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Wagons Dodge Caliber Dodge Caliber MPG-Real World Numbers
221 messages, Last post on Jun 09, 2009 at 5:10 PM
You are in the Dodge Caliber Forum. Your Host is kcram
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Replying to: moonhunt18 (Apr 24, 2006 6:24 pm) |
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Replying to: kato1 (Apr 24, 2006 5:10 pm) 2002 Neon stick shift; 2004 Scion xA stick shift; 2004 Chevy Cavalier (ecotec) with stick shift; 2006 Chevy Cobalt with stick shift (current car) 2003 Honda Civic coupe with stick shift. 2005 Focus ZX3 PZEV with stick shift The following cars got me 32 mpg under my 80 mile mostly freeway commute with light to moderate traffic: 2002 Neon stick shift; 2004 Scion xA stick shift; 2004 Chevy Cavalier (ecotec) with stick shift; 2006 Chevy Cobalt with stick shift (current car) 2003 Honda Civic coupe with stick shift. 2005 Focus ZX3 PZEV with stick shift The following cars got me 30 mpg under my 80 mile mostly freeway commute with light to moderate traffic: 2001 VW Golf stick shift; 2004 Neon automatic; 2004 VW Golf stick shift; the other Focus ZX3 sticks shifts I had (Zetec engine) The following cars dropped to 26 mpg if I took long road trips and drove 80mph: both VW Golfs The following car dropped to 30 mpg if I took long road trips and drove 80 mph: the Scion xA 26 mpg, all conditions: 2003 Focus ZX3 automatic (2.0 Zetec). 24 mpg, optimal highway conditions: PT Cruisers, 2004 and 2006 both with automatic 28 mpg, optimal highway conditions: 2005 Honda CR-V with 5 speed auto 23.5 mpg, daily commute (80 mile freeway, as above): 2006 Dodge Carvan SE with 2.4 4 cylinder engine. 18 mpg, 50/50 city and higway: the PT Cruisers (they take a big hit with city driving). IN SHORT 26-30 mpg with the Caliber is excellent mileage, given the following factors (i) I am a turtle away from stop lights compared with most of you; (ii) I read the traffic conditions ahead of me on the freeway, and seldom have to brake (just lifting my foot off the gas works) or accelerate hard; (iii) the Caliber is a much heavier, safer car than most of my higher mpg vehicles listed above; (iv) almost all my high mileage numbers (except the CR-V and Neon) come from stick shift vehicles - automatics really slam the mileage, I don't care what the EPA says in comparing stick shifts and automatics. The CVT in the Caliber is supposed to be more efficient in the Caliber, but apparently only improves city cycle mileage, not freeway mileage, over a conventional automatic. In short, enjoy the car, don't stress.
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Replying to: micweb (Apr 25, 2006 7:50 am) WHAT!!!???, you consider 26-30 mpg excellent mileage, AND you drive conservatively!!! sorry, this car is a compact car. the matrix has pretty much equal cargo capacities and blows the caliber away as far as mileage. ive driven a couple and they were a blast to drive as well. i hate to see what caliber owners who dont drive conservatively get for mileage. i just got back from a 265 mile trip with my corolla--44.3 MPG and i am only willing to say this is acceptable: i could probably have driven a little slower and done better. "(iii) the Caliber is a much heavier, safer car than most of my higher mpg vehicles listed above;" several of those cars similarly equipped as the caliber get similar crash test results why does chrysler offer such PATHETIC gas mileage in their vehicles. i dont have the answer, but perhaps there are a plethora of chrysler owners feeling that an anemic 26-30 mpg is excellent. the caliber is not fast anyway, so why cant it be reasonably fuel efficient? sorry to rant, but in no way, shape, or form can 26-30 mpg be considered acceptable in this segment. it is just SAD, SAD, SAD people accept this from chrysler products. it is particularly bad timing as well, considering the state of gasoline prices. a good analogy is chicago cubs fans who keep filling wrigley field year after year even though there is a poor product on the field. they are all there for the "atmosphere" but in the end the product is still a loser. chrysler owners: demand better, and maybe they will build something that doesn't insult your intelligence. the caliber offers nothing over the competition, and they've had several years (matrix/vibe came out in 2002) to engineer and build something more competitive. i may come off as a toyota owning snob, but on the contrary i would love to see the big 3 step up to the plate, but they always seem to be lagging behind, and in the case of the caliber, lagging far behind. this is 2006. i just passed a gas pump that read $3.01 for regular. your most fuel efficient car needs not be such a JOKE!
