We currently have quite the wheeled motorized fleet here at the Rockin' JR Ranch. Well, it's actually two fleets, each distinct by the number of their rubber tired wheels. In total as of today, there is a fleet of 14 vehicles.
In the four wheeled group, there are six, by ascending age:
a '66 VW 1300 Deluxe Beetle, a '68 VW "Adventurer" Camper, original and fully equipped; an '87 Ford Bronco II Eddie Bauer version, a '93 Nissan Maxima FDSC, a 2012 Chevy Cruze Eco, and the most recent acquisition added this past Thursday, a 2013 MBZ Smart Fortwo.
In the two wheeled group, also by ascending age:
a '68 Honda Trail 110, a '72 "full dress" Kawasaki 400, a '76 MotoGuzzi V1000 Convert, a '77 BMW R100RS, an '80 Kawasaki KL600 dirt bike, an '87 Yamaha FZ750, a '96 Kawasaki Concours, and a '98 Honda 6-cylinder Goldwing, GL 1500SE model.
Of all the vehicles, the three with the largest displacement are:
'93 Maxima (3.0L), '87 Bronco II (2.6L) and the Goldwing (1.5L).
Next largest is the'68 VW camper (1.43L), then the Cruze Eco (1.4L) followed by the '66 Beetle (1.3L), then the Smart Fortwo, the R100RS, the V1000 and the Concours, each with a little under 1.0L.
I bring all this up because of the recent run-up of gasoline prices in the US. Today, near the ranch, gas is $3.76US/Gallon regular, so fuel consumption and its costs are very dear to fleet owners such as us. Of necessity, not all of the fleet cars and 'cycles are road ready at any one time. It's more of a seasonal thing with the smaller displacement 'cycles, and then, just one at time gets to hit the highway.
Despite their respective vintages, none of the fleet's larger displacement vehicles gets less than 20 mpg combined city/highway. On trips the fully loaded '68 VW Camper-mobile gets 20 mpg, the V-6 Bronco II 4WD will get 24 and the '93 Maximum about 30. The '66 VW will get 32 mpg on regular fuel and the fleet's absolute mileage leader, the Cruze Eco, will get a combined average mpg of 38 on trips of 7 or 8 hundred miles and 32 around town, on regular gas. It's a 6-speed auto with a turbo 4 that develops 138 hp. Its best mileage so far, 41, is matched by the Goldwing 'cycle. In fact, the Goldwing's "around town" and "highway" mileage almost exactly mirrors the Eco's, low to high.
Interestingly, I do not expect the latest fleet member (the Smart Fortwo) to become the mileage champ, particularly when compared to the Eco. Because of it's design, engineering and the most likely purposing, we expect it will average around 30 mpg after break-in. Its primarily purpose is for short trips to, in, around and back from the nearby towns, with only an occasional long distance jaunt. It's really not an economy car per se as it requires premium fuel to power the 11:4 compression-rated 1.0 L 3-cylinder engine and push around a 1.8T vehicle. However, it'll go 90, carry two 6' + passengers and their gear, turn in a 12-foot circle and, at 8 feet long and 4 feet wide, fit into less than half a parking space.
Alas, the fleet is larger than I, a diehard wrencher, can properly manage. It's time to winnow down, and the Maxima will be first up for a new home. This coming spring, it's ditto for some of the 2-wheelers. I promised the Smart would be garaged, so with some new batteries and a little luck, there it will be. If you're interested in any of the 2 wheelers, let's talk.
