Tow vehicle for 190 Bay?

[Putershark]

Attached to this note is the 1 Excel 2003 spread sheet that I created to track fuel burn rates in my Truck. Nothing really fancy (Excel training class project) but as you get 10 or more entries you should should start to see a much better picture of which brands of fuel give you your greatest ROI (Return on Investment) for the money you spent.

Just remember these 2 things which really help when using the Truck sheet is...
1. The drop down window for driving type has a lot of possible selections, so remember such for when you are "Towing with the A/C on" for example.
2. The comments section is also important for notation of your oil changes, upgrades and even small notations like "found tire presse low by 3 pounds" will give you a good overall performance picture in time.

Combined with this web site http://www.gasbuddy.com/ you will save money in the long run by using them and remember, that the cheapest fuel per gallon may NOT save you money if your engine burns more of it in the process... These sheets will prove that over time, and you should find which of your local brands and octane rating works best in "your" engine.

Any questions on using it just let me know

[AstroDiver]

I started with a white Toyota Tacoma V-6 with about 150K miles on it towing my Logic 186 a couple of years ago. It did OK as mentioned. It was not a road burner with the load but I got decent mileage if I kept the speed down around 55-60 MPH.
I now use a 2005 Tundra D cab V-8 that is also white to keep me and the ferrets cooler.
Putershark, K7N has finally released a Performance Intake Kit for our trucks, part # 77-902KP and an Air Charger unit #63-9027. I have been running the K&N filter since I got my truck last November. Also, Banks has an exhaust system for our trucks too.
What ever you decide to buy, look into a K&N filter or one of the intake systems that replaces the air filter box for better breathing.
I don't think Toyota has released the Supercharger system for the '05 yet.
I still have the Tacoma, 204+K miles.

[AstroDiver]

Both of my Toyotas are 4x4's. The Tundra has 'E' rated tires on them and I keep them pumped up. 60# rear & 50# front. See, I carry a slide in camper in the bed of my Tundra and I need the higher rated tires.

[MolarBoater]

I used a 2001 4x4 Tahoe with the smaller vortec V8 1500?and seemed to get fair gas milage. Without towing it would push 20mpg on hiway and with premium gas would tow very well but down to about @14 mpg 65mph. My 2005 Z71 Avalanche 1500 gets average now of 18.0 mpg 87 octane cheap gas but down to maybe@12mpg towing 65-70mph. Heavier vehicle, but better geared as well as much better brakes, even the emergency brakes work, think it has a higher tow rating by 2000lbs too, built on suburban chasis.
Gas was better with Tahoe with street tires and occasional towing, Avalanche more of a tow vehicle with the transmission geared toward that, more truck like acceleration but very comfortable on the road.
I have no idea what I would get next with the gas prices like they are....maybe wait 3 more years and see what miracles have occured by then with gasoline engines or going back to diseal trucks for the milage. Possibly get a micro car to drive and leave the truck hooked up to the boat.

[mudd-mann]

Looks like I'm heading for the 4 cyl. knockaround vehicle and keep the Expedition hooked to the boat too. Looked into trading and got insulted several times with the trade-in value. Nobody wants a large V8 sitting on the lot. I got burned one time with a 6 cyl. Ford that was supposed to be a tow vehicle and until I changed the rear end I couldn't pull the boat out of the water. So, until I can afford to change to an 'improved' tow truck that will get better mileage, I guess I will stick with the gas hog that I know will do the job.
Putershark.... thanks for all the tips and spreadsheets. I'm going to give them a try and maybe enough improvements can be made that will make the Expedition more affordable. Don

[Putershark]

Don,
Buddy you are more than welcome and remember that the biggest and the most "Cost Effective" (meaning zero dollar spent) MPG improvement you can make to any automobile, is to improve one's driving habbits.

Remember that once the Truck is moving (no matter how slow) is to keep her moving... If the light up ahead cannot be made, then start coasting... No need to burn up brake pads or empty fuel tanks trying to make lights. The don't walk lights will (in most places) flash 10 times before the light turns yellow, so already you have a built in timer and after a while, your mind will start counting those flashes even though you are not really looking at the sign and will KNOW if you need to start coasting or speed up.

In other words, always drive as if you are towing the boat and need longer times to both stop, and speed up. In a nutshell, it takes 2/3 more energy to get something moving than to KEEP it moving.

I also plan my trip to work not on the fastest main drag routes that have a lot of lights, and mostly run side streets at a slower 35 mph and usually manage to hit the lights all green IF I stay at certian speeds AND still get to the office at the same time! That was someting I learned many, many, moons ago as a kid when I riding a Moped as the cars passed me in town BUT I then passed them again at the next light never once hitting the brakes!

Dave

[69merc]

Putershark,

Thanks for attaching your fuel milage worksheet. I appreciate the effort that you put into this board.

regards,

Ernie

[Putershark]

You are very welcome,

I have used them for quite a few years and found out a lot of things by using them. How even the smallest changes in the simple things like low tire pressure can return positive results.

Maybe if we get enough of the guys and gals to use them we can start to compare results, and get a better cross section of data so all of us can save a few bucks. When you start too see just how much it cost per mile to run your truck (or car) one starts to make better choices on trips or getting stuff on the way home or as I say "Economy in Movement" that if nothing, leaves more money in my wallet to put into the Boat's fuel tank

So if you would like to see some changes or inprovements to the sheets, just let me know and I will try and recode them for you...

Dave

[Putershark]

Sorry guys,
I found out tonight when making some entries into the Boat Fuel Burn Rate Sheet that "was" posted in this thread, my functions (formulas many know them as) math was wrong The one for the truck is fine though, and has worked great for me for many years so that is still OK

I will start another thread and include the New and Improved Boat Fuel Burn rate sheet (never professed to be a CPA ) just as soon as I finish updating my template here in the next hour or so

Rest assured though that the the math is now correct (I feel like NASA when they slammed that probe into Mars over a simple math conversion programming error) and you should be able to use it in the future with little problems...

Dave