Extracted this from USA Today of March 3, 2005. AAA gets their gas mileage figures from polling the membership.


"Among vehicles that were farthest off of EPA: 2004 BMW Z4 sports car, which AAA says hit just 14.5 miles per gallon in combined city-highway use, vs. 24 mpg EPA rating; Chevrolet TrailBlazer SUV, 13.6 mpg in AAA testing vs. 17 mpg EPA rating; Chrysler PT Cruiser, 17.5 mpg from AAA vs. 25 mpg EPA rating."

Joe Maj

Last tank of gas on my 2005 5.4 SCAB 4X4 - 13.5 mpg. It's cold, short trips, winter gas, some 4 wheeling through snow, more "agressive" driving to help break in the engine (500 miles on odometer).

 

I have two 2001 vehicles: My truck is the F-150 described below in my signature with the 5.4 V8 and a Eddie Bower Explorer with a V-6. I primarily only drive my Screw when I go hunting, fishing, or camping. It has 36,600 miles on it. My mileage consistently averages just under 20 mph on the road if I drive the speed limit. I rarely drive over the speed limit and try to use cruise control. This is not because I don't want to speed on occasion but Highway 285 out of Denver is riddled with state patrol & sheriff deputies just waiting with radar to catch you speeding. Highway 70 is another issue, you can really move thru the mountains without worring who is around the next corner. My Explorer gets 18 mph in the city but I don't go on the freeways, just the main access roads to get to work. And I don't speed because of the radar issues.

If I really get on my Screw, the mileage sucks (that is, consistent Interstate speeds of 70 to 75 mph). The key is cruise at speed limits and enjoy the mileage or get on it and don't worry about the mileage because it will suck. I only use mid-grade gas in my
Screw.

My 2001 F-150 Screw is the best truck I have ever owned. Both on an off road it performs flawlessly. And the Bridgestone Revos are tops - when everyone around me has chains on - it doesn't. At least, not yet. Semper Fi

 

I'm about the same mixed. I'm getting 19.3 strait hwy, at about 70-75 mph. I've got a 05 f150 screw lariat. 3.55 gears, 5.4 l engine. I'm happy with my mileage, I went from a Chevy Silverado 4.8 where I was getting worse mileage.

 

im getting ~14.5 around the city and ~16.5 highway with 8K miles on my '04 screw 4X4 5.4L

 

Ah the ol MPG ? ... Well, I'm a mostly town & dirt driver ... and average approximately 14mpg+ and am happy as a clam! The most I've calculated is about 19mpg ... egg shells wouldn't last long under my foot I assure you.

Everything is an approximation ... when the truck was new the OD was low and the speedo was high. With a bit larger tires the speedo was low and the OD got worse or lower. So, the quest for attaining accurate or should I say more accurate MPG is not as easy as looking at a digital display or simple calculation. I've never had a vehicle that the OD was actually right on! Here are some rough estimate records: MPG

 

TyCreek-

Interesting link to your milage numbers. I must say that my experience is a mirror image of yours. Everything from the calibration differences, method of calculation and calibration, and end results.

I run Chevron gas exclusively with my microtuner, do NOT have a heavy foot (OK, maybe 10% of the time I do)...........the rest of the info on my truck is in the signature below. It is pretty much stock.

My Truck you will note is a 2003 SC.........the thread started on a 2004...........I just had to respond anyway.

Interesting post

Tom

 

I'm getting 18 on hwy. 5.4 liter, 373 gears, 295/70R17's some people say the bed cover helps too??


gallery) craig41071

 

I'm actually looking for a honda civic right now for a daily driver. Paying 50 bucks to fill the truck up is killing me, but the only way I'd get rid of the truck would be to get a bigger truck.

 

I really don't get it!!! Unless the truck only got used 1-5% of the time or going through numerous tanks of gas/week.

A 25%/75% split example: Buy a civic at say $15-16k cash not financed as that would eat up any possible potential at breaking even. Figure that the civic gets twice the mileage as the truck and is used 3/4 of the time and that the truck was previously getting filled up about once per week. The civic would cut your $50 tank down from 1/week to about 1/mo and you would only have to fill the civic about 3x/mo at $25 a pop. Put the gas saved $ numbers on paper or in a spreadsheet and don't forget to subtract things like vehicle depreciation, tags, insurance and maintenance. Follow that down until you see break even at about 7-8 years (maybe)! After which you might need to start calculating for double or more the maintenance etc... the vehicle is now older. Then if you still think “Great this would reduce gas costs” ... put another column for that $15-16k in a 5yr bond or something and subtract that also from the gas saved.

I'm not sure you could really break even in that scenario and anyhow I look at it, I just can't figure how buying a civic would help me feel any better vs. paying $50 or more per tank of gas!

Now if I just wanted a civic for some reason it would be a different story!

 

13.8 city, 16.9 on 1 road trip. 10,400 mi.

Just about identical to the '99 Isuzu Trooper 3.5L V6 I had before. But o so much a better ride.

'04 Lariat SCrew
5.4L, 4x4, 3.73 LS

PG

 

My '01 SC 4x4 has been getting crummy mileage since I went to the new tires and rims. I went from 275 Michelins to 285 BFG AT and I don't know if it's the tread or the size of the tire of a combo of both, but I now get about 15 on the highway and who knows around town. I used to get almost 18 on the road. I hadn't thought about the odometer being off, just the speedo. Would this make my mileage seem worse than it really is or better ? Gas here is now about $2.18 for regular unleaded. They day $2.50 by Memorial Day. I think I understand the reasoning behind not getting the Honda. How about the other choices (programmer K&N, etc.)? How long before they pay for themselves, realistically?
Steve

 

Larger diameter tires cause the odometer to be off, better or worse. Better because it racks up less miles ... worse because it makes it look like MPG drops! Other factors such as width, tread pattern and rolling resistance can also effect mileage. But I'd check the accuracy! Mine was off by 3-4% low from the factory and when I put a bigger tire on it was off even more. The speedo in mine is 7-8% higher than the OD. Farther up this thread I gave a link to my MPG chart.

I doubt any add-ons are going to actually pay for themselves other than a lifetime filter possibly. Then mostly because you don't have to buy replacements even if mileage might increase a bit.

I've just changed a bunch of stuff on my truck and love it! But don't know what sort of mileage I'll be seeing? I'll also need to go out and get a calculation on my OD as that's all off again ... but my speedo is right on the money!

 

Miata Tire Size Calculator

Use the calculator to see what happens to your speedometer reading when you change the size of your tires and wheels. The graphic shows your stock tire selection in an outline overlaid on your new tire selection.

This will help you figure out how much your odometer is off

 

I've been getting 25MPG in my truck, 4.6L F150 2x4.

Here's how I did it...

I always drive the posted speed limit, use the cruise control for everything above 40mph.

My last fuel up was 14 days ago, since then, I have driven 550 miles and still had about 6 gallons to spare in my 30 gallon tank.

 

my 04 lariat 4x4 gets 15.6 in town and 18.8 hiway mods superchip programmer,airaid drop in,airaid jr. tube,flowmaster and a extang rt cover. i dont feel bad with that mileage M.W.28,k on odom.see there is hope