Ouch!!! - What are you $$$ for gas ???

[AWILLIAMS64]

i have thought about the same thing, getting a different car to drive back and forth to work. I drive 100 miles a day round trip so gas is getting expensive, but on the other hand, like the others have said my passport is paid for and i can buy a lot of gas for the price of a car payment each month. I guess i will take my chances and keep the rodeo until it falls apart. It does do better than my 1991 silverado that gets a maximum of 14 mpg.

[Gizmo42]

If you havent done it already, think about replacing the front o2 sensors. They can (and usually will) start reading low over time but not enough to set a CEL. Will cause it to run a little rich. Some have reported better mileage after doing that.

Also, convert to manual hubs. That will reduce quite a bit of drag so you will pick up a little mileage from that, as well as save wear and tear on your cvs and boots.

Hard to tell how much I picked up from my new hubs since I did it right around the time winter gas use ended and temps warmed up (both will cause lower mileage). But so far I've gone from 14.7 round trip for work to around 17 mpg.

[Ramblin Fever]

Originally Posted by Gizmo42

But so far I've gone from 14.7 round trip for work to around 17 mpg.

That's your average mpg?? Ouch, I figured the 5-spds averaged better then the auto's.

Guess I need to stop complaining, I'm hugging 16-17mpg in winter, and 19mpg spring/summer city mileage.

Try Shell gas only Gizmo, wonder if your's will come up.

[Gizmo42]

Shell is all I use, with occasional Conoco if its close and I need gas. My big problem is that my commute is short, only about 6 miles each way (if I could drive straight through cherry creek park instead of around it, it would be 1-2 miles ). The engine doesnt even get up to full temp till I'm just past half way there. And speeds are 40mph or less with llots of stopping.

Still better then I got while pulling ppl out of snow at xmas. Got a whole 10 mpg lol.

Now that its getting warmer out I will be replacing the front o2 sensors soon, hopefully that helps a bit.

[Andie_J]

I constanly get a little over 20 miles a gallon in my 04 Rodeo. with auto. Mostly higway, but some dirt road (my driveway 2 miles of great mud) and some trailer pulling every other day. Was a SHOCK Friday when it took over 40 dollars to fill it Andie

[AWILLIAMS64]

I get between 17 and 20 mpg so i guess its not bad. How many o2 sensors are there?

[Andie_J]

There are 4, the 2 before the cats, the engine side are the important ones. Andie

[surferfletch]

$2.95 last evening. $2.96 today. Separate vehicles.

[Rmasters3]

I don't like paying anything more than I have to for just about anything. That said: gasoline, adjusted for inflation would be at a level comparable to the mid-1950's if it were $2.95 per gallon.

The oil companies make roughly 15 cents per gallon on gasoline. State and Federal taxes are many times that. We were spoiled for so many years with cheap gas. Now, it's caught up.

For those of you tinking about trading down to a smaller vehicle, remember, the sales tax you pay on that new car is going to eat up, probably, two years of incremental gas expenditures. And don't forget about the additional depreciation on a new vehicle. And many states charge more for plates (mine does) if you drive a newer, no valuable vehcile).

If you go tiny, comfort and safety suffer. If you want to drive a gazillion miles in some econobox, go for it. Realistically, keeping what you have and driving it until the wheels come off is the more likely way to save money.

[Ramblin Fever]

Originally Posted by Rmasters3

If you go tiny, comfort and safety suffer. If you want to drive a gazillion miles in some econobox, go for it. Realistically, keeping what you have and driving it until the wheels come off is the more likely way to save money.

I agree totally, my late toy did just that, only it was the engine that was falling out for the 5th time.

After the many accidents I've seen these past 6 mnths involving small cars and trucks - I'll stick to my $60 dollar truck fill-ups.

The gas for the two paid off vehicles still doesn't equate to what their monthly car payments were - so, it is still very worth it to me to drive them. And, good thing this year, the Rodeo's plates FINALLY dropped below $100!

[marcre]

I'm going tomorrow to look for a car. It has to be a good deal and have to get good value on my trade(don't have time to do a private sale). It may happen and may not. The main thing will be my payments. I'm going to look at the new Jetta, mazda3 and Imprezza. I'm digging the way the Jetta looks. My Rodeo still works fine, but I'm betting there are things wrong with it.

It always makes sense to stick with the vehicle that's paid off, but one thing a lot of you are forgeetting is maintenence costs. As mine gets older, it will be there.

I said this before, I miss shifting. I also miss having a sunroof and a quality sound system.

[amigo-2k]

My vote is for a Mazda 3s. I have one (well its my wifes) and its a 5 speed and it is fun to drive! And the 34 mpg on the highway is great!

[marcre]

Originally Posted by amigo-2k

My vote is for a Mazda 3s. I have one (well its my wifes) and its a 5 speed and it is fun to drive! And the 34 mpg on the highway is great!

That's my top choice, but is the most money as well. May be worth it.

[surferfletch]

I may be biased as I've had 3 VWs and my daily is a MKIII Jetta, but I've test driven all three and I would go with the new Jetta with the inline 5 2.5L. The 150 horses in the Mazda 3 are really disappointing and it looks like a nightmare to work on. It doesn't handle like the Jetta either. Both the Impreza and Mazda 3 just don't seem as solid, too. If you're going for reliability and fuel economy, though, then you don't want the VW. I was very close to getting a new Rabbit with the 2.5L, but my Jetta just keeps going. I just did a coolant swap in it. It on its third clutch and 4th timing belt and it pulls as strong as the day I got it. It's had its share of electrical problems and power window failures, but it keeps on going. It has 189K on it.

[Ramblin Fever]

Originally Posted by marcre

It always makes sense to stick with the vehicle that's paid off, but one thing a lot of you are forgeetting is maintenence costs. As mine gets older, it will be there.

If you're seriously doubting your truck that much, and spending that much money that it will for sure amount to more then what you'd make car payment wise; higher insurance rates possibly (for a newer car), and initial plates/taxes in even 1 year's time - it's definitely time to get rid of that truck.

I agree with you, Marcre, it's truly a mute point, you're driving something you don't trust, and something you don't even need, nor want, I'd be getting rid of it too. It's not worth the time and energy to keep spending life wanting something else when that something else IS justifiable and more useful.

As long as you're not *only* looking at it from a saving money stand-point - because your first year on a brand-new, or even 1-2yr old car, you won't be saving as much as you think. I'm only saying this because your's is paid for, otherwise, you would be saving for sure.

Out of the 3 you're looking at, I love the soundness of the VW structure wise, I've heard they can have reliability issues with age too though - but honestly, there are a lot of people who like to only keep cars for 100k and trade them in, in which nothing is wrong with any one of the 3 choices.

Personally, a car that's driven for highway or town use, without the rigors of what people expect from trucks, i.e. towing, off-road, heavy hauling, etc. I don't see why there isn't any car out there that can't last easily 200k carefree miles. And this includes Troopers, Rodeo's, Rodeo Sports not used for truck purposes, and it's a shame if one gets anything less.

I still think for best value and warranty, Hyundai/Kia has come a LONG way, and/or Toyota Corolla - I'm biased a bit towards both however, as we've had a couple Toy's now, and 2 Hyundai hatchback cars when they first came out back around 1985; drove those cars into the ground with very very minor maintenance issues.

Good luck on your search, let us know what becomes of it. And, stop feeling like you need to explain your reasoning for letting go of the Rodeo. Yes, we all like ours, you do too, but you have to trust it, and REALLY like it too, along with needing it - and you don't. Get what you want, and be glad that you did.