Any MPG Fans here??

[Erik the Awful]

I want much better than stock MPGs for the cars I want to drive... and will be happy with say 25+ MPG.

Not to be a d!ck, but puff, puff, pass. If you get over 20 mpg, you should be happy, especially with a 3/4 ton chassis.

 

[L31MaxExpress]

I've got a 97 5.0 lowered 2/4. I get on average 17.3 and I drive 90 miles a day on the interstate at 70-75mph.

I need to actually get an alignment might get a little better lol.

My 99 Tahoe with a 300K mile L30 that had a bottle brush hone, rings, bearings, gaskets rebuild with a small flat tappet cam, long tubes into 2.5" pipes to a magnaflow muffler, volant intake and electric fans would see 22 mpg running at a steady 70-75 mph on long trips. 3.42 gears with 32" tall P305/50R20s had it spinning ~1,700 rpm @ 70. Every little hill had it in 3rd gear though.

 

[racprops]

Well I live in Phoenix AZ. I10 to the west to CA, fairly flat and so it most of the way to Indio CA other than the major drop west bound and a hell of a climb up east bound. And even the rest of the way into LA is fairly flat, as is I5 to north cal.

I10 East bound to New Mexico and though most of Texas ETC is also mostly flat all they way to the Mississippi River and even parts beyond.

I60 to Las Vegas is fairly flat with some hills and mountains.

Now I17 North to Flagstaff is mostly hills...so about 144 miles will be a lot of climbing...but say I then jump onto I40 east...OMG FLAT some of the most boring flat land in the USA...

West bound yes the Rockies...

But I would NOT run up to Flagstaff to go west into CA. I have flat I10 for that. Or drop down on I10 and then west on I8 to San Diego, again mostly flat roads.

SO I am in a place surrounded by mostly flat roads....AS I have driven these roads I am aware of them.

The speed limits on the AZ highways are mostly 75MPH so rolling at 80 and 85 is fairly safe, and to do less leaves you to being in the way of the other faster traffic...and I love to cruse at 80/85 myself.

CA Drops it down to 70 so 75/80 is the safest cruse speed.

SO I will be able to get a lot of use out of this set up.

And consider my Dual Range over drive allows gear splitting SO say I hit a hill, and need to down shift, I have the 4L80s Third+ OVER DRIVE, that is about 1/2 way between forth and third...SO I have a 8 speed transmission., 4 gears plus their split of a overdrive between each gear.

So a hill that I need third to climb but third is a little too slow I can shift to third overdrive and go faster power allowing.

Rich

 

[racprops]

I am fully aware that the high MPG will only be there on flat windless roads.

But that is true with any and all cars, trucks and Vans.

As pointed out above where I am gives me a fair amount of such roads for a major part of any of my road trips.

Rich

 

[GMCTRUCKS]

The best way for me to keep gas in my tank is park it. LOL

 

[99xcss4]

(WTF IS MPGS? HAHAHA!} I ONLY KNOW SMILES PER GALLON AND GALLONS PER MILE!

 

[racprops]

(WTF IS MPGS? HAHAHA!} I ONLY KNOW SMILES PER GALLON AND GALLONS PER MILE!

I totally agree smiles per mile is as important as MPG...which is why I am working for the best MPG in the cars and trucks I want and enjoy driving: My classic great to be 03 Crown Vic, the best all around car, my 03 Ford Explorer, my SUV my day tripper for one day road trips and my Custom 93 Starr Craft G20 Stealth RV (sleeper van that still looks like party Van) Van for Major many day road trips.

One major features of these cars and trucks is how they are still easy and affordable to repair and maintain. Add in the 2000s Ford 4.6's rep for living up to 300K and beyond and both my Fords have it in them.

And of course the 9s Chevy van....parts are very assailable.

My views on fixing up older Cars and Trucks. 2022

The value of older cars can be deceptive: I am in the middle of fixing up two trucks, a 03 Ford Explorer and a 93 Star Craft Custom G20 Van.

I am spending a lot of money and time doing so.

Easily a few times more than their current market value.

I am very well aware that all of my older cars and trucks are not worth much on the market.

I don’t buy them for their resale value, I buy cars with reparation for long life, ease of service, low cost of replacement parts and in many cases cars and trucks I can buy complete second cars or trucks for a source of spare parts thanks to their low prices.

I also buy a car or truck for the job it can do.

As sadly not one car or truck is good in every department. There are always parts that need improvement. From dumb ass fake gauges, (Ford oil pressure gauge is fake, it jumps to a reading at ANYTHING over 5PSI…it is an idol gauge) to cutting a removable hatch in the floor of a van so you can replace a fuel pump without need a full-service bay.

I am able to fix up and make these improvements to make a much better car/truck.

I also find that the newer cars and trucks have MUCH more controlled by their PCMs. Even the 03 Explorer is borderline in that respect. New cars are becoming nightmares of electronic problems.

So owning newer cars takes us back to the 50s and 60s where you replaced your car about every three years, now like every five year. SO you are forever making payments.

As I am not Rich (in name only, not my conduction) I currently can fix and fix up my cars and trucks as I see fit.

PLUS running my 93 Chevy van (Paid $3k back around 2004) with its older SBC engine and older 4L80e transmission, and all the other old fashion parts like plan old wheel bearings instead of OMG Wheel Bearing HUBS which cost three times what my old bearings cost and do not need a extractor to replace, or my nice simple “U” Joints that only cost $20.00 not $100.00…SO many of the newer cars parts and repairs are in the Thousands…my repairs run in the hundreds, or less.

