[xtopherfishing]

REturned on Dec 6th from a round trip to Seattle, WA and back to Iowa. It was just about 2,000 miles each way, lots of mountain passes that required chains if you had snow at the time on the roads (fortunately, I managed to be ahead of the snowfalls so didn't have to put on the chains on in about 10 different mountain passes that would require them---saved lots of time) I have a 08 XE 2WD, 4 cylinder and was concerned about those passes. I took I-90 out and I-84 and I-80 on the way back. The interstates were in great shape, little traffic. Took 4 days of 9hrs driving about 500 miles each day. I was lucky to have timed it without any snow. I don't think I would try it now. My truck was very quiet and smooth riding. I did have to down shift on most mountain passes (going uphill) to 4th gear from 5th and then set the cruise control while in 4th gear in order to keep up to speed. I had 4 new Michelin X-ICE Latitude tires on and they were very quiet and smooth riding tires (quieter and smoother riding than my regular OEM General Grabber tires) however, they did reduce my mpg a couple of mpgs from what the Grabbers would have done. But that was the trade off for better traction should I have needed it. Total MPG for the trip was 19.4 mpg with most driving at 70-75 mph. That's the poorest highway mpg I have gotten to date and its due to the higher speeds in the Western Interstate highways and my softer rubber on my new snow tires. I expect once I get my OEM tires back on this next Spring that the mileage will improve. Best highway mileage I have ever had was 27 mpg at 50 mph in summer driving with my OEM tires. Anyway, I was impressed again by this Nissan truck.