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JRMichler · 02-18-2013, 10:18 PM

Since my truck went into the body shop after hitting a deer, I've been driving a loaner car. This is working out nicely because my insurance does not include rental car coverage.

The loaner car is a 2004 Chevrolet Aveo with 150,000 miles, worn struts, worn rear suspension bushings, 4 spd automatic, and power steering. During this time, a rear wheel bearing seized up, and I drove it back to the body shop with three wheels turning. Drove OK on snow, corners were a challenge. As of yesterday, I've put 506.9 miles on it, and put in 14.29 gallons, for 35.5 MPG.

The weather has been cold, with typical temperatures 0 to 10 deg F. The winds have been mostly headwinds, we have had several snowfalls. I would have done well to get 29 MPG in my truck. The Aveo is geared 2100 RPM at 55 MPH.

Being an ECOMODDER, I could not resist thinking about what I would do to it if...

Manual steering
Grille block
Air dam and/or front belly pan
Fix front and rear suspensions
Front and rear wheel alignment
LRR tires pumped up
Manual transmission
Kill switch
Change final drive ratio to get about 1900 RPM at 55 MPH
Ultragauge/Scangauge plus vacuum gauge

With all of the above, I would expect mid 40's for winter MPG, and mid 50's for summer MPG. The Aveo could be a pretty good little economy car. And they are available cheap.

02-18-2013, 10:18 PM	#1 (permalink)
JRMichler Master EcoModder Join Date: Feb 2011 Location: Phillips, WI Posts: 1,018 Nameless - '06 GMC Canyon 90 day: 37.45 mpg (US) 22 Maverick - '22 Ford Maverick XL 90 day: 47.03 mpg (US) Thanks: 192 Thanked 467 Times in 287 Posts	04 Aveo MPG Since my truck went into the body shop after hitting a deer, I've been driving a loaner car. This is working out nicely because my insurance does not include rental car coverage. The loaner car is a 2004 Chevrolet Aveo with 150,000 miles, worn struts, worn rear suspension bushings, 4 spd automatic, and power steering. During this time, a rear wheel bearing seized up, and I drove it back to the body shop with three wheels turning. Drove OK on snow, corners were a challenge. As of yesterday, I've put 506.9 miles on it, and put in 14.29 gallons, for 35.5 MPG. The weather has been cold, with typical temperatures 0 to 10 deg F. The winds have been mostly headwinds, we have had several snowfalls. I would have done well to get 29 MPG in my truck. The Aveo is geared 2100 RPM at 55 MPH. Being an ECOMODDER, I could not resist thinking about what I would do to it if... Manual steering Grille block Air dam and/or front belly pan Fix front and rear suspensions Front and rear wheel alignment LRR tires pumped up Manual transmission Kill switch Change final drive ratio to get about 1900 RPM at 55 MPH Ultragauge/Scangauge plus vacuum gauge With all of the above, I would expect mid 40's for winter MPG, and mid 50's for summer MPG. The Aveo could be a pretty good little economy car. And they are available cheap. __________________ 06 Canyon: The vacuum gauge plus wheel covers helped increase summer 2015 mileage to 38.5 MPG, while summer 2016 mileage was 38.6 MPG without the wheel covers. Drove 33,021 miles 2016-2018 at 35.00 MPG. 22 Maverick: Summer 2022 burned 62.74 gallons in 3145.1 miles for 50.1 MPG. Winter 2023-2024 - 2416.7 miles, 58.66 gallons for 41 MPG.