I have a 95 F250 4x4 5sp 5.8L with 128k. My problem right now is I don't need this big heavy truck anymore. It get's like 8mpg in town and I think it topped at 13mpg on hi-way. I'd like to get another Ford pickup with a little better MPG. I'm down to hauling a few pieces of lumber and dry wall. I have to haul motorcycles every once in awhile in the bed. The heaviest being just under 1000lbs and I have a 6'x12' dbl axle enclosed trailer I might pull for a couple of hundred miles once a year. I was thinking a ranger is to small but an F150 might fit the bill. I'd be looking for a 95 or older one. Should I look at an I6 with man trans? a smaller 8? an auto trans. I could handle something that got maybe 14-15mpg in town and maybe 18-20mpg on road. Am I dreaming or can something like this be attainable for the older trucks?

Thanks for any help.

 

my '95 CCLB 2x4 auto diesel gets 17 around town (suburbs) and just over 20 highway loaded with camping stuff and bicycles. but your gonna pay 2-3 times as much for a nice one. and that would be going bigger, which you don't seem to be a fan of.

for the light work your talking about a rclb 2x4 with a 302 5 speed proper gearing and tires might yield better mpg.

your numbers seem really low even for the 4x4. have you considered a propane conversion?

 

If you don't "need" 4x4, 2wd is lighter and has less wind resistance so you'll get better mileage.

From what I've gathered here, an IDI diesel is your best bet for best mileage, but possibly not for lowest overall operating cost (there seems to be mixed feelings about that).

I'm pretty sure the diesels weren't offered in F-150s, but if you aren't getting a diesel, an F-150 is lighter and will probably be geared taller, both of which will help your mileage.

In a gas engine it doesn't sound like a 302 gives much better mileage than a 351. Going to a 300 inline 6 is probably your best bet for gas mileage.

Any of those engines is likely to give you acceptable performance with the loads you are talking about.

If it were me? I'd go with a 300 and a 5 speed in a 2WD F-150, standard cab long box. I don't know if 14-15 in town is realistic (depends on what "in town" means to you). But i'd think 18 on the highway would be do-able.

 

No I haven't even thought about a propane conversion, but at the prices of propane now days, would I really be better off? I think I put about 600 miles on it last year because of how it sucks gas. I live in Chicago area, I drive from Elgin to Batavia for work every once in awhile, It's about 20mi each direction. It eats 1/4 tank to do that or about $20 a day just for that 40 miles. My Silverado 1500 ext cab 4x4 only ate half that amount, but I sold it because I just can't stand Chevy trucks.

It could be the gearing, although I don't know what it has. If I use 1st I can basically move it from a stop about 5 feet and have to shift to 2nd so I just start it in 2nd, it bog's slightly but for the most part it's better to start in.

It's just a lot of truck for someone that doesn't need that kind of power or hauling capability anymore.

 

300 six with either an auto or a manual with 3.08s sounds like the optimal package for you, good mileage unloaded and decent gears for what you are hauling, depending on how heavy the trailer is you could probably even get by with 2.73 rear gears

 

The 300 six has always been a good motor well the I6, I don't know much about the V6. Which motor are you talking about?

 

There isnt a v6 til 97, and it doesnt have nearly the good reputation the straight six does.

I agree with the previous posters, keep your eyes out for a 2wd long box f150 with a 300. Standard or auto, your choice, but I prefer the standard hands down. Those spec trucks are plentiful and a dime a dozen out my way.

You willl have no issue with what you need it for with that combo. My 4x4 has the 3.08s, and a stick shift. I've had my Harley in the back, and without looking in the rearview, you'd forget its there. Also gone across scales at the dump with my truck and trailer clocking in at 11,500#.

This truck owes me nothing. I love it to pieces.

 

just keep the truck you have.since you don't need it very often,the fuel mileage won't really matter.just get yourself a small 4cyl car to go with your truck.this is what i do.
35 avg mpg feels like driving for free compared to the truck.can't do anything with it but get around in of course,but that's why you keep a truck.gone are the days where it's affordable to just drive a 15 mpg (or most often far less) fuel sucking truck around just in place of a car imho.unless you hate having $ in the bank.at these fuel prices,anything less than 30 mpg sucks now,lets face it.

 

I do have a car to drive, it's a little Scion tC. I just hate the fact that I have to fall in and out of the car. I can't see around or over traffic and if I have an accident then I'm probably dead. The other fact is Insurance and plates for the truck. I'd probably have to sit down and run the numbers but I figured if I go down to one vehicle, I might be saving in the long run. But you may be right, It may be cheaper in the long run to keep the truck I have.

 

A 2wd IDI would net you excellent mileage and would have zero problems hauling what you need it too.

For reference, my old 94 4.9 4x4 auto got 16 mpg on the highway with 33s.
My old 88 IDI 4x4 auto got a hair under 20 mpg on the highway with 265/75s

 

I've never been able to justify a second car on mileage alone. But last time I looked I was a single 22 year old male. Insurance killed it, then plates, to sit there, and you still have to Maintain both. I work in downers and live in Joliet. So we are kinda neighbors. I like the option to haul stuff whenever I want. Plus I do some quick response side work. So I always have tools with me. It just makes sense to me, but I got out of a mustang making 20 mpg to a diesel making 18. Can't feel a difference in the wallet. Ok I'm rambling.

anyway look into propane all the menards sell it around us. I think its under $2/ gal there's more math but that would basically double your mp$.

or there's a nice cclb, flat bed 4x, 7.3 for 5000 in Batavia 5 speed. Bet he is doing better than you in mpg, seat count, and it has a plow set up. Check Craigslist. I think the flat bed must be turning people off. Any way good night. And good luck for now

 

If you do the math, a second vehicle makes the most sense. I also commute roughly 40 miles a day for work and spend roughly $20 a day in fuel.

Before my cavalier threw a rod (that's a Chevy for ya) I was spending $20 a week, which adds up to a savings of $320 a month. There is now possible way you would be spending even half of that savings on extra insurance and PM. If I remember correctly, my insurance went up a whopping $25 to add a second car to my policy and I'm considered "high risk"

 

Well the Scions dont do that well on gas but it does cost me about $35 a week. But as for the truck insurance you got a good deal. I'm 50yo and No tickets in 20 years no accidents in 30 years and just liability on this truck is $190 a year, you would think that Having a Scion and a CTS both with full coverage, I'd be able to do better. It might be the area though. They call my area little Mexico and it has a high theft rate.

21411, I'll check into the propane conversion. Like I said, it only got about 600 miles on it last year so I don't know if the cost is worth it, but I might have to run to Florida soon and Do a haul back fully loaded and hauling a 20 foot enclosed back to Mississippi. In the state the truck is in now, I could almost guess an easy $2k in gas. That's roughly $0.67 a mile just for gas.

 

My buddy has a 2 wheel drive reg cab long bed I6 truck. 3.08 gears and it's a little pulling machine. I have been thoroughly impressed with his truck. He works the hell out of it and it just keeps going.

 

I'm gonna assume this isn't with a F-150, 300/5 speed/3.08..

I did that once, hauling a 1976 D-300 1 ton dually to the scrapper. Pulled across the scales at 11,360lbs and my truck when full of fuel and me in it, weighs 4,500.

Go figure.

Bear in mind I did it on a slipping clutch, the truck was NOT a dream boat to drive, and frankly 45mph was a hellacious ride that took the fuel pedal being buried on the floor to attain that speed.