Opinion on road trip mileage

[Boomer73]

I just did a trip to from Baltimore, MD to Knoxville, TN in my 2005 2WD '** with the 5.3L and a 3.23 rear. The vehicle has 57K miles on it. There were 2 adults and 3 kids in the vehicle with luggage for a week's stay - nothing on the roof. For the most part I was doing 70-80mph. We had rain most of the way on the return trip. I averaged 19.2 mpg according to my DIC.

I watched the avg mpg info the whole way and I noticed dramatic differences in efficiency depending on where I got gas. I put 92 or 93 octane in for the whole trip. I filled up at one Shell station on the way down and I was getting 20.4mpg from that tank. I filled up at one particular Mobile station on the way home and I was getting just a little over 16 from that tank. I'm guessing the % of ethanol has a big impact on mileage.

-B

 

[My01yuk]

I just did a trip to from Baltimore, MD to Knoxville, TN in my 2005 2WD '** with the 5.3L and a 3.23 rear. The vehicle has 57K miles on it. There were 2 adults and 3 kids in the vehicle with luggage for a week's stay - nothing on the roof. For the most part I was doing 70-80mph. We had rain most of the way on the return trip. I averaged 19.2 mpg according to my DIC.

I watched the avg mpg info the whole way and I noticed dramatic differences in efficiency depending on where I got gas. I put 92 or 93 octane in for the whole trip. I filled up at one Shell station on the way down and I was getting 20.4mpg from that tank. I filled up at one particular Mobile station on the way home and I was getting just a little over 16 from that tank. I'm guessing the % of ethanol has a big impact on mileage.

-B

I wish someone could put the % myth to rest. I have not read convincingly that the higher octane gives you better MPG. I have read more that unless your owners manual states it, that using higher octane does not give you any more of an increase than lower octane. I just haven't seen anything that makes me want to pay the 10-20 cents more per gallon.

 

[03YukonNH]

I was just in Manchester to fly back and have been quite a bit. I have family up there as I am orig from Mass. I miss living up there and my wife loves it so she is good with moving. Texas is to hot, NH is cold but time for a change from hot to cold for a while. Any local tahoe groups up there?

No groups that I know of. I just got my 03 about 3 weeks ago and I have been pretty busy at tracking down some electrical problems I wasn't aware of when I bought the thing. I bought it mostly for winter driving since NH usually gets belted with snow, as you know.