27th Nov 2011, 17:11
Wow. That is some good mileage. I drive my van mostly all highway. At 60mph I get about 18 mpg.
How can I get the kind of mileage that you claim? I have the big engine and have 89000 miles on it, and service the van regularly!
30th Jan 2015, 08:42
Install a dual exhaust, preferably Flowmasters, and lose the catalytic converters if you can. Lighten the interior load if you can, meaning if there are seats that you're not using, remove them to lose weight. Use Plus gas, as it burns better than regular. Also buy or install an upgraded air filter.
16th Mar 2015, 11:47
15:42 was not claiming to get 26 MPG, rather was disputing an earlier comment which has since been deleted, probably because it was bogus, as are most of the unbelievable MPG claims in these comments.
And as to the advice to "Use Plus gas, as it burns better than regular"(whatever that means). It also costs more, so whatever MPG increase you might get will be negated by the increased cost per gallon.
17th Mar 2015, 11:21
The biggest plus on these is the poor mileage. I had a high top 1990. I bought it cheap when gas shot up around 10 years ago. I had less than 2 grand in it with only 77k miles. Kept under a large carport, so it had nice body and paint. These usually sit a lot, because you usually have a better MPG car in your driveway. All the same, I miss mine. I put in a flat screen TV and DVD. Had dual batteries from the factory. In the end, I had fun and sold it for 800 more than I had in it after a couple of years.
20th Mar 2015, 00:11
Don't put a dual exhaust in these. Keep it as quiet as possible. Take a trip with another couple and simply split the gas. Go to a game, and ride in comfort and take 6. Splitting the gas this way is better than listening to an exhaust drone. We watch movies on trips and don't want to hear the noise intrusion. I doubt many others would like it either.
25th Jul 2015, 22:37
I have had my 1987 Chevy G20 for about 5 years. Don't drive it much, but when we do go, we go on a trip. Very comfortable. I sleep in a captains chair and put my feet on the edge of the bed. I cannot sleep in the bed.(Me 6-2, wife 4-11).
I have the vehicle stock. A dual exhaust will only create noise and does NOT increase gas mileage. If you cannot afford to put gas in the beast, don't buy it.
Mine is well worth the money I have spend on it (very little). Most expensive was the tranny going out. I have 96 000 miles on her and am going to keep her until I or she gives up.
11th Dec 2015, 05:58
You and I are in just about the same boat. I have owned my 1987 Chevy G20 for about 4 years now. I am 6-1 and the wife is 4-11. I sleep in one of the captain's chairs with my feet on the edge of the bed. Wife sleeps on the bed.
I think my van has been kept in Tennessee in a barn (old registration was found under the driver's seat). The paint on one side is lighter than the other. A good waxing takes care of that. It has 87000 or so miles on it. I love the van. Very comfortable and QUIET. Use it to sleep in when going to friend's house to watch the boxing shows, or other sports events. Have a couple of snorts of whiskey and not drive.
I get around 18-19 MPG on the road - not in town. It drops dramatically. I will not get rid of the old tank for anything. Just love the beast!!
11th Dec 2015, 21:46
I took mine to nice parks and the waterfront with my children. We would open it up and watch my aftermarket DVD and large flat screen. I gutted out the little antiquated tube TV VCR and Nintendo? What an improvement. I had a 90 350 V8 37 gallon fuel tank in a Chevrolet High Top. It had 2 stereos in it, front and rear. It also had 2 batteries plus a 3rd large battery box in the rear. Mine was kept under a high carport so was very clean. If you can keep one under cover with no rust and waxed up, they are very sharp. I had mint chrome. Lastly, I also refinished all the interior woodwork to better than new condition.
13th Dec 2015, 15:39
These are so incredibly cheap to buy used that gas should never be an issue. This vehicle is fun with a lot of pluses. New, you are up in the 40k range. I never care about MPG ever. It's a weekend toy that you can take the family out all together. To hear my grandparents really enjoying the great rear high seats and watching a movie was great. I even owned a 70 Cadillac Limousine on this forum that I bought dirt cheap. Another cool vehicle for a family outing. Where else can you buy something for under 4k to enjoy as a group? The fuel comment is really nothing. Buy a decent one, make it safe and enjoy. I didn't lose a dime owning both of these vehicles when I sold them. Something to consider vs fretting over a tank of gas. Not a daily driver anyway.
26th Dec 2015, 05:35
I owned a few of these G-series vans for work and you just cannot kill them! Most had well over 300k on the odometer and were still as reliable as an anvil. Only issue I noticed was floor rust and interior road noise at high speeds. Gas consumption is a non issue as they are super cheap to buy used, extremely low maintenance, can haul a ton of cargo, and pretty much pay for themselves, so gas cost is not a big deal. All the parts like tires and brakes etc are super cheap too.
9th Oct 2011, 15:42
Don't doubt 26 on highway at 60-65 miles an hour, but no way 20 mpg city!!! Mechanic for 30 years and worked on many of these!
Rick.