V6 or 4 cylinder

[Phaedrus]

Now that's what I'm talking about.

My Charger Hemi w/MDS gets better mileage than my wife's V-6 van.

Plus I can smoke her in the quarter mile! She really hates that.


I agree with who ever made the comment about getting on the freeway. I like to put my foot down and avoid trouble if necessary.

You may save a little gas and a little cash with those 4 cylinders, but a better accelerating car may save your life.

Oh, come on. This is just crap. Timing freeway entry is not that difficult. Depending on your accelerator to "get you out of trouble" is just asking for bigger problems.

The only time, and I mean ONLY time acceleration is critical is passing on a two way road. And you can avoid that risk by just being judicious in where and when you pass. Oh, and being just a little patient.

But the problem with people who "need" acceleration is that they tend to have no patience, and are in a rush to get to their own funeral, imo.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I'd say it depends on what you are looking for. From what I've seen, a 4-cylinder engine will get you anywhere between 5-10 mpg more than a 6-cylinder of the same line (what I mean is the comparison similar to a 4-cylinder Accord vs. the 6-cylinder Accord, not crossing classes or brands). That and the 4-cylinders that I have driven do not lack for power, and most owners of them will usually tell you the same thing. For the advantage the V-6 has, I don't know if this is true across all automakers, but it's generally true for GM, but larger engines tend to be more durable in the long run than smaller engines. For instance, GM's 3.8L V6 engine is MUCH more durable than their Quad-4 (in fact, the 3.8L V6 is considered one of the best engines in the world). They also put out quite a bit of power if you want to drive a bit more aggressively and get somewhat decent mpg if you drive them conservatively.

Pretty much depends on your preference. Right now I drive a Supercharged 3.8L V6 sedan, but when I can afford it I'm looking to get a Japanese 4-cylinder mid-sized sedan (I am looking forward to the day when I don't have to put 15+ gallons of premium into my car on a weekly basis).

 

[erikbj]

My wife and I have 3 cars: a 4, 6, and 8 cylinder. If you are just driving around the 4 banger is ok, but I would get one with a turbo so if you are on the interstate you can pass people ok. Her passat is the 2.0 Turbo and suprisingly peppy on the interstate and gets about 35 mpg on the highway.

I got my first my first v-8 this summer and it is pretty awsome, i am not going to lie to you - but paying $100 to fill it up kind of sucks.

 

[dmclone]

Like I said, it's all about the car. Pick the car first and then decide on the motor. For example:

If I was going to buy a new Honda Accord I would probably get their 190hp 4cyl. I'm guessing 90%+ of accords are bought with the 4cyl. It's not that there is anything wrong with the V6 it's just that Honda builds powerful, quiet, and reliable 4cyl's.

If I was going to get a Pontiac G8, I'd probably get the the 360hp V8. I would never buy a car like this for good gas mileage so the 2 mpg I lost by going form a V6 to a V8 I could care less about.

When it comes to sports cars I always think it's best to get the biggest/baddest motor that you can get. If you get the little motor you'll always have in the back of your mind that you should have gotten the big dog and every time you see one you'll be depressed.

I've never owned a truck but I guess a lot has to do with what you're going to do. If you're just going to drive it around town and not pull anything than I don't see anything wrong with a 4cyl but from what I've heard none of them get very good gas mileage so I'd be more inclined to get the bigger motor.

Let us know what car you're thinking about and we'll tell you what to get


Also, keep in mind that a lot of times the extra you pay for a bigger motor has additional features.

 

[cycloneace55]

Speaking from my experiance I have driven big block V8s and really small 4s. I have to agree with Phaedrus on his views on the differences between the two. I am currently driving a 4 Cyl with 200hp and it gets me from point A to point B as quickly as I would ever want.

Before this car I was driving a '89 Civic with a little 4 cyl through the streets of Los Angeles without any problem. Granted it helped to get a running start when going through the Sepulveda pass on the I-405, but I never had any problems getting out of trouble. Trust me when I say that drivers in Iowa are way better then the average California driver.

If you are just gong to use the car to commute and you aren't a raging lead foot then a 4 cyl should be just fine. When it comes down to it just get what you are most comfortable with, test drive both and decide based on the performance you like.

 

[dmclone]

Also keep in mind that gas mileage depends on a lot of other things besides just motor size.

A 400 horsepower Corvette can easily get as good of gas mileage as a 160hp 4cyl Honda Accord driving 70 mph on the interstate using cruise control. I have an 05 Accord and on the last trip I averaged around 28mpg while going about 80 mph. A Corvette can easily duplicate this number because of weight, gearing, aerodynamics, etc.

