I think I bought the wrong truck

[Michel Jeanneau]

one thing I noticed is, if that instant mileage is remotely accurate, my truck hates a headwind. I was doing 65 into a strong headwind on a flat highway an was showing 15/16....at least a 6 mpg drop. Since the weather has warmed up an the winter blend of fuel is gone I've gained an easy 3 or 4 mpg compared to what I was getting over the winter.

on top of the crappy gas...cold air is denser

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[mtsoxfan]

OP - look up hyper-mileing techniques on google if you want the MPG

I can't seem to get better than 15-18 the way I drive. Except on a long distance trip I averaged 25.5

Like I said in the OP, I'm not OCD about mileage. Hyper-mileage guys are....

 

[Deleted member 1634]

Like I said in the OP, I'm not OCD about mileage. Hyper-mileage guys are....

And we're proud of it! haha As someone who is OCD about so many things, my truck and mileage might as well be on the list too. haha Some of you guys get a thrill from pushing the pedal down, I get the thrill from making the mileage numbers go up. It really is exhilarating and adrenaline pumping!

 

[Langwilliams]

Like I said in the OP, I'm not OCD about mileage. Hyper-mileage guys are....

I'm not super worried about MGP, I'd just like to stay over 20 mpg in a mid size truck. If gas ever gets back up to $3 a gallon I might start trying to milk every mile out of a gallon.

 

[P. A. Schilke]

I'm not super worried about MGP, I'd just like to stay over 20 mpg in a mid size truck. If gas ever gets back up to $3 a gallon I might start trying to milk every mile out of a gallon.

Hi Langley,

A bit of a back story. Wife and I decided to travel the entire length of Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) in California. Started in Chula Vista Ca. Ended up way North of San Francisco. This was done in our 40 ft Motorhome with our little 2007 Ranger in tow. So here we are, low on diesel at a little Mini Mart gas station with diesel. I am filling the tank and this lady walks up to me and asks if I might answer her question. I said sure, what is your question. Her question was what does it cost to fill up the motorhome? I answered...It is very simple... the motorhome has a 100 gallon tank, so take the price per gallon for diesel on the sign and move the decimal point over to the right two places and you have my cost. Her jaw dropped. "you mean you are going to spend $535 dollars to fill this thing up. My response was...yep! She left in disbelief. What the heck...the price was what the price was....I was not going to leave the motorhome in the fuel islands. Anyway, PCH was an adventure of a lifetime. Wonder view of the California coast out a panoramic windshield above the cars and trucks on PCH. We did the whole route until PCH merges with Hwy 101 toward the Oregon boarder.... Also...Never Again! Boarding on insane to having thought we could do this, but we did!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

 

[Langwilliams]

I lived in Hawaii in the late 80's an spent a year an a half in San Diego in the mid 90's. Back then gas was a buck a gallon more than the rest of the country. I had a regular cab 93 ranger step side 2wd 3.0 5 speed in San Diego an loved it. I didn't drive enough while in those places to worry about the gas price. Insurance? That's another story.

 

[Ace Holliday]

I lived in Hawaii in the late 80's an spent a year an a half in San Diego in the mid 90's. Back then gas was a buck a gallon more than the rest of the country. I had a regular cab 93 ranger step side 2wd 3.0 5 speed in San Diego an loved it. I didn't drive enough while in those places to worry about the gas price. Insurance? That's another story.

Oh gas is still a buck more, at least, per gallon than the rest of the Country.

 

[Mokume]

I was convinced 6 years ago I needed to trade in my Dakota and get an SUV so we could move my step daughter to and from college comfortable. So, the 1 time we moved her it was great. She just graduated with her Masters, and I still have only moved her 1 time. She always had an apt. anyway, and as most of us may feel, moving blows. My wife wanted an all wheel drive, but not a new car, so she offered to take mine and let me buy a truck. (still can't figure out her end game) I've been quite happy with my purchase, although I read somewhere all the updates I needed to do, mud flaps, leveling kit, side step etc. Now this is not unusual to outfit a new vehicle with essentials. Now comes why I think I may have purchased the wrong truck...

