MPG on Truck vs. Car with same engine

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The most cost effective thing might be driving habits, especially staying off the brake pedal. Use your driving skills to avoid the brake pedal and you just might see a useful improvement. I get upset a times with stupid drivers so I make it a game of it, to drive as smooth as possible, while listening to a book on a CD, or music. You will think you are loosing time, but such a little extra time is all that's required and you arrive a little safer and in much better spirits. It's hard to get started, but worth the effort.
 
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Originally posted by Alcibiades: I didn't realize they made an Excursion with a V10. WHY?! I think the EPA mileage ratings are at 50 mph, which means the test is badly out of date. That is why most people never quite see the mpg stated on the sticker and advertisements. SNIP
Why make an Excursion with a V10? The question isn't why make it with a V10. At that weight, it isn't overpowered, even with that monster engine. The question is 'Why make an excursion,' and the buying public responded by saying 'No reason at all, so we're not buying it." The PR/marketing guys thought there was a market, but it appeared to be the same size as the market for Ferrari Enzos, rather than what they had expected. As far as the test speed goes, I'll say that my car can go 55 all day long on flat ground and beat its EPA highway mileage. The only problem is, I don't get that gas mileage getting on the highway and I don't live on a highway on-ramp. If I set my trip MPG gauge once I'm parked in the right lane on Interstate 77 with the cruise locked at 55, my two-way average is over my car's 30 MPG EPA highway rating. The problem is the mile and a half of Akron area surface streets and traffic. As I leave work, going through a school zone and, two stop signs and three stop lights, I average 17 MPG on a good day and 12 on a really bad day. (It has 20 MPG city rating...) I get similar mileage between my house and the highway, with one stop sign, two stop lights and one really steep and long on-ramp. Thus, even with a 75% highway drive to work, I have no shot at making 30 MPG. But on level ground with the cruise at 55, I actually get 34 MPG. If I was on a cross-country trip in the midwest, I could get reasonably close to that.
 
At the outside, the difference at 12m miles per year (from 23 to 28 mpg) is 100 gallons. Or, what, $275-$300? Shouldn't be too hard to figure a way to "save" a few tanks of gas. Depreciation and finance charges are the killer in ownership costs, not fuel. Start by determining how long you will keep vehicle, work backwards in time to the present and project your costs in re tires, fuel, insurance, repairs, maintenance. Your "savings" will most likely be in understanding whether you chose the right vehicle to begin with (type, not brand), and in using/keeping it well.
 
IMO, its smart to start moving to syn fluids for the diff in your truck, and that has been known to up your economy a bit. Is it a manual trans? If so, consider changing that fluid to syn as well. If its an auto, just change the fluid with nissan fluid. Syn in the engine may help too... but you need to realize the cost penalty you may be taking. If you 'drive so much', then it might very well be worth it to switch to syn oil and extnd your oil change interval out to where youre saving $$$ over normal oil changes. All of these things are beneficial to reducing lifecycle cost, not just instant fuel economy. You need to realize that the cost of these things may not get paid off for a year or more, in terms of improved fuel economy... if at all. Theyre just smart to do if you want to keep your vehicle. The best thing you can do is to avoid brisk acceleration and jackrabbit starts at the stoplights, stopsigns, onramps, etc. Youre not a nascar driver, and with fuel as expensive as it is, you cant afford to be one. Accelerate gradually, and try to anticipate stops so you can get your foot off the gas pedal as early as you can to coast. Driving gently is the first key... Once driving, keep it slow... that is the second key to success. IMO, dont sacrifice your AC life for a bit more fuel economy. Run the AC regularly. Most vehicles see better fuel economy on the highway with windows closed, AC on than ooen windows anyway. Drive gently! JMH
 
JHZR2 has a great point. "Drive gently!" Earlier this year in my Pre-BITOG days I read online about treating the gas like an egg shell. If you do that you will see a great increase in MPG. I went from getting 25-27MPG in the city to a consistant 32MPG. Problem is, everyone in the city is in a NASCAR race so expect a lot of ****** off drivers if you don't do a 0-60mph in 8 seconds from a green light... Most of these guys are SUV/Truck owners as well. [Confused] In Iowa @ 55mph I was constantly getting 40MPG+. I miss the country [Razz] .
 
To increase mpg, don't accelerate fast. If you have a manual, don't wind it out to a high rpm in any gear before shifting. Shift at or below 3,000 rpm. A lead foot is the biggest gas guzzler. Keep the engine tuned. Make sure the air filter and spark plugs are in good shape. Keep the tires at the pressure marked on your driver's door jam. If you have cruise control, use it on the highways.
 
To some degree it's an air resistance thing, but I'll bet if you check your pickup uses a much lower rear end ratio than say a 240SX. I wonder if you could find a car rear end or gear that would fit your rear axle? My wife's '91 Caprice had a throttle body injected 5.0, got just over 30 mpg. on trips if driven gently, my bro-in-law's '90 GMC C-1500 never got over 20 mpg. no matter what we tried, but it had a 3.42 rear gear, the Caprice was 2.56 and they both had the same overdrive automatic trans. If you don't mind giving up hauling ability then try to drop you rear end gears under 3.00 to 1.
 