 

[HOTDON]

If I was going to get a Pontiac G8, I'd probably get the the 360hp V8. I would never buy a car like this for good gas mileage so the 2 mpg I lost by going form a V6 to a V8 I could care less about.

When I bought my G8 I laughed about that. They pretty much made the V6 option useless.

It's been said several times, but it's going to come down to the cars you're looking at and what you'll use it for. I wouldn't want to cart a family of four around in a 4-cyl Malibu in a city. At the same time the V6 model would be overkill if I'm racking up highway miles by myself. Alot of the decision for me would come down to the individual track record of each engine and transmission. Using the G8, the LS series V8s date back to the mid 80's and are a very reliable pushrod design hooked to a six speed auto. The V6 is GM's newish "high feature" V6. It's in quite a few vehicles, but it still hasn't had a proper shake out in my opinion. It's also hooked to a five speed.

Alot of times the transmission options can be as important in the decision as the engine.

 

[Phaedrus]

When I bought my G8 I laughed about that. They pretty much made the V6 option useless.

It's been said several times, but it's going to come down to the cars you're looking at and what you'll use it for. I wouldn't want to cart a family of four around in a 4-cyl Malibu in a city. At the same time the V6 model would be overkill if I'm racking up highway miles by myself. Alot of the decision for me would come down to the individual track record of each engine and transmission. Using the G8, the LS series V8s date back to the mid 80's and are a very reliable pushrod design hooked to a six speed auto. The V6 is GM's newish "high value" V6. It's in quite a few vehicles, but it still hasn't had a proper shake out in my opinion. It's also hooked to a five speed.

Alot of times the transmission options can be as important in the decision as the engine.

All the above is true, imo. I've had small engined cars that worked so hard to get to where you want to go that they got similar or worse mileage than the larger engined version.

My Le Sabre, for instance, is a good example of the correct engine/tranny combo for the size car.

And often the smaller cars, like say the Geo Metro, are built so cheaply that they cannot be maintained like a mid-size model.

 

[Clonehomer]

It also depends on the transmission. If you can drive a manual then you can get by with a little less HP. My corolla only puts out 110 hp but it moves pretty well depending on how you shift. Also the 5th gear is nice on the highway with a small engine. On the other hand, our Jeep has an inline 6 and it is extremely underpowered. So it also depends on how big / heavy the car is.

 

[jdoggivjc]

When I bought my G8 I laughed about that. They pretty much made the V6 option useless.

It's been said several times, but it's going to come down to the cars you're looking at and what you'll use it for. I wouldn't want to cart a family of four around in a 4-cyl Malibu in a city. At the same time the V6 model would be overkill if I'm racking up highway miles by myself. Alot of the decision for me would come down to the individual track record of each engine and transmission. Using the G8, the LS series V8s date back to the mid 80's and are a very reliable pushrod design hooked to a six speed auto. The V6 is GM's newish "high value" V6. It's in quite a few vehicles, but it still hasn't had a proper shake out in my opinion. It's also hooked to a five speed.

Alot of times the transmission options can be as important in the decision as the engine.

Actually, the 3.8L V6 isn't newish - it's been around for quite awhile and has as good of a rep as the LS series V8 (just obviously less powered). Granted, I wouldn't want a V6 in my G8, but the Supercharged 3.8L V6 is very nice in my Grand Prix.

That being said, before this car I owned a 3.4L V6 Chevy Monte Carlo with a 4-speed auto tranny. While I got rally good highway mileage (I'm pretty sure I could have gone 400 miles at 70 mph), talk about an underpowered vehicle. It also didn't help that I had to keep dealing with crud in my engine (I don't know how many times I had to have fuel filter changed out/fuel system cleaned out) over the span of 25,000 miles that I owned it...

 

[goldmember]

Which one is the better engine? When would one actually NEED a V6? Why would one pay 2k more for a car/engine that will cost more in gas?

Is the only reason to get a V6 speed? I have no need for speed, but is the answer that simple? I'm planning to buy new.

Need more info:
Who is the manufacturer?
Does the engine have a timing chain or belt?
Do either engines have Variable Valve timing?
Is the car you're buying heavy?
Does the 4 Cylinder have a balance shaft?
What is the reliability/History of each engine.?
Resale Value of a 6 vs 4?
Available Transmissions 4,5,6,7 speed automatic?
Etc.

 

[Phaedrus]

It also depends on the transmission. If you can drive a manual then you can get by with a little less HP. My corolla only puts out 110 hp but it moves pretty well depending on how you shift. Also the 5th gear is nice on the highway with a small engine. On the other hand, our Jeep has an inline 6 and it is extremely underpowered. So it also depends on how big / heavy the car is.

