RE: caliber reliability

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RE: caliber reliability - 3/30/2008 12:47:18 AM    litesong   Posts: 77 Joined: 10/23/2006 Status: offline Hi somenothingness....I'm glad you consider me your friend. My SE & your SXT are close, so I include SXTs too. But I have noted that SE Calibers seem to get a bit better results than other Calibers, specially better than R/Ts & yes, better than SXTs on the average. I compile my MPG data with the Federal government's website Fueleconomy.com. By careful inputing, my overall average MPG is 31.4MPG, my average while going over 4000 foot mountain passes is 32.7MPG(& I go over the mountains quite a bit), & my highway high is 35.6MPG. So far, few Calibers with a non-diesel who carefully monitor their MPG have better than me, with SE Calibers coming the closest. Someone should have better MPG than me, specially with the 1.8 liter engine with 5 speed tranny. You just told me to hold up. Do you have better MPG than me, that you have carefully monitored for a year? You tell me your MPG is right around 30MPG. Now I have seen you report in other threads that you average between 28 & 30MPG. That seems to be better than many SXTs, but you need to be more specific. Are you carefully monitoring your MPG? Why do you not post your specific overall average MPG to the tenth of a MPG? Is your overall average MPG compiled over a full year of usage? Do you have stop & go traffic, travel long distances...short distances, travel highways, go over mountains? I'm holding up.   < Message edited by litesong -- 3/30/2008 12:55:49 AM > (in reply to somenothingness) Post #: 16

RE: caliber reliability - 3/30/2008 1:30:33 PM    somenothingness Posts: 84 Joined: 10/30/2005 From: Dothan, AL Status: offline Hi again.  I believe I was making the comparison between the SE with the 1.8 and the SXT with the 2.0.  Now, most folks have the CVT in the SXT.  It would stand to reason that you'd get better mpg in a 1.8 than a 2.0.  Now, with that said, that was all I was pointing out.  But, given your desire for more info, I offer this.  I get into my car and drive it 30 miles one way through stop and go traffic and over 2 moderate hills and 1 large hill with a steep incline and decline.  Now, given that I avg 60 mph hwy, thats 55 to work and 65 home, and that 80% is hwy driving and 20 % city, plus added that when my light comes on I have 2 gallons and can go 60 miles and still not run out of gas, and that I have done this some 7 times before,  with that said I will go with 30 mpg at 60 mph.  I should also add that I'd much rather drive my car than analyze its every move.  Kudos to you for having the time to dedicate to observing and obsessing over your mpg.  But, I believe that most folks would rather get in it and drive whether it be pedal to the floor or moderate driving rather than dwell on the economic efficiency of the Caliber...most folks read the sticker when they bought it, and knew the ballpark figure they were looking at.  Plus, they might not have the time to plan their route according to when they should slow down speed up and gently press the pedal, which inside curve to take and might not even know the timing of all the redlights they will go through on their trip.  So, anyhow I believe this thread has run its course anyway.  You have a pleasant day.  Keep enjoying your Caliber!!! (in reply to litesong) Post #: 17

RE: caliber reliability - 3/30/2008 4:47:45 PM    bigtsr Posts: 141 Joined: 6/4/2006 Status: offline Well spoken-everybody has different priorities and Litesong is a seroius enviromentalist so he is always trying to do better by his beliefs. _____________________________ Black SXT 2.0/CVT Security-Tint-Sill plates-shorty antenna-exhaust mods-painted engine cover-upholstered head restraints. Ordered 04/15/06-Delivered 08/18/06 Burlington,Ontario,CA (in reply to somenothingness) Post #: 18

RE: caliber reliability - 4/1/2008 6:30:40 AM    litesong   Posts: 77 Joined: 10/23/2006 Status: offline Hi bigtsr....I like somenothingness. Even her name shows her to be original, creative, & imaginative. She writes like my wife paints her acrylic visions. Her writings are entertaining & she gives this website a 3 dimensional blossum. But she told me to hold up. My background in engineering now shows me her rationalizations without data is not well calculated. & your psychoanalysis of me is not well calculated either. If people use numbers, they must use proper math & process to support their claimed numbers. Its what people learned in first, second & third grade arithmetic. Unfortunately, people have been out of elementary school for a long time & forget much. You need a good class in college psychoanalysis & somenothingness ( bless her heart) needs some arithmetic lessons & organization.    (in reply to bigtsr) Post #: 19

