Best ROI 4 MPG

[elpadrino]

Hey,

I have just taken a job with a 75 mile commute one way. I drive a 2000 Toyota Tunda V8 with a 125,000 miles and am looking to increase my MPG. I am looking at how quickly it will pay for it's self.
Somethings I have done is: air my tires to sidewall max, run synthetic oil and have ordered a Scanguage.

What are some other cost efficient mods I can do now.

Is a CAI worth it?

Will a foam filter show increase?

I have seen the slant bed covers for truck but can't find where to purchase.

Thanks for sharing,

Elpadrino

[roflwaffle]

150 miles/day? That's what, 30,000+ miles/year? The best ROI is the "buy a used compact car and use that instead" mod.

[Daox]

Ditto.

[mcmancuso]

Get yourself a Honda civic or Toyota corolla, if you really want something efficient, find a nice Geo Metro XFi and get yourself some 58mpg goodness, any of these cars will pay for themselves quickly at that kind of mileage.

[mcmancuso]

CAI is only good for increasing HP, may actually decrease fuel economy, same with foam filter. Slant bed covers are really a DIY project, not something generally commercially available IIRC.

[elpadrino]

Getting a care is ideal but I am not in a position to do that right now. I am looking how to get by the best I can now.

[roflwaffle]

You don't have ~$1000 or so on hand? The ROI would only be 3 months provided you pick up something that can get 30+mpg.

Edit- Here you go. 30+mpg for $800. Drop in a manual trans when you get a chance and you'll get ~40mpg.

[mcmancuso]

Last metro I bought cost me $300, and my one before that $600, both in running condition, you can pay that much just for a mod on a big truck like that. I mean a bed cover, even just a square one would cost more than my cars did.

Is the truck auto or manual? Probably the BEST thing you can do is learn how to pulse and glide (probably +10MPG), but you can't REALLY do it effectively in an auto transmission vehicle.

Also never go above 55mph, with a big flat front vehicle, going above 55 is going to drop your mileage big time.

These 2 changes are free, and will net you bigger gains than ANYTHING you can do to that truck.

As far as mods in price order, a grill block, and underbelly pan would help with the dirty airflow, but you probably can't do those because of how hot it gets in AZ in the summer. And the sloped bed cap (custom made), but even with those you're looking at maybe 5-6MPG on the highway, no gain in city driving. and would take a long time to ROI.

Modification of driving style will help the most in a vehicle like yours more than any mod except swapping engine and transmission.

[busypaws]

Try the fuel log and find others with V8 truck and see what they are getting. Without major work and real hypermile driving I doubt you'll see 25% over EPA. So if that is the best to hope for then put that into the equation for gas costs per year vs a 1,000 to 2,000 dollar junker that gets you 35mpg.
25% over EPA I'm guessing is 19mpg at $4 a gallon 30K miles = $6315 dollars/year
35mpg junker at $4 a gallong 30K miles = $3429 dollars/year
So by spending 1-2 thousand on a car you pay it off in less then a year in gas savings.

[ccryder]

I drive 70 miles each way too. End of October I went from an 04' F-150 5.4l @ 16-18mpg to my 11' Fiesta at ~40-42mpg. After 21,000 miles since November I easily make my car payments. You will find that your best ROI will be another ride.

Good luck
Neil S.