I'm a conservative driver now a days, not OCD about it, but I like getting good gas mileage. I just can't see how I can do it in this truck. I push down on the gas, and the truck MOVES!! I feel like a kid again, and there is no sign of it letting up. Coming home from a BBQ Sunday, I took a dirt road over a mountain to get home. I thought I was driving normal, push on gas, and it MOVES!!! My wife looks over and says " are you trying to make this truck fishtail?" I really wasn't, but it was, and I was loving it. Reminds me of my youth racing down dirt roads, Dukes of Hazzard style. Rocks hitting step bar sounded like someone ringing a dinner bell. I had to hide my joy, but inside smiling from ear to ear.
I read all the posts about more better-faster etc. How about more gas mileage? I'd feel so much better knowing I could have my fun AND get good gas mileage. Only 500 miles, pretty much 400 around town, and I get 18..... Maybe I need to trade in my shoes for a lighter pair.

I LOVE embarrassing Taco drivers at stoplight derbies with my 2020 Lariat!

 

[Mokume]

Oh gas is still a buck more, at least, per gallon than the rest of the Country.

Cheapest gas in the state is at Costco, $2.35 per gallon of 87 octane which I run my beater '02 Honda CR-V on, the Ranger gets fed strictly 92.

 

[Mokume]

Hi Langley,

A bit of a back story. Wife and I decided to travel the entire length of Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) in California. Started in Chula Vista Ca. Ended up way North of San Francisco. This was done in our 40 ft Motorhome with our little 2007 Ranger in tow. So here we are, low on diesel at a little Mini Mart gas station with diesel. I am filling the tank and this lady walks up to me and asks if I might answer her question. I said sure, what is your question. Her question was what does it cost to fill up the motorhome? I answered...It is very simple... the motorhome has a 100 gallon tank, so take the price per gallon for diesel on the sign and move the decimal point over to the right two places and you have my cost. Her jaw dropped. "you mean you are going to spend $535 dollars to fill this thing up. My response was...yep! She left in disbelief. What the heck...the price was what the price was....I was not going to leave the motorhome in the fuel islands. Anyway, PCH was an adventure of a lifetime. Wonder view of the California coast out a panoramic windshield above the cars and trucks on PCH. We did the whole route until PCH merges with Hwy 101 toward the Oregon boarder.... Also...Never Again! Boarding on insane to having thought we could do this, but we did!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Indeed!
When I took delivery of my 2000 Ranger back in November 1999 in Portland, OR, I drove south on Hwy 1 down to Oakland, CA.
The views and vistas along the way were stunning, not to mention the small towns we visited along the way.
I would have done it again in a heartbeat with my 2020 Lariat, but the Hawaii sales tax break vanished 15 years ago.
The 4.0 OHV, 5 speed AOD and 3.55 final drive in that S/Cab 4x2 averaged 16 mpg, but that did not bother me, I've always been a fan of Ford's torquey Cologne V6.

 

[Ace Holliday]

Cheapest gas in the state is at Costco, $2.35 per gallon of 87 octane which I run my beater '02 Honda CR-V on, the Ranger gets fed strictly 92.

That is .20 cents less than the Costco in our nearest big city, (we live in a rural area of South Kalifornikstan). I run the max available 91 octane in all of my rides and it is $2.99 currently at Exxon/Mobile, (the cheapest it has been in recent history).
It is sad that gas is cheaper in Hawaii than in South Kalifornikstan. We have our own refineries for cryin' out loud!
Super happy to be relocating to the free State of Arizona in the future.
Mahalo Mokume!

