Real MPG for pickups/historic gas prices

Tom Dunlap

Tom Dunlap

Here from the beginning
Administrator
Location
Retired in Minneapolis
A new-used pickup might be in my future. Deciding between a compact and half ton is a challenge.

I have a thread going about a build project. My plan is to take off the box, build/buy a flatbed then build a pop-top camper on the deck. Without wheel wells I gain acreage!

What kind of mileage do you get with your pickups? Most arbos have one that is used for work so it has a variety of loads, maybe trailer hauling too. Don't worry about skewed MPGs.

This website has info:

http://www.fuelly.com/car/

If only one person adds data then there is a skew. So, how does yours compare?

My Safari gets around 15 overall so I guess that I'm on the low end.

http://www.fuelly.com/car/chevrolet/astro/gas%20v6/van
http://www.fuelly.com/car/gmc/safari/gas%20v6/van

In my log book I have mileage records going back to 1979. If anyone is interested in what I paid for gas in previous years, give me a date, I'll look it up. It is interesting to go back and watch the costs rise, plateau and rise.

What is the cheapest gas that you've ever pumped? Mine was $0.219, with my Mom's Sears 10% employee discount...and they had attendants! That was back in '70 :)

I'm leaning towards a F150-size, extended cab-not 4dr, v6, auto with 8' bed.
 
I drove a VW pickup that was diesel and got 45 mpg and could tow a chipper and a stump grinder. It was a 1982. I own a V^ ranger now that gets 18. Not many good options for fuel efficient small trucks. Annoys me highly. I just bought a 1997 Geo for 1500. a little rust on it. Amazing cost retention. thing didnt sell for much over 6,000 new, 15 years ago. This car get 45 a gallon easy and also not available as a new option anymore either. A nice diesel small pickup would be very much appreciated round here.
 
https://www.google.com/search?q=mini+tru...954&bih=580


I want these to be made street legal. Only in Missouri and Oklahoma right now. (disregard the lowrider images. Thes things can get 60+ mpg they are used all over Japan, they are durable, four wheel drive, diesel, can tow small equipment, have a hefty payload, could haul a face cord of firewood and dump, can go 60 mph... what else could you want?
 
I think I'm going to move away from a diesel for my future truck. It use to be worth it when it was cheaper than gas, but these days I'm thinking the cons out weigh the pros.

I love my little civic, a constant 35 mpg and if I fold down the backseat I can haul things like rakes and polesaws.
 
2001 toyota tacoma. 4 cylinder. extended cab. 21-24 mpg. 200,000 miles. going strong. use it for everything. i mean everything. well almost everything. Driven the 6 cylinder version. not impressed.
 
In my perfect working world I would rarely have to drive over 25 MPH. All my jobs would be within a five mile radius. Woodchips would either stay on sight or be sold locally. Firewood wood also be used to heat the community (for profit of course). I could hit jobs with three of those things. I dont know. Seems like Japan is on to something there. That is what ALL of their work trucks are like. Seems like there should be a way to roll like that. Especially in urban environments. Interstate driving... not so much.
 
I was almost born in 1970.

I remember gas in 1988 @ $1 per gallon. I was 16 yrs. old...
I could buy cigarettes from the quarter machine near the bathroom.

p.s. - my diesel bill was $975 last month, a little high.
 
I bought an '07 F-150 crew cab last year with the small V-8 and I get 18-20 MPG. It is a sweet ride, floats on the road. Most comfortable vehicle I have ever owned. It is a 2wd, no need for 4wd here.
 
There is a place in knoxville tn that looks like a run down hillbilly garage and the guy has a bunch of these for sale at all times probably ten or so out front. I've wondered about these small trucks forever! Guess it would be a cool little truck to ride around in and haul gear. There's the little vans there too. Guess I'm gonna check on prices! The only thing I was concerned about was parts. Now the street legality might be an issue also...darn!
 
I own a 2006 Chevy Silverado 2500HD 4x4. Made my final payment last week!!!

10 MPH city/ 13.5 MPH hwy.

I used to do a lot of towing an hauling. Great truck for that. However, now I rarely tow... I occasionally haul a motorcycle. I generally spend between $300-$400 per month in fuel cost.

Cheapest I ever payed for fuel was $0.89/gallon. 18 years ago.
 
I have a 02 Chevy 2500HD crew cab shortbed. 183,000 miles. Ordered it new. Dressed weight is 8800# I have the diesel and a manual trans. I get 24 not towing and 14 towing a combo of 25,900#. That kind of truck may be overkill for what you want to do tho and the cost per mile is higher with oil changes, tires etc... But this can give you an idea of the far side of the truck spectrum.
 
I swear by the 94 to 97 dodge with the cummins 12 valve motor. Get the manual NV4500 with a 3.55 rear end and you will get a good 24mpg. I used to get 26 to 27 with a block under the pedal and free flow axhaust and air intake. I have 3 I still own 2 for work and one for personal use.
 
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I swear by the 94 to 97 dodge with the cummins 12 valve motor. Get the manual NV4500 with a 3.55 rear end and you will get a good 24mpg. I used to get 26 to 27 with a block under the pedal and free flow axhaust and air intake. I have 3 I still own 2 for work and one for personal use.

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I had a 95 dually with a 5 speed. It got a consistent 18 mph.
 
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I swear by the 94 to 97 dodge with the cummins 12 valve motor. Get the manual NV4500 with a 3.55 rear end and you will get a good 24mpg. I used to get 26 to 27 with a block under the pedal and free flow axhaust and air intake. I have 3 I still own 2 for work and one for personal use.

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I had a 95 dually with a 5 speed. It got a consistent 18 mph.

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Obviously this meens nothing, and has nothing to do with MPGs but still. I prefer duramax but as they say id rather be cummins' than strokin'

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i1dKy3KW7Tk&feature=youtube_gdata_player
 
Interesting. I've got 94 Turbo diesel Dodge 5 speed that I used when I was an area forester for a major pulp and paper mill. Kept the truck as a personal vehicle now that I'm at a utility. Great mileage, pretty much what the others are saying, no issues with the engine, starts at -30 not plugged in and I can tow my 25 foot boat at highway speeds no problem. No glow plugs!!!!!

I liked the Duramax and it will out pull my old truck but I've never heard of one that will touch the Cummins for mileage. They all have their own issues for sure, never cared for the Allison transmission but that' from years of watching them implode in heavy equipment and I do prefer a standard.

I will admit that I bought the truck because it has a Cummins and not because it's a Dodge.
 
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I will admit that I bought the truck because it has a Cummins and not because it's a Dodge.

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Same here. I've jokingly said I love everything about my truck except the part around the drive train. Of course, you won't get a Cummins in a 1/2-ton truck--you gotta step up to the HD series (unless the older ones are different), and good luck finding a used one that isn't used up. Mine is an 02 24-valve and gets 16-20 depending on load and % hwy driving. Actually, it's mostly just highway vs. city. Empty or loaded, trailer or not, I tend to get around 16-17 in town.

biggest plus for me is I can burn biodiesel. That smell is even sweeter when you know it represents profits that didn't go to exxonmobiltexacochvron.
 
I've seen a good number of mid-size pickup trucks in which people have installed the 4 cylinder version of that Cummins engine. It's turbocharged and everything. They get incredible MPG efficiency with plenty of torque for towing. It isn't a factory option anywhere, but a good mechanic could do that swap without too much difficulty. More diesel options in this country would be nice...
 
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