please post your diesel truck fuel milage

hazmat · May 14, 2004

As gas prices keep climbing, I'm trying to figure out how to save some bucks. I still need/want to have a truck, so I'm thinking about a couple options -

1. Sell gas F150, buy used diesel pickup (probably ford, as I really like my dealer).

2. Buy beater commuter car - Honda Civic, MB or VW diesel

3. (least desireable) sell truck, buy beater truck & nice commuter car

Since the EPA doesn't provide estimates on vehicles over 8,500# I need some data to "run the numbers" on option 1. I currently average 14-15 mpg in mixed driving.

Thanks

cowboydoc · May 14, 2004

You wouldn't buy my truck for a driver but I'll give you my #'s. It's an 03 dually crewcab with the Torqshift automatic, 4x4, and the 6.0 litre diesel. Unloaded on the highway I get 18-21, in town I get around 15. Towing I get 12 pretty consistently.

The other duallys my family has are doing about the same. The non-dually we have is my Grandpa's daily driver. He's getting 22 on the highway, 17 in town, and 14 towing. My sister has the other non-dually and she gets a mile or two better but it is the 6 speed. My brothers both have six speeds in their duallys and they are getting a mile or two better than me as well.

cowboydoc · May 14, 2004

You wouldn't buy my truck for a driver but I'll give you my #'s. It's an 03 dually crewcab with the Torqshift automatic, 4x4, and the 6.0 litre diesel. Unloaded on the highway I get 18-21, in town I get around 15. Towing I get 12 pretty consistently.

The other duallys my family has are doing about the same. The non-dually we have is my Grandpa's daily driver. He's getting 22 on the highway, 17 in town, and 14 towing. My sister has the other non-dually and she gets a mile or two better but here's is the 6 speed. My brothers both have six speeds in their duallys and they are getting a mile or two better than me as well.

40Kchicks · May 14, 2004

I had a 97 F150 (4.6L) extended cab truck before I bought my 01 F350 7.3L powerstroke crew cab and stock I got about the same mileage of 15 to 17mpg. I modified the powerstroke with a 4” exhaust, high flow intake, and reprogrammed it. I picked up a mile or two in mileage and got rid of the diesel lag the 7.3 has.

This truck is really nice and comfortable but I wouldn’t pick it as a commuter to go to town with. I live in the country and don’t have problems with its size but when we do go to town those small parking spaces are a lot easier with the car.

Eric

dmccarty · May 14, 2004

Hazmat,

I have a F350 SRW, Crew Cab, long bed 4x4. Most of my driviving is suburbon, with a 3-4 mile stretch on the Interstate with a rural drive thrown in to get to the property. Sooo, 5 trips a week going to work which is the highway/suburbon route which is about 26 miles RT. The trip to the property is maybe 50 miles RT. Usually I avoid the worst of the traffic but this week the work trip that usually takes 30 minutes took 75. /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

The truck with this type of drving get 18.5 to 19.5 mpg. If I am on a trip and keep it 70 or lower we get 19.5mpg. 70-75 drops the milage to about 17.5pmg. I THINK a rural drive at 55 mph is going to get me 21-22 mpg

I skimmed my log book yesterday when I was fueling up and noticed I was getting fuel every three weeks or so. About 30-32 gallons at a time. I paid 1.65/gallon. I THINK the price of fuel has gone up about 30 cents over the last 5-6 months. Did not pay that much attention but its in the log book. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

My wife has a Grand Cherokee. Not much grand about it since it is so small. It does not have 4x4 and is about half the weight of the F350. She is lucky to get 15pmg in that thing.

Later,
Dan

Yankee · May 14, 2004

I have a '95 F250 extended cab 7.3 Powerstroke, which replaced an F150 with the standard 6. I got about 15.5 highway with the 150 and I used to get about 19 highway with the 250 if I kept the speed around 60 or so. I towed a trailer across the US with the 250 and averaged about 14.

As the "new" truck has aged the mileage has gone down a bit, but I still get about 18 highway. Never checked it for around town, but I imagine it's not great, maybe 13 or so.

By the way, I disagree with t'other poster who said a truck's not a great commuter. I commuted 60 miles each way for nearly 8 years in the above trucks, and another 40 miles each way in another job for several more years in the latter. Never had a problem with small spaces, garages, or anything else (2WD, however, 4WD trucks tend to be a problem in commercial garages).

Bill

_RaT_ · May 14, 2004

15- 17 mpg. 7.3 L IDI Navistar in my 1993 Ford F250 /forums/images/graemlins/crazy.gif

rdam · May 14, 2004

04' F-250 2WD 6.0L diesel/5 speed auto trans.

Average 18 MPG city/hwy mix. With only 1100 miles, I'm hoping for some improvement as the engine breaks in.

Bob_In_MN · May 14, 2004

Hazmat,

I also have an F150 and while I'll be purchasing a 350 diesel next year, I will continue to drive my Saturn (or some other economy vehicle). I purchased the Saturn a couple of years ago when they were among the first to offer 0% for 5 years. I've owned 3 Saturns and they have all been good vehicles. Now, there are many dealers selling with 0% and as you mentioned, there are a ton of good used cars out there.

So--even if you go with a diesel P/U, I wouldn't use it to commute. I drove mine (for work) the first year I had it and it's just not a commuting vehicle (for me). Now--I only put about 8-9K miles per year on the truck. It's only used for hunting, fishing and projects.

Bob

Egon · May 14, 2004

96 dodge extended cab 4x4 diesel with auto and 3.55 gears.

Empty= 25 MPG
Camper on =18 MPG
Camper plus trailer and over gross weight limit = 14 MPG

All are in British units and are calculated from from 3500 mile drives.

Egon