4WD Vs Gas Efficiency?

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What type of vehicle do you own?

Poll ended at Mar 31, 2008 3:00 pm

I own a 4WD vehicle.
16
40%
I own a fuel efficient vehicle.
5
13%
I wish I owned any vehicle!
1
3%
My 4WD is fuel efficient -- I have the best of both worlds!
7
18%
I own multiple vehicles.
11
28%
 
Total votes : 40

Re: 4WD Vs Gas Efficiency?

Postby ian mckenzie » Apr 23, 2008 9:23 am

Apparently the US gallon is 20% smaller because hundreds of years ago the British used to take a 20% tax-in-kind off all imports.

Gas hereis $1.16 per litre; there's something like 3.7 litres per US gallon (4.5 l per Imperial gallon). Our dollar is pretty well at par with yours these days.
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Re: 4WD Vs Gas Efficiency?

Postby lenslover2003 » Apr 23, 2008 9:47 am

Without going too far off topic,I would like to throw another thought into the discussion. We are all trying to save on fuel as much as possible,by balancing 4WD toughness with fuel economy. I try to do the same,myself. BUT........then I think about it,in a different way.

Think of your fuel cost,as an entertainment expense,while using it for caving. Here in South Dakota,gas is about $3.30 a gallon,give or take.So,for the price of a movie ticket,I can still get about 2.5 gallons of gas. Even with my OPEC wet dream- Monster Jeep,that will get me 20 miles into the Hills,smack dab in the limestone. That's still a pretty good value,for what you get. An hour and a half in a theatre,or maybe all weekend in the woods. Seems like a no-brainer to me.

Just food for thought........
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Re: 4WD Vs Gas Efficiency?

Postby Caver1402 » Apr 23, 2008 9:56 am

I like your thinking, lenslover2003. :big grin:
Of course ... living here in the suburbs of Chicago, I don't need my Jeep all the time, but it's still fun to drive. I find myself eyeing terrain, wondering if I could make it through/over ... :yikes: I don't think anyone else would appreciate my doing that though!
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Re: 4WD Vs Gas Efficiency?

Postby Teresa » Apr 23, 2008 6:12 pm

Scott McCrea wrote:
Teresa wrote:If you need a Chevy Suburban to carry all your gear-- you have too much gear.

Or you have kids. :laughing:


Yeah...I never quite understood that one. My parents had 5 kids with 14 years from my to my little bro, so we were all home at the same time for about 6-7 years. They had a 65 Chevy Biscayne, which was a medium sized 2 door sedan for the time, and then a 65 Ford Galaxie 2-door and a 1972 Ford F-100 6 cylinder, regular cab with a 7 ft. bed. The truck bed was fitted with flakeboard bench seats and bolted in seatbelts, and a plain unfinished bed cap.
In the unusual circumstance that we all went the same place together (like vacation) there was a small kid in the cab, and 4 in the back. We were packed with the camping gear, and they hauled a popup (my mom never really did like camping.)

For some reason, my sister and her husband who have 3 kids (now teens), need a Chevy Suburban witha 42 gallon tank...AND a popup camper. $135 a throw for gasoline.

Minivans for 3+ kid families I understand, though I have neither. But how did we ever survive?
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Re: 4WD Vs Gas Efficiency?

Postby hank moon » Apr 23, 2008 6:48 pm

See links below for some info on "fuel efficiency" The poll might be more meaningful if this term were better defined...

http://www.dot.gov/affairs/dot5608.htm

http://www.40mpg.org/index.cfm


I own a Toyota Matrix, which i consider to "somewhat" fuel efficient (gets around 33-35 mpg on freeway). Miss my old HOnda which routinely got 45-47 (and sometimes 50). I'm a 4WD sponger...always have been able to catch a ride in one when needed. :grin:

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Re: 4WD Vs Gas Efficiency?

Postby hydrology_joe » Jul 3, 2008 6:04 pm

Now that gas is topping $4/gal, its a good time to revisit this topic.

I have three vehicles... 1979 Chrysler New Yorker 5.9L 4bbl carb. 2002 Chevy Impala. 2006 F150 5.4L SuperCab 4x4.

Now for the gas... I pay for what I drive. Could I sacrifice comfort & safety for a few MPGs? Yes, but my life is worth MORE than that! Will I change my driving habits? No, I drive what I have to when I have to. Have I eliminated unnecessary trips? As much as I can.
What part of "Shall not be infringed" don't you understand?
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