2008 F350 mileage - Montana Owners Club

stiles watson · 08-30-2007, 09:14 AM

The man who said he was getting 20 MPG on a 6.4 L F350 DRW is flat out a liar. Hands down, no other option, liar. The only thing I miss about my old 7.3 L F250 is the mileage. I am no hot-rod, lead-footed, RVer. I run from 58 to 63 MPH towimg. I don't do jack rabbit starts. The mileage is 12.1 MPG when not towing and 8.1 MPG from Durham, NC to Ashville, NC.

Diesels are touted to get better mileage as they age. I really hope that turns out to be true, but even then, I don't expect to see 18 or 19 MPG again.

steves · 08-30-2007, 09:26 AM

Stiles, your 12.1 MPG - is that all around driving? Have you been able to get your MPG when on a pure highway run? My 06 gives me from 14 - 16 all around driving but on a pure higwhy run w/o the Montana I get 18.5. Towing I avg. 10 MPG.

On edit - the above MPG is based on a SRW and 3.73 rear.

tcorbitt · 08-30-2007, 09:32 AM

I agree with the 20MPH dream, just not going to happen on a 7K lbs truck. My mileage on our 06 is almost exactly what steves reports, although I average 11-12 towing our Mountianeer, I expect it must be lighter than the 3400...

Hope you see improvement over time...

hazmic · 08-30-2007, 02:10 PM

Before everyone worries about MPG you need some miles on the motor. I think fuel mileage will be getting better at 50k plus miles. Our 7.3 just has gotten broken in at 70k. the fuel mileage went up and the motor sounds different??? Just runs better now. You guys haven't even sooted up the exhaust yet.

deerrahn · 08-30-2007, 03:20 PM

My 2002, 7.3 was really lousy when we first got it and it only averaged about 12mph. Didn't seem to make any difference, towing or regular driving, it was 12 mph. Now all of a sudden, at the 49,000 mile range, pulling the 2955RL from Fla to Ma. it averaged 11mph. After being up her for a while, to my GREAT supprise, it was averaging 16-18 mph. I don't know what happened, but I am real happy with 16mph. I think I will keep the 7.3, at least for a couple more years (less taxes, insurance and definately less money for diesel fuel. That is unless the price of it keeps going up. Then I am still ahead. Anyway, the truck is just now getting broken in.
Have a Good Day

BB_TX · 08-31-2007, 01:38 AM

If I am on a flat stretch of highway, cruising at 65, not towing, no traffic, and I hit the reset button my computer, I can hold the mpg reading on my '07 6.0 over 20 for a few miles. So I suppose I could say my 6.0 gets over 20 mpg. Of course that is not real life driving. Extended highway driving on relatively flat highway, I can keep the puter reading at a little over 18. Haven't checked it by pencil and paper yet, but my last one (an '04) actual ran about 0.5 mpg less than the puter.
Not much data yet from towing. Last trip of about 350 miles the puter showed 12.4. Heading out tomorrow for a 1500 mile trip towing so I hope to get some better data.

dsprik · 08-31-2007, 04:16 AM

My experience (GM products) is that the computers are always a little high ("optimistic" I call it). I do my mpg the "old fashioned way" - with the calculator (OK, well I do use my cell phone calc...). Although I do not have any experience with the Ford or Dodge computers, I would encourage anyone with on-board computers to double check their mileage "by hand".

Ozz · 08-31-2007, 04:37 AM

Mine runs around 12.6 or so in town, no highway speed to speak of. I...have...a..hard..time keeping my foot out of it....
Maybe after the new wears out, I will be able to control myself. It has so much more power than my '06, it's like night and day. I LOVE IT......

richfaa · 08-31-2007, 05:01 AM

Ozz ..12.6 around town?? don't say that. My on board computer on what WAS my 05 V-10 is indicating 12.3MPg as we speak as I am driving it to work this week.. I just spent large bucks for a diesel that gets better MPG???????

BirdingRVer · 08-31-2007, 06:12 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by richfaa

Ozz ..12.6 around town?? don't say that. My on board computer on what WAS my 05 V-10 is indicating 12.3MPg as we speak as I am driving it to work this week.. I just spent large bucks for a diesel that gets better MPG???????

But Rich, 12.6 MPG IS BETTER than 12.3 MPG. So you will be getting what you paid for.