 

[caprtaineddie]

Hi Langley,

A bit of a back story. Wife and I decided to travel the entire length of Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) in California. Started in Chula Vista Ca. Ended up way North of San Francisco. This was done in our 40 ft Motorhome with our little 2007 Ranger in tow. So here we are, low on diesel at a little Mini Mart gas station with diesel. I am filling the tank and this lady walks up to me and asks if I might answer her question. I said sure, what is your question. Her question was what does it cost to fill up the motorhome? I answered...It is very simple... the motorhome has a 100 gallon tank, so take the price per gallon for diesel on the sign and move the decimal point over to the right two places and you have my cost. Her jaw dropped. "you mean you are going to spend $535 dollars to fill this thing up. My response was...yep! She left in disbelief. What the heck...the price was what the price was....I was not going to leave the motorhome in the fuel islands. Anyway, PCH was an adventure of a lifetime. Wonder view of the California coast out a panoramic windshield above the cars and trucks on PCH. We did the whole route until PCH merges with Hwy 101 toward the Oregon boarder.... Also...Never Again! Boarding on insane to having thought we could do this, but we did!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

Mr. Phil, I love your stories. This one reminds me of my flying days. My personal plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza and I believe it held either 84 or 88 gallons. On some days, I would only put $200 worth in it when I didn't need to fill it completely. In my working life, we would get four hoses attached to the plane we were flying from here in the U. S. across the pond to some distant location (Europe of the Pacific). They would pump fuel on for about an hour and a half. I don't even want to think about how much the cost of that was!

 

[Mokume]

That is .20 cents less than the Costco in our nearest big city, (we live in a rural area of South Kalifornikstan). I run the max available 91 octane in all of my rides and it is $2.99 currently at Exxon/Mobile, (the cheapest it has been in recent history).
It is sad that gas is cheaper in Hawaii than in South Kalifornikstan. We have our own refineries for cryin' out loud!
Super happy to be relocating to the free State of Arizona in the future.
Mahalo Mokume!

Gas prices here are very volatile (much like the product itself...lol) here in Honolulu, after a week of being priced @ $2.35, it shot back up to the more normal $2.80 a gallon, where it remains to this day.
Such is the price to live in Paradise, but I'll live nowhere else...

 

[Ace Holliday]

Hi Langley,

A bit of a back story. Wife and I decided to travel the entire length of Pacific Coast Highway (Hwy 1) in California. Started in Chula Vista Ca. Ended up way North of San Francisco. This was done in our 40 ft Motorhome with our little 2007 Ranger in tow. So here we are, low on diesel at a little Mini Mart gas station with diesel. I am filling the tank and this lady walks up to me and asks if I might answer her question. I said sure, what is your question. Her question was what does it cost to fill up the motorhome? I answered...It is very simple... the motorhome has a 100 gallon tank, so take the price per gallon for diesel on the sign and move the decimal point over to the right two places and you have my cost. Her jaw dropped. "you mean you are going to spend $535 dollars to fill this thing up. My response was...yep! She left in disbelief. What the heck...the price was what the price was....I was not going to leave the motorhome in the fuel islands. Anyway, PCH was an adventure of a lifetime. Wonder view of the California coast out a panoramic windshield above the cars and trucks on PCH. We did the whole route until PCH merges with Hwy 101 toward the Oregon boarder.... Also...Never Again! Boarding on insane to having thought we could do this, but we did!

Best,
Phil Schilke
Ranger Vehicle Engineering
Ford Motor Co. Retired

I love your back stories!

Back in 2009 I rode my brand new Honda Goldwing from Seattle, Washington to San Fransisco, California using the coastal route the entire trip. Then a hard left and over the Sierra Nevada mountains home to Carson City, Nevada.
A trip I have cherished and remembered for many reasons.

 

[Mokume]

Mr. Phil, I love your stories. This one reminds me of my flying days. My personal plane was a Beechcraft Bonanza and I believe it held either 84 or 88 gallons. On some days, I would only put $200 worth in it when I didn't need to fill it completely. In my working life, we would get four hoses attached to the plane we were flying from here in the U. S. across the pond to some distant location (Europe of the Pacific). They would pump fuel on for about an hour and a half. I don't even want to think about how much the cost of that was!

I remember many years ago while salvaging for loose change in the glovebox of my handed down '65 Mustang finding gas receipts of "ethyl" costing 35 cents a gallon.
My Dad owned the car then, the brand of gas was "Flying A"...who remembers Axlerod???

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