2,500 mile round trip notes

Ramblings from trip from Colorado to Alabama and back in the '03 Taco:
- Best mileage was just over 18 mpg, worst was in 16's. Averaged about 70-75mph as limits would allow. 'Bout what expected, hoped for better.
- Auto trans + cruise control + hills = no fun. For some reason Toyota has difficulty calibrating cruise controls in auto Taco's...delays downshifting or coming out of overdrive too long, then decides it needs to 'catch up' all of a sudden, floors it and overshoots the set speed. The cruise in my auto '06 was just as bad.
- After first day of trip noticed some oil dripping under the transfer case, looked like motor oil. Checked the oil for the duration of trip, but it was never low...not sure where it came from but will keep an eye on it. I suppose it could be trans fluid but did not look like it.
- Glad I put on new struts/coils/shocks and springs recently. Ride wasn't bad even over long days.
- Toyota thankfully fixed the door seals, in my '95.5 they would whistle really bad in crosswinds. No problems this trip even in Western Kansas.

A good trip all in all.

Cheers

 

I hear ya on the cruise control. I wish it caught the hills quicker so that it wouldn't need to downshift twice and guzzle the gas down. I almost with you could select an "Eco" mode for the cruise, which would allow it to be more lenient on speed change.

 

Pics?

 

Of Kansas and Alabama? No, don't need any of those...

 

Of the truck on the trip.

 

I was wondering what you wanted pictures of too. Haha

 

The cruise control is terrible on my truck, too. '03 manual. It keeps the speed at +/- 10 MPH.

 

Dang. Mine is much more accurate than that

 

how did your back handle the trip with the stock seats?

 

I hate my cruise, does anyone know if there's a way to upgrade it to a better system or something? Very poorly calibrated cruise control systems in Toyotas. Every one I've ever driven I hated the cruise, from Corollas to Tundras, they all suck.

 

My only gripe is that I can get way better mileage if I don't use it. I would like to see a more forgiving cruise control

 

I agree, the shift points are all messed up on them and it is annoying as hell.

 

Best laugh of the day!!

 

With roughly 15-20k miles of cross country road trips in my truck in the past 2 years I've never had any problems with my CC...best mileage I've seen was right at 20mpg, worst was 14.5 & both the best & worst was in TX with the CC set at 85mph on the I-10 with a posted speed limit of 80

 

I have done a couple of runs from Arizona to Texas in my '02 Manual V6...no problems with the CC...as the OP posted...its that suddenly too small tank when you are cruising on I-10/I-20 to Dallas with 80mph posted limit...my mileage has been steady from 17-18mpg..otherwise rock steady. Enjoy the run! I will be doing this trip again later this summer.

 

You guys have manuals, CC works differently on them than it does on autos. The CC on an auto likes to hunt gears on grades and such and it's annoying as hell. Like I said, the system is very poorly calibrated which is why. I am trying to find out if there's a way to upgrade the CC to something more efficient.

 

I'm glad it's not just me. There has to be a way to improve that setup. Mine sucks too.

 

No pics...trip wasn't for sight seeing and not much interesting to look at anyway...

Seats wear fine, could use more adjustments but no complaints.

Surprisingly my best MPG was at higher elevations - I figured it would be better when just cruising in the flatlands.

Last observation - elevation kills power. I live at about 7000 feet and the truck is doggy, especially on any kind of incline/hill. Lower elevations it had a lot more pep, even on hills. Would be nice to have some boost if only to minimize altitude effects.