dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
Unfortunately, no. Those were on the XJ before I bought it. Once I have the vehicle repainted, I will be installing new mud flaps, though.
Project 2000 XJ (Daily Driver)
- Thread starter dieselenthusiast
- Start date
Unfortunately, no. Those were on the XJ before I bought it. Once I have the vehicle repainted, I will be installing new mud flaps, though.
dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
Thank you! I haven't measured the fuel economy in a long time. Let me run a few tank fills and report back.
dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
Thank you! And yes, debt free is the way to go! I just finished watching the Dave Ramsey Financial Peace University series recently!
The Cherokee is back in full swing. As a matter of fact, I've logged over 3,000 miles in a two month time period. We increased our bee hive operation and now we're adding new apiaries further into the backcountry. The XJ has surpassed the 200,000 mile mark!
dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
We are beginning to see an end to owning the Cherokee. The Jeep has played a huge part in developing our property and accessing our beehives throughout the Zuni Mountains. By November, we're hoping that my Granddad's 1958 Ford Workmaster Tractor will be remanufactured and ready to use. If so, the tractor will replace what we sometimes used the Jeep for. We have also grown our honeybee operation to the point that we now need a larger truck with more cargo and towing capacity to carry all of the bee equipment (hive equipment, hive stands, and bear fences). The Jeep has been a daily driver for us for the past 5 years, so she will be missed in my ways.
In recently months, I have calculated approximately $450 dollars per month in fuel costs just in the Cherokee. We've been driving sometimes up to 750 miles in a week. To improve fuel consumption, we are planning to purchase a 2017 Ram Ecodiesel sometime in the next 6 months. The Ecodiesels are averaging anywhere between 29 - 33 mpg on the highway. That's very impressive considering I'm averaging somewhere around 16 mpg in the Cherokee. With the Ecodiesel, we will be doubling our fuel mileage which will be saving us a few hundred each month.
I want to thank those of you who followed this thread. It's been a lot fun and I will miss visiting and learning from this forum. We will have our new webpage up and running by August if anyone is interested in following our Zuni Mountain beekeeping project.
In recently months, I have calculated approximately $450 dollars per month in fuel costs just in the Cherokee. We've been driving sometimes up to 750 miles in a week. To improve fuel consumption, we are planning to purchase a 2017 Ram Ecodiesel sometime in the next 6 months. The Ecodiesels are averaging anywhere between 29 - 33 mpg on the highway. That's very impressive considering I'm averaging somewhere around 16 mpg in the Cherokee. With the Ecodiesel, we will be doubling our fuel mileage which will be saving us a few hundred each month.
I want to thank those of you who followed this thread. It's been a lot fun and I will miss visiting and learning from this forum. We will have our new webpage up and running by August if anyone is interested in following our Zuni Mountain beekeeping project.
If you do get the Ecodiesel let us know what you think. While I totally see the need for more hauling than the XJ can give, I would think you're savings in fuel will be more than eaten up in the truck payments... unless of course you've got the $$ to just buy one outright. 
dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
If you do get the Ecodiesel let us know what you think. While I totally see the need for more hauling than the XJ can give, I would think you're savings in fuel will be more than eaten up in the truck payments... unless of course you've got the $$ to just buy one outright.
If we sold some assets, I could pay cash for a new Ecodiesel. But you're right, the fuel savings alone isn't staggering. I did take a pencil to the fuel savings. I figured we would save $200 each month which comes to $2,400 annually. In 10 years, that's a total cost savings of $24,000. I can buy a new 2016, 4x4, Ecodiesel today for $37,000. Our local Credit Union will give us a loan @ 1.99% interest. I can name my term (2 years, 4 years, 6 years, 8 years). Plus, I'm thinking about selling the Jeep Liberty and the Cherokee to help fund it.
But I will let give you a review after I've owned it for a few months.
