99HXCivic
03-05-2009, 10:28 PM
I had to move back to Parent's house in Chicago, because my unemployment ran out and I couldn't find a job in Houston. Well, I am totally amazed at my 1999 Dodge Grand Caravan Sport 3.3L Flex Fuel! I put a UHaul hitch on it, and it didn't have an upgraded transmission cooler for trailer hauling! Well, I towed a 5 x 8 Uhaul Trailer [max capable trailer size for my Dodge] totally packed with almost all of my goods from my Apt and it went all the way to Chicago no problems! Too bad I was such a knob and didn't photograph the entire load! Just imagine my minivan no seats in back totally packed with a packed trailer too!
But I did have several scares! I almost had a REALLY BAD accident. If you tow like this, have a real far following distance and great brakes [I bought my minivan with faulty brake and a Dodge Dealer did an excellent $1000 job fixing it]! A semi turned right and I had to stop but not enough stopping distance so I had to swerve on the ONCOMING LANE to avoid a collision! SO LUCKY THERE WASN'T AN ONCOMING VEHICLE FOR A HEAD-ON COLLISION!
Ok, the towing MPG! With a tailwind, I was getting up to 18 mpg! Unfortunately, hypermiling was not in my mind for a 1100 miles 2 day drive to Chicago. I was even speeding towing my trailer at 70 to 80 mph! OMG! Why? I accidentally missed turns and took bad diversions and I couldn't turn around! I wandered around AL and could have been totally toast [LOST] if I didn't have an awesome GPS! I use Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007, a Holux USB GPS [from ebay], an ebay Dell power Supply, and my Dell E1705 laptop. Guided me around AL where I GOT LUCKY RUNNING INTO THE ONLY GAS STATION IN TOWN FOR MILES WHILE NEARING EMPTY! 2 times! OMG! So after these bad diversions / extra driving miles, yeah, I was IN A HURRY DRIVING 70 TO 80 MPH HOME WITH MY TRAILER!
So this minivan has a bulletproof tranny for towing! I recommend it for you people who need a hauler! But nearing Chicago, I ran into a high headwind and bad weather! MPG was as low as 8 mpg and I had to fillup frequently!
I think the total cost for my gas was $160 ? - I'll look up my CC records for that later. I pay gas only by CC!
But now, in Chicago, I'm getting terrible 10.2 mpg city tanks in cold Chicago weather! I totally miss AND NEED MY HYPERMILING 1999 CIVIC HX M/T! - I LEFT IT IN HOUSTON! Gonna pick it up maybe after I do my Tax Returns [1 month?].
Yeah, I dissappeared from here awhile because I was busy with a move. And $1.39 gas in Houston ... I had to flog my HX for speed as a sports car a little to see if it has a dual personality as a fun enough sports car too!
Is it possible to hypermile my minivan to get 20 mpg city? In winter?
But I did have several scares! I almost had a REALLY BAD accident. If you tow like this, have a real far following distance and great brakes [I bought my minivan with faulty brake and a Dodge Dealer did an excellent $1000 job fixing it]! A semi turned right and I had to stop but not enough stopping distance so I had to swerve on the ONCOMING LANE to avoid a collision! SO LUCKY THERE WASN'T AN ONCOMING VEHICLE FOR A HEAD-ON COLLISION!
Ok, the towing MPG! With a tailwind, I was getting up to 18 mpg! Unfortunately, hypermiling was not in my mind for a 1100 miles 2 day drive to Chicago. I was even speeding towing my trailer at 70 to 80 mph! OMG! Why? I accidentally missed turns and took bad diversions and I couldn't turn around! I wandered around AL and could have been totally toast [LOST] if I didn't have an awesome GPS! I use Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007, a Holux USB GPS [from ebay], an ebay Dell power Supply, and my Dell E1705 laptop. Guided me around AL where I GOT LUCKY RUNNING INTO THE ONLY GAS STATION IN TOWN FOR MILES WHILE NEARING EMPTY! 2 times! OMG! So after these bad diversions / extra driving miles, yeah, I was IN A HURRY DRIVING 70 TO 80 MPH HOME WITH MY TRAILER!
So this minivan has a bulletproof tranny for towing! I recommend it for you people who need a hauler! But nearing Chicago, I ran into a high headwind and bad weather! MPG was as low as 8 mpg and I had to fillup frequently!
I think the total cost for my gas was $160 ? - I'll look up my CC records for that later. I pay gas only by CC!
But now, in Chicago, I'm getting terrible 10.2 mpg city tanks in cold Chicago weather! I totally miss AND NEED MY HYPERMILING 1999 CIVIC HX M/T! - I LEFT IT IN HOUSTON! Gonna pick it up maybe after I do my Tax Returns [1 month?].
Yeah, I dissappeared from here awhile because I was busy with a move. And $1.39 gas in Houston ... I had to flog my HX for speed as a sports car a little to see if it has a dual personality as a fun enough sports car too!
Is it possible to hypermile my minivan to get 20 mpg city? In winter?