| Author | Message | ||
     Xl1200r |
Thinking about buying a new truck... looking at gas mileage ratings and everything. Everyone knows that a 4x4 truck gets worse mileage than a 4x2. My question is, are the EPA ratings for a 4x4 done with the 4-wheel drive system active? If the transfer case isn't engaging the front wheels, why would the mileage be any less than a 4x2 counterpart? | ||
| Etennuly |
If it is deactivated you are still carrying about 700 pounds more weight in a full size truck. Then there is a general overall higher stance that messes with aero-dynamic flow, and rolling resistance is increased by turning more parts dipped in gear oil or grease. | ||
| Xl1200r |
The one I'm looking at is only a 320 lbs difference between 2WD and 4WD, and about 2.5" higher ride height. I can see how this would affect it, just surpsied it does so measurably. | ||
| Loki |
a shift-on-the-fly 4wd system is still turning the xfer case, one axle and the drive shaft even with the xfer case in neutral. The price we pay for not having true lock-out hubs. | ||
| Loki |
parasitic drag really sucks! | ||
| Etennuly |
The price we pay for not having true lock-out hubs. Well we cannot get out and get our loafers muddy to lock them in, now can we?  | ||
| Kowpow225 |
I drive a 2003 dodge 1500 5.7 Hemi 4x4 and get around 12-14 mpg. Some err... most trucks get better mileage in that age bracket. I'd seriously consider a truck with some form of cylinder deactivation now. | ||
| Court |
If you are looking for a truck (I drive a 2006 F-150 XLT SC) and have ANY concerns about gas mileage you will be looking for a long time. I've been toying with the idea of picking up a second vehicle to use on days, like this week, where I am driving 125 miles a day. I love my truck, comfy, put new tires on yesterday, rides and handles great but . . . .fuel economy is not part of the equation. | ||
| Froggy |
Silverado Hybrid. Sucks that they don't make it in a regular cab  | ||
| Americanmadexb |
My 03 Chevy Avalanche Z71 gets 15-17 city and about 18 highway.. I never thought about trying to put the transfer case in neutral but i guess what Loki said wouldnt work anyways! | ||
| Bhillberg |
I have a 2004 Silverado HD 4x4 Crew Cab with a 6.0 liter engine. It gets about 12-14 mpg's. I drove it every day when I lived 15 miles from work and it wasn't a big deal. It was a big deal on weekends when you figure going to see a family member or friend 60 miles away was going to cost about 50 bucks. Soon after I bought a 4 banger car and drive it 99% of the time. I love my truck, love driving it but it gets used when I actually need a truck. This is why it is an 04 and just kicked over 30k miles. I believe the 5.3s get high teens but that still isn't great. Like it was said before, if you want to save money on gas then don't look at a 4x4, or buy a diesel. They usually get around 19 or so mpg's sometimes higher. Diesel "should" cost less. It takes less to refine it and for years it was cheaper. It is simply the fact that they are sticking it to the truckers that diesel costs more a lot of the times now. You can run a diesel on french fry oil though if you filter it correctly. Actually that is what it was originally designed to run on until we found this overabundance of petroleum and decided to burn it in everything....... How times change!! | ||
| Fez |
T-case in neutral would give you about 0 MPG. | ||
| Teddagreek |
I'm pretty big into dodge trucks... My 2006 Ram 4X4 gets just as good mileage if not better because of the gearing and my mods.. 13-15 heavy stop and go... 16-22 highway depending on speed and load | ||
| Just_ziptab |
My S-10 and S-15 are neart identical. Both are 4.3 V-6 and 5 speed manual......except the S-15 is ........ 4x4. S-10 gets 25 to 28.7 mpg, S-15 gets 18 to 19 mpg. Same route and same driver. The S-15 is a full 9 inches higher, has bigger tires and of course the front drive train is always spinning,even in 2WD mode. On the other hand,my S-10 "used" to get 20-21 mpg till I switched to regular gas(non ethanol) and drove like an egg was between my shoe and the foot feed at all times. The key is not to gouge the throttle and drive like you have no brakes(coast instead of braking) | ||
| Court |
My main man Obama is LOOKING out for us! | ||
| Citified |
I had an 03 with the 8.0, I could pass anything but a gas station. | ||
| Uncbuell |
My 2006 GMC Sierra 2500HD 4x4 with the duramax diesel gets around 19 in town and 25 on the highway. I do have an aftermarket programmer, so my mileage is better than stock. It's got around 470hp and 820 ft-lbs and still gets decent mileage. | ||
