Performance V6 vs V8

[anotherrunner83]

I have an '04 V8. I seem to get better MPG with higher octane. When I got it back in Sep '09 I ran with mid grade for a long time. Then I switched to regular for a few months and I just switched back to mid grade again. It seems like I get 2 to 2.5 MPG better with mixed city/highway driving. I drive about 30 miles round trip to work mostly on the highway at rush hour speeds. I was getting around 17 and just put in a full tank of mid-grade, it's up to 19 just this morining after a quarter tank of gas. What do you guys think? Better MPG the higher octane? (tires at 38lbs)

i have seen the same thing out of mine. i occasionally run a tank of premium through mine to clean things out a little, not sure if it actually does anything of the sort, but i feel better about it. the power and mileage increase is quite noticeable.

 

[MikesToy]

Thank gawd i'm not the only one who pours 91 octane. :trophy:

 

[DC Dude]

I have an '04 V8. I seem to get better MPG with higher octane. When I got it back in Sep '09 I ran with mid grade for a long time. Then I switched to regular for a few months and I just switched back to mid grade again. It seems like I get 2 to 2.5 MPG better with mixed city/highway driving. I drive about 30 miles round trip to work mostly on the highway at rush hour speeds. I was getting around 17 and just put in a full tank of mid-grade, it's up to 19 just this morining after a quarter tank of gas. What do you guys think? Better MPG the higher octane? (tires at 38lbs)

It's probably a wash.

Based on the calcs with the average cost of gas (3.03 reg; 3.25 mid), you're getting maybe .2 more miles/dollar. with mid grade. Of course, this is based on your unscientific data estimates of "getting around 17 mpg" vs. the "up to 19 mpg after a quarter tank of gas."

With how uber silent and mega powerful the V8 is (coupled with inaccuracy of the data and the temperature of the environment) it could be something as mild as you hitting the gas pedal a bit harder than you noticed when you had regular in the tank compared to higher performance/better response from the mid grade.

Now, if it's only 1 mpg more with mid grade, then you're actually not gaining as much as you think. You're paying more for mid grade gas to get that extra 1 mpg and the miles/dollar average favors the regular grade.

 

[truckmike26]

As much as I try to stay away, this thread keeps sucking me back in.

Gas mileage is important to me. Before you ask why I bought an SUV, it's because I have a boat and I want a body on frame vehicle to tow with. One of the main reasons I went with the V6 was because of better gas mileage compared to the V8. It appears most V8 owners believe there is only a 1-2mpg difference between the 4.0L V6 4WD and 4.7L V8('05 and later) 4WD. This fact is supported by Toyota.

I was just wondering how a heavier V8 powering all 4 wheels all the time can be so close in mpg to a lighter V6 powering only 2 wheels(when not in 4WD). It seems like difference should be greater... like 2-5 mpg, pending driving conditions. Is the V8 that much more efficient?

Don't try and use logic in this thread; it won't work.

Yes effortless power. It moves the car scary quick even when kept under 2k. Drive one

My Tundra is scary quick.

 

[2003Can4runner]

My Tundra is scary quick.

No it isn't. I had a 5.7L Tundra and it was NEVER scary quick. Maybe if it was supercharged but even then it's still a huge amount of weight to pull around. I had a 2008 mazdaspeed3 when I had the Tundra and that thing would obviously blow it away and even that got boring quick...

 

[cknsls@adelphia]

Most of us who tow know what we are doing!

All this talk about towing over 5000 #'s, I personally would have bought a quad cab with a Cummins or Powerstroke diesel instead of a T4R if I needed to do anything like that.

How's the experience for you V8 owners towing that weight up steep grades, and then down? Has anyone ever had their transmission temperature light turn on?

I tow a 5,000 pound travel trailer. The 4Runner is factory equipped with a tranny cooler and a power steering cooler. In addition, in my model (Sport Edition) the standard brakes are bigger than that of the same year ('05) Ford F150.
We also forget that the trailers have their own brakes, and the tow vehicles brakes ARE NOT the primary means of stopping said trailer.

Enough said.

 

[diver110]

Nice thread. Let's say I am in the Rockies. Can the V6 drive it doing 70 (working harder than the V8 doubtless)?

 

[FourEyedWilly]

Nice thread. Let's say I am in the Rockies. Can the V6 drive it doing 70 (working harder than the V8 doubtless)?

Of course it can. Without a doubt. Really only comes down to towing medium loads with greater ease and maybe smoothness of the drivetrain.

I'm a V8 fan honestly, but the V6 for the 90% is more than "just fine".

 

[truckmike26]

No it isn't. I had a 5.7L Tundra and it was NEVER scary quick. Maybe if it was supercharged but even then it's still a huge amount of weight to pull around. I had a 2008 mazdaspeed3 when I had the Tundra and that thing would obviously blow it away and even that got boring quick...

See, Eskimo claimed his V8 4Runner was "scary quick".

By that reasoning, and I know for a fact my Tundra is quicker, I figured my Tundra MUST be, at the very, very least, "scarier quick".

So calling my Tundra "scary quick" is holding back a bit.

(In practice, I consider neither his V8 4Runner nor my Tundra "scary quick". I briefly rode a highly modified snowmobile and THAT was scary quick -- not just quick but very scary like in a split second I could die or become a spinal-cord injury victim.)

