05 SE mileage results, Part 3

Here are my most recent mpg calcs on my 05 SE if anyone's interested. Vehicle has just under 18K on it now and since my last mpg post in June, I'm averaging 18.42 mpg. The X IMO seems to get better mpg with age!

LIFETIME AVERAGE: 17.47
AVG NOV 05 - FEB 06: 16.05
AVG FEB 06 - JUN 06: 17.08
AVG JUN 06 - OCT 06: 18.42

Vehicle purchased in late Nov 05, I drive ~60% + highway and tend to drive fast on the highway, 75-80mph. I use cruise ctrl a lot. I drive it, period not really trying to get better mpg. I'm using non-synth oil, regular gas and check tire pressures pretty regularly. Vehicle's bone stock and I couldn't be happier with mileage, performance, etc.

10.10.06 - 18.77 (323.6 / 17.424)
10.06.06 - 18.25 (336.6 / 18.436)
10.04.06 - 19.31 (318.1 / 16.465)
09.30.06 - 18.05 (304.4 / 16.864)
09.25.06 - 18.86 (341.8 / 18.118) AC
09.21.06 - 18.58 (317.8 / 17.097) AC
09.18.06 - 19.44 (304.7 / 15.673) AC
09.14.06 - 18.07 (173.0 / 09.573) AC
09.12.06 - 17.73 (263.1 / 14.832) AC
09.07.06 - 19.17 (379.6 / 19.800) AC
09.01.06 - 19.92 (249.8 / 12.540) AC
08.31.06 - 19.43 (340.3 / 17.506) AC
08.27.06 - 19.39 (242.3 / 12.495) AC
08.25.06 - 18.00 (329.2 / 18.284) AC
08.20.06 - 19.75 (358.1 / 18.128) AC
08.17.06 - 17.48 (263.5 / 15.067) AC
08.09.10 - 18.91 (284.3 / 15.034) AC
08.08.06 - 17.82 (331.2 / 18.580) AC
08.01.06 - 18.31 (284.5 / 15.537) AC
07.22.06 - 16.70 (309.9 / 18.556) AC
07.16.06 - 19.51 (276.0 / 14.143) AC
07.12.06 - 18.10 (210.0 / 11.598) AC
07.07.06 - 18.36 (290.1 / 15.794) AC
06.29.06 - 17.82 (318.2 / 17.850) AC
06.22.06 - 18.01 (316.4 / 17.564) AC
06.20.06 - 18.46 (258.6 / 14.005)
06.12.06 - 15.32 (224.9 / 14.671)
06.06.06 - 18.44 (202.2 / 10.962)
06.04.06 - 18.63 (262.8 / 14.103)
06.01.06 - 17.75 (332.0 / 18.695)
05.22.06 -
05.17.06 - 18.02 (312.6 / 17.339)
05.12.06 - 18.53 (333.0 / 17.970)
05.09.06 - 18.13 (330.9 / 18.250 )
05.03.06 - 16.42 (257.5 / 15.673)
04.21.06 - 18.91 (308.3 / 16.299)
04.16.06 - 17.11 (264.5 / 15.453)
04.09.06 - 17.49 (335.4 / 19.173)
03.21.06 - 16.16
03.04.06 - 15.64
03.01.06 - 15.48 (253.4 / 16.363)
02.22.06 - 15.67 (270.4 / 17.251)
02.16.06 - 14.18 (238.8 / 16.838)
02.08.06 - 16.80 (326.4 / 19.428)
02.03.06 - 16.33 (301.0 / 18.428)
01.27.06 - 16.06 (287.3 / 17.885)
01.24.06 - 15.63 (262.8 / 16.815)
01.18.06 - 15.60 (251.9 / 16.139)
01.14.06 - 15.74 (286.2 / 18.180)
01.06.06 - 17.12 (264.1 / 15.422)
01.04.05 - 15.25 (251.2 / 16.465)
12.30.05 - 14.89 (154.4 / 10.363)
12.23.05 - 15.61
12.19.05 - 16.12
12.15.05 - 15.13
12.05.05 - 16.60
12.02.05 - 17.83

LIFETIME AVERAGE: 17.47
AVG NOV 05 - FEB 06: 16.05
AVG FEB 06 - JUNE 06: 17.08
AVG JUNE 06 - OCT 06: 18.42

Note, I input the above info on my PDA to keep track of business miles. I started tracking mpg for the hell of it during break-in and just never stopped. Its nice to see a year's worth of data but my wife thinks I'm crazy to document like this (I think she's right).

Here are my numbers up to July. I hope to update it soon.

http://pittsburgh-music.com/users/jbeam/05Xterra/MileageBook/MileageBook.htm

Each time I get gas I write in a little book, the following info.

