Max MPG Question

[Johnny O]

Getting near decision time. Lease is almost up. I have a 2005 Trac, 3.73 gears, larger 265/75-16 tires. Didn't bother with a lot of mods since I lease. Average maybe 14 mpg.

Looking at going back to a Ranger 4x4, 3.sl0w, 5 speed, like I had before that I averaged about 18, 22 on a highway trip. Problem is, gotta go to a regular cab now to get the 3.sl0w and I love the Trac's seats and other features.

OTOH, usually I'm in it by myself. Junior will be starting college next year and my kids don't live with me anyway.

My buyout at lease end is $14,800. Playing around with payment calculators, it looks like a 3 year lease on a Ranger or 4 year loan on the Trac would be about the same monthly payment, either of which is about $100 less than I pay now. $100 would buy a tank and a half of gas.

So if I drop say, $1200 on a Y-pipe, exhaust, XCal2, Zabteck CAI and TB, whaddaya think I'd get? Has anybody done all that?



Or Plan B, get that Mustang GT I've always wanted and find some beater truck for $1000.

Even the wife pointed out that the last time I got a cheap beater it ended up not being so cheap with everything that kept breaking.

 

[Tom Schindler]

I have found that the 3.73 does not get as good as gas mileage as the 4.10 does. Also, the larger tires do hurt gas mileage.



The 3.0 V6 does not get good gas mileage. My dad has one in his Ranger. On the highway, he may get me by 1 MPG, but I get better than he does in city driving. No real gain there.



Getting a ScanGuage will really improve your mileage by showing you where you are screwing up in your mileage.



I use it as a challenge. I am not really worried about gas prices or MPG, but I like to use it to see how I can drive to get better mileage. I only fill up once a month.



Coasting up hills and accelerating up hills will get me 4 MPG more that the opposite. I also get better mileage using my foot than the cruise.





Tom

 

[David Mazur]

Go with plan B. The Mustang will get 20 plus MPG evan running it hard. Get a set of winter tires and drive it year round!

 

[Michael Cacioppo]

JohnnyO,



The major problem with gas mileage is weight. A saturn at about 2700 pounds gets about 35 highway. A 4400 pound Trac gets about 18. There are other factors such as engine efficiency, gearing, etc., but weight is the killer. A good set of Blizzaks or Artic Alpin snows will get almost any vehicle around on snow or ice. Evaluate your needs and finances. Make a list of must haves in a vehicle. If you need a 4-5 passenger vehicle AND a truck a crew cab or trac i what you want in a single vehicle. If you really do not need a truck go with a lighter vehicle with more performance and enjoy. You can always rent a trailer when you have to haul or get a cheap trailer of your own. That's my two cents.

 

[Todd Z]

ALSO did you ever change the speedo in the computer to properly read ???



putting larger tires on it, will cause the speedo to read slow, causing you to calculate lower MPG...



Todd Z

 

[Ron N]

Jon, I have the y pipe, rebuilt the exhaust, modded the tb, did the cai, and the xcal 2. I have owned the scangauge thru all of it. My mpg has changed alot. I do alot of mixed driving, with 5 miles to work,(3 miles in town and 2 miles on the highway). I started at 15 mpg, I gripe now when it hits 17.5 for a tank. My mpg on the highway is at 22 to 24 mpg. But, the only thing that can determine is what you like or want. If you are taking gas milage as a consideration, you can buy a VW. If you like what you have, then stay._Ron

 

[Johnny O]

Todd Z,

I am allowing for the larger tires when calculating mpg, I figure the odometer about 10% off, since I did not change the computer at all. Remember, I lease.

I'm just wondering if I can average closer to the 18 I did in the 3.0/stick/3.73 Ranger 4x4 I used to have. Slow as molasses though. Second Ranger was a 4.0/auto with 4.10's, it would be screaming at highway speeds and mpg sucked but it was a rocket especially with the throttle cable mod. My original plan was to get a base XLT Trac to get 3.73 gears then swap up to 255/70-16 tires (from 235/70) to cut the rpm down from what I had in the Ranger, also I did not want the step bars that come on the XLT Premium. But then when I found how easy it was to do a TT/shackle lift and put on 265/75's and skidplates and one thing led to another.....:lol:

What Ron has is kinda what I'm looking for.

 

[keith wallace01ST]

i had a ranger once and i found the space in the cab it sucked real bad know that i have my trac i found i am ride like a cadilac

i am looking doing what you are doing to your trac i think you will get better milage and peformance.I have the bigger tires on mine



Todd



What do you think about what johnny o is thinking"So if I drop say, $1200 on a Y-pipe, exhaust, XCal2, Zabteck CAI and TB,"



would this help?????



by the time you get 2 vehicles and you pay for the extra insurance and deal with the vehical swap i would just keep the trac



or by a vw tdi and get 60mpg and buy a 100 beater for what you need a truck needs...



That is my thought

 

[Andy Szkutak]

JohnnyO,

I had the 01 sport trac and after doing JBA wires new plugs kn filter etc, i got up to 18-19.3 mpg in summer. Now with my 06 ranger ext cab 4.0 4wd auto with the only mod being a kn drop in so far, i get 18-21around town, and i have yet to try a true highway mpg test. Your are right though with the 4.10s at 80mpg i am around 3000rpms, so i dont know how much better ill get on highway, but the city is very very impressive!

The only thing i miss about the trac is the cab size, and the rear weight in snow..



Good luck

Andy