My results are in.

[Donnie Raines]

Well, I filled my Dakota up the other day and it took just under 14 gallons. The mileage was a very "un-steller" 260 miles on this tank. We're talking short driving here....that works out to aprx 18.5 miles per gallon. Not sure if that is good or not for this vehicle. I did a little net searching but did not really turn any numbers up on what this truck should be doing.

[Jim Becker]

Consumer Reports lists the Dakota at getting 14 city/ 17 highway in their testing and it was one of their beefs with the vehicle--I think they expected more from a mid-size pickup.

I have been getting about 17 with the Tundra lately...just local driving and largely under 50 mph. That is what it is "supposed" to get on the highway. The cap helps a lot as did the tonneau covner that preceded it. So if your truck bed is still open, consider covering it with something as the air catching in the bed in front of the tailgate adds a lot of wind resistance, especially at highway speeds.

[Donnie Raines]

Consumer Reports lists the Dakota at getting 14 city/ 17 highway in their testing and it was one of their beefs with the vehicle--I think they expected more from a mid-size pickup.

I have been getting about 17 with the Tundra lately...just local driving and largely under 50 mph. That is what it is "supposed" to get on the highway. The cap helps a lot as did the tonneau covner that preceded it. So if your truck bed is still open, consider covering it with something as the air catching in the bed in front of the tailgate adds a lot of wind resistance, especially at highway speeds.

Yup...I have a cap on the back...maybe thats why I got a little bit better then the norm.

[Dennis Peacock]

Man Donnie.....I get 16.5 MPG in my GMC Suburban and it's got a full V8 engine in it. I figured that the Dakota's would get around 20 to 22 MPG....but I guess not hugh? :rolleyes:

[Don Baer]

So if your truck bed is still open, consider covering it with something as the air catching in the bed in front of the tailgate adds a lot of wind resistance, especially at highway speeds.

Jim,
On my last trip to Phoenix I drove over with the tailgate up, on cruise control all thway and got 18 MPG. On the way back I drove with the tailgate dropped on cruise cotrol and got 18 MPG. .. No differance..:confused:

So I don't think a cap would do me any good.

[Mike Tempel]

Well Donnie, how would you like to drive a 3/4 ton crew cab Ford with a V10 under the hood? Talk about gas usage - 10mpg is average but I have gotten a shade better than 15 on the highway before. I can't complain though - 6 years old and just broke 80k. It is certainly cheaper for me to fill it up than to make a truck note and fill it up.

[JayStPeter]

That sounds like a reasonable number to me. Well, except for the puny tank and range part. The MPG sounds reasonable though. ;)

Jay

[JayStPeter]

Jim,
On my last trip to Phoenix I drove over with the tailgate up, on cruise control all thway and got 18 MPG. On the way back I drove with the tailgate dropped on cruise cotrol and got 18 MPG. .. No differance..:confused:

So I don't think a cap would do me any good.

Back when those net replacements for tailgates were popular, someone did a study to see if they helped gas mileage. What they found was that a flow of air was created within the bed with the tailgate in place that actually helped air flow from the top of the cab over the back of the vehicle. The air actually flows in a circle back from the top of the tailgate to the cab, then around along the floor back to the tailgate. Getting rid of the tailgate wound up being very similar to having it in place. Putting a net on disturbed the flow and made things worse. If you've ever thrown a ...ummm.. soda ... yeah soda can out the rear window of a pickup while driving, you will have experienced this airflow. The can will hover over the bed for a while and spin around. Eventually it comes back in and smashes into the dash board.
That particular study didn't compare tonneau or caps. It was just to disprove the claims of the net mfrs. of gas mileage claims. I used to have a link to a video that showed the airflow in a wind tunnel with the smoke going over it.

Jay

[Jim Becker]

Thanks, Jay. I didn't seen that information before.

[John Miliunas]

Yup, I've seen that little factoid before, as well. Here's more of an explanation:

http://www.cartalk.com/content/columns/Archive/1997/October/05.html

:) :cool:

[Jim Young]

I get 17-19 mpg in my 5.4L F150 in city conditions, worse on the highway due to my speed :lol: . I put a bed cover on my truck and found there is no difference in fuel consumption.

[Keith Foster]

I have a V6 Isuzu Rodeo and it gets 17 to 18 mpg in combined driving and right at 21 mpg on highway. Not great, but not horrible either. For business purposes I track this with every fill-up.

What surprised me was the different mileages that I got from different brands. The SUV likes Chevron, but hates Shell and Conoco. Does OK on Citgo as well. When I'm running Chevron I can squeeze a minimum of an extra 1 mpg when compared to Shell. Should note - I run the same roads EVERY day and I car pool in with the misses. As such we can use the HOV lane and I'm at a constant speed the whole way in. While not scientific, the comparisons should be valid.

Now the SUV has trouble getting out of its own way, but it's "garage" mate is a very high performance sports car with a top speed of 156 mph and 5.7 sec 0-60 times. It gets 28 mpg. Go figure? :cool:

[Bill Lewis]

We we have a 2000 Dakota club cab 4WD with the 4.7L V8, we get about what Jim Becker quoted from his source. About 14-17 around town to mixed, according to the onboard computer. We get maybe as much as 19 on the highway.

