Flex fuel cars... any good?!

[Tripper]

Mrs Tripper's lookin' for a new SUVish ride to replace her big gas guzzler & the salesmen seem to be steering her away from flex fuel models. Not sure if there's something wrong with them, they're hard to get or what!? Anyone own one?

BoB

 

[Sniper]

My daughter and son-in-law have a new Chev van with the Flex Fuel feature but never use it, stay pretty well with straight gas. There was an incentive rebate just to buy one, (a fair chunk off the list price) and they now have it if the various fuel become readily available in the area. Runs and drives like anything else on gas, don't know about the other yet.

 

[toms26t]

Flexfuel uses more gas to travel the same distance as regular gas. So if you even the cost vs mileage in the end, it is very close to the same price.

I have a 2009 Silverado 5.3 flex and have just stayed with gas. Not many flex stations here to get the flex from.

 

[Willowbilly3]

Yeah, I've heard it doesn't save you any money.
One reason for the big push is a thing called corporate average fuel economy. The manufacturers have to have an overall average of a certain number for all the cars they sell. 2 of the ways they can bring this number down, one is by selling lots of small fuel efficient cars and the other is the flex fuel vehicles. It would seem the CAFE is just calculated on the amount of fossil fuel used so an E-85 capable vehicle only gets 15% of it's actual mileage counted against it. Hence an E85 vehicle that is getting 10 mpg is rated like it was using 15% of the actual 10 mpg it is really getting. Or 66 mpg.

 

[ratrodz]

fuel system parts are outrageous for flex fuel vehicles.better have really deep pockets if you keep it after the warranty runs out

 

[rustybeercan]

Don't know about how good they are but you can barely find E85 around these parts. Might come in handy if the Gov really decides to up the alkeyhaul content in gas like they're talkin' about.

Beercan

 

[Willowbilly3]

fuel system parts are outrageous for flex fuel vehicles.better have really deep pockets if you keep it after the warranty runs out

Same with a diesel though, try about $11000 to put a set of injectors in an 08 or newer Dodge.

 

[hwscowboy]

My neighbour went out and bought one of those tahoes last year that shuts down and starts the cylinders as you need or don't need them.Worked good for about 6 months then something screwed up driving down the highway,hydraliced a bunch of cylinders,bent rods a ton of damage in about 5 secounds.Worse is noe she's been waiting 5 months for repairs as parts aren't even readily availible at the dealership to fix it.At least they gave her a new loaner in the meantime but she doesn't even want the truck back now.Technology is amazing thing until it screws up.