One thing I've noticed is that many people think that a bigger engine equals poor mileage. But weight, aerodynamics, and the transmission actually have a much bigger effect than engine size alone.
 
yep, thus why the caprice, or, say modern V8 GM performance cars can get 28+ MPG highway when driven right. JMH
 
Good example is the Corolla's mpg vs the Matrix's mpg....same exact engine but a Corolla will get almost 10 more mpg than my Matrix...Matrix heavier vehicle I'm guessing? [I dont know] Goose [Patriot] fwiw..now that we are back to summer blend gas here in NH I'm avg 3-4 more mpg vs winter gas
 
your RPM at highway speeds will effect milage too. you don't want a 4cyl doing 1,500rpm at 80mph. V8's usually have a lower rpm at highway speeds b/c they have the torque to do it. I think overall.... smaller, ligher, more aerodynamic and accelerate slow is the key! but yes I agree gearing plays a big role in milage for it's application.
 
Lou Dawg, It will be very hard to improve on your milage. Unless you have a "stripper model-5 spd w/no options and tiny wheels (who buys these things anyways?). If indeed you do have this base model you could expect up to 30 MPG.
 
To answer the original question... dodge dakota 2.5 5 speed 2wd, 1991: 25 mpg dodge spirit 2.5 auto, 1994: 29 mpg. The spirit had a torque convertor clutch and IIRC 3.18 gears. The truck has 3.50 gears. Both TBI'd and, AFAIK, pretty much identical computer-wise. The truck 2.5 has no balance shafts but I think is the same motor cam-wise.
 
My 94 2wd Nissan truck is a shortbed, regular cab model with the SOHC version of the engine in your Frontier, with the stickshift. I also keep my truck well maintained, and I've found, that my mix of 70% highway/30% city driving nets me no better than about 23 mpg. The Frontier is heavier, with the more powerful engine, and I'd be surprised if you get much better than 1-2 mpg more with a complete tuneup. I will say that I don't necessarily "baby" my truck while driving, but I'm no constant speed demon either [Big Grin]
 
I'll post this just to make you feel good by comparison. [Wink] 1998 5.7l 3/4 ton Suburban. Driven like and old lady. Back and forth to work 15mpg best case Hi Way steady 65mph 18mpg... 42 gal tank hurts these days. [Patriot]
 
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Originally posted by OriginHacker21: Problem is, everyone in the city is in a NASCAR race so expect a lot of ****** off drivers if you don't do a 0-60mph in 8 seconds from a green light... Most of these guys are SUV/Truck owners as well. [Confused] In Iowa @ 55mph I was constantly getting 40MPG+. I miss the country [Razz] .
What kind of car ARE you driving? Wow! That's great! Yeah, I have the tendency to pi$$ off a LOT of drivers everyday too, I refuse to do the Nascar/green light rush bullcrap. I'm an SUV driver and I tend to tick off cars moreso then other trucks - typically seems to be the mustang, toyota camry, and volvo owners that get irritated with me. But I've had a lot of people swerve around me just to cut in front and be dead stopped at the next light - think it's funny when I'm still doing 20mph and they're having to start all over from 0-up. Wandering how long their auto tranny's are lasting [crushedcar] Tried doing that one day, just to see how hard it was that some people take off from every light - I was hitting 3-4k rpm's just to stay alongside on flat ground. Did that 3 times, and said forget it, wasn't worth it when my typical casual take-off is at 2k rpm's at most.
 
Here in tampa it's crazy how people drive. they think the gas/brake pedals are light switches. They FLOOR IT!... then slam the brakes on for the next light 100' away. them and their little cracker box junker cars. even suv's... but mainly the 1993 Honda accord with 200K and 12 colors, steel wheels type idiot. I drive my '94 4runner normal, maybe a bit slow on acceleration. I'm always in the middle/right lane too, so if they have a problem they can eat my steel bumper that's over their roof line [Smile] with 35" MTR's, 15x10 alloy rims, Dana 44 front axle, 3" BL, huge Leaf springs, I get 16mpg around town 18 on the highway. Amazes me even.
 
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Originally posted by Ramblin Fever: I'm an SUV driver and I tend to tick off cars moreso then other trucks - typically seems to be the mustang, toyota camry, and volvo owners that get irritated with me. But I've had a lot of people swerve around me just to cut in front and be dead stopped at the next light - think it's funny when I'm still doing 20mph and they're having to start all over from 0-up. Wandering how long their auto tranny's are lasting [crushedcar] Tried doing that one day, just to see how hard it was that some people take off from every light - I was hitting 3-4k rpm's just to stay alongside on flat ground. Did that 3 times, and said forget it, wasn't worth it when my typical casual take-off is at 2k rpm's at most.
yeah... people wonder why their cars dont last??? this is why. JMH
 
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Originally posted by Ramblin Fever: Yeah, I have the tendency to pi$$ off a LOT of drivers everyday too...I'm an SUV driver and I tend to tick off cars moreso then other trucks - typically seems to be the mustang, toyota camry, and volvo owners that get irritated with me. But I've had a lot of people swerve around me just to cut in front and be dead stopped at the next light...
Maybe it has more to do with being blinded by the huge SUV in front of them that's not keeping up with the flow of traffic?
 
There is no flow at the instant of a green light. Hogwash if they believe it's because they can't see around me, I drive a mid-sized SUV (pretty small) in comparison to the HUGE one's around town, along with these huge a$$ trucks that also believe they own the road. BTW - they do the same thing to me when I'm driving my G-ma's little 3-cylinder Geo. Now, if they can't see around that, then they have serious vision issues. I don't take all day getting to speed, but I see no sense at all in seeing who can get 0-60mph faster just to have them slam on the brakes at the next light.
 
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