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Astro van owners, how’s yer Gas mileage?

Mark | Posted in General Discussion on June 15, 2006 05:27am

Well, now that it’s the rainy season here in Florida, I need to either get a topper for the truck or  make the switch to a van.

I’m leaning toward a chevy Astro van.  I’m not gonna be loading every tool I ever owned along with all the fasteners in existance into it,  just a few basic carpentry tools for daily use.

What I want to know, is if any of you own or have owned an Astro van (or Gmc Safari)  what was your actual real-world gas mileage? The figures you get from the manufacturer are so exageratted so as to be completely useless. 

I currently have a ’00 Chevy 4wd silverado, and I get 15 mpg. That’s  with daily to and from work type driving, mostly through town.  When I used to pull a 7’x16′ cargo trailer loaded down with every tool and fastener I ever met,  it would get about 10 mpg.

I would hope that a minivan like an astro would do quite a bit better than that, but I know better than to just make that kind of blind assumption after owning a Dodge dakota with a v-6 engine that never got better than 13 mpg the entire time I owned it.

So,  howz about it?  Any astro van owners care to give me a heads up?  Also,  are there any reasons you might be able to tell me why I should beware of buying a used Astro?  any chronic problems with them?  I know the vortec engines were going bad on them when they first came out, but I’m pretty sure they got that issue straightened out after a couple of years.

Thanks!

” If I were a carpenter”
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Replies

  1. butch | Jun 15, 2006 05:53am | #1

    I have a 98' GMC Safari with 180,000 plus

    miles, and with it pretty well loaded down, combined

    city and hwy. I was getting approx. 20 m.p.g.

  2. danski0224 | Jun 15, 2006 06:15am | #2

    I own a 2003 2WD extended cargo version. Bought it new- synthetic oil in the engine, trans and diff. I have ladder racks on the roof (empty 95% of the time) and a shelving package in back. I made some nice metal panels for the interior single wall areas so I don't get any dents on the outside from the inside.

    I guess the shelving package plus my panels is around 500#. Add tools to that. I did not get the driver partition installed.

    Best mostly highway mileage is 17.

    Mixed city and highway varies between 14.5 to 16.5.

    Worst winter city mileage was just under 10 (short trips). Usually around 12 to 14.

    All those figures are keeping up with traffic in the Chicago area. I know someone with a 4WD version, and he gets 2 to 3 MPG less than me.

    For some reason, the pre-Vortec vans get better mileage. Those have a single fuel injector with plastic lines to the cylinders- expensive to fix (it is replaced as a unit). The Vortec is sequential EFI with individual injectors.

    I keep the tires inflated to their max- 44 PSI.

    You will not fit any 4x8 stock in the back on the floor with shelves anchored to the floor. Ten foot pipe fits on a diagonal front right footwell all the way to the back. Four by eight material will stand on an angle past the passenger seat with shelving in the back.

    It is a nice van, but I don't think the small fuel savings compared to a reasonable full size van is worth the tradeoff. If my average fuel economy is at 15 MPG, then giving up 2 or 3 MPG for a bigger van might have some benefits. My ladder rack is bolted to the roof, too (no gutters).

    I have had one problem- the cap and rotor needed to be replaced under warranty- after the warranty tow to the dealer. Moisture problems. There are plenty of grease fittings on the front end- it is easy to miss a few.

    If I had to do it again, I would get a Sprinter. No more trucks for me.

    I also own a VW Jetta Wagon TDI that geys 42 MPG. I pulled out the rear seat bottoms. With the seat backs folded down, I can fit a LOT of stuff back there. I bet a small lightweight flatbed trailer with used pickup topper on short trailer sides would be the ticket for plenty of small jobs.

    The questions are what kind of mileage do you want, and what are you willing to give up to get it? Odds are, you are going to look at the job first, so you will have an idea of what to bring with. Do you REALLY need to cart a Home Depot behind you for convenience all the time?



    Edited 6/14/2006 11:45 pm ET by danski0224

  3. chile_head | Jun 15, 2006 06:34am | #3

    This is kind of off on a tangent, but I have a Regal here in Detroit. I usually keep up with traffic in the fast lane, which pretty much involves going like a bat out of heck. Doing this, I'll get about 18.5 average. If I just slow down to 65-70, and accelerate gently, a average about 23. Laying off the gas, just a little, makes a heck of a difference.