My Chevy 3500 dually after 9,000 miles gets 12.6 in town, 10.6 towing the Montana and 15.6 on those rare occasions when I drive the interstate without the Montana attached.

Grant

SlickWillie · 08-31-2007, 06:31 AM

And here I was, wanting a 3500. Think I'll drive the 2500 a while longer. I checked mpg on the way and back from Destin. 18.5 going and 17.4 return trip, not towing(hand calculated). Guess you can tell we were in a hurry coming home. Ran with traffic on I10, I12, I49, and I20 coming home, usually between 75-80. Oh, we did let it rest in Breaux Bridge to eat at Mulate's.

stiles watson · 08-31-2007, 09:52 AM

Rich,

Your hope is that the new 6.4's will do what the other diesels have done in the past. Get better mileage with age. Otherwise all you got was increased power and more goodies.

Eagle Man · 08-31-2007, 10:03 AM

Quote:

quote:Originally posted by dsprik

My experience (GM products) is that the computers are always a little high ("optimistic" I call it). I do my mpg the "old fashioned way" - with the calculator (OK, well I do use my cell phone calc...). Although I do not have any experience with the Ford or Dodge computers, I would encourage anyone with on-board computers to double check their mileage "by hand".

Me too, on the older GMs. My 05 was optimistic, but the 07 is very accurate. BTW, the 05 was gas and the 07 diesel, if that makes any difference.

Verle and Sue · 08-31-2007, 02:47 PM

Our F350 isn't very old yet and only has 6,000 miles on it so far, but, we keep records (on paper, not just relying on the computer) and on our recent trip to Maryland and back, on flat highways towing the Big Sky we averaged 11. On the whole trip, city, highway, mountains etc. we averaged 9.5. Not towing, general driving, combination highway and city (we live in the middle of a cornfield) we get about 13 mpg. We aren't too disappointed, but do hope it "gets better with age", LOL. Either way, we're having the time of our lives, just wish we were already retired. Sue and Verle C
Oh, I forgot to say, this is a DRW, Crew Cab, 4 X 4 with 4.30 Ltd Slip.

richfaa · 08-31-2007, 04:22 PM

I am really not all that concerned about MPG. I know the 6.4L will be a bit better than the V-10. We just pulled south through the rolling hills of ohio and the computers reads 8.7 which has been about average for the V-10. I expect maybe a couple mpg better with the 6.4L. To be perfectly honest We got the new truck because..well..we just wanted a new truck and this time we tried a diesel... We only go around once you know.A good test will be the run to the fall rally. We have run that stretch of road 10/15 times with the V-10 and 3400..we will see what the 6.4 does.

stiles watson · 08-31-2007, 05:57 PM

Rich,

I was still in the Appalachians today and got 9.2, better than yeaterdays 8.1. So we will see what we will see.

gj4040 · 09-01-2007, 08:36 AM

When I ordered our new 2008 F-350 SRW Super Duty Extended cab with the camper package and 3.73 rear axle ratio the owner of the dealership advised me that the milage would be slightly less than my o5 F-250 PSD extended cab. He went on to tell me that repeat customers that were turning in their older F-250 PSD and upgrading to F-350 and F-450 DRW PSDs would normally mate the vehicle to a 4.30 rear end than gripe and grumble about the lousy fuel milage after getting the vehicle. They were getting a much greater capacity towing vehicle but wanted their milage to stay the same.

sreigle · 09-01-2007, 01:23 PM

Stiles, you don't even want to hear what mileage my new Dodge is getting. It is 10 miles short of 12,000 total miles now with 3,600 miles towing.

From my experience with the Ford diesels, you should see a "sudden" increase at around 10,000 to 12,000 and another jump around 30,000 +/- 2k miles. At least both of my 6.0's increased measurably at those points.

Montana Sky · 09-04-2007, 05:54 PM

Steve,
Are you into the 12's yet towing your 3400RL? I know your "empty" economy is close to mine, but am wondering what your "towing" economy looks like?

bncinwv · 09-05-2007, 02:57 AM

With all this talk about gas or fuel mileage, I must confess that I think a lot like Richfaa. I have no idea what mileage I am getting!! When the gas guage gets to about a quarter tank, I get fuel, run it as far as it will go until it gets to a quarter tank, then I get fuel. The mileage makes no difference to me, as long as I can put fuel in, it is of no consequence. Oh well, such goes my pondering for the day!!
Bingo

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