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  1. #1
    Join Date
    May 2007
    Location
    Richmond, VA
    Posts
    2,102

    Default Improve Fuel Economy of Jeep Wrangler?

    My kid sister will be selling her Chevy crew cab pickup and GMC Yukon. Both consume tons of gas and have specialty conversion features no longer needed.

    Without going into why, her dream car is a 4-door Jeep Wrangler. Have not asked her, but am guessing the Sahara model. She could buy new, but is sensible with her money, so could be used if available in her market area.

    It would be rare, if ever, that the Jeep would leave pavement to travel off road. Most of her miles would be interstate and county roads through hills and mountains of West Virginia. Wants a hitch in the event she needs to tow a light utility trailer.

    When I asked what stands in the way of the Jeep, she said gas mileage. I looked at data for the past twenty years and it seems that regardless of year, average mpg is in the 14 – 16 range. Where she lives, it might be even worse mileage.

    My questions:

    • What, if anything, can be done to a Jeep Wrangler that would produce a material improvement in fuel economy?
    • If taken to a specialty auto shop, are there after market products to bolt on or replace OEM that would get fuel economy above 20 mpg? 25 mpg?
    • What kind of money would this require?

    If unable to show her how her dream car can get much better gas mileage, I think she would buy a Subaru Outback or Forester, both of which are nice cars and get pretty good gas mileage, just not her dream Jeep.

    Thanks, guys!
    2007 Outback - SOLD June 2016
    2012 RAM Crew Cab
    2015 Subaru Forester
    Stuart

    "When you first start out with something new, you're always a little uptight." - Don Rickles

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Springfield Missouri
    Posts
    3,391

    Default

    Superchips programmer claims a percentage on gas mileage. I use a chip but I can't claim better mileage. Don't go with larger tires.
    1998 Mobius
    310 HP PCM
    SOLD

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Knoxville, TN
    Posts
    1,372

    Default

    I hate to say, but there isn't much out there to get better fuel economy in a 4 door jeep short of tall skinny tires, maybe a rear axle swap to a higher gear, intake, exhaust and a fuel economy type chip may net you 2-3 miles per gallon. You have to factor that cost into how many miles must be logged to come out even and then ahead, which may be several years. So that being said, if she wants the Jeep, buy it, make it look nice and save the money for fuel instead of add ons in hopes of better mpg.
    2018 Supra SA400 aka The Ron Burgandy
    2011 Sea-Doo Wake 155
    2015 Mojo Surf, sold...2013 Axis A22 Recon Edition, sold...2010 Axis A22, sold...2007 Maxum 1800sr3, sold

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Mar 2003
    Location
    Springfield Missouri
    Posts
    3,391

    Default

    I had 35 Toyos that dropped the gas mileage from 18 to 12mpg. I got never used Rubicon wheels and tires dirt cheap and sold my 35s. The chip is used to change the speedometer and change the off road performance. I have a 2007 two door.
    1998 Mobius
    310 HP PCM
    SOLD

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Location
    Lake Wylie NC Area
    Posts
    2,467

    Default

    Trailer it Best MPG you will ever get. Other wise, its a flying brick.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Jun 2008
    Location
    Henderson, NV
    Posts
    7,020

    Default

    if jeep was able to produce 20mpg's, they woudl have from the factory.
    '06 Supra Launch 20SSV-gone but never forgotten

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Aug 2008
    Location
    Hilliard, Ohio
    Posts
    794

    Default

    Wait and buy a new '18 new design. If used Jeeps in her area is like in Columbus you can get a better deal on a new one than a used one almost. I've seen ones with 30K miles used for what I almost bought a new on for.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    May 2013
    Location
    Vancouver WA
    Posts
    5,019

    Default

    Just do some math. How many miles is she driving a year?

    This weekend gas prices here were $2.85 a gallon for 87. Let's compare a few MPG numbers on a yearly or monthly basis.

    If she drives x,xxx miles a year, the difference between 15mph and 20mpg is as follows:

    • 7,500 miles = $356 more per year or $30/month
    • 10,000 miles = $475 more per year or $40/month
    • 12,500 miles = $594 more per year or $49/month
    • 15,000 miles = $713 more per year or $59/month
    • 17,500 miles = $831 more per year or $69/month
    • 20,000 miles = $950 more per year or $79/month



    on a yearly or monthly basis isn't not THAT much money. Would I pay an extra $30 to $80 a month to drive a badass vehicles vs something boring and more fuel efficient? All day, every day. That's why my daily driver Euro wagon has a fuel sucking V8.

    For some people cars are simply transportation. But she really, truly wants to be a vehicle she enjoys then go into it with eyes open and enjoy the ride. My wife went from a Honda Ridgeline to a F150 Ecoboost with a 6" lift and 35" tires on 20" wheels. It drinks the gas. She never even sees 15mph. But she only drives it 7500 miles a year, so it's not that big of deal.


    Or maybe do an analysis of the "total cost of ownership" for the various vehicles she's considering and give a total monthly amount including gas. Then say it'd cost xxx per month to own a Jeep and xxx per month to own a Subaru. Is it worth it? only she can answer that. People get way too worked up over gas numbers that don't always change the overall picture that much.
    Last edited by trayson; 09-25-2017 at 12:40 PM.
    2008 Moomba Mobius XLV. Monster Cargo Bimini, WS Rev 410's, Polk Cabins, 3 Infinity Subs, PPI amps, WS420, Exile BT, upgraded ballast pumps, up to 3,500+ pounds of ballast, Blue LED's...
    1992 Supra Sunsport. **SOLD** 2k pounds ballast, Surf System, Blue LED's everywhere, decent audio system.
    Tow Rig: 2013 F150 Ecoboost FX4 (wife's rig) Other money pits include:1998 BMW M3 Cabriolet, 2009 Audic A6 Avant 3.0T, 2005 Kawasaki ZX-6R 636.
    www.TraysonsToybox.com

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    Tallahassee, FL
    Posts
    14,071

    Default

    Rent a jeep for a week and drive it everywhere. That will clear up her fantasy about how fun a jeep is.
    My Mom said I'm not allowed to get wet!
    2008 LSV (sold)
    2000 Outback LS (sold)
    LLTR!!!!!!!!



  10. #10
    Join Date
    Mar 2010
    Location
    Arkansas
    Posts
    3,952

    Default

    Quote Originally Posted by kaneboats View Post
    Rent a jeep for a week and drive it everywhere. That will clear up her fantasy about how fun a jeep is.
    No lie. Jeep is a great 2nd vehicle.

    Is her dream car a Jeep with the top dropped or an actual 4 door Jeep? We went through this when the wife was shopping and after borrowing a friends, she knew it wasn't going to be her daily driver. Now we skim the classifieds for an older jeep to fill that need without having to deal with daily driving it. Don't have one yet .... too many people also like them!
    2016 Moomba Mojo
    2006 Supra 24SSV - Traded

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