MPG on auto vs manual

I think I will get a MT next... I haven't driven a stick in a long long time...I hope Toyota keeps making manual for the tacoma. Like i said before, if they announce they will stop making manual tacoma. I'll be all over it like a hobo on a ham sandwich!

 

I’ve always, without fail, regretted any AT I’ve ever bought. Never again. I know they’ve improved greatly over the years, but I guess I’m just stubborn. I’m loving my MT 2020 Tacoma Sport, with 2” front lift and 1.5” rear lift and 265/70/17’s fwiw.
Whatever mpg improvement I’d hoped for over my 2007 SR5 is probably negated by the above added mods. Still debating the whole front air dam thing.

 

We get worse gas mileage mainly (not the only factor) because of the gearing. If you're doing 65 or higher on the highway, your gas mileage is suffering. I haven't driven this thing much but 50-55 in 6th gear seems optimal to get 23+ MPGs.

 

so when do you 50-55 in 6th gear? what is the rpm at?

 

Mileage starts dropping over 55-60 in every vehicle I've had regardless of gearing. That's the speed Aerodynamic drag starts to dwarf rolling resistance.

 

About 1600-1700 or so if I remember correctly. She runs about 2k at 60. I might be a bit wrong on those numbers. It definitely does 2500-2600 at 75. Haven't driven the truck in a week.

 

In a perfect world, yes. But sometimes gearing doesn't work out that way through the trans.

My old Liberty would get like 14-15 MPG at 50-55 because it refused to lock up the TC. But at 60-65 would get 22-23 MPGs on stock tires.

So yeah you're right that wind resistance really becomes a factor there...but it's not the only factor.

 

Mine is a MT, stock tires & suspension, still has the air dam in front, but I do enjoy heavy acceleration (not that this one spins any tires, lol).

32 tanks of fuel in 36 months and 8900 miles. Those 32 tanks totaled 460 gallons of fuel; which means I'm averaging 19.4 miles-per-gallon.
My best single tank burn was 23.8 mpg on a x-cntry FL to GA, empty. These numbers come from real tank fill-ups and actual odometer readings. Not any uncalibrated on-board computer.

The worst thing about my situation is a way-too-short commute to work each day. Only 2 miles! I know how bad that is for creating condensation in the head, for holding combustion by-product water in the oil, and for barely getting the system into closed loop operation, and for overall horrible fuel economy. Damn it!
(I do make the effort to go somewhere far enough away to heat up the truck, but not often enough.)

 

Right wind resistance isn't the only issue, but it is a big one. The gearing in the manual isn't ideal (manuals tend to be enthusiast tuned rather than economy tuned these days) but it isn't that awful. My comment was directed a t the claim that "the mileage drops off mainly due to gearing in the manuals" which likely isn't really the case.

 

i live 2.5 miles from where i work. When I first got it, drove it from Indy back to STL, was average 22 ish... then started taking it to work. When it was still hot, i got around 20-21 ish. Ever since it got cold, I've been getting 15 if i am lucky haha. I have seen 10 ish quite a bit lol. Tires are at 35 psi when cold. Today, I got to work without having to stop at any lights (there are 4 of them), straight line, i was very gentle on the gas at 6th gear. I got 17.7 out of it this morning