| Xb9ser |
My $900 78 chevy truck just became worth $4500 | ||
| Froggy |
Actually no, its too old. 1984 is the cutoff.  | ||
| Lemonchili_x1 |
I like my old clunker! I think, but I don't have any figures, that the extra ride height (even just 2.5"'s) has a significant impact on economy. "It turns out the biggest gains are to be found on pickups — not by dropping the tailgate (a common misconception), but by installing a tonneau cover. "A tonneau cover improves the aerodynamics dramatically — on all pickup trucks," according to Ford's Wegryn. "In general, a tonneau cover can provide a drag reduction of 2 to 7 percent, depending on cab style, box length and overall vehicle Cd. Average fuel economy improvement ranges from 0.1 to 0.3 mpg." From an aero standpoint, it doesn't make a difference if you choose a soft or hard cover. You can reduce your vehicle's aerodynamics by: Lifting it — "an inch of increased ride height degrades the coefficient of drag by about 10 drag counts [.01]," says Wegryn. " See http://www.edmunds.com/advice/fueleconomy/articles /106954/article.html for more. | ||
| Xb9ser |
froggy where is the cut off? have'nt seen that said | ||
| Froggy |
Its listed in that article and just about every other article about the program. I have been supporting the bill since it was proposed many moons ago, but unfortunately it got so watered down that its pretty much useless. I was planning on pawning off my mothers 99 Chevy Tracker for $4500 off a Pontiac G8. Ain't gonna happen. http://jalopnik.com/5285833/a-guide-to-the-cash-fo r-clunkers-bill http://jalopnik.com/5285032/cash-for-clunkers-bill -house-passes-we-analyze | ||
| Johnnylunchbox |
For a second I thought I could dump my '63 Grand Prix land yacht. | ||
| Froggy |
You could dump the Alpha  | ||
| Bhillberg |
all that will happen is dealers will raise the prices 3500-4500 dollars. Maybe not in an obvious way but they will not be forced to lose money. They will hide it in fees somewhere. | ||
| Froggy |
Umm... that statement is highly inaccurate. How will a dealer lose even a cent by increasing sales at the same price? This bill is to help stimulate sales, its not like the dealers are going to need any change in their pricing to reflect this. You might want to actually click the links and do some reading, they say nothing about forcing dealers to do anything. The dealer gets the voucher and adds to the trade in value of your old car.
| ||
| Ratbuell |
I love diesel. Our '05 Ram - quad cab, 4x4, auto, 8' bed, rated for 16,000lb bumper tow and I regularly haul over 2k lbs in the bed - gave 23mpg out to Homecoming and back. With an S2 in the bed. And a backseat full of crap. And camping stuff piled around the S2 in back. With the cruise set on 80 and the a/c on. And as of today, locally, diesel is 50 cents cheaper per gallon than unleaded. Good thing I ride everyday, or gas prices would really piss me off. | ||
| Xb9ser |
thanks Froggy that is the first I have seen with a cutoff date. | ||
| Bhillberg |
wow, Froggy..... Your reply went from brash to sarcastic Obama has encouraged Congress to approve the consumer incentives for new car purchases as part of the government's efforts to restructure General Motors Corp. and Chrysler Group LLC. Yeah I guess that there is no possible way that the auto makers could be somehow footing this bill? That the dealers could be instructed to somehow make some of that money back? No, no there is no way that there could possibly be any dirty business. I did click and do some reading, and I do believe that there COULD be some inflating of the prices in this deal. You can believe differently. I am just saying that most deals are not at good as they seem. Even if it is as good as it seems though I don't agree with it. I mean why in the world should the government be shelling out more money they don't have to help you or me get a car? Do we really need to go further in debt to China? Seems like a form of welfare to me. I guess I just wish all I had to rely on the government for is national security and that they could stop spending more and more money on useless things. In the end we are all paying for this.... out of every paycheck. (Message edited by bhillberg on June 19, 2009) | ||
| Chainsaw |
My 1972 GMC Jimmy 4x4 gets 16mpg in town and 20-something highway...which is nearly identical to my sister's 2007 Xterra. I'd always assumed that a truck 35 years newer than mine would be getting better mileage. She does have more cup-holders thou.  |
