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Comments
A Caliber that gets 28 mpg on average will use $1610 worth of fuel each year. (This is my average on the FWD CVT)
A Matrix that gets 33 mpg on average will use $1360 worth of fuel each year. (Reasonable guess for an automatic.)
This is a difference of $250 per year. If you drive less, the difference is less.
If the Matrix costs $1000 more, it takes 4 years, or 60,000 miles to recoup this extra cost in fuel savings. If the Matrix is $2,000 more, it takes 120,000 miles to recoup the extra cost.
Some questions---
1. How much does the fuel tank really hold, maybe I was on the fumes, maybe not...
2. My experience is that manual trannies often do better than rated overall MPG, can someone post actual MPG for the Caliber SXT with a 5 speed manual?
3. Two local Dodge dealer have a total of 25 Caliber SXT's in stock - mostly CVT's - I bought mine at the end of March and waited 10 days (it was en route when I picked it out) - any clue how availability can vary so much?
4. I'm thinking of having my wheel covers painted a flat black to match the trim on the car - I have the darker Steel Blue and have already put a black Mopar antenna on it - much nicer than silver. Maybe take off the fuel door and have that done in black too. Any thoughts?
5. Does any anyone have, or know where you can get, a scuff pad for the top of the rear bumper... It would be good in black, too, especially when you blow a tire and need to load it in the back.
Just for comparison, with a dinky Scion xA I only increased my mileage to 35 mpg, while of course enduring a punishing ride and sense of imminent danger (commuting as a thrill sport!).
A note on the test drive, it was my young son, me, and the sales rep and with AC on we hit a small hill and wouldn't go over 55mph. Its not a racecar, just making a note here of what 120hp gets you.
PS> Victorville Dodge is a bunch of greedy jerks, they offered me $9000 trade in on my 2005 liberty with V6, heck I just paid $24K 16 months ago.
The caliber seemed weak on the hill, also turning about 3000 RPM doing 65 which seems high.
Farout
Yours is obviously a diesel, I live in california and they can sell a lamborghini diablo that gets 6mpg, but a diesel car is an unacceptable polluter, even a VW TDI that gets 50mpg is a dirty behicle.
http://www.wanttoknow.info/carmileage
You would think that by wathcing your speed and good weather conditions you might see a slight variation on mileage but this is'nt the case with the cvt/2.0 engine.
I averaged 70 to 75 mph over 600 miles and 27.3 mpg was the best I could get. I did have my a/c running also but don't think it makes a difference.
Anyway, when I signed up for a 27 month lease my strategy was to enjoy the roominess of this car while waiting for consumer demand to finally bring us the 100mpg car we should have had 30 years ago. (it looks like Toyota will do this in 2009) Had I gone with the new Civic the small increase up to 40 mpg would have made not all that much difference in my pocketbook so I might as well have something "different."
Farout
I'm glad someone can afford to pay $4.oo a gallon to feed a HEMI and I'm sure you'll get the chance to do so soon. The sooner those 100 mpg cars come the better.
they don't call it a refrigerator,some owners are
finding that pulling the slider right off (larger
holes-it pops off) and putting A/C on recirculate
it will keep prechilled bottles cool longer.
Good luck!
And yes it had few more bells and whistles than the Dodge. I test drove the car and found insufficent room for my right leg because the seat would go back any further. I had to twist my leg to hit the brake. I am 5'9" .
Today I Took a Dodge Calber dor a 2nd test drive and discovered the leg room was excellent. In fact, when I put the seat all the way back, I could not reach the gas pedal.
I plucked down a deposit on a new Caliber which I should have in 4-6 weeks. The Sonata and the Dodge weigh about the same-3200 pounds. The MPG for the the Sonata was 24 city and 33 Hiway vs 22/30 for the Dodge. I have been reading a another forum that the Sonata is not even coming close with mpg-anotherwords..over rated mpg. Since the Stratus that I own now and Caliber are rated about the same, I will expect about the same MPG.
The Bottom line-Not all cars are equal-even on the inside.
I was originally getting 28-32 MPG (brand new). Slowly my MPG started going down to 26....24.....and now I'm at 20 MPG mostly Highway!!!! Around 1000 Miles I started getting the "pinging" that everone has heard. @ 2000 Miles I had my car in to the dealer because I hated the pining and low Gas milage. Even though my car was not listed in the temp recall, they preformed it and reflashed my computer. No Change.
So... I brought my car in to the dealer for its first oil change at 3000 Miles. I had them take a look at the pinging and low gas milage again. They varified that it had both problems. At first they said it was normal. I told them it was not normal, they eventually relented and said yes it is not normal, but there has not been a fix yet put out (software fix). I have the latest software reprogram and have had the recal done to my car already.
So My question is: Is there anything else I can do? I'm sick of getting the pinging and low 20 MPG on the freeway.
-Thanks,
Andy
I havent had the car in for the recall, will do that sooner then later and bring up the milage issue again.
Dont get me wrong, I love the car... but come on DCX dont advertise great fuel milage without backing it up! One of my main reasons for buying this car was to save money on fuel, Im getting the same if not better milage with my 220 hp 98 intrepid and often times making use of all 220hp:)
I am writing to tell you that the american consumer DOES yes indeed WANT more efficient vehicles and would buy them if available. This is why Honda sold so well in the early 80's, the public wanted cheap transportation.So of course our dear, wise Uncle Sam slapped an import tariff to protect our gas thirsty auto makers from bankruptcy. Yes, maybe larger vehicles such as pickups are handy but come on! this is the 21st century! Why are you holding back? By now, 100 years after the first cars we still use basically the same engine yet look how fast and how far computers have come. You can't tell me that there isn't something better out there! In the 21st century we shouldn't be burning gas anymore at all. I can't speak for eveyone, Chrysler, maybe some people enjoy being taken for a ride at the gas pump,maybe they love being slaves to big oil. I for one would rather be burning water or volts.
"Cust reports engine pings when revving from an idle, poor mileage. Vehicle has the most current software, known concern. No fix avail at this time"
Cant I just have Chrysler by my car back and give me a Hemi Charger instead? In all honesty is there anything I can do about the horrible mileage (20 mpg freeway, and pinging). I even use 91 Octane and still get pinging!!! Very frustrating!
Thanks,
Andy
Does the "pinging" noise come from the engine or rear of the vehicle. If it is coming from the rear you may want to have them check the exhaust. You may want to call the 1800 customer CAIR number in the manual and report the issue. If other people are having the same issues and no one reports it to DaimlerChrysler then the engineers won't know it is a problem to try and fix and send to the dealerships. I was told at my dealershipt that they really didn't know how to work on these yet.
Farout
Farout
second tank of gas all city driving stop and go
10.276 km/liter;29 mpg imp gallon;9.73 l/100km
or 24.2 mpg/US.
650 kilometers on car,driving like I stole it!!!!
Farout
swap meet north of Barrie Ont and back to Burlington
sxt had 1100 kilometers on it,despite speeds of up to
140 km/h and being being stuck at idle for 15 minutes
at a bad accident on the 400 southbound when I filled up
and figured it out manually the milage was 7.7l/100km or
about 37 mpg(imperial gallon).
Happy with that,hopefully can only get better.