I`m with all the above, just make sure that if the X doesn`t have a rear sway bar to install one asap. otherwise they tend to wander. I can get 11-12mpg in town and 15 on the highway, but you have to baby it to get those #`s! towing with 8500lbs. i get 7.5-8mpg.

good luck, and there is plenty out there so try and hold out for a nice one!

 

I've owned a '96 Suburban since '97, and will never buy GM again!

I've owned my '02 F250 with the 7.3L since last September, first time to ever have a diesel anything, and I do not want another gasoline powered vehicle again. I love this 7.3L engine.

I've owned my '03 EB Exursion with the V10 since April, and absoluteley love the truck and am rapidly going broke because of the gas mileage. I only bought the V10 because my wife said she didn't want to be "no diesel drivin' mama". (Forgive me guys, if her attitude offends you, but remember it's HER attitude and NOT mine). Since the second time we filled up the Excursion at the pump, my wife is now ready to drive a diesel.

MPG: 7.3L engine - I get around 14.5 city and as much as 18.5 highway driving at 75 mph, and 19 mpg when I keep it to 70 mph. You'll do better with the Ex because it won't have the open box on the rear end.

MPG: V10 engine - 2WD, mind you, now - 8.5-9.0 in the city and 14.0-14.5 on the highway.

Mod potential: 7.3L engine - lots of opportunities to play mechanic and really have fun installing some efficiency and reliability mods, and even some excellent gains from some rather simple performance mods.

Mod potential: V10 - this beast of a towing machine has a very flat performance curve, and was launched into the market on the flat. You can spend lots of money chasing mileage and only gain 0.5-1.0 mpg if you spend lots of money (equal length headers, air intake, exhaust, etc....).

Don't take any of my above comments as gospel for all 7.3L trucks or V-10 engines. it is a compilation of my personal experience and lots of research from other peoples experience.

That said, I'd also be happy to talk to you about my Excursion, which I will be selling very soon so I can change over to an Excursion with a diesel. Still... I love the vehicle, and there is absolutely nothing wrong with the one I have now... I just want to get the other engine.

$0.02

 

I have 101,000 on my 2000 V10 Excursion. Only problems have been Excursion / F250 realatd probems not engine specific problems. Namely brakes and rear end. I get 13.5mpg all the time on my mixed comute. I have gotten 17 a few times on highway trips with the cruise set at 70mph.

 

Hi Scottman70

My fuel computer dis-agrees with you



Regards

Dereck

 

I have a 2003 V-10X Limited and I get on average of 11.5 mpg. Like everyone else has said it is very powerful and gets 11.5 mpg. Before this one I had an 01 V-8X Limited that got about 12.5 mpg. I believe the way for you to go would be the 7.3 that is what I am working up to.

 

LOL, he!! I can reset my trip computer too running down hill with a tail wind!!! Are you kidding me, that's hilarious! He!! I have seen 99.9 when I reset running down hill! LOL

YOu really think anyone here believes you on that one. THere is no way that you are averaging that over the course of a full tank of gas! Nice try though!!

 

Hi Scottman70

That gas mileage figure was averaged over 255 miles with the cruise control set at 60mph, it did actually flip over to 17 for a few miles but settled back down to 16.9.

My 2000 V10 usually shows between 11.9 & 12.6 on the fuel computer, I have never bothered to calculate the mileage manually - what's the point?

Regards

Dereck

 

Nope, mine is as stock as you can get coming right off the assembly line. By the way, I went back and reread your original post, mine is a 4x2. I owned a 2002 V-10 4x2 prior to my diesel. Best milage I could get was 16 MPG and if I stayed below 70 MPH, I would get 17 MPG. I wanted a diesel, then Ford said discontinuing X in 04, that is why I have an 04 vice an 05. Sorry if I mislead anyone, just didn't see you wanted 4x4. Personally, I don't need it. Live in Virginia Beach, VA, winters just don't get that bad around here.

Don

 

Scottman its not hard to get 15 mpg out of a x. Alot of the people in the v-10 forum are getting that mileage. And then there are those who don't In order to get that mileage, alls you have to do is do 60- 65 mph on the high way, keep ur tires inflated and do regular maintenance. This is my point but i would take a x over a burb an day. I hate the way the burb rides, it rides to much like a car. But thats cause i like the truck ride better. And the x can take more punishment then the burb.

