We've launched the new forums! Read more here

Flex Fuel Vehicles

bogeyme

bogeyme

The Golf GODS hate me
Joined
Oct 22, 2008
Messages
7,741
Reaction score
34
Location
Canal Winchester, OH
Handicap
High
I know we are all worried about our environment. I'm sure all of you guys have now switched over to either hybrid or the flex fuel vehicles to do your part in being "green". :laugh: I have a question for anyone that does drive a flex fuel vehicle, specifically those that drive full sized trucks or suv's. I was looking at a Dodge Ram 1500 last night. With the employee pricing and the other incentives they are offering the deal was very nice. I couldn't believe the deal for a quad cab, 4x4, Ram 1500. Sorry no hemi though. It was a flex fuel vehicle. Is the towing/hauling power the same with the e85 fuel? What about gas milage. I believe the sticker said it would get like 18 mpg on the highway. That's just slightly lower than what my Ranger gets on the highway. I don't do a lot of heavy towing or hauling but on occasion I get suckered into hauling mulch, top soil, peat moss, for my mom in the spring for her flower beds.

Any and all help would be wonderful.
 
I don't mean to thread-jack, but what is the real benefit to E-85 fuel? I know it's 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and ethanol burns cleaner, but there are drawbacks as well. For example, E-85 provides a 15% fuel efficiency decrease compared to the current 10% blends, and there are environmental factors such as the pollution created in the production and transport of ethanol.

I just don't see E-85 as the answer.

Ben
 
benk777 said:
I don't mean to thread-jack, but what is the real benefit to E-85 fuel? I know it's 85% ethanol and 15% gasoline, and ethanol burns cleaner, but there are drawbacks as well. For example, E-85 provides a 15% fuel efficiency decrease compared to the current 10% blends, and there are environmental factors such as the pollution created in the production and transport of ethanol.

I just don't see E-85 as the answer.

Ben
Click to expand...

After reading the info that Smalls gave me I'm not sure what the benefit is. It's like 50 cents cheaper. Does that count?
 
And is it cheaper because the cost is truly cheaper, or because it is government subsidized, which would mean we're all paying for it. I honestly am not sure, but if I were a betting man...

Ben
 
I'm not on the E85 bandwagon either, it's great for the farmers but I'm not sure that it is actually saving us anything. In the long run I think it is going to cost us more due to the increase in food costs and the reduction in fuel mileage that our vehicles will get.
 
benk777 said:
And is it cheaper because the cost is truly cheaper, or because it is government subsidized, which would mean we're all paying for it. I honestly am not sure, but if I were a betting man...

Ben
Click to expand...

I am not sure either, but if I were a betting man, we would be on the same side.
 
E85 is the current "buzz" with the politicians and thus is being pushed as an alternative fuel source. The reason it's cheaper is due to government subsidies that helped put in place the processing plants. E85 will get you lower mileage but hp/torque will be the same or possible a touch higher in a flex-fuel engine. Also, unless you live the the right part of the country, an E85 pump is extremely hard to find.

E85 isn't necessarily greener, either. Thanks to the government subsidies, I'm sure you noticed an uptic in grocery prices last year? Corn prices went up since it became worth more to sell to the Ethanol plants, which spiked prices for animal feed, etc - and it hit all of us in the grocery store.

And on the topic of the Dodge Ram - you may want to be careful with that. With the company going into Chapter 11, depending on how the process goes, you have to rely on a company that's in bankruptcy if anything happens and you need warranty work done.

I'll refrain from plugging the company I work for, but several on the board know who it is. :quiet:
 
But didn't someone say that the U.S. government would back all Chrysler vehicle warranties...I swear I heard that on a infomercial last night.

Ben
 
Last edited:
As much as I agree with a lot of the things being said, we cannot let this thread get political. Only bad things happen.
 
Understood.
 
Bio fuels are a big deal here in Texas. We make and burn more of it than anywhere else in the US.

My experience is primarily with the soy based diesel products.

I've burned B20 (20% soy, 80% diesel) B50 (50% soy, 50% diesel), and B100 (99.9% soy)

I'm going to break this down in cost per mile, rather than mile per gallon or anything else.

B20 is the best thing ever, I get more power, better mileage, and it has a solvent enough effect that it cleans my fuel system at the same time.

B50 is some loss of power, more cleaning. It's about a break even venture. (cost per mile breakdown)

B100 is a completely different animal. My truck is noticeably quieter, but is a little slower off the line. It doesn't smoke as much when I punch it either (a healthy diesel will pour black smoke when you fuel it, it may look dirty, but it's cleaner than the funk coming out of the tailpipe of most 'green' cars) The stinker is, I get 30% worse mileage, so my cost per mile goes up.



I'm absolutely NOT a fan of the new generation of diesel fuel. The greenie wacko's have shot themselves in the foot. The emissions that are being produced are cleaner at idle, the problem is that the fuel is less efficient, so you now burn MORE of it (we're actually creating more exhaust per mile because of it)
 
Thanks for all the input guys. No matter what, from what I've read a vehicle that accepts the e85 is just a normal vehicle unless you use the e85. I just thought I'd get other's input and thoughts. Once again this place helps out.

Osahar said:
And on the topic of the Dodge Ram - you may want to be careful with that. With the company going into Chapter 11, depending on how the process goes, you have to rely on a company that's in bankruptcy if anything happens and you need warranty work done.

I'll refrain from plugging the company I work for, but several on the board know who it is. :quiet:
Click to expand...

