Gas mileage - anal retentive perspective

cohee3 · 12-04-2007, 01:46 PM

I record every tank of gas that goes in my Titan. Attached is a graph I used to do a little analysis. I do not believe that you can judge gas mileage by a single tank - or maybe even two. You need to look at trends and averages because there are so many variables at each fill-up. I made a recent 2,000 mile trip pulling a trailer and got about 11.3 mpg (the big dip) on the trip. Here are some frightening stats during 49,389 miles of pleasurable driving.
Total # of gallons: 3,285.2
Total cost: $7,480.89
Max tank MPG (almost irrevelant): 17
Min tank MPG (almost irrevelant): 10.8
Average MPG (discounting recent trip): 15.2
Average MPG (overall): 15.0
Max fill-up: 23.2 gallons
Max tank cost: $66.67
Average tank cost: $41.56
Max cost per gallon: $3.20
Min cost per gallon: $1.50
Average cost per gallon: $2.28
Note that my mileage dipped for a good while at around 16K miles - unknown reason. I do know that my wife drove it (and filled it up) for a few tanks during the beginning of this period. Since about 35K miles, it has been higher - unknown reason. I do not know what I am doing differently to get the mileage up to about 16 MPG. At around 39K miles, I had some routine dealer service/maintenance done. At 45K miles, I replaced the OEM tires with new Revos. I also reset my ECU about the same time. There does seem to be some correlation of higher gas mileage during hunting season. Normally I commute in the truck about 17 miles each way. During hunting season (two plus months), I make a trip each weekend about 65 miles each way.

**Quartz** · 12-04-2007, 01:52 PM

Wow. That is anal but it's also very informative. The total cost of the gas is scary. Your link doesn't work though.

**HudsonValleyTitan** · 12-04-2007, 01:58 PM

Looks to be damn near what my numbers are. That's more realistic than some seen on here...lol.

joeinstl · 12-04-2007, 02:01 PM

Your avg is the same as mine. Good post.

**anmut** · 12-04-2007, 02:19 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cohee3

I record every tank of gas that goes in my Titan. Attached is a graph I used to do a little analysis. I do not believe that you can judge gas mileage by a single tank - or maybe even two. You need to look at trends and averages because there are so many variables at each fill-up. I made a recent 2,000 mile trip pulling a trailer and got about 11.3 mpg (the big dip) on the trip. Here are some frightening stats during 49,389 miles of pleasurable driving.
Total # of gallons: 3,285.2
Total cost: $7,480.89
Max tank MPG (almost irrevelant): 17
Min tank MPG (almost irrevelant): 10.8
Average MPG (discounting recent trip): 15.2
Average MPG (overall): 15.0
Max fill-up: 23.2 gallons
Max tank cost: $66.67
Average tank cost: $41.56
Max cost per gallon: $3.20
Min cost per gallon: $1.50
Average cost per gallon: $2.28
Note that my mileage dipped for a good while at around 16K miles - unknown reason. I do know that my wife drove it (and filled it up) for a few tanks during the beginning of this period. Since about 35K miles, it has been higher - unknown reason. I do not know what I am doing differently to get the mileage up to about 16 MPG. At around 39K miles, I had some routine dealer service/maintenance done. At 45K miles, I replaced the OEM tires with new Revos. I also reset my ECU about the same time. There does seem to be some correlation of higher gas mileage during hunting season. Normally I commute in the truck about 17 miles each way. During hunting season (two plus months), I make a trip each weekend about 65 miles each way.

Any significant mods on your truck?

cohee3 · 12-04-2007, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by anmut

Any significant mods on your truck?

Nope. My message footer has them all. Essentially just a DNX-7100 and Revos.

cohee3 · 12-04-2007, 02:40 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Quartz

Wow. That is anal but it's also very informative. The total cost of the gas is scary. Your link doesn't work though.

The link is actually a MS Word document with a picture of a graph from an Excel spreadsheet. I did not have any utilities here to make the graph a jpeg. The link should work if you have Word.

yamatitan · 12-04-2007, 04:56 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by cohee3

The link is actually a MS Word document with a picture of a graph from an Excel spreadsheet. I did not have any utilities here to make the graph a jpeg. The link should work if you have Word.

It works for me, good post

PAPARYNO · 12-04-2007, 05:59 PM

heck half of the threads on here are anal retentive... keep em coming
my avg. 15.2 normal driving..

CStewTAMU · 12-05-2007, 12:03 PM

I get about 15.2 according the the little mpg thing on the info display. Not sure how it calculates it.

FourDoor · 12-05-2007, 12:39 PM

Thanks for putting this together. I thought about doing something similar as well but gave up before even trying knowing that the cost of ownership for gas on this truck would have been high.

Average cost per gallon: $2.28

That unfortunately will not be the case with us new Titan owners as we may well see $4 a gallon next summer.

Great post!!!

Venom · 12-07-2007, 04:46 AM

My foot must be to heavy. I am averaging 11.1

There is a lot of boat towing in this figure.

**redneckpapa1996** · 12-07-2007, 05:01 AM

I don't even waste brain cells on it anymore...It's a bigass heavy truck with a bigass motor and that equals bad gas mileage.....Just drive it and enjoy!!!!

**anmut** · 12-07-2007, 02:12 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by redneckpapa1996

I don't even waste brain cells on it anymore...It's a bigass heavy truck with a bigass motor and that equals bad gas mileage.....Just drive it and enjoy!!!!

Very well put.

BayStateSuks · 12-07-2007, 04:08 PM

Not that I can figure it out, but in my '05, I was averaging around 14 mpg. In the '08 LWB, using the in-dash system, I am getting 17+ mpg on a tank of gas. I think the '08 weighs more (certainly with a full tank of gas it does), so I have doubts about the in-dash system. In any case, maybe the CVT gets the few extra mpg? Too many TLA's.