I have a 05 ST V6 4spd auto about as striped as possible. I get about 17-18mpg at 70/30 city/highway. Of course that's with the stupid Oregon governer's alcahol mix fuel. When possible I put it in neutral and coast over the top oh hills and down the other sides. 'Drive like there's a egg on the gass peddle. I put a K&N air filter in and 0w/30 oil in and think I got worse milage! These trucks are pigs. I had a 87 Jeep Comanchee 4 L push rod cast iron inline six that consistantly 20mpg. I still think that truck was much tougher than this Dakota. You would think that after almost 20 years of technology you could get better economy.

 

I drove to Ann Arbor and back today (took my boy to the natural history museum to see the dinosaur bones) and got about 12.1 MPG (of course this was doing about 72mph and using e85 fuel too so it was expected to be about that.)
This is in an 07 SLT 4x4 flexfuel Qudacab with the factory tow pkg.
I can probably improve this by cranking-up the PSI in the tires a bit (they seem to want to settle in the low 30's and I prefer to keep them a little over the recomended 35 PSI - just be careful as my truck likes to get squirly in the back end if it hits a bump while turning and higher PSI doesn't help) and once I take the winter sandbags out of the bed.

 

and dont use e85...

that siht gets worse gas mileage, and usually costs more overall...

use gas...

not siht..

 

I am using e85 because I like it. You're right, the mileage stinks and overall, the fuel cost is higher (not enough to really matter though - its pretty much a wash for me) even though the cost per gallon is cheaper where I live.
The whole reason I bought the V8 model was to get the flex fuel option. I like the idea of helping to build an infrastructure that will lead to energy independance for my country. Now before you go thinking I'm getting all preachy, hold on. I am well aware that the way we make e85 right now is pretty inefficient and has tons of drawbacks, BUT I'm trying to put my money where my mouth is. I figure the more people buy alternative fuel vehicles and then actually buy the alternative fuel, the more choices we'll have in the future.

 

I can respect that. Personally I don't think ethanol will be a good option, cutting into the food supply is one of the problems. Performance-wise it can be great for a turbo setup properly tuned for it. I see bio-diesel having a better chance of success though.

 

i am looking at getting an 09 crew cab 4x4, was thinking with going with the trx4 package

i live in the mountains so a lot of my driving is hills and canyons and such...

what would you think i should go with, the 3.7 v6 or the 4.7 v8?
i do want power, bc my 07 tacoma was fast as hell with tons of power! and i need it for hauling things, and snow wheeling

 

then why would you want a 6er?

 

Get the 4.7l, you won't regret it.

 

E85 is not ****. Yes mileage is bad, but your motor will stay clean as a whistle....no worrys about carbon build-up. It is not a long term solution to our "bulk" energy problems, but it has its place. Notice the price of food going up?