[dem45133]

Well, last week I babied the livin &(*&^ out of the '94 3/4 ton... 14.79 mpg (60 on 4 lane 45-50 on the 2 lane, less on the hills, 1/100th throttle for acceleration.) For this commute and a v8 auto 6400 lb 3/4 (that one can not "neutral" and coast... at least I won't, transmissions are too costly) that's about the best she's going to get. I have gotten 16.5 on the level interstate on a tank at 62 mph once (due to a 30 ft mast suspended lengthwise)... but that's not THESE roads! This week I went back to my normal... got 13.5 mpg running 70 on the 4 lane, 65 up the hill, and 60 (except some curves) on the 2 lane. 1.26 mpg better when baby babied... but damn hard on my nerves.

Next week I give the 3/4 Dodge a rest until next winter's salt. She turned 273,000 miles today. I paid $19,500 for it in 1995 with 15,000 miles on it (most expensive vehicle I ever bought). The heads and pan have never been off, FI system 100% original and never opened (but it and the combustion chambers were chemically cleaned on several occasions, I calculated that over the last 17 years something like 2250 gallons have gone through each one of the injectors), the original ball joints weren't replaced until 230,000 (I have a trick for them... needle greased several times, until the rubber seal simply died), tie rod ends are original (but greased regular), steering sector original and has never been reset, (no appreciable slop) still only a quart of oil to 3000 miles... only on the first replacements on front rotors (although the could stand it again), rear drums original (I told you I'm not real brake dependent), rear end and ALL suspension even the bushings and shocks are original. All but the muffler itself is original on the exhaust system. Its only had 1 tune up at 125k...overdue due for a second... but you can't really tell. Even the drivers seat held up, no rips tears or wear through! Computer is original. AC system is original and has never been opened up and works fine. I may have had it charged once, but I'm not sure. ONLY parts its ever had other than (pads, shoes, light replacements and tires) is one water pump, one timing chain and sprockets, one radiator, one starter and one alternator, two in tank fuel pumps, only two serpentine belts and one transmission rebuild at 172,000 on the original. Only the transmission rebuild and the in-tank fuel pumps were performed by others, but I pulled it and re-installed the transmission. It has been THE lowest cost per mile vehicle I EVER owned, not counting fuel.

That kind of service and longevity is why I bought it and is going to be very very hard to beat in any vehicle, especially since she's also towed about a quarter of those miles (maybe even compared to the the 01 1 ton I'll never be able to buy fuel for that many miles now). She's also had her share of wide open throttle on occasion (but she's never been hot and almost never over 4500 rpm, I think only once did I take her to 5k... typically not over 3k). I will miss that longevity in something small to commute with. I know she has at least 50k in her yet... but at $5 or $6 a gallon? Still irritates me their greed stole that from me! I serviced her every 3000 and took care of her for a reason!

A friend of mine who works for Ford Motor Company in Engineering QC (setting up new plants)...said Dodge engineered the 1st newstyles (94 up) for 250,000 miles to try and steal part of Ford's thunder... I fully believe it and until Mexico messed up their transmissions in 96 they would have stole more. She also said that in today's (now) auto industry they all have the "engineering to failure" down pat... if a part is designed for 80k... it fails at 80001. She also stated that nothing is designed around 250000 except the trucks. I'd bet she's right and there is not much that's actually designed around 250,000 miles in small, that's affordable. If there really is I'd like to know about them. 150k designs do not impress me though some brag them up.

I'll start commuting with the 1 ton now that the roads were washed by the rains. Its a manual 6sp so will see where I can get it to on mpg without going crazy.


Later...