Go Back   EcoModder Forum > EcoModding > EcoModding Central
Register Now
 Register Now
 

Reply  Post New Thread
 
Submit Tools LinkBack Thread Tools
Old 05-21-2012, 02:26 PM   #1 (permalink)
ecotank
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: High Point NC
Posts: 4
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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!

  Reply With Quote
Alt Today
Popular topics

Other popular topics in this forum...

   
Old 05-21-2012, 03:02 PM   #2 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,588 Times in 1,555 Posts
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.
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2012, 03:15 PM   #3 (permalink)
ecotank
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: High Point NC
Posts: 4
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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.
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2012, 04:29 PM   #4 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,588 Times in 1,555 Posts
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.
__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
The Following 2 Users Say Thank You to Daox For This Useful Post:
delsolr8 (05-21-2012), MetroMPG (05-21-2012)
Old 05-21-2012, 05:57 PM   #5 (permalink)
Batman Junior
 
MetroMPG's Avatar
 
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,534

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 57.73 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,082
Thanked 6,979 Times in 3,614 Posts
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.
__________________
Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2012, 06:07 PM   #6 (permalink)
ecotank
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: High Point NC
Posts: 4
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
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?
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-21-2012, 06:24 PM   #7 (permalink)
Administrator
 
Daox's Avatar
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Germantown, WI
Posts: 11,203

CM400E - '81 Honda CM400E
90 day: 51.49 mpg (US)

Daox's Grey Prius - '04 Toyota Prius
Team Toyota
90 day: 49.53 mpg (US)

Daox's Insight - '00 Honda Insight
90 day: 64.33 mpg (US)

Swarthy - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage DE
Mitsubishi
90 day: 56.69 mpg (US)

Daox's Volt - '13 Chevrolet Volt
Thanks: 2,501
Thanked 2,588 Times in 1,555 Posts
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.

__________________
Current project: A better alternator delete
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2012, 10:15 AM   #8 (permalink)
Master EcoModder
 
skyking's Avatar
 
Join Date: Apr 2011
Location: Tacoma WA
Posts: 1,399

Woody - '96 Dodge Ram 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 23.82 mpg (US)

Avion and Woody - '96 Dodge/Avion Ram 2500/5th wheel combo
90 day: 15.1 mpg (US)

TD eye eye eye - '03 Volkswagen Beetle GLS
90 day: 49.05 mpg (US)

Mule - '07 Dodge Ram 3500 ST
Thanks: 743
Thanked 528 Times in 344 Posts
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.
__________________




2007 Dodge Ram 3500 SRW 4x4 with 6MT
2003 TDI Beetle
2002 TDI Beetle

currently parked - 1996 Dodge 2500 Cummins Turbodiesel
Custom cab, auto, 3.55 gears
  Reply With Quote
Old 05-22-2012, 12:04 PM   #9 (permalink)
ecotank
 
Join Date: May 2012
Location: High Point NC
Posts: 4
Thanks: 1
Thanked 0 Times in 0 Posts
Thanks for all the advice! I'll let you guys know what I come up with.
  Reply With Quote
Old 07-14-2015, 11:20 PM   #10 (permalink)
EcoModding Lurker
 
ShinyMew's Avatar
 
Join Date: Feb 2015
Location: Vic, AU
Posts: 27

Suzuki Swift '06 - '06 Suzuki Swift (Base)
Thanks: 4
Thanked 3 Times in 1 Post
Question

Quote:
Originally Posted by delsolr8 View Post
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?

__________________
Proponent for Prevention of Cruelty to Automobiles.

  Reply With Quote
Reply  Post New Thread


Tags
isuzu, rodeo, suv, tank





Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.11
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, vBulletin Solutions Inc.
Content Relevant URLs by vBSEO 3.5.2
All content copyright EcoModder.com