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does mileage REALLY get better? Poll?

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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 02:14 PM
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ppsi's Avatar
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From: SE NC USA
Question does mileage REALLY get better? Poll?

I am not seeing any better mileage as my truck gets more miles on it but have seen many posts about these trucks doing so. Can I get some real life feedback please.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 03:33 PM
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From: Prescott, Arizona
My first tank I got 12.25
From there it steadily increased with each tank to about 14.5 avg with an all time high of 15.25. After adding the 315's, I lost about 1MPG and it now averages about 13.5 mixed city/hwy. All figures hand calc, I don't have the stinkin' computer. Have 4500 on the clock now... I've been told that it will increase after about 10K, but I have not seen any improvement since my first 5 tanks or so. I have yet to get over 400 miles between fillups.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 08:19 PM
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From: Oregon
Mine got pretty good milage right from the first tank. It may have increased part of a MPG over the next thousand miles or so, to around 19 or 20.

It seems like milage has gradually dropped lately, with around 19k on the clock, getting 17.something in mixed driving. Speed makes a huge difference in highway milage.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 08:25 PM
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From: Glendale AZ
15.9 cty&hwy via the computer...~15500 miles
Started out at about 12
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 08:49 PM
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From: Eastern & Western Merryland
Yes, I am now a firm believer that they get better mileage.

I used to love to de-bunk that theory early on - thinking they were nutz; but unfortunately (?), at about 18,800 miles, my truck started returning about 2mpg better than earlier. Hmmmf, thats cool I'm thinking, and maybe those guys are alright and I'm the one whose nutz?

According to my records, it got better after its 49th fill-up.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 08:51 PM
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From: Lake Arrowhead, Ca
Mine started out at about 11 mpg.. and I filled up today, and averaged 15 mpg, with lots of steep hill driving, which requires lots of go pedal.. Not bad if you ask me.. it just keeps getting better.
Scott
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 08:57 PM
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From: boyden, IA
mine started at around 18 hiway and is now down to around 15. I now have 6500 miles on it. Its going in friday to find out whats wrong. If it sits for a few days it misses and smokes real bad at start up. I think it may have a bad injector or two. Hopefuly I will be back up to around 18 where it started when they get done with it.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 09:28 PM
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From: Wooverton Mountain
I have not really seen the dramatic increase others have talked about. I got my 04 last December and the first tank was just over 20 mpg hand calculated. I did see big differences from tank to tank through out the winter 17.5 to 19, but now that summer is here, I am still just busting 20-21 if I can keep my foot out of it. Last tank was all-time best of 22.25mpg. I think fuel quality is the biggest influence.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 09:51 PM
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From: Longview, TX
From the start mine got low to mid 15s on the highway (hand calculated). In town the computer shows from low 10s to low 12s depending on traffic. Mixed driving has ranged from upper 13s to low 15s depending on the percentage of in town driving. About 2 weeks ago I pulled my trailer 600 miles to south Texas and calculated 9.9 MPG. Dry weight on the trailer is 9300 so I was towing somewhere near 10K. After that tow the computer showed mid 18s on the highway on a 50 mile trip. On the way back the mileage dropped back to the 15s. Several times since then I have reset my computer on the drive to the job site, about 50 miles, and going to the site the computer shows 18s. As I start home I reset the computer and it reads 15s. I can't explain that.

My truck has just over 7000 miles on it.
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Old Jul 7, 2004 | 10:12 PM
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From: Central NC
First several tanks were 16. Then for several thousand miles it got 14. Now at 10,500 miles, the last 2 tanks were 18 MPG hand calculated.
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Old Jul 8, 2004 | 12:34 AM
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From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma
After 16,000 miles I've seen a 2 MPG increase across the board (city, highway & towing) from what I got brand new.

It wasn't an all at once thing, it kinda creeped up on me.
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Old Jul 8, 2004 | 01:05 AM
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From: Nor Cal
10.4 mpg city/14.4 mixed.

After 1900 miles, I got 10.4 hand calculated miles per gallon mostly flat, unloaded city driving. Best ever was 14.4 city/highway mixed driving. Trying hard to be easy on the gas pedal, but still not improving. Going into the dealer next week to be checked out. I seem to be at the bottom end of the mpg curve, but still love the truck!
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Old Jul 8, 2004 | 08:54 AM
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From: Cleveland, OH
At 19,500 miles my mileage has not improved significantly since new. Around town I used to average 15.8 or so when new and now I'm around 16.0 if I'm really easy on it. If I drive the truck to keep up with other traffic (people here really step on it), I average about 14.5. 4x4 and 48RE really is the worst combo for mileage...Guys with 2WD 6speeds are in a different ballpark...
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Old Jul 8, 2004 | 12:10 PM
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From: SF, CA
i have 40,000 on my 03 and it gets the same mileage now as when it was new. after market air filters affect the mileage though.
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