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Old 06-23-2019, 06:33 PM   #9 (permalink)
slowmover
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Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: Fort Worth, Texas
Posts: 2,442

2004 CTD - '04 DODGE RAM 2500 SLT
Team Cummins
90 day: 19.36 mpg (US)
Thanks: 1,422
Thanked 737 Times in 557 Posts
Average MPH (odometer divided by run time) sure is handy way to “see” results. Irritating that the Hybrid Tahoe looks to make that difficult.

As a rule of thumb, anything under 26-mph means too much idle time. Conversely, get the average up into the 30’s and now one is on track.

One of the reasons I bought my pickup despite high miles was that the business owner averaged 47-mph. That means he pretty much didn’t stop except for diesel and cigarettes. It’s an exceptionally high average, one associated with full time highway travel. Fit his business.

Given that he was likely consistent and seeing 20-mpg (minimum; my average is 24+) the odometer miles translates then into gallons-consumed (another measure of life expectancy besides hours).

Comparisons to others are a start. Research. FUELLY. As living in Southern CA is fairly unique as to climate, look for others in area (with my TT I looked for same design, size & weight [a range], plus truck brand/spec/year, and then compared my rig against others in the South Central US where owners reported running same approx speed. Indeed, my truck averaged same as theirs. More than a dozen good comps.

Engine design life is: miles or hours or gallons. The second set against the first is the most reliable for a non-stationary vehicle.

Tire & brake wear are harder to quantify, though they are indicators. The AT2 is hurting economy. Not as bad as some tires, but money is being left on table. (Closed shoulder highest. A solid rib around outer edge).

As before, Scale it and match pressure to actual load (so long as that isn’t below GM door sticker range). Handling, braking, steering & life will benefit.

New shocks will distinctly help. BILSTEIN 4600. High COG vehicles REALLY suffer as they age. Any transition where the body and suspension are out of synch.

The average mph isn’t about travel speed so much as it is about LOWEST IDLE TIME. Ha! What’s THAT mean on a Hybrid? Second is maximizing steady state cruise.

How you, OP, can find a way to correlate one with another is the task, IMO.

Filling the fuel tank is not realistic feedback until an average of 3-5k miles is run. Really, a full calendar year to account for seasons and non-typical driving.

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Last edited by slowmover; 06-23-2019 at 06:57 PM..
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