Okay so I joined this website specifically to share this info with the world. I recently picked up a 2004 ranger xlt flare side, 4x4 automatic with the 4.0 sohc v6. Basically, this truck should get the worst mileage out of any ranger. It even came with a set of goodyear wranglers with a lot of tread, which should theoretically cause more rolling resistance than a normal street tire. It's great off road and has plenty of power to haul stuff.
The truck has 32,000 miles on it, so it's due for its first transmission fluid change. It's also due for an oil change.
When I bought the truck, the exhaust was rusted off. I went to advance auto parts and picked up the cheapest muffler they had, which happened to be a thrush glass pack (23 dollars) and welded it on. The glasspack was actually louder than the rotted out factory muffler when the RPMs exceeded 2.5k. See where I'm going with this?
The first time I calculated MPGs I got about 16 average. I heard that this truck with the big v6 and 4x4 will get about this type of gas mileage so I wasn't really surprised.
On a recent trip to cedar point, I stopped at a gas station to check my tire pressure. All the tires had about 20 psi, but the tires are rated at 40. I filled them up to 42 and got on the highway. The exhaust note is really annoying at any speed past 65, so I set the cruise at 60.
I averaged 25 MPG on my way home.
This may not sound atypical to you guys, but I was extremely happy to find that my truck got this type of mileage (which beats my girlfriend's convertible G6). This type of fuel efficiency is due to multiple factors, but I wanted to share the fact that putting a cheap glass pack on my truck has already paid for itself because of it's instant feedback from engine RPMs. I know that you have the tachometer, but with this exhaust setup, it's really annoying to drive at an inefficient speed on the highway. The bass from the exhaust at that speed is louder than my music and normal talking volume, which I simply can't have.
So that's my story (the main emphasis that you can get a 4x4 with good all terrain tires and not have to refinance your home to feed it). I'll repost if there are any changes after changing the tranny fluid, filter, and oil. I'm considering adding a grill block and some aero mods under the body as well because I commute 70 miles a day to go to college. I have never read about someone getting this kind of mileage out of a basically stock 4x4 ranger with the 4.0 v6.
FYI it has a vinyl bed cover and an extended (2 door) cab. Also, the legendary 25mpg commute aforementioned was on pretty flat ground in the summer with low humidity at 1000 feet elevation. If it's of any consequence, I was also driving south east so I had the thermal wind currents and electromagnetic waves of the setting sun along with the earth's rotation on my side