Derek, the trip computers are never right. Thats why everyone on the forum calls them lie-o-meters. But ur mileage isnt that far off. 15 mpg isnt bad from a big x with a 10 cyl engine. Heck thats better then a h2 that weighs less, has less power and a smaller v-8.

limoxman, i get that mileage with a stock v-10. The only thing done engine wise was the flowmaster 70 series muffler. Its just a muffler same headers and exhaust pipe from the factory. The only thing that it did was set a better tone no mileage improvments. I change my oil every 2500 to 3000k with Royal purple 5w20 synthetic, use stock motorcraft filter (FL-820s), change my tranny fluid every 25k and change my rearend fluid every 60k.

 

Don,

AHHHH...but all that SAND to drive on!!!...air down your tires to 15-20psi kick in 4WD and HIT THE BEACHES!!!...THAT's worth it too!...well IMO!

I had a BLAST this past summer visiting Cape Hatteras on the OBX...man I wish I lived closer to 'play in the sand' more often!!!

Joe.

 

A v-10 will get ya 15 or so on the hwy at 65-70mph. I got almost 16.5mpg on trip by myself from Tx to Tn when I bought my Ex this past spring. I was alone with no cargo. Hand calculated mileage not lie-o-meter.

You have cargo or a heavy foot or drive alot of miles probably better going with diesel. Good luck. Both have plenty of happy and some not perfectly happy owners. I think all the engines are really durable except the well publicized run of diesels.

 

I'll fes up, now that several of you guys have mentioend it. My 14.5 on the higway with the Excursion is due to my propensity to hover around 75 mph.

 

For what it's worth I have an 05 4x4 EB with the 6.0. It's my 2nd Ex and love it. My first was an 01 4x2 with the V8. I get 14.7 with little highway driving. I have 14k on it. I just got the oil changed for the 2nd time last week and had the pulsating brake problem. The dealer truned all 4 rotors and problem solved. On the down side I think that the Ex has a less than stellar transmission, the brakes stop a lot better than GM's brakes but then you need the rotors turned more often. Neither of mine ever had the wandering problem I read about.

I like the EX because it's a truck with a BIG trunk. I have driven the Sub and like the truck ride of the EX over the car like ride of the Sub. Since they don't make the EX anymore, I plan on keeping mine till the wheels fall off.

 

The Lie-o-meter is not accurate, but it's certainly useful as a relative measure of driving style. For instance, with my heavy right foot, my computer usually reads between 10.5 and 11mpg. For giggles and grins, I followed a friend out to camp last weekend. I reset the meter when we hit the on-ramp. At a steady 62MPH, drafting his travel trailer, the meter read 19.6mpg when we got off the highway 150 mile later. Fuel gauge reflected the difference, to. I wouldn't have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.

After 50 miles tearing up gravel two-tracks followed by a 75-85mph sprint home, the gauge settled back down to about 14.

This is in a 2001 Ex 4x4 with V-10, minimal load (camping gear), no mods.

Personally, I won't own another one of these, and this one would be gone already if I wasn't backwards on it. I've had decent experiences with Fords in the past. I've also owned two 4x4 Suburbans. I thought it would only be fair to give the Ex a try. It's not comfortable in any way, and I just don't like driving it. The suspension is so stiff that freeway expansion joints are spooky in the rain. Washboard roads are downright dangerous. The steering is sloppy even when you can keep the tires on the ground. The driver's seat is is set in-board too much (I don't like that 4" gap). You gotta be 6'2" or Stretch Armstrong to change the radio (maybe that's why the seat's set so far in?). High ride-height makes loading cargo a bear. Sound system sucks. I've got a constant vibration that alignment, new brakes, and balancing tires can't fix. Door locks work intermittently (I know there's a fix, but I shouldn't HAVE to fix something like that at 75,000 miles). Butterfly valve would stick open, causing a 3500rpm idle. Rear window seal is like glue, making the lift-glass almost impossible to open if it's been more than a week since it was opened. I'm sometimes afraid I'm going to rip that handle off!

Keep in mind, this is just one man's opinion. This is a Ford board, and I'm sure there are many more folks happy with their Ex than not. You'll find the same break-down on a Chevy board, too. For me, I've given it an honest go and I'll likely be going back to GM for my full-size SUVs in the future.

Fat Boy

 

katiesdad, ill be doin the same thing even past when the wheels fall off.