  4. alwaysoverbudget | Jun 15, 2006 06:35am | #4

    have a 99,put a 100k on it. never hit 19,18 was a good day around town about15. now drive a 1 ton dodge,360 v8 ,3.75 gears,short wheelbase. will tow a bobcat,pull a dump trailer,pull into gas station better have 75.00 with you to fill up. makes 12 in town 14 on hiway.i like working out of dodge better than astro,but i'd like to make a little better mileage too. larry

    hand me the chainsaw, i need to trim the casing just a hair.

  5. frenchy | Jun 15, 2006 08:33am | #5

    Mark

      Your milage may vary.

      My daughter drives my pickup and she gets 14 MPG, I drive it and I get 19

     

      My daughter drives her Saturn and gets 23.   I drive it and I get 34

      My wife drives her Envoy and gets 15.  I drive it and I get 24.

       I speed only a little and definately accerate harder and faster than they do.

        (which is part of the secret)

     about the Astro.. The V6  has a checkered past.

     oil leaks and valve problems are fairly high incidents..and rust isn't as well controlled as some vehicles.

     Tire life too seems to be an issue..

      For short hauls (an hour or less)  the leg room is OK..  Extended trips in a van will have you wishing for some other place tpo put your left leg into.  My legs are so short I probably should just staple my shoes to my butt and I was cramped after 4 hours in it..

     

            It's milage isn't anything to sing praises about,  however better than the milage you report but is your pickup an extended cab unit?  How close to the maximum tire pressure are you?  Do you have the 6 litre engine? 

     

       

     

          

      

       

  6. Mitremike | Jun 15, 2006 11:10am | #6

    Mark, I have had 4 GMC Safaris over the years and 2 now, one mine the other the wifes. Both extented and AWD---hers gets just short of 20 on the highway and 16 around town. I get a couple less in each catagory--guess a van full of tools will do that.

    That said neighter has left us on the side of the road and hers has 180,000 and mine 140,000.

    I am somewhat of a maintence guy so the front ball joints get greased (11 of those zerks) and other stuff gets watched. I have done the usual, starters,waterpumps, alt, hoses and the serp. belt. All have been fairly easy even with my modest mech. tool set.

    I personally like the vortec engine and the running gear. and keep them aligned to save the tires. Saddest thing that GM quit the line so being that my current van is a 93 I guess in 2015 I have to find a new favorite vehicle.

    I pull a trailer with mine when I need to haul cabinets or doors, sheetstock, etc so the interior just needs to be big enough for all my tools and with the extented chassis it is.

    Happy trails.

    Mike

    "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while" Mitremike c. 1990

    " I reject your reality and substitute my own"
    Adam Savage---Mythbusters

  7. User avater
    loucarabasi | Jun 15, 2006 12:18pm | #7

    Mark, My neighbor down at my shop just got one. He does hvac work. He says he loves it becouse he gets great gas mileage and the size just fits. I think I'm going to get one used. (he paid 6000 and it runs great)

    -Lou

  8. User avater
    McDesign | Jun 15, 2006 12:36pm | #8

    We had a hand-me-down for a while; don't recall the year.  best mileage about 19 on the hwy; 15-16 around town.

    FIL broke the crank at about 120KK - still ran (briefly), but made a lot of noise.  Got repaired; we drove it another 30K.

    Forrest

    1. DonCanDo | Jun 15, 2006 02:15pm | #9

      FIL broke the crank at about 120KK - still ran (briefly), but made a lot of noise.

      The engine actually ran with a broken crankshaft???

      I would not have thought that was possible.  I guess it depends on where it breaks.

      -Don

      1. User avater
        McDesign | Jun 15, 2006 06:56pm | #11

        Yeah, it was kind of a diagonal break at a main journal.  My FIL drove it about two miles that way until he could get off the capital beltway.

        Forrest

         

         

        1. sapwood | Jun 15, 2006 07:02pm | #12

          You guys who drive the Astro or Safari..... Where do you put your left leg? I test drove one and thought it very nice. But the strongest impression I had was, "..... my leg is really jammed." And I'm not exceptionally tall..... 5-10. I'm not knocking anyone's choice, but I just couldn't make myself buy one.