RE: caliber reliability - 4/1/2008 1:08:23 PM    somenothingness Posts: 84 Joined: 10/30/2005 From: Dothan, AL Status: offline Hey, litesong......just drive the car.  Kind of weird you think I'm a blossum and as pretty as your wife's paintings.  By the way...I'm not a she, her, or female.  And, just wondering....while you're driving around monitoring all of your SE Caliber's vital signs on your handy dandy engineering laptop, are you watching an episode of Star Trek on it at the same time?  Creepy geek. (in reply to litesong) Post #: 20

RE: caliber reliability - 4/1/2008 4:35:25 PM    bigtsr Posts: 141 Joined: 6/4/2006 Status: offline Litesong I learned long that the internet leads many astray,however I was not trying to psychoanalize you nor was I making apologies for you but merely going by your many posts which I follow with interest. I guess maybe I should follow my own advice with regards to forming opinions via the net but for the last 2 yrs or so I had the impression you are a serious enviromentalist trying your best to live up to the image you project thru posts. If i am wrong then shame on you for being a sham artist. _____________________________ Black SXT 2.0/CVT Security-Tint-Sill plates-shorty antenna-exhaust mods-painted engine cover-upholstered head restraints. Ordered 04/15/06-Delivered 08/18/06 Burlington,Ontario,CA (in reply to litesong) Post #: 21

RE: caliber reliability - 4/1/2008 4:54:08 PM    somenothingness Posts: 84 Joined: 10/30/2005 From: Dothan, AL Status: offline Well, that's the end of that thread.  Let's move on shall we? (in reply to bigtsr) Post #: 22

RE: caliber reliability - 4/3/2008 7:47:22 PM    litesong   Posts: 77 Joined: 10/23/2006 Status: offline somethingness...Never been called a creepy geek. You wish to end this thread with your creepy geek characterization? Do you also sucker punch people & run, too? bigtsr...My inkling of environmentalism gets magnified on car websites & 'treehugger' labels easily get thrown around, as you have done. At other times I'm attacked for not being a treehugger. So you have erred twice in your 'treehugger' & 'sham artist' labels. I'll let you whiff at another generalization for your third strike. Then, I will tell you what I am. But you might be asleep already.     (in reply to somenothingness) Post #: 23

RE: caliber reliability - 5/6/2008 6:36:49 AM    rare aries DodgeForum Moderator Posts: 1037 Joined: 11/21/2007 From: Ballston Spa, N.Y. Status: offline I made the decision to buy a Caliber after renting one for 4 days this past weekend. I see you guys seem to get better MPGs with the 1.8, why is that, I would think the bigger engine with a little more horsepower would get better MPGs (the engine doesnt have to work as hard to get the car moving) what is the HP on the 1.8 and 2.0, I was driving the SXT and was quite pleased, if I get the 1.8 how much power am I giving up?  _____________________________ Only a guy who looks like this would own a show Aries!! My rides: 1987 Aries coupe (1 of 926 surviving 87 coupes) 1984 Chrysler 5th Ave. (Me as a Simpsons character!) (in reply to litesong) Post #: 24

RE: caliber reliability - 5/7/2008 4:08:33 AM    Nohbody   Posts: 4 Joined: 5/2/2008 Status: offline quote: [I]f I get the 1.8 how much power am I giving up?  10HP. 1.8L puts out 148HP, the 2.0 puts out 158HP. However, in regards to mileage, there's also the issue that the 1.8 is only available with a manual transmission, while the only tranny for the 2.0 is CVT. (The almost-Luddite in me wanted a conventional auto tranny, but that's not an option.) _____________________________ Former DSMer (in reply to rare aries) Post #: 25

