I know I'm just playing, but if you read my other post compared to a toyota corolla that my brother drives, my supercrew f150 is a big truck.

 

Oh yeah I hear you. Theres all sorts of variables. Hell ive seen lifted f150s that make f350s look small!

 

Yeh they look sweet lifted, but my biggest gripe on MPG is that truck owners in general big or small, don't usually buy a truck for MPG. We buy our trucks to work, play, and even just for some make the commute to the office. When I bought my truck it wasn't my first and I bought it cause it was a crew cab, FX4 package, and it LOOKED SWEET. The MPG was the last thing I thought about, but that is also because I make a pretty good living and don't worry much about money. If I was making ends meet and had a job an hour away from home then I wouldn't even belong to this forum, because I would have that 40 MPG car. That was kind of my thinking and why I had a gripe about all this MPG talk and trucks. They usually don't mix.

 

"If I was making ends meet and had a job an hour away from home then I wouldn't even belong to this forum, because I would have that 40 MPG car. That was kind of my thinking and why I had a gripe about all this MPG talk and trucks. They usually don't mix."

There is no reason not to have BOTH.
For hauling big stuff I use my F350 or crewcab C-30 wrecker, otherwise they sit. For commuting I use my 2000 F150 4.2, though putting tags back on my '81 VW Scirocco is looking good lately. For fun, I have a 1988 FXR. Liability insurance is cheap, and used trucks are plentiful. Having a "fleet" can be cheaper than buying a new truck, since except for insurance they don't eat much when not in use.

If gas mileage hurts on a work truck, charge more for the overhead.
If it hurts too much on a pleasure truck, the choice is spend the money or park it.

Op cost is the TOTAL of dollars spent per mile, so a used truck that gets poor mileage can be a better deal than a new diesel. I'm putting a scavenged 366 into my C30 because it is so inexpensive to rebuild. The thousands of dollars I don't spend on a diesel can go gradually into the fuel tank instead of abruptly into an engine.

 

monkeywrench has got it down!!! wish i could afford a fleet!!

 

the most difficult part of the fleet idear (IMO) is convincing the old lady that they all are necessary and you can't get rid of any...LOL. trust me been tryin for years.

 

I bought my 01 4x4 for mileage. My 77 F150 with a 460 only got 6 to 8mpg. The 13 to 16 that I'm getting now was a huge improvement!!!

 

Don't hate me but I comute in a 1994 nissan sentra that I paid $300 2 years ago. 36 MPG in a automatic. Also explains why I have a 1999 F-150 with only 70,000 on the clock.

 

"the most difficult part of the fleet idear (IMO) is convincing the old lady that they all are necessary and you can't get rid of any...LOL. trust me been tryin for years."

My wife is a mechanic, does professional quality paint and bodywork, and fully supports da fleet. She is restoring a 1937 Chevy and drives a mild custom 97 F150.

The secret to domestic bliss is to have seperate workshops and don't borrow each others tools. We don't share vehicles much either, which is good since mine seem to fill up with tools/parts/crap...