Date
Station Name
Station Location
Price Per Gallon
Total Cost
Total Number of Gallons
Odometer
Trip Odometer (reset at each fill-up)
Type of Gas

I also note the date and mileage of my mods.

I decided to enter this all into a spreadsheet and see what numbers I come out with. Here is the summary.

Average MPG:
Stock w/ Dino Oil: 15.5218234
Lift w/ Dino Oil: 14.5080771
Lift, Front Bumper w/ Dino Oil: 14.5002732
Lift, Front Bumper w/ Synthetic Oil: 14.2961943 *This shocked me
Lift, Front Bumper, Tires w/ Synthetic Oil (I used 3.7% for the change in tire size): 13.0536942

Yearly Stats (7/14/05 – 7/11/06):
Total Miles: 22145
Gallons of Gas: 1495.753
Average Price Per Gallon: 2.490816327
Total Cost of Gas: 3728.67
Average MPG: 14.80525193
Best MPG (between fill-ups): 18.0507678 (hi-way from Pittsburgh to Detroit)
Worst MPG (between fill-ups): 10.6271658 (weekend of wheeling)

Those mpg's seem realistic. there will always be btu content differences between winter and summer formulations. strictly town driving (I like to accelerate) yields 15 mpg and I have attained 20-21 mpg twice on easy highway rides on out of state gas (CA reformulated gas sucks).

If I try to take it easy on the road without optimal circumstances, 18-19 is pretty typical on my 6 speed OR. I'm going to rethink those 285's and lift if means never seeing the high side of 16 mpg. My experience with my jeep wrangler was that the lift killed mpg as much as the tire size increase. I suspect the same holds true for most trucks.

Yeah, lift is jsut as bad as tire size when it comes to MPG.

My Rubi is lucky to get 10mph.

Great spreadsheet jason. The OCD in me loves it!!

I hope my milage starts getting into 18+ range. I have about 9K miles on mine and have been seing 16.4-16.6 mpg lately

2006 Xterra S, 4X4, 8,000 miles.

Lifetime high mpg: 23.90

Lifetime low mpg: 14.94

Current overall mpg average: 17.14.

I'd describe my driving as "somewhat conservative, but not wimpistic".

Hahaha thats a great way of putting it. I drive the same way.

Does anyone know why a 4x4 06 pathfinder gets better mileage. We always measure my wifes pathfinder gas mileage and she gets between 18.5-20 city and 21.5-24.5 hwy. We have tested it tons of times. My x never sees over 20 no matter what and we both drive pretty normal. I think it might be because of the premium fuel we use in the pathfinder. Also the patfinder got 26.8 mpg on a 250 mile trip that we averaged 60 mph on. We test by: miles driven since last fill up divided by gallons of gas to fill up. Is there a difference in the transmissions on these trucks? What would cause this? Aerodynamics?

Aerodynamics are a huge influence on mileage. The Pathy sits a little lower, so that would help. Also how "smooth" the undercarriage is helps.

I don't know how some of you get past 20mpg.
The best i've gotten is 18.4.

Does that mean that the skid plates I put on should actually be helping rather than hurting MPG? It's pretty "smooth" under there right now, if you don't count the rear diff.

I have an 05x OR 6 Speed 4x4 bought in late Mar '05.

Lifetime Mileage: 47,522
Lifetime Gallons: 2,634.3
Lifetime MPG: 18.04
Lifetime High MPG: 20.04
Lifetime Low MPG: 16.45 (first tank)
MPG pre K&N Drop-In (12,642 miles): 17.55
MPG post K&N Drop-in and Mobil 1 Synthetic: 18.22
Low MPG post K&N Drop-in and Mobil 1: 17.37

Mostly mixed driving, and AC consistently on here in South Florida. And since its S Florida often bumper to bumper traffic, and when there is none usually cruise on highway 70-80mph.

Not sure what I'm doing, but my 4x4 off-road Auto sure does suck it down. Best MPG is 18.6563 all highway. But I do have a somewhat lead foot, with A/C usually on, and mostly city driving with stoplights. 0-60-0 about 12-15 times just to get to work...

Total Miles Logged: 10088.6
Total Gallons : 691.79
Avg. MPG: 14.583
Avg. cost per Mile: $0.17
Total money spent: $1,721.63
Avg. Tank: 252.215

My Frontier SE Crew 4x4 has roughly 5K on it now.It may see roughly 200 miles highway/Urban and 100 miles urban driving per tankful, and the best I have seen yet is 18.5

Chris

I have 3500 miles on my 06 OR with an automatic. The best i have gotten at freeway speed (75mph) is 17. When I slowed down to 65 my mileage increased to 19.9. I guess pushing that square front end through the air takes a lot of gas.