RE: caliber reliability - 5/14/2008 8:48:06 AM    litesong   Posts: 77 Joined: 10/23/2006 Status: offline Hi Nohbody...Sorry for your...ludditity. ha ha ha However, I see your ludditity did not deter you from lucidly loving the SXT. ha ha ha...again. Your impression of the CVT is correct. The utter smoothness of the new tech CVT is different from other trannies & delightful in operation. The CVT is continually in the proper gear in most situations to gain better MPG than 4 speed automatic transmissions & never jerks along like usual automatic & manual trannies. If driven with a featherfoot, it can come close to the MPG manual transmissions get too. It might even beat manual trannies, except for the fact that under heavy acceleration, the CVT tranny's hydraulic pressure approaches 1000 pounds per square inch. This pressure is supplied by the engine. MPG are lowered, not only because it is driven hard, but because it has to also supply those high pressures. However, featherfooting avoids those pressures & relatively high MPG can be obtained. Don't worry that 4 speed automatics aren't available for the Caliber. Other cars have to worry that they don't have CVT transmissions. Treat the CVT Caliber like an airplane. Set your rpms & away you go. Like an airplane propellor pulling you down the road(runway), you have acceleration without jerking. Like an airplane engine, the Caliber engine doesn't rise & fall in rpms. Can you imagine how disconcerting an airplane flight would be if it had to jerk & change rpms every change of 15MPH the plane experienced. Unlike an airplane however, if you drive for economy, the Caliber engine doesn't vibrate & roar. You see, the Caliber doesn't have to fly.     (in reply to Nohbody) Post #: 26

RE: caliber reliability - 5/15/2008 2:38:39 PM    Nohbody   Posts: 4 Joined: 5/2/2008 Status: offline I know the CVT is supposed to be more efficient than an A/T, but even with going easy on the gas as much as possible the mileage I'm seeing isn't exactly knocking me out. Granted, it's better than the ~15MPG I was getting with my Eagle Talon, but so far I'm seeing only a little more savings on gas expenses through improved mileage than not having to buy premium grade gas (turbocharged engines not particularly caring for low octane ratings). _____________________________ Former DSMer (in reply to litesong) Post #: 27

RE: caliber reliability - 5/16/2008 2:03:04 PM    somenothingness Posts: 84 Joined: 10/30/2005 From: Dothan, AL Status: offline Nohbody, unless you have 75-89 degree hills where you live or floor it everywhere, you can count on 28-32 mpg and avg. 30 mpg on 13 gallons at avg. 60 mph 70% hwy and 20% city with the 2.0 cvt.  I don't neccessarily feather-foot the car...I just try not to exceed 2000 rpm when getting up to speed, and not resuming cruise from 26mph.  I have had my Caliber since January and have put 4800 miles on it right about.  That's 12-13 tanks.  So I will stick with those findings. (in reply to Nohbody) Post #: 28

RE: caliber reliability - 5/25/2008 8:30:26 AM    Bigriver Posts: 998 Joined: 1/10/2007 Status: offline Hello all, I'm just a second cousin from over in the CTD section, and had a few questions. Most of them were answered in earlier postings, but it seems that the best possible mpg's for these Calibers are in the mid 30's. Anyone getting closer to 40 mpg? I'm interested in a second but smaller vehicle to take some relief off of my beast for my daily driving. Currently I drive a 2006 3500 CTD designed for heavy towing, which I occasionaly tow a 16k, 37' 5'ver. Mileage isn't bad considering that this truck is over 8k lbs., 18 to 20 mpg. So, has basically, everyone been satisfied with the reliability and fuel economy of their Calibers? Has there been any reports of Dodge building a Caliber with a diesel engine? I know that VW is returning their Jetta in 09' with a 2.0 TDI that will see close to 45 mpg, maybe better. Just shakin the bushes here, looking for good or bad opiinions on this car. Thanks... _____________________________ (in reply to somenothingness) Post #: 29

RE: caliber reliability - 5/25/2008 5:14:35 PM    bigtsr Posts: 141 Joined: 6/4/2006 Status: offline I have been driving my SXT for 1-1/2 yrs and the best mpg US for highway has been 34-35 but this is not driving it to achieve better. I usually set on cruise at 70mph and have been up to 80 mph more than once on hiway. Yes the Caliber comes in a 2.0L CRD diesel with a 5 spd but it's for export only and it uses the VW engine,too bad I would have bought one. _____________________________ Black SXT 2.0/CVT Security-Tint-Sill plates-shorty antenna-exhaust mods-painted engine cover-upholstered head restraints. Ordered 04/15/06-Delivered 08/18/06 Burlington,Ontario,CA (in reply to Bigriver) Post #: 30

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