Hi guys, new to this place (first post!), I'm thinking of buying one of these big bad beasts.

Currently drive a 2010 Tundra which I would like to replace with an SUV to match the cargo room and hopefully do better on gas milage. I do 2-6 hours (that can mean 80-150mi maybe in a day) of daily stop and go, usually high traffic, engine on/off/on/off delivery city driving with maybe about up to 500lbs of cargo in cabin and bed (with cap) that does need the room. I get on average a sickening 9mpg in the city (I think I've dipped down into the 7/8 territory in the winter battling snow in 4x4). Once in a while I go on longer highway trips and that number gets some what better but it's still gross. I've had the truck since it was new, it's always been this bad. The one good thing about it has been the fact that it has about 150mi on it and has never really needed any thing but consumables, it just runs and every thing works, which is great for not having to give it time off from working. When I originally got it I did use it for some towing however I now have zero towing needs and my cargo needs have changed and I would like to move from the capped pick up set up to an SUV at least for a couple years as an experiment. Possibly go back to a similarly set up pick up in a couple years if the SUV thing doesn't work out. DON'T NOBODY, NOOOBODY, SAY THE 4-LETTER OBVIOUS PRACTICAL V-WORD AS AN OPTION!

The replacement contenders' priority is matching cargo room, secondary is beating the current MPGs. I would like to do this at the current value of my truck or less, which means I have been looking at the variations of the 07 Suburban platform and have been considering (leaning towards from space perspective) the Excursion. Plus I've always sort of thought they were cool and badass. So since this is the Excursion forum....

I'm a little confused about the engine options. I have been leaning towards a diesel as my understanding is that will have best MPGs. Though I have been reading and hearing mixed advice as to the 7.3 vs the 6. Meaning I have been advised to stay away from both and to go for both although it seems like the majority consensus is that the 7.3 is more reliable? Reliability is definitely a major plus as my work relies heavily on the truck being up and running and having it down would be a massive PIA. I have also been told I should get the gas v10 instead because I have no need to actually tow and will get better gas milage especially considering the cost of diesel up here is pretty much on par with premium.

I test drove an 05 6.0 Limited, never driven a diesel before (sort of reminded me of a 2stroke bike) and it was definitely different but some thing I could get used to. Would like to find a 7.3 to drive to get an ideal for the difference in driving experience but I wanted to check in here for more accurate advice and hopefully find some real life MPGs.

Thanks!!

 

In short you came to the right place, but even shorter if your looking to add 3000 pounds plus of truck and get better fuel economy in that high traffic stop and go situation your in. Well nice meeting you and good luck finding something else.

 

LMAO ok noted

 

If it makes a difference, the truck can run non stop on the runs at stops (they're usually fairly short) as long as I have a way of locking it remotely. I guess the other thing I didn't mention was that I plan on installing a remote starter and on occasion when I travel the truck will have to stay parked and secured running with the AC on for a couple/few hours at a time.

 

Ok, I do leave mine on, lock the doors and use my keypad to get back in if I make short stops. I really think if you can live with the gas mileage the V10 may be a better fit for you.
Diesels are great but really should be run. 7.3's are more reliable out of the box but nothing compairs to the 6.0 if bulletproofed and tuned, that said a 6k budget to do it right should be set aside for this.

 

Is it April 1st already? (sorry it's your 1st POST - welcome to FTE)
I can't imagine expecting an Excursion to get better MPG than your Tundra,
Most Excursions are between 7500-8000 lbs, TONS of threads on here of folks asking how to improve the MPG... The 5.4L v8 gas engine (typically) gets nearly the same MPG as the 6.8L v10 gas engine (based on the bazzillions of posts I've read on FTE, a great guy in Alaska has a license plate: 8MPG - HINT HINT HINT).
IF you want a 4x4 Excursion it'll have lower MPG than the 2wd, plus most folks want bigger tires (some want a lift) everything (almost everything) lowers your MPG from the stock setup.

I agree the diesel gets way better MPG than the gas - ON the highway. Around town everything gets worse MPG. Yes, the WORSE I've done is today's fill-up 12.8 MPG (only used 31 gallons in 51 days ALL around town with 10-15 Days of 'winter'). I DID buy the 6L PSD Excursion to get better MPG than almost all the other alternative large SUVs available. I also drive long distances and take my family and lots of their stuff when we go.

