Id like to know the gas mileage on a 95 rodeo 3.2L 4WD 5 speed before i get it. please help out

I can tell you if you're looking for an average of over 20mpg city or highway, you can forget it.

But, with the automatic 4x2 3.2L '97 Rodeo, with 32" tires (2" bigger then stock) and about 500# of extra accessories/body armor, i.e. big luggage rack, brushguard, class 3 hitch, 32" spare tire, and tools that I always carry, I average:

17-19mpg city consistantly
18-22 highway consistantly

Mind you I do not drive aggressively - when I do, my mpg for that tank will drop 1-2mpg; and I don't aim to go over 70mph, gas mileage drops.

Best thing you can do is keep that engine precisely tuned, clean breathers: air, pcv, fuel, egr valve, clean sparkplugs and wires (if your year has them), and run your tire psi about 2-5psi higher then what's on the doorjam, this DOES help big-time.

For the size of SUV here, mind you, the Rodeo's are quite heavy trucks, but they are strong, sturdy, and have a tough willed engine. My truck's worth every tank of gas IMHO - has never left me stranded.

I have a 97 as well and even though it runs great, has a wee bit of extra tire pressure and I don't drive agressively at all, can only manage mid to high teens MPG in mixed driving. If I ever saw a 20+ mpg highway trip, I'd say it was very unusual or due to me not carrying any load at all. I have an automatic also.
You are smart to inquire before you purchase.

alright thanks guys

and run your tire psi about 2-5psi higher then what's on the doorjam, this DOES help big-time.

It helped my work van. The rear tires on it looked low so thought I would check them. The idiot transportation guys set the tires at 50 psi all the way around. The door jam calls for 50 front and 80 rear (80 is max listed on the tires). Its a service van with lots of weight in it. I set them up to 70 psi and picked up 1.5 mpg. Now I get a whopping 11.5 mpg with it (glad I dont pay for the gas).

My rodeo gets a steady 15.5 mpg just going to work and back. Its only 6 miles and 2 of those are highways speeds. Combination offroad and highway (mostly highway) I get 19-20. I'm a bit of a leadfoot though. I also have the tires set to 35 psi all the way around. Door jam says 29 front/rear.

that helps, but there are a few other problems with it as well. the rear power windows dont work, and the back window hatch lock doesnt lock. they are asking $2000 and i just want to see if its worth it

Since you're only 16, you've got to think about insurance too. These vehicles have an unusually high rate applied to them. More so than you would expect for an SUV this size. It has the highest premium of all the vehicles listed in my signature - and is worth the lowest according to book value. The collision coverage is disproportionate so I drop that coverage and then re-instate it in the winter. If it's gonna be your daily driver better give the lizard company a call to see how bad it'll be for you.
Tom

My insurance just dropped for some reason :iceslolan just got my renewal thing in the mail (I'm with Progressive). When I first got it, it was $410 for 6 months (lia/comp/UIM/med) which shocked me. Way more then my 2wd mitsu was. 6 months ago it dropped a little to $401, this time its $295 :naughty:

For anyone under 25 yrs old you can figure probably double that amount.

I refuse to go through geico. When I was in the navy I had seveal freinds that had them when they were Government Employees Insurance Company (thats what geico means) and most of them got dropped after a minor speeding ticket. Progressive has treated me pretty good. Before that I had Shelter insurance (for 20 yrs) and nobody could come close to what I was paying them until a few years ago.

well im not worried about insurance luckily i made a deal with my parents and they are covering it for me

Funny thing, my Rodeo is the cheapest to insure of all my stable, $45/monthly for full coverage.

Spray some WD-40 on the back glass hatch mechanism, see if this helps. Is it jambed at all, or just won't lock?

Back windows, if they're power windows, probably just need new motors - they do wear out, unfortunately, and that can happen with any power-loaded 11yr old vehicle.

If those are the ONLY two issues you have with the truck, that's nothing in reality.

How many miles? Does it have a GOOD service history?

well the window doesnt lock. it latches, but you cant turn the key to lock it. it has 183k miles and the guy selling it bought it new so he is the only owner. i would think thats good history enough

the guy selling it bought it new so he is the only owner. i would think thats good history enough

Well you might be right, but if he didn't keep any receipts it's just like it didn't happen at all. We have all been BS'd by guys selling cars even one owner ones. All it takes is that one owner to stop taking care of the vehicle 'drive it into the ground' and just before it self-destructs, give it a wash, conceal a problem or two, tell some lies (changed oil every 3K is a popular one) and get a few bucks for it. But just maybe, like many of us here do, he/she kept a folder of oil changes, tranny flushes, etc. Ask to see it. If it got lost somehow or there is story about why there aren't any receipts - offer $1000 for this '95.
My '97 Rodeo runs decent, everything works except the rear antilock brake feature, is clean inside and on the topside, has under a 100k miles and is only worth $2000 on a good day around here. For every 10 cents that gas goes up, the value of this truck goes down $100 :p
Anyone else here think he should pay 2 big bills for a 12 year old with 183K on the rig?