And worst comes to worst IF I lose an engine or a transmission on a road trip, I still can figure of buying a used one out of a junkyard and not pay a fortune for it. And it is the same on the cost of labor having them replaced. Almost all the parts I will need are much cheaper on these older cars. Granted that in 10 to 20 years that may change.

And as I am not at all concerned about the resale value I am free to do whatever I want to them.

So my current personal needs are for a Cheap SUV for shopping, picking up parts, and for short day trips around Phoenix and nearby sights. The 03 Explorer (Paid $800.00 as it needed timing chains) can fill that need very well and with an engine that has a life expectancy of 300K I think it has a good chance of outliving me. So I just need to do some minor to major work on it, but when done I will (if all goes accounting to plan) a highly reliable, fast powerful, and fair MPG SUV. And if I add an old Borg Warner overdrive one that can get even greater MPG. Test have shown it can get 27/32MPG at 50MPH...

The same applies to the 93 Chevy Van, it is a mini RV, and again made to how I want every part of it and again a very low cost to run and keep.

IF you’re interested in this road trip van and my many mods and customization's check out: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?set=a.858114534247153&type=3


Of course, doing such stuff is not for the faint-hearted nor someone without the skills and background I have, but that has been my story all my life…

At 14 (1962) I was already repairing and fixing my motor scooters, at 16 my cars, and because of that I became a gas station attendant and was doing oil changes and so on, and then doing near every kind of repair.

Even when I moved on to better jobs first trained as an A/C and heating service man, then a few years later became a TV repairman. And then added appliance repairs as well. I still fixed and maintained all my cars and vans. Even the newer fuel injection systems.

I got to the point that I used to say, the ONLY thing I could not repair was the automatic transmissions and then I got my own transmission jack so I could drop them out and take them to a transmission repair shop to be rebuilt. And often get a friendly pro rate on the job.

Check out my albums in the Photos section on my facebook, check out my van, my old Mercury and my Studebaker, and you can see what I am talking about.

Sadly the 03 Crown Vic (Bought for $450.00 needing a fuel pump and rebuilt A/C system) is becoming kind of a white elephant, not as useful as it was at first and I wish it to be.

It is the best car I have ever owned, and it is a hot rod by my standards (not really by most hot rodders standards…ONLY 250HP) and has a deep big trunk and handles great, but the Explorer is a better shopping truck and day tripper and the van is the road trip RV.

Ford Crown Vic’s have a great rep. Long engine life, Ex-Cop Car P71s are reported to last 150K plus in service, then are often sold to taxi companies and to run another 150K. P71s come with many heavy duty parts which makes them hold up so well.

And as Ford made and sold SO many they are lots of them out there and in junk yards.

And once I get the Explorer built to my liking the Vic will most likely go into storage, as I love it too much to part with it. Or just pop it out for a joy ride every so often.

AND as my 03 runs the same engine it is a replacement engine should I need one.

This kind of buying of a cheap used car and fixing it up with a small investment in cost and time is one we (I) will never see in the future with electric cars.

So if I was to even consider buying a small SUV like the Explorer they run:
2022 New Ford Explorer
Starting at $34,010

EPA-Est. MPG City/Hwy 20/28

Some Models Lease at $466/mo
And a new version of my Van: Chevrolet Express 2500 9 Passenger Explorer (a conversion Van with a similar interior/exterior)
Retail Price $ 94,850!!!!

Plus if you buy such new SUV and or Van you will also be paying on the interest of the loan (OMG)


So in my book I will have a great SUV worth $34K and great Van worth $94K for far far less money.

And not have to spend thousands in repair bills and there are almost no car currently being made that will not need repairs someday.

 

[fancyTBI]

Here is my average since I started tracking in November of 2022. My best is 19.44 and average is 17.58, though that should increase as the weather warms up. My trips are usually rural highways with minor urban traffic.

1992 RCLB C1500, 5.7, 5-speed, 3.08 gears, slightly taller tires.

You must be registered for see images attach

 

[racprops]

Here is my average since I started tracking in November of 2022. My best is 19.44 and average is 17.58, though that should increase as the weather warms up. My trips are usually rural highways with minor urban traffic.

1992 RCLB C1500, 5.7, 5-speed, 3.08 gears, slightly taller tires.

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Any chance you have checked to see if your speed and mileage is accurate with those slightly taller wheels?

Rich

 

[RichLo]

Aero is the biggest factor IMO on long highway trips. Obviously make sure your engine is tuned and happy and you have fresh fluids in everything. But it depends how far you want to go for each additional MPG. The pic below is a ford but it give you the point. For long trips where I will be burning through tanks of gas at a time, I personally like to find a semi that is going the speed that I want to cruise at (2-5mph faster than the limit) and set my cruise control behind him at a reasonable distance. It really does help in any vehicle you drive whether its a Prias or a RV.

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Theres some small things you can do to increase aero like mounting the antenna inside the fender, taping off the gaps between your headlights, taping the hood gaps, running sport aero mirrors, etc. Its just a matter of how much you want to do vs the payout benefit of those mods. The truck above would probably need 150k miles before you see the financial benefit of going that far.