help Orangina get better gas mileage

The gas-guzzling behemoth is going to find a new home.

is what I think helped a lot. That and staying on top of the tire pressure in those damn mud & snow tires. I’m almost looking forward to replacing them for the extra 40+ miles I’ll be getting out of each tank (which more than covers the $ for my DD fix – notice I’m getting crafty now).

I got 262 miles out of the last tank, which is a record amount. That’s a little more than 14 mpg. I’m making a serious effort to keep it at 65 on the highway, which usually means leaving a couple minutes earlier than I would have. But I’ve set most of my clocks ten minutes fast and therefore I’m actually getting to places on time. Good stuff all around.

26,311 miles. While I was under there I crawled to the back to see if I could discern what’s been making all of that racket whenever I go over a speed bump. Sure enough, one of the bump stops came off and was rattling around inside the spring. Why this happened I have no idea; I checked the other one and it seems to be tight. I put the wayward stop back in place, but I need something with better torque to tighten it. And it looks as if the rear main seal is still leaking.

I have so had it with the dealer. Every time I go in there to get something fixed (and since the Jeep is two years old and under warranty), they tell me I must have hit something. The same service “coordinator” (or whatever they’re calling the people that try to sell you things you don’t need and ignore the warranty and recall work that needs to be done) told me the last time I went in there that he “sees my Big Cypress sticker on the window” (i.e. I go off-roading in the Everglades) and that “there’s mud all over this thing!”

No shit, Sherlock.

I bought a brand-new Jeep TJ, had the dealer do all the lifting, suspension and body work, and now the same dealer’s representatives act completely bowled over when they see that it’s been off-road. I think Chrysler likes this whole ‘Trail Rated’ thing as a concept they can sell rather than something that’s tangible.

So I busted out all of my Griot’s supplies and went to work making the Jeep sparkle. I even cleaned and polished the plastic windows. It looks like it just came off the assembly line – on the outside, anyway. The inside is still covered with mud and dog hair. But I’ll get that remedied before my appointment with the dealer on Thursday.

:)

If I can’t put new tires on right away, I can at least do my part to help myself and others find the cheapest gas prices. I signed up with GasBuddy some time ago, but I’m just starting to use it again. I’ve already posted two of the lowest 87 octane prices for my area. Whoo hoo!

She is a beast. When I pull up to a gas station, I swear I can hear her say “Mmmmm…buffet!” As it stands, she is getting an average of 13 miles to a gallon, and 10 if the radio is on. (Kidding.) But I am well aware of what a ridiculous amount of fuel consumption that is, as well as the fact that I am a one-person assault on the environment. For every 18 or so gallons that goes in my tank, I can travel a maximum of 250 miles. I know this because I have run out of gas waiting to get to a cheaper gas station.

Instead of doing things like the above maneuver, I need to find ways to get more mileage out of what I’m putting in it. I do enjoy off-road adventures, and I have a black Lab who absolutely loves the Jeep. I have spent a lot of time, effort, and money fixing it up exactly the way I want it. I am an outdoorsy kind of person who actually uses the vehicle as it was intended to be used, and getting rid of it is not an option at this point.

• How much more mileage will I get by switching to radials instead of mud & snow tires?
• Were the ring & pinion gears in the differentials of both the front and rear axle changed?
• How bad is the increased torque loads on the axles, u-joints & drive shafts? Why does it sound like it’s chewing up marbles?