My new Mopar

[Paul G]

I traded in my Ram pick up for a 2008 Caliber. This is my first new car. I have never had a new car before. I got really tired of putting gas in that truck. The Ram got a whopping 12 MPG. The Caliber is getting 27 MPG on the first few fill ups. It has the CVT trans with the 2.0 engine. The CVT is one weird animal that takes some getting used to.

[Brock Samson]

todd wilson got one too...
seen this?.. 

  http://www.caranddriver.com/previews/10907/preview-review-2007-dodge-caliber-srt4.html

[41husk]

I like the 73 in the garage!

[NYCMille]

Congradulations on your new ride... nothing like getting a new car!

[Dave22443]

You only got 12 MPG out of your truck???

I've got a 1998 Ram 1500 Sport 360cid 4x4 automatic extended cab with over 100,000 miles on it and I always get 17 mpg out of a tank.  The only time I get 12 MPG is when I'm towing my 29' Camper.   

[The70RT]

You only got 12 MPG out of your truck???

I've got a 1998 Ram 1500 Sport 360cid 4x4 automatic extended cab with over 100,000 miles on it and I always get 17 mpg out of a tank.  The only time I get 12 MPG is when I'm towing my 29' Camper.   

He probably had a 350 gear like mine. 318 auto quad short bed and I get 15 on the highway if Im going with the wind down hill with the air off. I get 10-12 in town.

[Dave22443]

Mine also has the 3.50 gear. 17" rims and 32" tires.   

I've checked the milage many times and its pretty consistant.  Maybe I just have a lighter foot?

[Paul G]

You only got 12 MPG out of your truck???

I've got a 1998 Ram 1500 Sport 360cid 4x4 automatic extended cab with over 100,000 miles on it and I always get 17 mpg out of a tank.  The only time I get 12 MPG is when I'm towing my 29' Camper.   

He probably had a 350 gear like mine. 318 auto quad short bed and I get 15 on the highway if I'm going with the wind down hill with the air off.

Yep the truck was a 5.9 with 3:55's, 2" leveling kit on the front. It would tow and haul like nobody's business. I put a Hypertech performance programmer on it. Mainly to correct the odometer for the 285 tires I put on it. The Hypertech actually helped improve the mileage a bit. The dealer I traded it to sold it in two weeks. I wonder how much they got for it?

[Dave22443]

More then they gave you for it   

Serioulsy though, it sounds like we had simular trucks, only mine is completely stock.  Even the new Hemi powered 2008 models are rated at 18 mpg highway.

[The70RT]

Mine also has the 3.50 gear. 17" rims and 32" tires.   

I've checked the milage many times and its pretty consistant.  Maybe I just have a lighter foot?

How much ya gettin? Mine has 17's too. I can try and be real easy on the highway and that's about what it gets. It seems to not matter if I have a load or not......go figure?

[Dave22443]

Seriously, I get 17 mpg like clockwork. 

[Paul G]

Last year when gas was around $3.25 a gallon I was practicing "no Brake driving". Thats where you hardly give it any gas at all to get moving and then by anticipating your next stop letting it coast as long as possible before braking. Even at that It only got an average 13.5 MPG. My commute is 11 miles mostly highway.

I really enjoy this little Caliber. Now I can resume normal driving. Fill ups are around $25 a week instead of $60. 

[Dave22443]

Yeah, and 27 MPG is nothing to sneeze at!  Glad you like the new ride and hope it lasts a long time.  All that money you are saving in gas for the truck can now be put into the tank of your Charger   

[WM23N1]

I just bought a new ram 1500 hemi 4x4 quad cab about 4 -5 months ago and it really sucks the gas down. Now im thinking of tradin the damn thing for a new jeep compass ralley. http://www.jeep.com/en/compass/rallye.html

[Todd Wilson]

The highway mileage will increase to about 30-32mpg.   Our in town mileage hasnt been overly impressive sitting around 20mpg but my old lady drives like a wild woman going to shit so I suspect thats the lower in town MPG.

One thing to get used to with the CVT tranmission and it will help your mileage is dont race the engine as you take off.  Its hard to explain  but if you put your foot in it some the engine races (also feels like the tranny is slipping)
and the car takes off and the transmission pulls the car up to speed.

It takes some practice but theres a spot where the motors RPMS are like equal to the transmission and the tranny will bring the car up to speed as you push the pedal down at an equal rate. If you go to much on the pedal the engine races some while acelerating. Stay away from that and the MPG will be good. I think thats where my old lady is doing it wrong. Its like you need to increase the gas pedal at the equal rate the CVT transmission is also going up in speed not racing the motor. Go out and drive it and you will see what I am talking about.



As far as trucks  12mpg in town is doing pretty good!


Todd

[ChargerSG]

I like the 73 in the garage!

I was going to buy a Caliber but i dident think it was that good just to sit in(a little knees under your chin feeling), it felt just like my Suzuki and that was the feeling i wanted to vanished. So i dident went for it, i bought a 1970 RT/SE Challenger resto insted

[hemi68charger]

Good for you Paul.. You are correct, nothing like a new car. Nice '73 and garage there.....

[Paul G]

One thing to get used to with the CVT tranmission and it will help your mileage is dont race the engine as you take off.  Its hard to explain  but if you put your foot in it some the engine races (also feels like the tranny is slipping)
and the car takes off and the transmission pulls the car up to speed.

It takes some practice but theres a spot where the motors RPMS are like equal to the transmission and the tranny will bring the car up to speed as you push the pedal down at an equal rate. If you go to much on the pedal the engine races some while acelerating. Stay away from that and the MPG will be good. I think thats where my old lady is doing it wrong. Its like you need to increase the gas pedal at the equal rate the CVT transmission is also going up in speed not racing the motor. Go out and drive it and you will see what I am talking about.
Todd

I know exactly what that is now. It took a little while to get used to that. More gas doesn't it make go more quicker. It just makes the engine more louder.

Thanks guys for the compliments on the 73.

[Brightyellow69rtse]

grats on the new but i have to ask is it worth it for a 11 mile commute?  i get 15-16 mpg in my 03 2500 hemi ram that just hit 100,000. before i started playing with it i was gettin 11mpg so i did get a good improvement over stock. ive always heard the 5.9 were pigs on the gas.

[Dave22443]

I always heard the Hemi's were pigs on gas   

[69charger2002]

One thing to get used to with the CVT tranmission and it will help your mileage is dont race the engine as you take off.  Its hard to explain  but if you put your foot in it some the engine races (also feels like the tranny is slipping)
and the car takes off and the transmission pulls the car up to speed.

It takes some practice but theres a spot where the motors RPMS are like equal to the transmission and the tranny will bring the car up to speed as you push the pedal down at an equal rate. If you go to much on the pedal the engine races some while acelerating. Stay away from that and the MPG will be good. I think thats where my old lady is doing it wrong. Its like you need to increase the gas pedal at the equal rate the CVT transmission is also going up in speed not racing the motor. Go out and drive it and you will see what I am talking about.


Todd

boy this sounds like a fun way to wake up and drive everyday huh?!? if i had to explain all that to my wife just to get her going down the road while saving gas mileage, she'd probably offer to drive one of my chargers WITHOUT a/c instead..
27 mpg isn't worth it to me, to sacrifice only having 158 horsepower on tap.. it would drive me crazy.. my 02 GT vert has 325 hp and gets a legitimate 22 mpg mix of city and highway.. and it doesn't matter if i punch it when taking off..
congrats on your new car though, it does smell good for a while!