Great MPG

[OrdnanceMarine]

There is no practical way to drive something the shape of a brick and yield 25+mpg especially whoever it was in another thread that said their 4Runner averaged 27-28mpg and posted a picture of their scan gauge.

That's what my A4 averaged, yet I could skew my fuel averages and yield as high as 39mpg sometimes but I knew I wasn't actually getting that mileage.

Getting 25+ MPG out of a 4Runner is probably totally impractical, if not nearly impossible. I also agree that there are more than a few people that don't possess the knowledge or understanding of how to calibrate their SG2 to read properly. I could take some pics of my current trip MPG reading ~40 MPG when I was descending from our 5100' campsite to the 3700' highway after 5 miles or so since the I was using engine braking to keep speeds under control so the fuel injectors were shut off, giving me an instantaneous MPG of infinity, but this would be misleading. Indeed, I can find many segments of trips where I've bested 40 MPG but this would a misrepresentation to say "I got 40 MPG towing a 3300 lb trailer in my 4Runner".

As far as things the shape of a brick getting 25+ MPG? Nissian Cube, Scion xB, Honda Element, etc. are all able to do 25 MPG no problem. Whole different beast than the 4Runner but definitely more “brick shaped” than our rigs.

 

[MikeInNH]

I can realistically get around 21 during the summer months here in NH. Winter..with the adverse weather and winter gas.....about 15.

The way you drive is by far the biggest influence you have in your gas mileage. I'm NOT a fan of Hypermilling. Besides the fact that they suggest doing things that are dangerous and illegal (yes I know some people may only follow some of their suggestions)....What I've seen with people who are hypermilling are just plain annoying to other drivers. Here in NH and the Boston area...MOST people drive in the left most lane...This becomes a problem when the hypermillers are there doing slightly below the speed limit....now everyone has to go around them which causes other dangerous situations. It's especially dangerous off-peak hours in the Boston area when the average speed limit is over 75. Keeping up with traffic is far less dangerous then driving below the speed limit.

 

[settytb]

Before lift and tires I took a trip out to vernal utah which has a tough climb to about 8k feet but then a gentle decline for miles... I ended up getting about 23mpg in my 03 v6. However with that said, after lift and tires i'm getting about 15 average. So, it's another of "this one time, at band camp..."

 

[calikev]

All I know is I fill up every 300 miles with my V8. I can MAYBE get 330-350 out of it if I drive it like it's a 4cyl. I bought a V8 so I stomp it every damn chance I get and drive 70-75mph every chance it's available too. When the gas is gone I put more in, just like everyone else.

I bought this truck because it's a sports car in a SUV body. I'm gonna drive it like that. Gas is what it is for me and everyone else. The guys that obsess with gas likely get 1-3 mpg better than me and seemingly don't enjoy their truck 1/2 as much as me. I love that V8 growling when I stomp it and it's worth it.

I also wear my best cologne for the heck of it, best shoes and best suits for the heck of it. When I'm gone the kids are gonna get a life insurance check which is someone else's money...mine will be spent and enjoyed like all things I have while I'm here.

I'm no fool, I do save $$$, but I'm not the guy with a new car/truck that I'm "saving" and keeping the miles down so I drive my clunker and leave that new car/truck in the garage for weekends.

I bet we all know a guy that passed and had all these great possessions that were "like-new" the new guy got his "like-new" wife, clothes, car/truck and home and is loving all of it with a big smile....NOT I MY FRIEND!!!!

Guys forget about this 1-3 mpg and stomp it and love doing it!

Flame away if you must, but that's my .02 cents

 

[rushrunner]

all I know is that I am going the the gas station less and less...that is all I need to know :bigok:

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

I bought this truck because it's a sports car in a SUV body.

I'm guessing our respective understanding of what a sports car is are probably a little bit different.

Let "Exhibit 1" be the fact that the 4Runner does not have a factory option for one of those little pedals just to the left of the brake pedal.

If I were under the impression that there's anything "sports car" about the 4Runner and were trying to drive it as such I'd have three children vomiting in the rear seat and a wife that would be righteously scared of me.

I'll try and leave it at that.

