2500hd Gas Hog

[gromulin]

Hey all...I've got a 2008 2500HD, 6.0 Vortec and a 4:10 rear end. It'll pull stumps, but I basically get 10MPG city / 15MPG hwy, which really sucks at $4.06 / Gal for 87 ocatne here in CA.

 

Do I have any options for reprogramming / rechipping for general around-town driving? I only really need the "2500HD" part when I'm towing my 4000 + lb boat, so I'd need to be able to go back to stump-pulling torque when I need to...but 80% of the time, I'd sacrifice some HP to get better mileage. I didn't find out about the 4:10 until I had my local dealer run the VIN...it's a work-truck lease return that was built to tow some heavy duty stuff. Even the trailer hitch came back as some special option. Got a great deal on it, and only had 34K miles. Now I know why...

 

Any suggestions appreciated.

 

Thanks,

Jim

[Stevens03]

Trade for a 1500 with the 6-speed and 3.42s . It will easily handle the 4000lbs boat. If thats all you need to do with it, the 5.3L will handle that load easily.

[music]

Trade for a 1500 with the 6-speed and 3.42s . It will easily handle the 4000lbs boat. If thats all you need to do with it, the 5.3L will handle that load easily.

 

+1. I normally don't recommend trading trucks, since that's a financial decision as much as anything, but... the 2500HD is worth more to someone who needs it, and a 1500/5.3 would be a better fit for the boat and daily driving. Unless... you like riding on 3500 lb springs every day on CA roads

[daxrizo]

I made the same mistake way back in 03. Got excited and jumped on an 8.1 with allison. A week later I was back eating crow and had to fork over $2k to get rid of her but got my trusty Z71 which did all I needed. At 10 mpg you should recoup your cash outlay fairly quickly.

[rdnkcpa]

Buy a used Kia, Hyundai, Cobalt, Focus, etc. My 2004 5.3 ECSB 1500 4X4 with 3.73 gears is lucky to see 18MPG and that's downhill with a tailwind. I parked my Silverado and bought a used 2006 Mazda MX5 Miata. It gets 30-31 MPG. I use that to commute to work, 35 Miles each way. I use the truck on the weekends, to pull the boat, etc.

 

My brother in law got a stipped down used Kia for next to nothing, right at about $5,500 and he's driving it into the ground. He's got a 2004 2500 with a 6.0.

[Big Whiskey]

Trade for a 1500 with the 6-speed and 3.42s . It will easily handle the 4000lbs boat. If thats all you need to do with it, the 5.3L will handle that load easily.

 

^what he said.

 

The 4:10 rear is the only ratio available in the 2500HD's with the 4 speed and 6.0 gas engine. Your MPG is pretty average for those trucks. Trade that heavy pig for a 1500.

[pjp]

Get the Autocal from Blackbear... It helped mine with the mileage, eliminated the lag between 50 and 60 and firmed up the shifts.

[Judson]

I have a 2007 NBS with the 6.0 and 4.10 gears and I'm lucky to see 10mpg combined driving and I dont drive hard, at all. I have a diablo predator and a volant intake... I also have 35"s...

I'm paying $1.29 a liter for gas in Canada, sucksss

[6.2 GMC]

You do not need a hd to tow a 4,000# boat. I tow the same weight boat & can tell you that a 1/2 ton with a 5.3 will do the job for you nicely & will get better fuel mileage

[Patrick H]

Buy a used Kia, Hyundai, Cobalt, Focus, etc. My 2004 5.3 ECSB 1500 4X4 with 3.73 gears is lucky to see 18MPG and that's downhill with a tailwind. I parked my Silverado and bought a used 2006 Mazda MX5 Miata. It gets 30-31 MPG. I use that to commute to work, 35 Miles each way. I use the truck on the weekends, to pull the boat, etc.

 

My brother in law got a stipped down used Kia for next to nothing, right at about $5,500 and he's driving it into the ground. He's got a 2004 2500 with a 6.0.

 

$5500 would buy a ton of fuel...

[DALE#3]

It's all numbers.Small car o.k. what's that cost.Trade your's in how much you going to lose on trade?How much for new not cheap.I have 4.10 also got to keep rpm's down not easy when the blue hairs pass you on the highway.The price of gas and replacement cost of another truck puts the truck out of daily use.What ever is decided is going to cost money now but only time will tell on your savings.FIGURE IT OUT!

[toored]

As bad as your gas mileage sucks, be happy that you don't have an 8.1 Liter, Allison, 4X4 with 4:10 gears like me (and others here). Mine gets 10.5 on the highway and 10 around town. I've owned mine 5 years and just love the truck; however, I can't afford to feed her on a daily basis. So I have an old Toyota Camry ($1000 car) to drive back and forth to work, which gets 32 MPG. This allows me to keep the truck, which keeps me smiling on the weekend! Cheers!

[asc08]

At 12.5 mpg (average of 15 highway and 10 city), driving 12,000 miles per year, you are spending $3,897 a year on gas (at $4.06 per gallon). At 30 mpg average, you will spend $1,624. That's a savings of over $2,000 per year.

 

While buying, registering, insuring and maintaining a 'beater' as a daily driver costs money, you are also keeping the wear and tear off of your truck.

 

I bought a Toyota three years ago, and have paid for it twice in savings. I definitely don't want to give up the truck.