By the way, and still off-topic, my Tundra weighs almost 5,100 lbs. -- Double Cab/CrewMax 5.7 Tundras are almost 400-600 lbs. more.

 

[DC Dude]

I tow a 5,000 pound travel trailer. The 4Runner is factory equipped with a tranny cooler and a power steering cooler. In addition, in my model (Sport Edition) the standard brakes are bigger than that of the same year ('05) Ford F150.
We also forget that the trailers have their own brakes, and the tow vehicles brakes ARE NOT the primary means of stopping said trailer.

Enough said.

So what's your point? Nobody said the V8 can't tow 5,000 lbs especially since it's rated for 7,000 lbs.

What I'm saying is that if I were towing 5,000 on a regular basis, I'd get something else.

To each his own.

 

[cknsls@adelphia]

So what's your point? Nobody said the V8 can't tow 5,000 lbs especially since it's rated for 7,000 lbs.

What I'm saying is that if I were towing 5,000 on a regular basis, I'd get something else.

To each his own.

There is a prevailing attitude that any thing past a U-Haul trailer and you need a diesel. That was my point. The limiting factor (as mentioned) is wheelbase. Hence, my Travel Trailers length is at the safe maximum (25 feet) for the 4Runner with a good weight-distributing hitch.

 

[truckmike26]

No it isn't. I had a 5.7L Tundra and it was NEVER scary quick. Maybe if it was supercharged but even then it's still a huge amount of weight to pull around. I had a 2008 mazdaspeed3 when I had the Tundra and that thing would obviously blow it away and even that got boring quick...

Off-topic. A short-box 5.7 Tundra is faster than an '08 Mazdaspeed3.

 

[2003Can4runner]

Off-topic. A short-box 5.7 Tundra is faster than an '08 Mazdaspeed3.

The Mazdaspeed3 isn't that fast regardless.

Either way, I'm assuming your only looking at 0-60 times? There's more to being fast than that.

 

[truckmike26]

Assume I'm looking at more than just 0-60 times instead.

 

[2003Can4runner]

That's clearly all your looking at. The Mazdaspeed3 is faster in every other way. But, they are two completely different vehicles so who cares.

 

[Casper421]

But, they are two completely different vehicles so who cares.

:iagree: Apples and Oranges!!

 

[truckmike26]

That's clearly all your looking at. The Mazdaspeed3 is faster in every other way. But, they are two completely different vehicles so who cares.

I'm not, no it isn't, and you do, because you brought it up.

Okay, enough off-topic stuff. Let's throw another log on this fire! So, overall, V8 4th Gens are just barely quicker, cost more to buy and/or maintain, are heavier but have nice off-the-line torque, V8 sound and are said to be smoother. Vee-six 4th gens are just about as quick, cheaper to buy and/or maintain, are lighter but are slower off-the-line and are said to be not as smooth.

I'll trade the nice sound and apparent smoothness for cheaper and lighter seeing as the performance overall is just about the same.

 

[FourEyedWilly]

I'm not, no it isn't, and you do, because you brought it up.

Okay, enough off-topic stuff. Let's throw another log on this fire! So, overall, V8 4th Gens are just barely quicker, cost more to buy and/or maintain, are heavier but have nice off-the-line torque, V8 sound and are said to be smoother. Vee-six 4th gens are just about as quick, cheaper to buy and/or maintain, are lighter but are slower off-the-line and are said to be not as smooth.

I'll trade the nice sound and apparent smoothness for cheaper and lighter seeing as the performance overall is just about the same.

I think in many markets, the V6 costs more than the V8.

 

[Ryco4R]

I think in many markets, the V6 costs more than the V8.

as i stated earlier, the used v8's are going for less than their used v6 counterparts these days. if people want to keep living in the past when they may have have bought their vehicle new (which i will never do nor understand) then so be it, we are now in 2010 and all the 4th gens are now used. deal with it. v8's are cheaper than v6's. and as far as 'cheaper' to maintain, that's certainly arguable. also, the v8's take regular low test gas where the v6's require premium.
as a v8 owner, i am not knocking v6's (as some v6 owners tend to do to v8's). they are just as capable as the v8's. but as a daily driver, i am simply defending the v8, which in reality isn't necessary if you've driven one. i originally wanted the v6, but after driving both back to back (literally), and comparing prices and maintenance, the decision was a no brainer.

and mazdaspeed3's are completely lame. also, fast means top speed. quick means acceleration. get your terminology right.

 

[DC Dude]

as i stated earlier, the used v8's are going for less than their used v6 counterparts these days. if people want to keep living in the past when they may have have bought their vehicle new (which i will never do nor understand) then so be it, we are now in 2010 and all the 4th gens are now used. deal with it. v8's are cheaper than v6's. and as far as 'cheaper' to maintain, that's certainly arguable. also, the v8's take regular low test gas where the v6's require premium.
as a v8 owner, i am not knocking v6's (as some v6 owners tend to do to v8's). they are just as capable as the v8's. but as a daily driver, i am simply defending the v8, which in reality isn't necessary if you've driven one. i originally wanted the v6, but after driving both back to back (literally), and comparing prices and maintenance, the decision was a no brainer.

and mazdaspeed3's are completely lame. also, fast means top speed. quick means acceleration. get your terminology right.

Who lied to you and told you that the V6 only sips premium?

Not the case at all.