 

[calikev]

I'm guessing our respective understanding of what a sports car is are probably a little bit different.

Let "Exhibit 1" be the fact that the 4Runner does not have a factory option for one of those little pedals just to the left of the brake pedal.

If I were under the impression that there's anything "sports car" about the 4Runner and were trying to drive it as such I'd have three children vomiting in the rear seat and a wife that would be righteously scared of me.

I'll try and leave it at that.

I only meant that the V8 performs VERY well...it does have #'s to rival most sports cars in terms of torque and HP. My SL500 Benz is not much more fun to drive than my Runner, when I decide to pass I do so effortlessly. I was mostly saying that we justify buying the V8 vs the V6 because it's only a couple more mpg lost for V8 vs V6. I use the same analogy to justify not watching the gas gauge and becoming obsessed...it's only a few mpg difference and the end result is the same for everyone...FILL IT UP WHEN THE GAS IS GONE AND DO IT AGAIN

 

[OzarkRunner]

While I agree that the V8 4Runner performs well, I had much more fun driving a family member's SL500 when I had the chance. For a car that's not nearly as fast as people give it credit for, it is a blast to drive.

As for MPG in the 4Runner, I was elated to get 19.1 MPG doing 65 MPH on a recent highway trip of about 300 miles. On the return, I averaged 16.7 MPG doing about 75 MPH. I'll stay around 65 MPH on the highway when I'm not in a hurry because I like the feeling of saving money, but the extra $5 I spent on that trip didn't break me (and I got home about 40 minutes faster).

 

[calikev]

While I agree that the V8 4Runner performs well, I had much more fun driving a family member's SL500 when I had the chance. For a car that's not nearly as fast as people give it credit for, it is a blast to drive. QUOTE]

HAHA Ya' got me there...even I have to admit that I was a lil' crazy when I said the Runner is as much fun as the SL. The Runner is great but it's no SL. SL's are pretty cheap now and a great car for the $$$. Mine is the last year before all the computers for everything. It's an 02 Sport with only 25k miles on it. Nothing is better than dropping the top and feeling the wind in that car.

 

[OzarkRunner]

HAHA Ya' got me there...even I have to admit that I was a lil' crazy when I said the Runner is as much fun as the SL. The Runner is great but it's no SL. SL's are pretty cheap now and a great car for the $$$. Mine is the last year before all the computers for everything. It's an 02 Sport with only 25k miles on it. Nothing is better than dropping the top and feeling the wind in that car.

Absolutely. We had the chance to buy our family member's '03 with 23k miles for about $18 grand, but the maintenance scared me if we were going to use it as a daily driver. That, and my wife would either have to drive it or the 4Runner, and no one would have won in that situation. Not a knock at female drivers, just my wife. She. Can. Not. Drive. Seriously, it's scary.

 

[YotaDriver]

I drive an '06 V6 with 92k miles running on 265/60 18 Revo II's. I put new plugs in in April and saw my mileage increase by somewhere between 1 to 1.5 mpg. I ran Techron through with my last tank so I'm hoping to see an improvement, but I'm not counting on much there. Most of my driving is done in rural New Hampshire with about 150 miles per tank used at highway speeds of between 70 and 75. I divide the miles I've driven by the number of gallons I add every time I fill up and I consistently see between 19.5 and 21.5 mpg.

Add me to the chorus of people saying 25 mpg is the stuff of fantasy.

 

[boondoggle]

I think if you were to push my 4Runner out the back of a C-130 it might get 25-30 MPG. Instant horsepower boost too. Better than NOS.

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

I am always skeptical of claims of 20+mpgs in 4 runners. I average about 14 with 90% city driving where my average speed is about 24 mph. I have been keeping very detailed records of my fuel consumption and have averaged 14.7 over the past 6 month. The best I have had was 17 on a trip with highway driving. I think a lot of people making outrageous claims are fudging the numbers. It is easy to cheat your mileage when you fill it to the point that it is over flowing one tank then the next stop it at the first cut off. I did that once while tracking and got 18 on one fill up then 12 the next.