My prior job's commute had 50% highway and I averaged 18 MPG, my current job is closer to home and doesn't let my 6L shine like it did. With the bigger '08+ tow mirrors I DO get about 20 (19-21 depending upon wind direction) but I drive just over the speed limit using cruise control to minimize my aggravation level at the idiots in a hurry weaving in/out/around everybody

 

On my cross country trips, I can see 20-22mpg out of mine. Normal everyday driving 17-19mpg and lately with being in 4x4 alot I am seeing 14-16mpg. You will get better mileage out of the 6.0 than the 7.3. I do not believe that short trips are bad for a diesel, they just are harder on it than it would be on a gasser. If short trips and stop and go traffic was a no-no in a diesel, than you wouldn't see diesels in garbage trucks, school buses, UPS and FEDEX vehicles, etc.

If this is going to be your main vehicle and also the way you make your money, I would suggest always keeping 5k around to take care of any unexpected repairs. I say 5k because that is what a head gasket and head stud repair will run you and most other repairs will fall below that mark.

I have some experience with that year Tundra and if your mileage is that bad then I would have to assume that you are idling all the time or you are very heavy on the pedal. I get the mpg that I do in my 6.0 because I try not to idle and I rarely see over 2,000rpms.

 

Our 2008 Sequoia gets roughly 18-20 mpg. Kind of the Excursion to the Tundra. I don't think going to an Excursion you will see any sort of MPG increase. A gasser Ex you will be lucky to see 12.

Diesel as said can see 18-20 (and in some cases higher) when it is being run. In stop and go, like Misky said, everything sucks. And frequent stops w/ turning the truck off and then back on will be hard on the batteries and the FICM if there is not enough time for the alt to juice things back up in between.

 

All great feedback so far. Thank You!

The truck can run non stop per run, that will make it about 2-3h of city driving 2x per day. Unfortunately sitting around and idling is just a part of the game in congested city driving. That would pretty much be that truck's life, with only occasional highway trips, and maybe 6-10x per year there would be an extended highway trip of 8-10h drive each way.

If it can't get better MPG in the city then oh well, it won't be any thing different then what I'm already dealing with. But if going with a diesel can make enough of a dent on the highway that might edge the diesel over the v10. I can't imagine a v8 in some thing that size.

If I can find a truck that has had some of the major engine work already done, how much of a life span does that give the engine/truck? I would want the truck to hopefully give me 2yrs or 100mi or so before either ditching it or investing major $ into it to have it last.

 

The 5.4 2wd is always worth looking at... I know of a clean one if you're interested Seriously though the 6.8 is really nice.

 

I have a 6.8 L with 85K miles on it a lot of your mileage depends on what rear end it has-either the 3.73 or the 4.1--someone correct me if I am off on the ratios. I've had a 4.1 in an 01 that I had for 10 years--at 70 mph it was turning around 22-2300 rpm's. The 4.1 at 70 in my 05 is at 2000 rpm. There's probably not more than a mile or so difference on the road. My 01 usually got 10 or less in the city--with a fair amount of idling--going by the overhead lie meter. This one gets about 11. I can get about 15 mpg -maybe 16 at 60 on the road if I do 65---but that never happens. At 75--I get 12-14 depending on wind and hills It kinda comes down do you want a little better mileage on the road or not. Diesel will do better on mpg but the fuel cost is higher so there's probably little to no difference cost wise to run. Bottom line, these are not vehicles you buy for start, stop and idle and worry about mpg.

 

Awh, i'm thought of from time to time!

All day every day, except on road trips.

 

New here too! Just purchased my 03 Ex. I, like you, was doing my homework and research for months. I knew I wanted diesel, but wasn't sure if I wanted to go the 7.3 or 6.0 route. In the end, and after countless hours of research and talking to people I knew owned them (past and present)...I decided on a bulletproof'd 6.0. I heard great things about both motors...just to try and stay away from a stock 6.0. I couldn't be happier with my purchase! Basically everyone I talked to basically said stay away from an unmodified 6.0 diesel or the 5.4 V8. Other than that, I heard great things for everything else. Not sure if that's anything you didn't already know? I will have to get back with you on the real life mpgs I am getting in Atlanta... I have not run 1 full tank of gas yet!!!

 

I own a 5.4 4wd and I'm very pleased with the power of it. It gets where I need to be. Mileage wise I get 12 as a daily driver and 16 on highway, cruise and under 70. This is a long distance trip so I'm not in stop and go traffic to get that 16.

I just ordered a 5 star tuner for it and will have it this week. I'm interested to see how it helps when I tow a box trailer.

I've owned a V10 in a F250 4wd with stick, it averaged 12 also as a daily driver. Now this was a stick, it did make a differance in mileage over a auto. Towing I'd get 10. Highway, cruise and again long distance, under 70, I'd get close to 15.

 

Hi MR new member, stop calling it gas... If you put gas in there your going to really hate the 6.0