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Replying to: 79customd (Apr 24, 2006 1:28 pm) |
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Replying to: 79customd (Apr 24, 2006 1:28 pm) |
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First off, they probably have a forum for Corolla lovers, ok kato1? Now, if I drive a Caliber 100k miles and average 28 mpg (likely) that takes 3571 gallons of gas, $2.75 per gallon on average, gives a cost of $9821. If I drove a car that got 38 mpg for the same 100k miles, it would take 2632 gallons of gas, $2.75 per gallon on average, gives a cost of $7237. Thus, the savings would be $2584. BUT, how much more would it cost to build/buy the higher MPG car? Probably $2500 or more, ... Do we all get it now? I'm sure DCX has done these calculations several times... When I was looking at Jettas a while back, it was actually cheaper to buy the gasser than the TDI, because the TDI commands full sticker price and the gasser does not. There was more of a price differential than the fuel savings would offset in 100k. Even the VW dealer agreed with my numbers... I think you would need to drive a Toyota Prius about 250k before you actually start saving money, since they cost so much to begin with... and the insuracnce is high too because of the value of the car. The 2006 Civic may get 35 mpg overall, but it is slightly higher priced than the Caliber, has fewer features, and will break you on insurance since its the #1 most stolen car... Bottom line - my Caliber uses no more gas than my late-model failed GM experiment did, and it has many likable features not found on the entry-level econoboxes. Its all in what you want and what you want to pay for.
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Replying to: nonnemacher (Apr 25, 2006 6:33 pm) Thank You! |
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Replying to: nonnemacher (Apr 25, 2006 6:33 pm) "If I drove a car that got 38 mpg for the same 100k miles, it would take 2632 gallons of gas, $2.75 per gallon on average, gives a cost of $7237. Thus, the savings would be $2584. BUT, how much more would it cost to build/buy the higher MPG car? Probably $2500 or more, ... Do we all get it now? I'm sure DCX has done these calculations several times..." ...this argument holds no water. to even get air conditioning in a caliber, youll spend as much or more than a toyota matrix w/ac and still give up at least 6-8 mpg. (BTW, MY COROLLA COST ALMOST EXACTLY THE SAME AS THE BASE CALIBER, BUT I GET AC, POWER LOCKS, MIRRORS--AND A GOOD 8-12 MORE MILES PER GALLON.) additionally, $2.75/ gallon is likely wishful thinking for the next decad. so, toyota and honda can do it but DCX cannot? its not that they cannot afford to build such a car, they do not have the will to do it and here's why, IN MY OPINION: your quote was as follows--"Bottom line - my Caliber uses no more gas than my late-model failed GM experiment did, and it has many likable features not found on the entry-level econoboxes" BIG 3 owners have fairly low standards. you seem satisfied to be using no more gas than a "failed gm experiment". if you want to compare DCX products to ford and gm, they will always come out ok. yes i think the corolla (and matrix) are great cars. since i sell both DCX and Toyo products for the same dealership, i find those two cars strong representatives for the compact car segment and a good point of reference for comparing to the caliber--I WOULD LOVE TO PURCHASE A DCX, FORD, OR GM PRODUCT--but, i work hard for my money and want/need to get as much for my money as possible. a dodge caliber doesnt give me any value for my money. i believe that domestic car owners have slowly begun to speak with their pocketbooks and are demanding better innovation at fair prices, thus TOYO's incredible growth in market share. (as well as the Korean automakers) as an american, i would love to see the big 3 as the leaders in the automotive industry, but im not willing to give them my money unless they are willing to step forward and be more competitive. i honestly think, and would hope, most Americans are like me and would gladly drive a domestic vehicle if it were up to par with the rest of the market. unlike some, i think the caliber looks decent, and if they offered a fuel efficient version i would have seriously considered it. they chose not to offer such a vehicle. if enough people are willing to drive a compact that gets poor mileage, then i think DCX will be content with that. |
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Replying to: kato1 (Apr 25, 2006 7:54 pm) quote=this argument holds no water. to even get air conditioning in a caliber, you'll spend as much or more than a toyota matrix w/ac and still give up at least 6-8 mpg You cannot even get a Matrix in my region with ABS and side air bags that are standard on the $16k Caliber. AC is important to you, other features are important to other people. I'm not sure why you keep throwing the Corolla into the mix. Yes, it is a compact, but does not have the utility of a hatchback/5-dr nor the look/image. People are not cross shopping the appliance Corolla with hatchbacks. |
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Replying to: aaron_t (Apr 26, 2006 4:43 am) |
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