I was thinking about the same thing on the warrenty repairs. Now that they offer the "lifetime warrenty" it could get real messy for them. I'm not sure who you work for but I might ask in a different fashion. :wink:

benk777 said:
But didn't someone say that the U.S. government would back all Chrysler vehicle warranties...I swear I heard that on a infomercial last night.

Ben
Click to expand...

I thought I heard the same thing back when the feds threatened with the forced bankruptcy.
 
Osahar said:
E85 is the current "buzz" with the politicians and thus is being pushed as an alternative fuel source. The reason it's cheaper is due to government subsidies that helped put in place the processing plants. E85 will get you lower mileage but hp/torque will be the same or possible a touch higher in a flex-fuel engine. Also, unless you live the the right part of the country, an E85 pump is extremely hard to find.

E85 isn't necessarily greener, either. Thanks to the government subsidies, I'm sure you noticed an uptic in grocery prices last year? Corn prices went up since it became worth more to sell to the Ethanol plants, which spiked prices for animal feed, etc - and it hit all of us in the grocery store.

And on the topic of the Dodge Ram - you may want to be careful with that. With the company going into Chapter 11, depending on how the process goes, you have to rely on a company that's in bankruptcy if anything happens and you need warranty work done.

I'll refrain from plugging the company I work for, but several on the board know who it is. :quiet:
Click to expand...

Just because Chrysler files Chapter 11, doesn't necessarily mean that they'll stop producing vehicles anytime soon. The deal with Fiat is going through.
 
I read somewhere that Fiat is waiting for them to file bankruptcy and would then come in and buy 40%.
 
Actually, I believe it was that President Obama stated that the Federal Government would honor GM's warranty if they go into bankruptcy. Of course, Congress would need to pass a bill for this to happen. And you would have to find a dealership willing to do the repairs and then wait for Uncle Sam to get around to reimbursing the dealership.

See the problem even in this situation?

And on the Fiat deal, someone still will have to come up with the money to pay suppliers for the parts, and most suppliers are running pretty lean themselves nowadays. Fiat doesn't have any cash to speak of either. :confused2:
 
bogeyme said:
I know we are all worried about our environment. I'm sure all of you guys have now switched over to either hybrid or the flex fuel vehicles to do your part in being "green". :laugh: I have a question for anyone that does drive a flex fuel vehicle, specifically those that drive full sized trucks or suv's. I was looking at a Dodge Ram 1500 last night. With the employee pricing and the other incentives they are offering the deal was very nice. I couldn't believe the deal for a quad cab, 4x4, Ram 1500. Sorry no hemi though. It was a flex fuel vehicle. Is the towing/hauling power the same with the e85 fuel? What about gas milage. I believe the sticker said it would get like 18 mpg on the highway. That's just slightly lower than what my Ranger gets on the highway. I don't do a lot of heavy towing or hauling but on occasion I get suckered into hauling mulch, top soil, peat moss, for my mom in the spring for her flower beds.

Any and all help would be wonderful.
Click to expand...
Im not a fan of flex fuel. With ethanol, you get a good of fuel milage as you do with gasoline, so even though it costs less, you really arent saving anything on fuel costs.
Im also not a believer in using food to make fuel because it drives up food prices, so what are we really saving?
As to a Dodge Ram getting 18 mpg on the highway, it aint gonna happen. Dodges have never been known for good gas milage. For what you would use a truck for (light hauling every once in a while), I think youd be happier with a midsize truck. I highly recommend the Toyota Tacoma. 240 hp, 20 mpg and its a Toyota, so you know the quality will be stellar and it will run forever.
Ford Rangers are really nice too.
 
Bakemono said:
Im not a fan of flex fuel. With ethanol, you get a good of fuel milage as you do with gasoline, so even though it costs less, you really arent saving anything on fuel costs.
Im also not a believer in using food to make fuel because it drives up food prices, so what are we really saving?
As to a Dodge Ram getting 18 mpg on the highway, it aint gonna happen. Dodges have never been known for good gas milage. For what you would use a truck for (light hauling every once in a while), I think youd be happier with a midsize truck. I highly recommend the Toyota Tacoma. 240 hp, 20 mpg and its a Toyota, so you know the quality will be stellar and it will run forever.
Ford Rangers are really nice too.
Click to expand...

2009 Ford F-150 XLT SFE - 21 mpg, 292 hp, 7500 lb towing capacity, 5-star crash and IIHS Top Safety Pick, etc, etc. Damn good truck and (for a truck) it's a miser on gas due to the SFE's programming.
 
Osahar said:
2009 Ford F-150 XLT SFE - 21 mpg, 292 hp, 7500 lb towing capacity, 5-star crash and IIHS Top Safety Pick, etc, etc. Damn good truck and (for a truck) it's a miser on gas due to the SFE's programming.
Click to expand...
Yeah, thats a Ford though. Fords get a lot better gas milage than do Dodges. I can still pull 17 mpg on the highway with my tired old '99 F-150 (5.4L V8, 4x4, regular cab, long bed with 3.73 rear gears).
The only thing about the Ford that would worry me in the sparkplugs. They are notorious for the spark plugs breaking when you try to remove them. Once they break, you have to choice but to use the extractor tool (its basically a big easy-out) to remove them. It does the job, but changing plugs on those trucks is a big PITA.
Besides that though, Fords are really solid trucks.
Honestly, all of the domestic fullsize trucks are pretty solid. They all have their little gremlins (as all vehicles do). Ford are known for the sparkplug issues and for bad balljoints, Dodges are known for problems with the automatic transmissions and with ball joints and the GMs are known for electrical gremlins.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top