Gas Mileage!?

So, maybe it's just me, but I find it a little odd that people complain about the gas mileage they get in their trucks. I belong to several RAM forums and I see the threads all the time but hardly ever read them.

Me personally, I really wish my RAM would get 30mpg but lets face it.... IT'S NEVER GONNA HAPPEN! When I bought both of my RAMS, gas mileage wasn't a question I had. I didn't buy a 7500# quad cab pickup with a monster HEMI engine to save gas! If I was concerned about gas mileage I guess I would of looked in the Prius dealership lot for a vehicle.

I drive my truck where ever I go. When the wife, kid and I go out and about we pull out of the driveway right past the Saturn Vue (4 banger, 5 speed) when I had the 07 RAM and right past the 13 Durango (6 cyl. AWD) now with my 13 RAM. Gas mileage doesn't matter. I love my truck and I love driving my truck! Nothing else (so far) compares.

And the simple of it is....the better gas mileage you get with a truck, the less truck it is! 25mpg typically gets you less horsepower, less torque, less towing and hauling capabilities and less FUN!

So my question is.....
WHEN YOU BOUGHT YOUR RAM WAS GAS MILEAGE THE REASON YOU BOUGHT IT? WAS IT A CONSIDERATION?

nope. Its a truck. I know its not good on gas. I would have bought a 4 cylinder car if i was worried about gas.

The 1 million questions about how can i get better mpg on my truck erks me everytime

I started with a 2500 HEMI and got 15mpg highway then traded 10 months later for 2500 Cummins getting 22 mpg so yes gas was considered and the manual fun factor.

I cared so little I lifted and put 35s on my truck. I did put a tuner on but the main reason was for changing the speedo.

argray90 said:

I cared so little I lifted and put 35s on my truck. I did put a tuner on but the main reason was for changing the speedo.

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Nice truck!

Thanks!

I guess it was something I looked at when I bought it. I figured worse case scenario I'd get 15mpg and I'd be fine with that. At 17mpg average I'm happy. If I thought it was going to get 10mpg, I probably wouldn't have bought one.


So to answer your question, yes it was a consideration but a few mpg wasn't going to make me choose another truck. Being my first truck I was worried a lot more about things like handling that I would miss from owning only cars. I was also worried (still a little worried) about buying something from the Big 3 after owning 13 imports in a row.

I would think it would be a consideration for anyone. If you knew that it would get 2 mpg would that be a consideration? I also don't buy into the theory "the better gas mileage you get with a truck, the less truck it is". I can compare my truck to one my dad had back in the 80's. It had 1/2 the power and worse gas mileage.


Keep in mind that I'm probably not the average truck buyer.

Def wasn't a concern for me. I have to say though every time I pass a Prius, leaf, etc. it makes me smile. Keep driving down that gas price for me lol !!

no it was not a consideration.

dmclone said:

I would think it would be a consideration for anyone. If you knew that it would get 2 mpg would that be a consideration?

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If that was what trucks got on average then so be it....but cars would only be getting like 5mpg on that scale. I guess my point is EVERYBODY knows trucks get worse gas mileage than cars. Why are so many people surprised with their mpgs?

I bought my truck to use it as a truck. To tow, haul and play. I don't tow or haul enough or heavy enough that a 1500 HEMI can't handle the job. My considerations were based on those factors. If I get 10mpgs, so be it! I accepted this before I signed the papers at the dealership. As it is...I'm home 2 weekends a month and usually fill up twice on my weekend home.

FL BOY said:

Def wasn't a concern for me. I have to say though every time I pass a Prius, leaf, etc. it makes me smile. Keep driving down that gas price for me lol !!

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I strongly dislike the people that drive vehicles like that.... I have never met one that hasn't judged me for my RAM. I do like the fact that they are saving gas when they drive tho..... just means that I can drive my RAM longer! lol

Haha. This is funny. I'm on a couple jeep sites and the same complaint comes up. I never even look at my mileage. jeep is on 35's and a 3.5" lift with 4.56 gears. I'm lucky if I get 15 mpg.


By my iPhone.

It was for me but only between the "big three" of trucks. I didn't buy it because it had great mileage. Just better than the other two.

I didn't lease my truck for fuel mileage, but I expect it to get what is on the sticker. If I would have known the 8 speed wouldn't gain any mileage I would have saved the money and just went with the 6 speed. I honestly wouldn't care but I have rode with one of my Co workers who has a 2011 and he can get 20 mpg on the highway. I can only manage 17.5 to 18, and I have the 8 speed and 3.55's vs his 6 speed with 3.92's. Actually if I had known I would get this I would have just got a heavy duty with the hemi, then I wouldn't complain about the mileage.

It wasn't a concern, but I did do the math and compared it to the car I was selling.
I had to use 93 in my last car. I use 89 in the RAM.

To be honest, gas mileage is of course worse but I can go farther on a tank than I could with my old car. I probably spend a little more money on gas, but it cant be much.

Diller said:

It was for me but only between the "big three" of trucks. I didn't buy it because it had great mileage. Just better than the other two.

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^^^ this. i used MPG as a comparison between different manufacturers. Comparing towing capabilities as well as unloaded MPG got me to a RAM.

And i used to have a little hybrid car! i never judged anyone with a big truck! i was envious!!!

Newbie to the forum here. Definitely a consideration for me! I am a lifelong Ford owner who recently purchased a Ram 1500. I love the ride, power, quietness, and looks of my truck, but would be much happier with better gas mileage. I don't complain because I need a truck and will do what I have to drive one, but I would be alot happier if I at least got the mileage that the sticker, the salesman and others said I would get. I traded in an 09 F350 Super Duty with a 6.8L V-10 though so I definitely get better now.

So I love my truck like many of you have said, but better gas mileage is certainly a consideration!

The last 9 years of driving a 4.3l I always wished I had more power and 4wd.
I'm loving the Hemi and not worried about the mileage (which is less than 2mpg different

RamExpress said:

And i used to have a little hybrid car! i never judged anyone with a big truck! i was envious!!!

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But I've never met you......lol

Nope If I wanted to hug trees I would have bought a smart car or Prius.