We went thru Dallas Fort Worth couple a weeks ago, and were surprised to see diesel less than gas. In most of the non OPEC states diesel cost more than regular.
The race team I run with ( motor cycles ) has lots more money than me, and we have tried diesels to pull the rig. We gave up and went back to gas. Cost less to run, and runs so much better. Course I should admit that we race to the races, pulling a 38' fith wheel. don't know what it weighs, but with 6 or 7 road racers, tools and gear, it ain't light. Ya know, I'm unsure of that 38' now, 2 more feet and it would require a CDL. Well my memory is not what it was, any way its a big trailer.
We have the biggest Chevy available with the Allison transmission and love it. Would prefer a Ford but couldn't get the Allison.
I assume you have a automatic in your van, if so get a chip. 3/4 of your problems are the way Ford set the tranny up. And you can have the chip re programed if you get a new van, assuming its a Ford gasoline rig.
Mike

 

As of today, 5-17-04, regular (87 octane) is around 1.83 a gallon and diesel is running around 1.59 a gallon. I did find regular for 1.79 and diesel for 1.53 but I travel some back roads thru the city (Houston) and find Mom and Pop places that are cheap. I was going to put a shift kit in the trans (I think it's about 140 bucks?) but instead have decided on a diesel. I'd love a GMC van because of it's longer wheelbase on the extended models but I haven't any faith in their (GM) drivetrains! That Mercedes based Sprinter looks interesting. I asked a guy who has one what his mileage is like. He told me he went to San Antonio and back from Houston on 3/4 of a tank. That's about a 450 mile trip and he said he had (he thought) about an 18 gallon tank. That's about 33 mpg! The van uses a 5 cylinder turbo diesel and 5 speed auto as it's drivetrain. I don't think it can handle the weight like I sometimes put in my truck (3500-4500 lbs). Looks like it may be a unit body?
BTW, I'm Mike, too

 

If you are looking at the sprinter, look at the Freightliner/Mercedes, don't know what they cost. But they look to be a hell of a work van, and you could prob get 1,000,000 miles out of it before the scrap heap. They appear to be built like a big rig.
Mike

 

Yes, the Dodge is the same as the Freightliner. I didn't have time to really check it out. Like I said, looked like a unit body. I may buy a dually instead of another van and get myself a 12 foot enclosed trailer to pull? I have a 12 footer already but it's open. I carry quite a bit of welding wire all over and of course, it can't get wet. Haven't fully decided which way I'll go?
Mike

 

UPDATE: toady, 602 miles.
Approx 500 Interstate. approx 75 mph with A/C on.
Approx 100 2 lane hiway. approx 55-60 mph with A/C on.

Avg 18.1 mpg

 

Brian, might I ask...how did you become the Moderator?? Just wondering

-homer

 

Atlanta update $2.10 to $2.14 for 93, 20 cent less for 87.
Mike

 

As of yesterday, 5-24, Cheap regular was 1.84.9 with the typical stations at or above 1.92.9 Diesel was running 28-32 cents less per gallon than regular 1.56.9-165.9. That was a sampling from Houston-Rosenberg-Old Ocean.

 

Isn't there supposed to be a thread for gas prices? Anyways I need to ask a question, what would be the best way to figure my mileage per gallon if I don't drive to far of a distance daily?? thanks guys

-homer

 

The way I do it is when I fill it up, I set the trip meter to zero. Then the next time I get gas, I divide the number of gallons to fill it by the number of miles on the trip meter.

E.G. Say I went 320 miles on the trip meter after I filled it up the first time and I put 20 gallons into the truck to fill back up. 20 divided into 320 is 16. So I'm averaging 16 mpg. I have a headache now since I had to think so much.


David

 

Another update;
580 miles yesterday.
All Interstate.
All at approx 73-74 mph.
All w/ AC on.
Avg: 17.9 mpg.

 

There is a gas price thread, guess I got confused and posted in the wrong place.
Don't take a whole lot to confuse me.
Mike

 

I generally get between 18-20 MPG. I don't really do any city driving at all, and I usually set cruise at 70mph on the highway. Yesterday was the best tank ever, came in at 21.4 MPG.

These trucks are very, very sensitive to how much you put your foot in it. This last tank was pretty granny'ish driving, although I did make a 50 mile run with 40 8' 4x4 fence posts in it.

 

My truck is an '01 F150 XL shortbed with 5 speed and 3.08 rears. I bounce between 19-21 mpg in daily driving. Haven't made many road trips with it yet but in short ones it got about 23 mpg (at 75 -80). I live about 10 miles from town so not a whole lot of stop and go driving all the time but much of it is in town/ city. My experience with Ford trucks and cars is that the mileage is in the rear end ratios.
My previous truck, a '93 Ranger Supercab with 4.0, 5 speed and 3.08 rears got almost the identical mileage as the F150. Friends with similar trucks and automatics / 3.55s never got close to the mileage that I did / do.
My wife's Crown Vic LX with 2.73 rears gets 21 daily /26 highway. My "work" car Crown Vic P71 Police with 3.27 rears gets 16-17. Looks like a pattern to me.

 

I bought my truck new this past Memorial Day week end. It is rated 20 mpg on the highway & I was worried this might be the best it would do. My Nissan got 27 mpg highway at 65mph. The truck has less than 2000 miles right now but I justified making a couple of changes right away. I installed a tonneau cover & K&N air filter - both of which should add to the mpg. I had to make a highway trip of 863 miles on the 21st of June. It took 35.5 gallons total for the trip - that comes out to 24.3 mpg. I admit I drove the truck easy & short shifted to help it. I tried to drive 60 mph the whole trip - of course I varied some. The truck should do better once broken in - but I have no compliants.
That trip was in Ohio & Kentucky on I-71 & Western KY turnpike which has grades to pull. I don't intend to drive 60 mph every where but I wanted to try for its best at least once.