Here's the kicker, I had a '97 Dakota same as above with the V6, the mileage was no better, and probably worse most of the time. Plus it lacked any guts at all. The driveability of the '00 is so much better than the '97

[John Miliunas]

We we have a 2000 Dakota club cab 4WD with the 4.7L V8, we get about what Jim Becker quoted from his source. About 14-17 around town to mixed, according to the onboard computer. We get maybe as much as 19 on the highway.

Here's the kicker, I had a '97 Dakota same as above with the V6, the mileage was no better, and probably worse most of the time. Plus it lacked any guts at all. The driveability of the '00 is so much better than the '97

I don't doubt for a minute, what you're saying Bill. I think it was right around 96 or 7, when two brothers I worked with, bought a pair of Dakota's. Both extended cabs. One with a v6 and a manual 5-gear. The other, went with the V8 automatic. Believe it or not, the mpg between the two was virtually identical, better on the V8 some of the time! :D I believe it's a case of power to weight ratio. The V6 just wasn't quite enough engine for the the total weight of the vehicle.

I know when I was looking at vehicles some time ago, that seems to remain true today. Looked at used Subaru Outbacks vs. new ones. The 4-bangers were getting the same mileage as the newer V6 units, with virtually the same options and body style. I ended up with a used Outback Sport, 4-banger, auto and don't get much better mileage than I was with my older Chrysler Sebring and V6 auto!:( And the Sebring was a LOT more fun!:) :cool:

[Byron Trantham]

The cap helps a lot as did the tonneau covner that preceded it. So if your truck bed is still open, consider covering it with something as the air catching in the bed in front of the tailgate adds a lot of wind resistance, especially at highway speeds.

Ok, Iv'e heard this before. I just told the LOML and what does she say, "Drop the tail gate!" Hum! Sounds too good to be true. Any comments? :confused:

[Bob Weisner]

I looked at the Big 3 auto manufacturers fuel ratings and I found that when it comes to Pickup trucks, Dodge engines are the worst for fuel economy.

[Ralph Barhorst]

I just bought a new "lumber hauler" and it is my first truck. It is a Chevy SSR with a 300 HP, 5.3 liter V8 engine. It is supposed to get 16MPG in the city and 19MPG highway. So far I have been averaging 17MPG. I thought that this was pretty bad until I read the previous posts. I do have one major thing that I like about the SSR.
"IT IS ALSO A CONVERTIBLE ROADSTER."

I told my wife that I really needed it to haul the lumber for the projects that she wants me to make.
:) :) :) :)

[John Miliunas]

I told my wife that I really needed it to haul the lumber for the projects that she wants me to make.
:) :) :) :)

Oiy...NOW I've heard it all!:eek: Hey, that really IS a nice lumber HAULER!!! (OR, whatever else you may be haulin'!!!):D Congrats, Ralph!:) :cool:

[Jim Becker]

(OR, whatever else you may be haulin'!!!)

Yea...with 300hp in that cute little thing, he'll be hauling something, for sure!

Nice wheels, Ralph!

[Matt Meiser]

It can't carry as much as a regular truck, but you'll be able to make a couple of trips in the same amount of time!

[Joe Pelonio]

Very cool, I'd love to have one of those. It's about as close as you can get to a modern version of my '72, also 300 hp and same size engine, but I only get 12 mpg. Actually, both would be good, but it was hard enough to convince my wife that I needed this one:


http://members.aol.com/bisjoe/elky.jpg

[Richard McComas]

My 2002 ford F150 hosting the largest engine (can't remember exactly what it is without looking) gets 14.8 as long as I drive like the little ole lady from Pasadena.

[Donnie Raines]

I went by the Dodge dealer over the weekend and took a peek at the new Dakota(mines a 2004). The sticker said 19 city 24 highway.....I ask the salesman what he thought and he says no way will it get that. He has severl clients come back complaining about the mileage.

[Richard McComas]

I went by the Dodge dealer over the weekend and took a peek at the new Dakota(mines a 2004). The sticker said 19 city 24 highway.....I ask the salesman what he thought and he says no way will it get that. He has severl clients come back complaining about the mileage.
I read an article the other day that said the EPA and the car manufacturers are not on the up and up with us on the mileage stated on the stickers of vehicles.

Bottom line of the article said to deduct 25% from the stated in the city driving and 10% from the stated highway driving.

[Joe Pelonio]

I wouldn't really say that the EPA and manufacturers are being deceptive, it's more that they mean it to be used for comparison between vehicles. Most of us cannot get what they give as the rating due to the fact that we are not driving
every day on a dynamometer, and posted speed limits and traffic congestion vary greatly by city and state, hence "Actual Mileage May Vary" is on the sticker... Edmunds.com and others have more realistic figures that can help determine more like what you can expect to get. The sales people at the dealers could help with the confusion by telling people that no one is likely to get the
posted mileage, I think they are more likely to be somewhat deceptive to make the commission.

[Todd Woodward]

Donnie, buy a K and N air filter. It'll help a little bit.