What model Jeep do you have? Our inline 6 Cherokee Sport has gobs of power.

 

[TxCycloneFan]

Oh, come on. This is just crap. Timing freeway entry is not that difficult. Depending on your accelerator to "get you out of trouble" is just asking for bigger problems.

The only time, and I mean ONLY time acceleration is critical is passing on a two way road. And you can avoid that risk by just being judicious in where and when you pass. Oh, and being just a little patient.

But the problem with people who "need" acceleration is that they tend to have no patience, and are in a rush to get to their own funeral, imo.

You ever drive in Houston or Dallas? It's not crap at all. Plus I'm talking about getting out of some fools way. I don't want to put my foot through the floorboard and hope.

 

[CyinCo]

The 6 cylinder engine is a "naturally balanced" engine. A 4 requires added mechanical features to balance the engine and keep it from shaking.

When I took IC engines as a Senior at ISU, my professor (Van Gerpen) said that the V6 Diesel engine was the most naturally perfect engine you could get.

With all that said, I own a boxer flat 4 gas engine with a turbo and intercooler. So, it is all a matter of preference.

 

[Bobber]

I like torque and traditionally the bigger the engine you had, the more torque you got.

However a lot of the new 4 cylinder engines have horse power ratings higher then 80's vintage V6's. Throw in transmissions have improved and direct inject engines are coming, makes the 4 cylinder a better bet.

The new political administration is obviously going to embrace the Kyota Protocol and that's going to make it more expensive to drive bigger vehicles with bigger engines. V6's may go the way of V8's:sad:

 

[pulse]

What model Jeep do you have? Our inline 6 Cherokee Sport has gobs of power.

I have a Wrangler with the inline 6, plenty o' power! Love it!

 

[jsb]

Which one is the better engine? When would one actually NEED a V6? Why would one pay 2k more for a car/engine that will cost more in gas?

Is the only reason to get a V6 speed? I have no need for speed, but is the answer that simple? I'm planning to buy new.

I was told when buying my first new car that a V6 would be nice for driving on interstates, etc. I loved having the extra power and I can definately tell the difference when driving a rental car with a 4 cylinder. I doubt I will ever buy a car without a V6.

 

[Cydkar]

Show me a car that is "underpowered" and I'll show you an incompetent driver.

Dude, as far as I can tell, there are about 4 competent drivers in the state. Keep in mind that I'm highly susceptible to road rage.

Did you know you can turn right on red in Iowa? Apparently, 99% of the state doesn't know that. Or, if they do know that, when on a multi-lane street, they have no problem occupying the right lane at a stop light backing up 20 drivers that want to make a turn.

Rant over.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Dude, as far as I can tell, there are about 4 competent drivers in the state. Keep in mind that I'm highly susceptible to road rage.

Did you know you can turn right on red in Iowa? Apparently, 99% of the state doesn't know that. Or, if they do know that, when on a multi-lane street, they have no problem occupying the right lane at a stop light backing up 20 drivers that want to make a turn.

Rant over.

No, it's just taught from day 1 in driver's ed that on 4 lane roads you stay in the right hand lane unless 1. passing 2. prepping to make or making a left hand turn. Besides, the more cars that sit in the left hand lane that don't have to, the odds are the more cars that have to wait while someone is trying to make a left hand turn when a turn lane isn't available. I find that MUCH MORE frustrating than having to sitting in the right lane at a red light waiting for someone to make a right hand turn, especially since those waiting on a red light do not have the right of way anyway. Making a right on red is a convenience, not a "right".

 

[Phaedrus]

Dude, as far as I can tell, there are about 4 competent drivers in the state. Keep in mind that I'm highly susceptible to road rage.

Did you know you can turn right on red in Iowa? Apparently, 99% of the state doesn't know that. Or, if they do know that, when on a multi-lane street, they have no problem occupying the right lane at a stop light backing up 20 drivers that want to make a turn.

Rant over.

Damned straight! I started driving in Iowa, but I LEARNED to drive in Germany when I turned 23. BMW 5 series at 240 km/h will determine whether you "really" know how to drive.

MrsPhaedrus was working at an auto dealership, renting high performance cars and driving all the soldiers wild, with her leather mini-skirt, fishnet stockings and 4 inch heels. And when it came time to turn in the Porsche 911s, 928s or BMW 535s to the leasing company, somebody had to do it....:yes:

V6??? Are we men, here, or just a bunch of Nancy-girls?

Real Men get something like this:

Which, of course, goes into something like this:

V-6??? Jeesh.... I won't accept any number of cylinders less than "16" and any horsepower number that doesn't have at least 4 digits.