make it for under $50. These sell online for hundreds.
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stevek
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Post by stevek »

No, not our only car. Just the new TOY. But driving everyday.
Our other daily drivers are a Toyota Pickup..5 speed.
And a Ford Mini Van...5 speed.

Regarding the MPG readout, I think its an accumulation.
According to the Manual that came with the car, the Fuel Economy Read Out,
is based on Liters of Gas/ 100KM, which would be equal to about:
0.264 Gals of Gas/ 62 miles.

There is a reset button, but I have never reset it, since we bought the car.
Just reads around 37 all the time. A little up and a little down.
When I parked last night.... read 37.1 and will read the same this morning when I start it up.
And agrees pretty close to when I fill up and check the MPG mathematically.
And like Bill said, maybe around a 3% error. Which equals about 1 MPG error.. I think.
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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stevek
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Post by stevek »

My Oregon Dealer has them again.
2014 Sparks for $9999.
Saw the ad on TV.
The dealers site lists 32 Sparks. I think they are all base model w/ 5 speed.
They are Airport Chevy in Medford OR.

I bought one of these New,in the fall of 2013.
Have put about 7000 miles on it. Been a great little car.
Get 38 1/2 mpg ave. 5 speed.
I plan on towing this behind my BF.
Bought the "kit" from Amazon, but have not installed it yet for towing.

The 2014 Spark was the only car to pass the subcompact crash test by IIHS.
It has 10 air bags in it I think.
http://www.iihs.org/iihs/ratings/v/clas ... y/minicars
It even beat the Honda Fit.
Steve
2011 Born Free 22 foot RSK, rear side (corner) kitchen, E350, 29k miles.
Our first motorhome. Lots to learn. Thanks.
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