Drove a 2500HD LT D/A 4x4 home tonight to test drive for a day. My first chevy pickup & first diesel. I'd prefer 4x2, but it had everything I wanted and in the right color on the lot. I'm wondering what the MPG difference is between the 4x2 and 4x4 when the 4x4 is NOT engaged. If it's a big difference, I might re-think this particular vehicle. Otherwise, this thing is really nice...


Thanks in advance!


Mark

Wouldn't be a real big difference. Probably around 2 mpg tops. Look at the resale value of both before you buy. Around here you can't give a 2 wheel drive away.

I don't know what 2wd vehicles get, but my 4dr 4x4 short bed gets about 16.5 mpg going to work & back in stop & go/intown toll way traffic & 18.5 - 19.5 mpg on the hwy at 70 mpg. I will say this, you need about 10K miles on the truck in order for the engine to hit the "first" break in. I have about 12K on mine & am happy so far.

I have heard that it will have a secondary "break in" around 20 - 22K miles & if I am lucky I might see 20mpg+ on the hwy! I am keeping my fingers crossed, http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Big Smile.gif But all in all I am pretty happy with the milage so far . . . . .

That sounds like pretty decent mileage, thanks for the info. I'm in Dallas, BTW.


Thx-


Mark

I can't speak for a 2500 but with a 3500, speed is most definitely a major factor in mpg's. Numerous 300+ mile interstate runs over the same road has shown me that if I run my 3500 D/A at 64-65 mph (which keeps her at or just below 2,000 rpms) I can expect 20-20.5 mpg. Increase speed to 70-75 and the mpg falls off to around 17.5. Neither of which is all that shabby! http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Clap.gif


Jim

03 Gmc short box Xtend cab 4X4 w/6sp and I drive 75mph everywhere and get 19-20 mpg in 2wheel even in the mountains. I've got approx. 12000 miles on her and she keeps getting better.


Steve

Im glad to see everybody getting good fuel mileage (17 to 20 mpg), but it is hard to believe my is going to pick up 6 to 10 mpg after the 5000 mile break in period (?). At 3000 miles Im getting at best 12 mpg.

My truck will be one year old this month(day after Thanksgiving) It's a 2500H/D C/C. I've got 17.5k right now and have been tracking fuel economy since around 3 months old. Average is right around 19 with highs of 21.2 low of 16.02.

04duramax, there's gotta be something wrong with your truck.

I pretty much echo what others are saying ... the truck was getting 17's and 18's, but since I got the Predator that's jumped to 18's-19's. I tried to take it relatively easy on one tank (very difficult for me) and it got 20.5. How you drive it has a lot to do with it.

on edit: forgot, '02 Silverado crew cab 4x4 long bed 6-speed Edited by: ZFMax

04Duramax & L8Apex,


My truck is 6 months old and I have 6600 miles on it now. The overall average is 16.8 mpg, that includes about 1000 miles towing a 5k lb travel trailer at 65-70 mph. The towing mileage was from 12.1 to a high of 14.0. My commute to work gives 16.5 to 18.5 mpg and on the road without the trailer gets 20-21mpg. Almost all of my mileage is commuting or pulling the trailer, hence the lower overall average.

Mine has gotten slightly better with age (about 22k) but I've alway gotten around 15 in town and 18-20 on the road. You might gain a tad with 2WD, but not much. The 4WD truck weighs more, but it doesn't have it undergarments showing like the live axle trucks. There's less aero drag.

TC

Mine was consistantly getting 17-18, but with the cooler weather it has dropped to the 16's.

I have never seen a 2X4 Duramax here in northern Utah. I have kept track of every tank for just over 39K.


31K solo miles 50% town & 50% highway @ 75MPH = 18.72 http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif


8K miles towing 10K 5th wheel at 65-68 MPH over hill and dale = 12.19 http://www.dieselplace.com/forum/smileys/Approve.gif


Later! Frank

04duramax:
I drive an 02 DuraMax and I don't get but about 14 or so on highway empty.
On the farm it has been as bad as 8mpg!
Pulling the gooseneck hauling equipment and seed etc it runs around 8-11 or so.
But it does have lots of power.

Boss drives an 03 and he don't get but around 15 or so.Edited by: dutch

My truck's lifetime MPG is 18.7MPG, close to 10k miles on the odometer, average of 43.5mph.


Best was 25.3MPG, lowest I've ever gotten on a tank was 16.

As JEBar mentioned, I too can get great mileage if you keep the rpm's at about 2k. Past that, there seems to be a gradual decline.

Dutch


Same here, all kinds of power. Just got robbed on the fuel mileage side of it. But i'm not complaining, it gets about two mpg more than my '95 454 did! My average right know is about 10.5 at 3000 miles, but 2000 of that is pulling the camper 70 to 80 mph.

This is all I use to do with my old 2000 GMC with 454 gasser!

http://photos.imageevent.com/texasdutchman/miscelaniuspictures/websize/DCP00421.JPG

I don't have a 4x4 but I do have a Dooly. Usual average around town mileage is 15-16. If I'm on the highway doing my usual 75-80 I get about 16.5. If I can keep the foot off the go pedal on the highway I have gotten 18.


This is compared to a 350 gasser Suburban that never got better than 13 no matter what!





Love this truck!!

Dutch


Glad to see all the green & yellow equipment. I'm quite the Deere fan myself. I restore the old ones. I now what you mean with the 454.