I would love for someone claiming 20+ to show me real detailed proof that they can get that kind of mileage over and over.

You have as good a proof as you can reasonably expect that at least this 4Runner is consistently able to get 20+ MPG. You like your crow roasted or fried? :naughty:

 

[4RunnerFan]

For us, a major killer of gas mileage occurred when all the gas stations in our area, including Costco, switched over to 10% ethanol. MPG has never been the same since.

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

For us, a major killer of gas mileage occurred when all the gas stations in our area, including Costco, switched over to 10% ethanol. MPG has never been the same since.

I have personally tested every station I'd consider buying gas at in the area where I live via the saturation method and all come back with ~10% ethanol. Some states have passed laws that there must be one pump offering that does not contain ethanol (usually will be the 91 or 93 R+M/2 fuel). At least my vehicles will run on E10. I know many folks with motorcycles and power equipment that fouls very quickly on E10. I've had fun cleaning out the carb port on my brand new Honda EU2000i generator and another larger generator one month after fresh fuel with Sta-bil had been added. Now I have to make sure the carb is dry when I finish using my equipment or else I suffer the consequences.

We have hit what is termed "The ethanol wall" where gasoline use has dropped so much that the mandatory amount of ethanol the government requires be distilled (thank the Energy and Independence and Security Act of 2007) and used in gasoline is now roughly 10% of the retail gasoline demand so nobody is escaping the wrath of ethanol.

Ethanol belongs here: :beer: and here: :cheers:
Gasoline belongs in my gas tank!

 

[Sungod]

You have as good a proof as you can reasonably expect that at least this 4Runner is consistently able to get 20+ MPG. You like your crow roasted or fried? :naughty:

Consistently, no I would call it occasional. I am sure your average is below 20 which is still a long way from 25.

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

Consistently, no I would call it occasional. I am sure your average is below 20 which is still a long way from 25.

I just pulled your own words from your own post from the beginning of this thread and you're still in complete denial.

You've been shown that 20 MPG is totally realistic so instead of admitting you're w-r-o-n-g (I know that's a hard word for any of us to say sometimes) you all of the sudden move your "nobody can ever get this MPG" up from 20 MPG to 25 MPG! Can you show me where I said I get 25 MPG out of my 4Runner?

Another note with my results: they are a composite of numerous off-road trips in the Sierra Nevada, White and Panamint mountains (REAL mountains, not this sissy stuff you guys back east try to call mountains but are really hills ) with a full load of outdoor gear, 5 people, with lots of 4HI and a good bit of 4LO. Add the fact that our 4Runner is my wife's daily driver and no usual destination where we live is more than 5 miles, most are within 1-3 miles and the AC runs from about May to October here in the desert so that's another significant drag on our average. Throw in the utility aspects that I bought the 4Runner for (towing a trailer to the dump off-road two dozen times last year, supplies from Home Depot, towing my camping trailer, etc.) and you're looking at another significant drag on my lifetime MPG.

 

[OrdnanceMarine]

When I fillup (to the brim) I too can achieve around 404 to the tank. I think the range is more accurate than the MPG calculator, which makes no sense once so ever.

This is because the range feature leaves a reserve amount of fuel that happens to be the same amount that the MPG calculator is off by (about 10%). In other words, our tank is supposed to hold 23 gallons, give or take but is set up to show zero miles remaining when there's 2-3 gallons left while the MPG calculator seems to lie about 10% above (better than) reality. If your driving is consistent during the tank you'll find that the initial range calculation will put you about at a completely dry tank.

 

[zzchipster]

we have been to ruidosa twice in the last couple of years...and each time our 2006 v8 4x4 ltd gets one tank at 23+(while we are there)...how....the speed limits there are quite low plus driving slow in the mountains and surrounding lower areas result in a 23 mpg tank. the 45-55mph driving does it.....as soon as we blast off for texas it goes back to 16.5-17 mpg...both times, this tank included once up the mountains and twice down for the side trips

 

[kobresia]

I am always skeptical of claims of 20+mpgs in 4 runners. I average about 14 with 90% city driving where my average speed is about 24 mph. I have been keeping very detailed records of my fuel consumption and have averaged 14.7 over the past 6 month. The best I have had was 17 on a trip with highway driving. I think a lot of people making outrageous claims are fudging the numbers. It is easy to cheat your mileage when you fill it to the point that it is over flowing one tank then the next stop it at the first cut off. I did that once while tracking and got 18 on one fill up then 12 the next.

