Gas Mileage...NEED HELP!!!
12-06-2011, 07:25 AM
#32
JK Enthusiast
Join Date: May 2010
Location: Lowell, AR
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Originally Posted by JPop
Not quite that easy. You still have maintenance, a true call for a 4wd or all wheel drive vehicle because the OP will face a fair amount of lake effect snow (likely driving to South Bend or Chicago), insurance and repairs. A degree of reliability, meaning a higher price than $1900, lower mileage than 35mpg because of all wheel drive, you would be hard pressed to find a shorter payback.
First off let's get the numbers on the beater, and yes a two wheel drive will do because remember he still has a Jeep if weather is too bad.
$3.25 per gallon / 35 mpg X 100 miles per day = $9.29 per day
$23.21 - $ 9.29 = $13.92 (the difference from 14 mpg to 35 mpg per day)
$1900.00 / $13.92 = 136.5 driving days needed to break even on the initial purchase of the beater.
136.5 days vs 655 days or 6 months vs 2+ years (assuming he doesn't drive 100 miles a day but 5 times a week)
Now let's talk maintenance.
In those 136.5 days of driving he will rack up 13,650 miles on the beater. In the 655 days he will rack up 65,500 miles on his Jeep.
If he changes his oil every 3K miles that's a little over 4 for the beater and almost 22 for the Jeep.
Assuming the tires on the beater last 50K miles, well there's no need to replace them with only 13,650 miles, but they would be far cheaper. The 35s on the Jeep MAY have a life span of 50K (highly doubt it) but they will need replaced at probably $300 each for all 5 if rotations were done, $1500.
Not to mention replacing the transmission fluid, gear oil, ball joints and everything else that needs periodic replacement on a daily driven lifted Jeep.
Now we're getting to insurance. I personally wouldn't carry full coverage on a $1900 beater unless I financed it and was required but I could only guess a $1900 car around Chicago for 6 months of liability only may cost $50.
And all this saves the wear and tear on the Jeep that's not being wasted away as a commuter vehicle.
Last edited by ranjr; 12-06-2011 at 11:56 AM.
12-06-2011, 01:08 PM
#33
JK Super Freak
SOUNDS LIKE YOU NEED TO RE-GEAR IT !! iM RUNNING 37'S WITH 513 GEARS AND ON A GOOD DAY , AND NO WIND , I GET ABOUT 17.8 MILES PER GALLON !! I HAD THE SAME PROBLEM WHEN I HAD THE SAME SET UP AS YOU , IT FELT LIKE MY FOOT WAS TO THE FLOOR THE WHOLE TIME I WAS ON THE E-WAY !! 
Good to hear. Mine is going in between Xmas and New Years to get 5.13 gears installed.