I totally understand and please don't think I was trying to poke at you for the fuel savings... Lord knows I'd love to bump my '01 XJ's mpg up from 17 to 23+ ... Plus I LOVE the idea of the Ecodiesel trucks these days... beit Dodge or Ford. I'd also love to own a new Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel. I just don't want to lay out the $$ to buy one right now. Ha. I would love to get your impression if you go that route!
dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
I didn't think you were poking. Buying a new vehicle is expensive and certainly requires a lot of thought and financial planning for most of us. Trading in a vehicle just for fuel mileage doesn't always mathematical pan out, but people buy into that sales pitch way too often. My wife will be driving the Ecodiesel to work, so getting her something reliable and safe was also a motivation.
I think the Grand Cherokee Ecodiesel is nice, it just doesn't fit my lifestyle like a truck does. We still have our '06 Ram Cummins, but that is strictly for highway towing. If we're making a trip without towing, then the Ecodiesel will become that travel vehicle. I bet we'll put a minimum of 12,000 miles on the Ecodiesel each year.
cherokeefan_1
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- North idaho
Great build write up. Too bad we might be losing you in the XJ community but I totally understand where you need to be at for what you are doing. I'm a very amateur prepper for living in a large city. I can grow food and have back up supplies to keep my family and I safe but would love a piece of land like you have. Sadly for something far enough away from the masses I wouldn't be able to get there often or have a good chance of making it there for a bug-out. When you get your beekeeping website up be sure to post a link. I'd love to check it out.
I've been using AMSOIL 10-40 high zinc for well over 100k miles. Great oil. I don't do the oil sampling although I should since I let the oil routinely go over 10k miles. And I torture my XJ on the street. It leaks like a sieve but doesn't smoke at all. 370k on the ticker.
On another note. I had overheating issues a long while back. Put a champion radiator in and it made it worse. Had the original copper/brass tanked/rodded and that pretty much fixed it. So the champions do not have the cooling capacity of the factory brass. I think it's due to the very loose fin count on the core which is an indicator of a cheap product. Look how dense the fin count is on pretty much any factory installed radiator, copper/brass or aluminum. I've run into that same issue in my muscle cars where switching to a dense fin count eliminates any heating issue.
I've been using AMSOIL 10-40 high zinc for well over 100k miles. Great oil. I don't do the oil sampling although I should since I let the oil routinely go over 10k miles. And I torture my XJ on the street. It leaks like a sieve but doesn't smoke at all. 370k on the ticker.
On another note. I had overheating issues a long while back. Put a champion radiator in and it made it worse. Had the original copper/brass tanked/rodded and that pretty much fixed it. So the champions do not have the cooling capacity of the factory brass. I think it's due to the very loose fin count on the core which is an indicator of a cheap product. Look how dense the fin count is on pretty much any factory installed radiator, copper/brass or aluminum. I've run into that same issue in my muscle cars where switching to a dense fin count eliminates any heating issue.
dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
Thank you.
is a good place to come for information. It will be missed. I have worked hard and made many sacrifices to live in a rural setting. Do what you can in the circumstances that you're in. I have a friend who purchased property, lived in a cabin tent, and worked her way into a camper. She and her husband are now working to build an earth ship home. She is debt free and making great strides towards living free. My advice to you is to keep working towards your dreams!
There are many good oils on the market, but I stick with Amsoil in my engine, transmission, transfer case, and differentials. It's a good oil with a great additive package.
Oftentimes, factory parts are hard to beat and outperform aftermarket parts. I'm glad to hear that you have over 370,000 miles on the Jeep. That's impressive!
hemicuda1313
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Denver, CO
Really great thread. Glad it got bumped up and I had a chance to review it. I bookmarked it as I will be going through most of these upgrades in the next year or so. Thanks for the attention to detail.
dieselenthusiast
NAXJA Forum User
- Location
- Zuni Mountains, New Mexico
I'll still be here to answer questions. And to be honest, it might take a few months before I get it on the market. I'm probably not going to take less than $3,500 for it, so who knows how long it will stay on the market. I'll be more motivated to sell it once I find a vehicle replacement.