Anyone else here think he should pay 2 big bills for a 12 year old with 183K on the rig?
Not me. Maybe a grand. There's much better out there. Ask the guy who just got his for $400!

Anyone else here think he should pay 2 big bills for a 12 year old with 183K on the rig?

Nope, not unless the ONE owner has ALL maintenance service records. Seeing as he is the only owner this truck has ever had, like myself on my Rodeo, he should have EVERY receipt, work-order, etc for everything down to the last set of tires and shocks.

I'd rather the truck having seen 3 different owners and have a paper-trace work history, versus a truck with only one owner and no documented history.

But, I may not have asked, does the previous owner have all records? If so, it may be a good ride - imho, $2k isn't bad as long as it's in prestine condition.

The back windows aren't anything to fret about, least I don't think so. But let me tell you, a neglected Isuzu can be your worst nightmare; but if it's been maintained, it can be your best friend.

I trust my 'Zu over everything else - but this truck has been meticulously maintained, and I have every document.

haha so i called him and he said he has all his records so i offered him 1500 and he said 1600 and its a deal so im gettin it tomorrow! thanks a ton for all your help

Good deal, not bad, just make sure he holds up his end of the deal; i.e. shows you the majority of all work history. He may not have every bit and piece, as some are not as anal as I am about keeping records - but it is important so that you're not getting in over your head.

Keep in mind, if he hasn't done so, on a 12yr old vehicle, you may need to be replacing old OEM coolant hoses, thermostat, waterpump, possibly in need of a radiator (typically are only good for 9-11yrs), etc.

Not aiming to scare you at all, these are just items I've had to replace in the last year on a 9yr old vehicle with 160k miles. And you do NOT want this engine to ever overheat - all aluminum.

Post a pic and an update when you bring her home.

I'm a bad owner. I do all the maintenance and take good care of my vehicles, but keep very few records. I usually lose the ones I do keep anyways. I've never had a problem with selling anything for my asking price though.

well i brought it home just barely im really exited its awesome, but i dont know how to put on the pictures will someone tell me how?

Find a host such as Photobucket.com open a free account and load your pictures there, careful to have the files sizes at a reasonable pixel size. After loading them there, click on the picture to bring it up full size. Copy the URL address for the picture.
Then come to this site, open this thread and start a reply. Click on the little yellow 'mountain scene' on the message toolbar and when the window appears, paste your URL address right there. Click OK. You're all set. Or do a search here on how to add pictures. Might be other ways to accomplish the same thing.
Congrats on your purchase. Would like to see your new ride. Tom

Its easier then that with photobucket. When you are in the thumbnail view (you see smaller versions of all the pics) click on the line under the pic that says "Img". Then right click on it, click copy. In the post you are making right click and click paste. Sounds alot harder then it is.

The max size I will use for pics for posting in the forums is 640x480. If they are too big when you put them on photobucket you can click on edit above the thumbnail of the pic then change the size there.

thanks alot for all your help. pretty sweet eh?

Looks great! Awfully clean. Good luck with your new ride!

Wow, it's in REALLY nice shape. Good deal.

Very nice. Will it need tires soon? If so, check the past threads here about which brands we've been happy with.

Welcome aboard. Lots of good info about this generation Rodeo here.

nah the tires are pretty new. i like it a lot i havent had a single problem with it. i had to get used to the sensitive clutch yesterday

You can paste as many pics as you want into one message, makes things easier.

Nice looking rodeo, I want your wheels LOL. Thats the color of rodeo I wanted (or blue) but ended up with black.
You can have the interior though, I dont do beige.

I still kill mine alot. After a year I'm still not used to the clutch. My mitsu that i had for 15 yrs had a messed up
cable operated clutch so I got used to it.

well i just discovered something a few minuets ago. i noticed a really airy noise when i was driving today. come to find out, the tube that connects to the (brand new) air filter wasnt even connected. i reconnected it, but im afraid of what could have hapened if i didnt. what could have happened?