We drove down to Key West last week (and, yes, we had to evuacate a few days later) but other than the hurricane, the big news was my great gas mileage. Due to the sky-high price of fuel, I decided to stay out of the left lane with its 80 mph traffic and set my cruise control on 65. Now that took some mighty will power on my part, what with everything but skate boards passing us on the turnpike, but did it ever make a difference!

We got over 17 mpg on the turnpike and over 18 mpg when we had to slow down even more when we got to U.S. 1. Normally, I get around 13-14 mpg tops on the highway (and 10-12 in town).

Also, some of the gas stations in the Keys were out of premium and mid-grade, so on one tank I filled up with 87 octane regular (at $3.40/gal.!), turned off my chip, and it ran great and contunied to get around 18 mpg. No detonation that I could hear or feel. Of course, I took it pretty easy too. In fact, after this experience, I'm considering burning mid-grade (and keeping my chip turned off) until prices come back down.

Anyway, just wanted to let you all know that we can get much better gas mileage just by biting the bullet and slowing down. Guess I always knew that, just never tried it before. Not much fun, of course, but it was actually relaxing to be able to use the cruise control for long periods of time.

Mike

 

Excellant trip and info. I drive mine a little carefully too and get 14-15 mpg but that's cruising at 75-80 usually.

Btw, lived for 2 years('64-'65) in Key West and loved it.

Dan

 

We love the Keys too. My stepson and his family live on Sugarloaf Key, about 19 miles from the south end of Key West. They live on a canal so he and his wife and kids just walk out into their back yard, hop into their boat and they're cruising in the Gulf in about a minute or so. He works in Key West, wears shorts and a tee shirt to work and gets to drive to work every day on a road where the Gulf of Mexico is on one side and the Atlantic Ocean is on the other. Understandably, he considers living there a year-round paid vacation.

 

I drove from Los Angeles past Las Vegas all the way accross Neveda at a cruise control speed of 75mph (yes I was the slowest car/truck on the road) with the air conditioning on and got 17 mpg. These trucks can get decent mileage on the hiway if you don't jump on them too much. I also have the stock 3.55 rear end so that helps out as well.

 

I tend to drive like you describe. I too have seen 17-18mpg.

However since I removed the EGR system the best I've seen was 15 flat. I really don't drive the truck on the street much so it does'nt bother me. Just thought I'd chime in for anyone who might wonder about it's effect.

Rich

 

And if my Aunt had *****, she'd be my Uncle

Somethings just aint right

My schitt is costing me @ .25 per minute to drive, AND WORTH EVERY PENNY

 

i never looked at it that way but i guess when you add it up thats what you get lol .25 a min

 

i dont think using midgrade is worth it.. if the difference between midgrade and premium is 10 cents.. even 24 gallons worth theres only a $2.40 difference.. not worth the risk IMHO

 

If you have to worry about gas prices, a $35K truck makes no sense.

Sell it and get a Prius.

 

Selling at or above sticker because everyone else is buying them. Then you find out that they claim 45 MPG and really get 35 MPG and you could have got that with a standard Honda. Then gas goes down in 9 months, you have a car you hate, and you spend way to much to get back into a Lightning. In the end you spent $7000 loss in trading vehicles to save $2000 in fuel.

Makes perfect sense to me

 

ya, I always said, if you worry about the gas prices, get something else. Same thing with a boat. If you can't afford to use it you shouldn't own it. I think right now is a little different. Everyone is making changes. You can not argue, (hehe, I guess Tim could argue anything succesfully!) that the shift in gas price is disproportionate to what we take to the bank each week. (Course I don't really know, as I haven't driven in a month!) I think the most logical thing to do for most of us, is just drive a little less, and speed a little less. Take the wife/GF's car when you can. As for me, I hope the fuel prices keep skyrocketing. I can't wait for the prices to drop on big trucks and SUV's! Maybe next year I'll be towin' the L with a fully loaded diesel Excursion that I bought off some soccer mom for dirt cheap!!!

 

I stopped eating out 1 lunch a week and that covered my additional cost going from $1.50/g to $2.50 gallon on my DD.. If I was driving the L, I'd have to bring a lunch bag everyday

 

Iam keeping the Lightning and the Explorer and buying sumthing that gets 50mpg

 

I know a secrete
I know a secrete
na na na na na......

(I heard he's buying the little VW that WOOPED V's butt in front of the world)

 

LMAO