2007 Chevy Silverado 15 mpg!!!

[Lazarus]

Welcome to the site. That is a tough choice since it's a new truck you probably couldn't get what you need out of it today if you tried to sell it. Doax right study the driving tips that will give you a lot of bang for the buck. Could run the numbers and look for a beater to drive when you don't need to haul something.

Are you could try one of these electric bikes to haul stuff around

[MetroMPG]

Originally Posted by JohnnyGrey

If the guy was hauling around even some stuff in his truck, why are you guys recommending bikes?

'Cause he already said he's been considering them himself, plus he's not currently using the truck for hauling stuff.

The advantage of a bike/e-bike as your 2nd vehicle = no additional $insurance or $registration.

And when the weather is crappy out, he does what every other bike rider does: wear the gear, or take alternative transportation. Such as, perhaps, a Silverado pickup!

[ebacherville]

depending on your weather there.. a small 50cc scooter gets over 150mph and they usually do 30+ mph.. or a small under 250 cc motor cycle will easily pull down 60mpg..

Other wise search out a small car for computing, got my CRX for 900 bucks.. who cares what they look like as long as they get you there cheaply and reliably... seen many older rough toyotas and honda for 2 month worth of gas in that truck..

[jsl4980]

Hey I drive an inefficient vehicle because I need to haul stuff around too. I at least downsized as low as I could go (to a small SUV) when I found a good deal to trade my old truck. On days where you're not hauling stuff I'd suggest a scooter or motorcycle. They're not very expensive on your insurance. If you live in a place with bad winters I'd suggest running the numbers on a second car. If neither of those options are going to work out for you financially I'd say just learn to drive slower and turn your engine off at stop lights.

[wriley4409]

As an owner of a 2007 Silverado Classic, I feel your pain. Here are some things that have made a difference for me:

1. Monitor real-time fuel economy as you drive. By doing this, you can learn how your
truck responds to different driving conditions and driving techniques. As an example,
your truck will coast a really long way, so let off of the gas earlier when approaching
stops. You can improve your mileage as much as 25% by altering your driving habits.

2. Air up your tires 10% over the door sticker to improve rolling resistance.

3. Use synthetic oil in your crank case - makes around .5 mpg difference.

4. Adding a tonneau cover will improve highway mileage 1-2 mpg

5. Remove your DRL bulbs to reduce electrical load.

6. Things you can alter with a PCM/ECU programmer:

lower idle speed by 50 RM - lowers fuel consumption by .1-.2 gallons per hour at idle

reduce shift delay just a tad - no difference in mileage but it makes mine shift better

lower shift points by a few mph to shift sooner (normal mode only, not in tow mode)

7. In cooler weather, a grill block allows the truck to warm up faster AND improves
aerodynamics at highway speeds. (adds a couple of MPG at highway speed!). Warming
up your truck faster makes a difference in mileage because your truck's air fuel ratio
is around 12.5 to 1 until the oxygen sensors warm up, and the AFR then changes to
around 14.6 to 1 for closed loop operation.
http://www.truktoys.com/modelView.aspx?id=45

8. Don't let your truck idle for more than 20-30 seconds, including your first start in
the morning.


Good luck improving your mileage.

Wayne

[dsq]

"Also quick question to add, is it me or does it seem like the newer cars have horrible gas mileage compared to cars of 10 years ago? Is it just me?"

No,you are right.Todays small cars get much worse mileage than cars of the early 80s.
There were over 50 models that got over 40mpg in 1982 i beleive.
When the suv craze started small cars got bigger engines for higher performance/sportiness.Also the weight increased a lot.Camry is a perfect example-19mpg,i was shocked when i saw that.

Sorry about your truck.I think gas prices will go down for the rest of summer and into winter.I am pretty sure oil prices have peaked and we will see a sharp sell off very soon.There has been a major drop in gas use in the usa in the last 3 months.This reality(demand destruction) will hit the oil/gas markets very soon.I would sell it when everybody thinks the gas crunch is over-because any reprieve in prices will be temp.I would downsize to a much smaller pickup with stick or abandon business plan that requires you to be in the very costly transport biz.

[roflwaffle]

14mile round trip is great to start at IMO. It can run ya down and get you trim fast, but at the same time isn't too long that it'll be impossible to slow down due to time constraints if you slack on it to save some energy. If you're really worried about not being able to do it, put together an electric bike.

[Johnny Mullet]

Welcome to the forum! I also own a truck, but have not driven it in almost two months due to the price of fuel. I instead got an older gas sipper and only use the truck when needed.