Lets talk Gas mileage and trucks...

[Hornseeker]

If you want!

I am driving an 01' F150 quad cab 4X.... I will basically get 12 average... its 10.5 sometimes.... its 13.5 sometimes... but most commonly in the 12-12.5 mpg area most the time.

I will put about 20k a year on... so at $3 a gallon, Im spending 5k on gas. If gas was to stay at an avg of 3.75, I'd be at 6500 a year on gas.

If I can find a decent truck that avg's 18 mpg... I can spend 3300 at $3 a gallon or about 4200 at 3.75 a gallon. 1700 and 2200 dollars a year savings... thats 2-3 guns! Or more optics or hell, just ammo... or maybe some more tags and out of state applications... And frankly, I like my truck, but Im not attached to it. I'm utilitarian... if it can get me and my chit to the mountains and back, Im pretty happy!

So... what trucks (not new $40,000 outfits) can get me in the 18 mpg combined range? or even 17 ish.... I'd love to put 2k in my pocket eveyr year instead of burning it while Im driving down the road...

What does your truck Really get??

Thanks for the input!

Horn

[Hornseeker]

Just wanted to add another question...

Is it really worth it to have another little car... that gets say 32mpg... when you have extra insurance, extra licensing... extra maintenance... etc... doens't it end up a wash if you drive them each about 10k?

[turkeyfeather]

'78 Ford F-150 SuperCab 4x4 with a 400ci big block rolling on 35's. I get 8 on a good day, downhill with a slight tailwind. 

[Hornseeker]

daaaayyyy-um!!!!

[quadrafire]

Oh Ernie.......Just get a bicycle.

I'm in the same boat '02 F150 supercrew. Filled up this morning and checked the mileage (10.5) 
10% Ethanol here in Spokane during the winter months.
I'm only doing about 10K miles/yr. And will just drive it till it tanks.

PS: joking about the bike kinda. But I had mine tuned up recently and will try riding a couple days/week to work.

[Old Man Yager]

1990 Toy 4X4, 269k miles, has a V-6 and gets between 17-20 mpg, depending on what /where I am driving.

[ghosthunter]

I gave up worrying about gas mileage years ago. You can either afford to drive a truck or you can't.

Lots of other things to worry about.

[Broken Arrow]

I get 18 with my Tundra Crew on the highway.

[KNOPHISH]

Let not & say we did,  it is what it is if you drive a truck. 05 2500 silverado = about 11 mpg fer me but I quit looking at that stupid gauge.

[washingtonmuley]

2010 dodge crew 5.7 hemi 390hp 12 mph around town and 15 - 17 highway.

[Old Man Yager]

I get 18 with my Tundra Crew on the highway.

What motor do you have in that?

[LndShrk]

Tundra cewmax with Shell.
4.6 V8

13 mpg highway empty

10 - 11 mpg towing boat.

[Special T]

How are you getting such poor milage? Is you 20k a year all stop and go, round town kinda stuff?

Here are some things i would consider to bump up your milage in your current truck.

When was the last time you did a tune up, change air cleaner, fuel filter, check air pressure in tires etc? do that stuff first.

Are you running some taller fatter tires than stock? Did you lift your rig? If so consider having 2 sets of tires on wheels. A "Commuter Set" and an offroad set. Tread design, width, airpressure OD have a large effect on MPG of a vehicle.

Anything that requires replacement consider going upgraded aftermarket.  I gained some MPG by going with a larger OD exhaust and flow through muffler on my truck. I had to replace it anyway so it helped out.

For you kind of milage 2 rigs wont save you any real $. If your truck got better milage originally then i would do what i could to maximize it. If you just take a look at insurance, and maintains of a second vehicle then you will see there is no real reason to get an "affordable" commuter vehicle. 

[buckfvr]

old 1 ton crew 100k, 460, usually sub 10mpg for when its needed, plus near new Toyota Tacoma, 4cyl for runnin roads ( mostly dirt ) and hauling quad in the back 20mpg +- .

[bobcat]

I average around 14 with my 2002 Chev Silverado extended cab, 4x4, w/canopy.   (5.3 V8)

Strictly highway driving I might get 16 if I'm lucky. More dirt and gravel roads during hunting season and it'll be closer to 12 or 13.