2003 Isuzu Rodeo Suggestions
 

So obviously the rodeo is not economical at all with 16/20 city/highway mpg ratings, but I drive 700 miles from school to home constantly and a new vehicle is not an option. I've read a lot of threads but there aren't many involving an SUV that I can find.

Do you guys have any suggestions to help increase my mpg in the slightest?

I'm aiming for 30 mpg highway and I know of obvious things I could do like cover the wheels and the rear wheel wells completely, but what else will be plausible for the rodeo (SUV)?

Thanks!

Welcome to the site. We can definitely help you out.

However, I would like to ask why a new (and by new I just mean new to you, not brand new) car is out of the question? I ask because this would be a much easier and quicker way to increase your mileage, and you would see a gain of much much more than modifying the Rodeo. It looks to be worth around $4000. For that price you can find a pretty decent fuel efficient car. If you found a new vehicle for say $3500, you'd just be that much more ahead.

Thanks!

I understand that I could sell this and buy another car easily, which is what I wish I could do but I haven't even had this car a year yet. I love it and it hauls all my stuff to school but I'm just seeing if there is anything that could help increase my mpg.

Before I go on, I'd just like to emphasize my point about a different vehicle with a little math as your situation is pretty extreme.

You say you're traveling 700 miles back and forth to home constantly. By that I'll assume nearly every weekend. Traveling 700 miles at 20 mpg (your hwy rating on the Rodeo) that trip will consume 35 gallons of gas. At the current national average of $3.69 per gallon that trip will cost you $129.15. Since we're assuming you're doing this nearly every weekend (50x a year for simplicity sake), you are spending $6457.50 a year in gas just to go home and back! That doesn't include any other driving at all.

Now, lets say you pick up a beater Chevy Metro because you do love the Rodeo and don't want to get rid of it. You pay $1500 for it. Now, that same trip takes 15.9 gallons of gas (44 mpg hwy rating) which costs you $58.70 per trip and $2935 annually. After one year you've now shelled out $4435 for buying the Metro and driving it back and forth to home. So, you have an extra $2000 in your pocket and you still have the Rodeo for when you want to drive it. Now, you would still have to pay insurance on the Metro so that would eat into the $2k (unless you transfer insurance off the Rodeo in which case you'd probably save even more). But, it gets even better. The second year year you drive the Metro and not the Rodeo just on the trip home and back you're now saving the full $6457 - 2935 = $3522 per year.

Lets take it one step further now. If you sold the Rodeo you would be upwards of $6000 ahead of where you would be otherwise after one year. Thats no small chunk of change! Is the love for the Rodeo really worth $6000 plus $3500 every year after that?


The alternative is that you could do a bunch of modifications, get ~10% (a guess, we don't have many Rodeos here) better mileage and save ~$640 per year minus the modification costs. Or, you could go home less.

The choice is yours. We'll still help you mod the Rodeo. I just wanted you to see the numbers.

And then you could mod the Metro (or whatever other efficient car you might choose to buy) and knock another 20% off its fuel bill. :)

Daox,
That isn't the first time I've seen the numbers and I dont go home as often as that but you sure have a way of putting it into perspective haha. I am planning to look at something new-to-me when I go home for summer, and MetroMPG I will definitely be modding whatever I get haha.

But in the mean time, what cheap options do I have to save money on the few trips I have left until then?

Probably number one on my list of things to do would be to get a scangauge or ultragauge to monitor the mileage you are getting. That'll help you tweak your driving which is usually where you see your largest fuel economy gains. See the 100+ hypermiling tips link at the top of the page.

Beyond that it sounds like the vast majority of your driving is highway, so I'd look into any aeromod you are comfortable doing. I'd start with a grill block as they're cheap, easy, and effective. By looking at the pictures I've found of the Rodeo, it looks like you should be able to get away with blocking the entire upper grill. Getting a scangauge will allow you to monitor coolant temperatures and maximize the grill block. After that I'd consider a bellypan, rearview mirror deletes, mudflap delete, and then on to the wheel covers etc. When its time for a tire change make sure you get low rolling resistance tires. They normally don't have much if any price premium and can result is a decent boost in mileage. You can check the 65+ mods list link at the top of the page for more ideas. The wiki also has info on mods people have done and generally what kind of results they've gotten MPG wise. Unfortunately we don't have a lot of info on SUVs, so it won't be an apples to apples compairison in most cases.

http://www.featuredcars.com/images/f...eo_19351_1.jpg

What daox said, and #1 with a brick like that ( I have a brick like that in my fleet ) is slow down !
Do not pass trucks unless it is on a hill. Get in a safe distance behind.

Thanks for all the advice! I'll let you guys know what I come up with.

As someone who must drive a Trooper to and from university (college), what did you come up with? :)