I would love for someone claiming 20+ to show me real detailed proof that they can get that kind of mileage over and over.

Ask and you shall receive! This is most of the post I made to the "Real MPG" thread you started a few weeks back.

I always fill to the first "click". I never overfill, especially in the summer, because I don't care to have cold fuel going into my tank expanding and spilling. I never underfill, because I generally run to around 30-50 miles after the warning light comes on, which is about the distance it takes on my commutes to conveniently get to my usual gas stations, and if I cheated, I'd probably run out of gas. Oh, and the data would also be utterly useless, in that the only reason I bother to record mileage data is so I know if my fuel consumption is abnormal.

Of course, I can post just about any time range other than the following random samples. I just don't have a whole lot of summer data for the past few years owing to me getting a motorcycle to ride over the summer because the costs associated with driving the T4R were making me sick when gas prices hit around $3/gal.

***

This is a 2004 T4R V6 SR5, of which I'm the original owner and sole maintainer (I don't do dealers or Grease Monkey).

I maintain the following columns in the log:

Odometer - Miles (trip odo since last top-off) - MPG - Gallons - $/Gal - Date

From that info, I can calculate just about anything to a reasonable accuracy, including how many gallons of gas I've put in the truck since I've owned it, and how much that gas cost overall, anything an app can do, and I've done it since I took delivery of the truck when it was new.

The highest average it gets is in the spring & summer when I have regular street tires that are the OEM specification & on the OEM rims.

(This is from when I was a field tech & I drove half in the mountains, half in the plains)
46299 - 400.0 - 20.2 - 19.8 - 2.71 - 5/9/06
46732 - 433.0 - 20.6 - 21.0 - 2.74 - 5/15
47150 - 418.0 - 20.2 - 20.7 - 2.80 - 5/18
47551 - 400.6 - 20.2 - 19.8 - 2.72 - 5/24
47950 - 399.0 - 20.0 - 20.0 - 2.70 - 5/26
48351 - 400.8 - 21.7 - 18.5 - 2.63 - 6/2
48738 - 387.0 - 19.7 - 19.6 - 2.70 - 6/7

With studded snow tires (on cheap steel 16" rims) & winter driving/fuel, and a lot more time in 4x4 mode, it almost never gets much over 16.5 MPG, usually around 13.5-15 MPG, even though the tires aren't even all that oversized. I blame the more aggressive tread, the studs, the driving conditions, and the winter fuel blend for that. Knowing all that never seems to keep me from wondering what is wrong with my truck that it would be getting such crappy mileage nearly every year when I barely clear 300 miles on a full tank.

105476 - 358.2 - 16.2 - 20.3 - 2.74 - 1/13/11
105805 - 328.8 - 16.6 - 19.8 - 2.90 - 1/20
106141 - 336.7 - 17.3 - 19.5 - 2.83 - 1/28
106476 - 335.0 - 16.5 - 20.3 - 2.94 - 2/4
106674 - 287.7 - 14.0 - 20.5 - 2.93 - 2/11
106994 - 230.0 - 14.7 - 15.6 - 3.00 - 2/17

There was also a stint in 2004 where I drove it hauling cargo as an express courier in the Denver area. That was 90% city driving like most folks probably do anyway, so it's more relevant to the average T4R driver's experience (unlike my daily mountain climbs).

12818 - 409.6 - 20.0 - 20.5 - 1.78 - 9/6/04
12952 - 133.6 - 20.6 - 6.5 - 1.75 - ?
13315 - 362.9 - 20.7 - 17.5 - 1.64 - ?
13590 - 275.0 - 21.7 - 12.7 - 1.84 - ?
14035 - 444.7 - 21.8 - 20.4 - 1.75 - ?
14416 - 380.8 - 20.4 - 18.7 - 1.80 - 9/11/04