So here is the deal...going through a divorce and lost pretty much everything...house, 4Runner, etc. My new place of living will be 52 miles from work so round trip 104 highway miles per day in a 96 XJ 4.0 with over 200K on the dial.

Been looking into everything I can do to boost gas mileage. I already have taken everything out of Jeep that I dont need to reduce weight. Tire pressue is wear it should be...are there any advantages to over inflating tires a bit more to reduce friction?

Basically any ideas you fella have for pushing gas mileage let me know.

So I am not a aerodynamic expert...maybe someone here is. So the Jeep XJ we can all agree is basically a brick with wheels. So one friend suggested that I find a way to lessen the drag on the rear. He suggested that I roll down the windows in the rear to allow airflow in and then open the rear hatch. So lets just agree this is not a great idea...one driving around with the hatch wide open isnt safe never mind I am pretty sure that hatch being closed is part of the structural integrity of the Jeep. But it did get me thinking....what if I did open the rear windows and found a way to slightly open the rear hatch and maybe found a way to mock up a brace to put across the rear that would allow airflow but also keep the struc integ the hatch provides.

Look, I know this may seem crazy but seriously I am looking for for anything I can to save gas. Sure you guys know in a divorce wife gets it all so every penny I can save to rebuild my life is worth it.

Thanks in advance for any advice.

 

That's a stupid idea.

Remove your roof rack, get a set of highway tires and inflate them to spec. Over inflated tires will wear out the middle of the tread and cause you problems later on. Go easy on the skinny pedal, slow take off and acceleration and keep the rpms at or below 2000 on the highway. You could possibly lower the jeep a couple inches if you're on 215 size tires. Make a bigger air dam for under the front bumper. Make sure you keep up on your maintenance ie: oil,spark plugs, dist, trans fluid.

That's about all I got. Good luck.

 

Everything good and nice, but in all honesty mate: you're driving a 17-18 year old truck with 200+K miles on it, a truck that was never ment to be a fuel economic wonder. All the adjustments will give you maybe a handfull of miles extra. Max.But hey, it might be the miles that do it.

 

I hate to say it, but given your position I'd park the XJ and get a cheap VW TDI. 104 miles a day in an XJ is not going to be very cheap AT ALL. You can save a little bit of gas but the safety ramifications are serious, such as overinflating tires to the point where they could explode or you won't be able to stop, or the mods alone will cost more than you'll save. Hypermiling in an XJ is not cheap or particularly clever. You'll break even on the VW pretty quick.

 

Not to mention carbon monoxide backflow into the vehicle if the hatch is slightly ajar.

 

That's not so bad, the drive won't seem that long because you won't remember most of it! If the cold doesn't force you awake, that is.

 

I used to do a 140 mile round trip everyday in my ZJ, it got real expensive when gas was at four bucks a gallon. Eighty dollars every other day would have paid for a used gas sipping beater. I'm pretty happy with my 13 mile round trip now.

 

Sell it and buy a civic.

 

Your commute is plenty long enough that buying a cheap beater will be cost efficient, 2k for a decent 4cyl. beater that could probably be sold in the future for not much less than you paid for it.

 

if your XJ is a 4wd, I'll trade transmissions with you and take the t-case and front axle off of your hands... weight savings.

 

And another option to buying a cheaper beater car would be to move closer to work (if it's the type of work you plan on doing for a while). Or find a job closer to where you live. Look at it this way: If you drive 100 miles a day, work 21 days a month, at $3.59/gal (current cheap price here), you'll spend almost $500/month in gas. Not saying you could rent an apartment that cheap but also take into consideration the hours of life you'll get back- like a whole work-week's worth. Factor in wear and tear (oil changes, tires, etc) and it would be cheaper to move.

 

This is the best advise.

 

Opening your windows will increase drag and reduce fuel mileage.

 

Sorry Dude but driving a jeep will not help you with your finance's....If you can find a way to get a small car it will pay for itself and save plenty on gas!...

 

Bingo.

Thundercracker, your friend's idea will INCREASE drag, not lower it. Bad idea.

You aren't going to get any significant improvements in the aerodynamics of a Cherokee without investing a lot of money in some serious fiberglass work. Fuggedaboudit.

Your commute is about the same as mine. I get 18 MPG consistently, winter & summer. That's expensive.

So what to do?

Math.

Do the math. Figure out what you're spending now, and what you'll be spending with a new car.

I've already done a spreadsheet to figure the comparison, so I'll just throw some numbers at you without showing all the math. These figures assume 18 MPG for the Jeep, 54 mile commute (one way), and 40 miles driven on weekends.

At 25 MPG (for the new car) and $3.50 per gallon, you'll save about $135 bucks a month.

So, a $2,000 economy car will pay for itself in about 15 months. After that you start saving money.


At 30 MPG (for the new car) and $3.50 per gallon, you'll save about $195 bucks a month. That new car pays for itself in about 10 months


I'm rounding a lot here, but it's close enough to give the idea. And of course, you still have to factor in any additional insurance if you decide to keep both cars.


There's a thread around here on getting 25 MPG with a Jeep. You might get some good ideas there.