  9. joeh | Jun 15, 2006 05:42pm | #10

    Just drove to South Dakota & back at 80+ MPH. Got about 20 MPG on a 2,200 mile trip. 1998 with 114K now.

    This is number 3, first had 225K when we sold it & still runs.

    Engines seem to be bullet proof, front tires wear rapidly on all of them.

    Joe H

    1. danski0224 | Jun 16, 2006 01:52am | #15

      Keep the front tires inflated to the maximum pressure listed on the tire sidewall. This will allow the most life from the tire.

  10. ccal | Jun 15, 2006 07:14pm | #13

    I cant comment on the astro but when i crunched the numbers between the actual milage i get in my full size truck and actual mileage people reported on mini vans and small pickups Id save about 1200 dollars a year at todays gas prices. Not worth it to me. Id get the cap for your truck. Theres always some guy out there claiming to have the secret to great gas mileage. With gas as high as it is now maybe its time they cash in and sell those secrets to the rest of us. Must be a reason they dont.

    1. frenchy | Jun 16, 2006 01:52am | #16

      ccal,

       There is no real secret..

           stuff you already know about but probably don't do..

        Tire pressure, when is the last time you checked?

        should be near max.. check every other tank full

        Air cleaner and other maintinace stuff.. done according to schedule..

       Use synthetic oils.  Engine and differantails.   alignment..  should be correct.. I have nearly 300,000 miles on my truck and I check algnment every six months  (do it yourself,alignment shops are a rip off!)

              Don't waste money on mid grade gas..  Car won't run on regular?

       maybe you need to ween it.

      Honestly, computers have memory, they program the advance based on your driving style and a variety of other  factors..

       If after you've weened your car it still pings and runs on , take it to the dealer!

       (not a garage)  have them check codes and FI settings..  Leaking injectors cause a great deal of problems like that..  have your injectors cleaned or replaced, run some FI cleaner thru the tank at least every six months. More often if you don't drive at least an hour a day before you shut the car off.

       when you drive accerate briskly up to cruising speed.. Honestly!    You get better mileage.. the faster the engine gets to high gear and the torque converter locks up the slower the engine runs and the beter mileage you get. 

       Look ahead a long way.. If you ever hit the brakes on the freeway it's because you weren't looking far enough ahead.   That or you don't understand the signs traffic is telling you.. (rush hour traffic aside)   Use the cruise control once up to speed.. Anticipate.. lick off the cruise control and let it slow down up hill if once over the hill the speed limit is slower. Don't weave!

       don't dart in and out of traffic.. drive like there is a rotten egg taped to the gas pedal. You can go really fast that way but you can't do it suddenly.

        Be smooth!

        smooth

      Smooth!

       

       

  11. paperhanger | Jun 15, 2006 09:36pm | #14

    Mark, I bought a brand new Chevy Express 1500 cargo van for $14,500 back in 2003, the mileage is repectable for a van with a V-6, it can haul anything I put in it and the cost of gas is all relative now. We are all paying the same price, it goes up 10s of cents, it goes down 2 cents. You need a van for work, get one, if you have a pickup already, look at a trailor. It might be the thing for you.   Jim Z

  12. User avater
    Sphere | Jun 16, 2006 02:04am | #17

    Pushing close to 240k on my '94 AWD Safari..with fingers crossed.  I drive it REAL easy but do both 15 miles country back road, about 25 interstate @ 75-80, then usually another 10or15 around city stop an go...I average 15 MPG and that is moderatly weighed down, say about 500-700 lbs of 'stuff'.

    What KILLS any milage is when I have the ladder on the roof on the interstate...I bet I get 12 mpg.

    I already have my eyes open for a 2001 with 100k on it for under 7k, they get sold around here a lot and they are all white cargo type, mine has the comfort package, carpet, tinted glass, clothe bucket seats...I will miss it when it gets killed.

    BTW, I paid 3000.00 in '99 for it with 110,000 miles on it.

    Spheramid Enterprises Architectural Woodworks

    There is no cure for stupid. R. White.

    1. Mark | Jun 16, 2006 04:30am | #18

      Thank you all for your very informative replies!  

       I was hoping to get some info that would sway my decision one way or the other.  Right now I still haven't made up my mind so I guess it's time to actually start pricing some vans locally and see if I can find one that just screams out "buy me!" ...  or not... I s'pose I could just procrastinate for a few years..." If I were a carpenter"

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