2012 V6 Improve gas mileage

I'm looking to trade up to the 2012. They're cheaper on my insurance and a whole lot more comfortable. I found a V6 4x4 for under $20,000.
My friend owns the exact same model and he gets about 16 mpg. Are there any mods or changes that can improve that? I really like what I'm looking at but thats the only figure that doesn't sit well with my wallet.

 

I've heard a aftermarket air filter will give you about 2mpg more.

 

I guess ill be the first to say it this time. Buy a prius

 

Ha ^^ I've found my CAI to offer minimal but noticeable gains. Your best bet is to monitor your tire PSI (I do 31psi in my 265/65/17s), keep the tach under 2500rpm, don't keep the truck loaded down with stuff. Drive at the speed limit or 5mph below (like me). Play around with mid-grade and premium gasoline. I'm doing this right now and charting my mileage.

Re: THE CAI gains. It's about 2mpg. You can get the same gains by switching to premium fuel. You can do the math to see which is the justifiable expense. The cost of my CAI equates to 7.2 full tanks of premium gas (or 8.2 tanks of regular unleaded). I use three tanks of gas a month. So, I could buy a CAI in 2.5 months. If I exclusively used premium gas, it would equate to buying five cold air intakes a year based on my driving.

 

There are a few things you can do to get better than 16mpg.
1- run P245/75R16 tires.
2- inflate tires to max pressure
3- avoid heavy acceleration and steep inclines

Or just say F-it, drive it like a mad man and get 15.2 mpg.

That's what I do.

RJM

 

I don't know of anyone else here talking about CAI's without showing real world numbers to support their opinions. It mostly depends on how you drive. Lots of bros get CAI's and then go WOT everywhere. Do they get better mileage? Of course not "but it sounds cooler brah!" Then they get mad, think they've been shafted 'cause their mpg actually went down. Chart your mileage, monitor your habits, collect data, study data. Just the Facts...
http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/pe...nstall-13-2wd-dcsb-trd-sport.html#post9899835

 

Here's the MPG Mother thread:

http://www.tacomaworld.com/forum/4-cylinder/34594-mpg-mods.html#post547096

Also, read up on hypermiling:

http://ecomodder.com/forum/EM-hypermiling-driving-tips-ecodriving.php

 

I am getting between 18-20 but I am not a 4x4.

 

If he is getting 16 in Atlanta then he is driving aggressively. I get 20 - 21 in Dallas. Got about the same in my 2009 Prerunner with 265/75/16 Duratrcas. Premium is a waste of money in these trucks.

 

I have a 2012 4x4 and am averaging 17 mpg combined. It all depends on how you drive. I drive like a grandpa so I get as good as I can with 33s and armor. Dudes that get like 16mpg stock I don't get it. You're driving a truck not a race car here

 

What can I say, its Atlanta where the players play.
You have to drive like an absolute jackass if you want to keep up in traffic. And ya I can agree, premium in a truck is a waste. I did that to my previous truck, a ranger, and it was the biggest money burner.

 

Don't mod it, synthetic oil and drive it like a grandma (like me) and get 22mpg

 

I live in Southern California where everybody drives fast...I say screw the traffic and I will continue to drive 65 on the freeway

 

I always get my worst mileage when I'm over in ATL.

I'm on my first tank of premium right now. I've already eclipsed the mileage from my mid-grade tank last week. Premium is .30 more per gallon. At 21.1 gallons in the Gen2, that's $6.33 more per tank. That's like a combo meal from Burger King; a drop in the pan in the grand scheme of things. If it pays off with significant mileage dividends why not go for it? I figure I'll try it now to see how the data stacks up but also because gas is so cheap. For now

 

not going to happen.
i drove my truck like a complete ass**** and got 17MPG all day long. highway 75-90 mph, around town at normal speeds. acceleration usually done at full throttle, redline, or near it, was pretty common for tolls, passing, merging ect. (20,000 miles per year)

tundra gets the same gas mileage as the tacoma. 381hp. how sad is that?

i never understood people who buy trucks, and worry about gas mileage.

 

MPG gains for realz
---------------
remove mudflaps if you have them

remove bs plastics like bug deflector or window shades

empty truck don't drive around with any weight you don't need to haul that day

keep tail gate up or down doesn't matter (mythbusters proved it doesn't affect drag
either way), but removing it entirely removes weight and that results in small gainz

install skinny tires (biggest improvement) you want same diameter just
a very small footprint, and keep these at 40-45psi (harsh ride but hey)

change plugs, have driveshaft zerks lubed, make sure rears don't drag

use 87 octane as long as it doesn't cause excessive pings

and learn to drive better. it is easy to get +22mpg on a 6cyl taco but you have to intentionally drive like a hypermiler to do so

I can get 22.3 mpg driving 40-55mph and not many stops and mostly flat roads

real world highway 19-20

real world city and to and from work, short town trips, 14.2. this is without caring and stomping it now and then

 

i have a K&N filter and a tonneau cover on my truck and I get on average 21 mpg on the highway and 16 mpg in the city. I keep the tire properly inflated all the time.

 

I figure as long as I'm somewhere in the teens I'm happy. It's an over 18 ft long 4x4 truck after all.

Best ever was 20.5 MPG for a lot of relatively flat 55 MPH highway.

 

After reading this I guess my 14.5-15.6 MPG isn't too bad with 33's and driving fast. I Guess it's impossible to get good mileage in start and stop city traffic.

 

18 mpg in start/stop highway traffic with 91-94 gas and V6 4x4. Could probably get better if traffic actually moved..