1500 mile road trip avg 17.3mpg!

I have taken many LONG road trips in my 65 years. I have a 1995 Jeep Wrangler 4 cylinder automatic with a beat up soft top. It has been in the family since new and outlasted 11 other Wranglers. I was driving it a couple of weeks ago and realized the longest road trip I have taken was in this Jeep. I drove it to the far NW side of Seattle for my son and then flew out last March to drive it back to Oklahoma City. A long time friend went with me. We broke the right rear shock mount in Oregon. Really couldn’t tell the difference. Cruising speed was about 60 mph and we wore ear plugs. We took mostly two lane roads and had a blast for two old farts. We spent a couple of days in Moab. Beautiful.

Now to Tacomas. If you have 25 minutes to watch a YouTube, take a break from the forums, and check out 2016 Toyota Tacoma: Four-wheeling through Utah’s Big Five-EpicDrives Ep. 31. Sorry I can’t upload the link. You will connect with your Tacoma and want to experience the region. The photography is excellent. Hope you enjoy.

 

https://youtu.be/GcqyZf_u6tE

 

^ lol

I drive more in the mountains than I do in the valley. No TSB, no problems.

 

Oops...Sorry about that man.

 

No genius, it wasn't the case. As I posted that when I worked the pedal that the mileage improved. It was the fact that it constantly dropped back to 5th unnecessarily that was eating up the fuel. I realize that you drink the Toyota kookaid and can't accept that there is a flaw, but getting 6mpg less than sticker on the highway really isn't acceptable. While I don't expect stellar gas mileage out of a truck, I don't expect that highway mileage would worsen over city.

 

You said you averaged 80 mph.
Full stop.

80 mph is what killed your mpg genius.

I disagree with your statement not because I drink " kookaid", I disagree with your statement because I think you're a genius. Your truck isn't rated for 23 mpg at 80 mph genius, EPA rating is done at an average of 48 mph genius. It takes a real genius to not understand why the mileage dropped. Hell, I'd argue that 17.3 mg @ 80 is good, not bad.

 

You can't read. Full stop. Is it really that hard for you to read my posts that mileage improved when I worked the pedal? Doing 80 in 5th gear is the issue. Glad your Toyota Kool-Aid tells you that 17 mpg is good.

 

Your first sentence of your first post was: "I am now in the camp of despising this drivetrain configuration." I noticed that you did not ask for any input. So, you just want to bitch about your truck. OK. Your particular truck sucks ass. Sell it and buy something else. There. Done. We all could have saved the annoyance of 8 more pages of trying to make you understand the laws of physics.

 

Unfortunately vehicles are set up to do their best during EPA testing. Not for real world users. It's a sad reality but that's the truth. Especially with the pressure that's put on them now to get the highest number that they can, or face CAFE penalties.
It sucks but it's the way of the workd. That's why reprogramers are so popular. So drivers can tailor their vehicle to their driving style.

 

It’s really frustrating when we make a big purchase and it doesn’t live up to our expectations; I’ve for sure been there. I hope you can either reach some sort of acceptance of this truck’s strengths/weaknesses or if not, that you find a truck that’s better for you. I think most of the people here pointing out that this truck doesn’t do well at 80mph are just trying to say your experience is not abnormal. Good luck!

 

http://www.evnut.com/images/prius/trailer/sportsrig_load03.jpg

 

Awesome! !!!!!

 

I wonder if that Prius owner is now on a Prius forum bitching that when he tows his trailer in hilly territory his gas mileage drops to 'only' 40 MPG?!

 

-End thread-

Oh, and OP, don't give the new owner some shit that your family is growing. Be honest and up front, let them know what a piece of shit they're getting into..

 

So what laws of physics are you referring to? I wasn't aware that these laws only applied to the current version of the Tacoma with this less than stellar drivetrain. What is the law that forces it drop to 5th unnecessarily? Keep drinking your Toyota Kookaid. I am sorry that your feelings are hurt by someone pointing out that the Tacoma isn't perfect. Maybe you can call Toyota and tell them to stop trying to create fixes for this problem because you are sheep that is willing to accept whatever they produce.

 

If someone doesn’t understand that it takes more energy to go 80mph vs 50. Then they cannot be helped. I drive 80 to save 25 minutes over 245 miles of I-10 vs 70mph, the cost for me of 4 bucks is worth it.
Airliners fly at a certain speed to gain fuel economy. It saves a lot of fuel over a fleet of airplanes. They can go faster but it is very expensive.
If you want to maximize fuel economy plan some back road trips and enjoy 55 mph like Jimmy Carter is still President. If you don’t have time for that, then pay the penalty but don’t expect magic mpg.

If you do a lot of highway driving and you want good mpg, may I suggest the Camry or the the bmw 328i. The bmw is a wonderful long trip car. And is slippery in the wind. And is fun for passing trucks on the highway.
A truck, simply is not slippery, is heavier and it takes more energy to accelerate it and more energy to push it through air at any given speed than a lower profile car with a sealed pan and little air getting under it either. Look at all the exposed suspension on a 4x4 truck, there is a price.
Mass and surface area/friction. It takes power to overcome these.
The 2.7 eco boost f150 I drive at work, does the same thing around 20 mpg at 60 around 19 at 70 etc. 18 @75
because physics doesn’t care about make or model. Because you cannot see air, does not mean it is not there doing it’s thing.
A tune may change the shifting timing, it does not change the energy requirements. To overcome airresistance, mass and rolling resistance.
In fact I would rather the engine spin at 3500 rpm in 4 th gear on the interstate than to lug it at lower rpm when more power is needed.

 

It’s a truck. And you complain it doesn’t have the refinement of a luxury sedan.
There are sedans and they are less expensive to own and operate.

 

I'm stunned that you got better mpg in a higher gear. Stunned. Of course lifting off the throttle to get it into a higher gear netted you better mpg.
GeNiUs.