[Grendel]

Vehicle: 2005 Nismo Frontier 4x4 4.0V6 - 36k miles

Problem: Getting average of 14mpg combined HWY/CITY

Details: I am getting horrible gas mileage. I drive like a grandma 90% of time. Keep it at ~70mph or slower on the HWY. Truck runs fine - no hesitation. Feels a little sluggish to me, but Ive only owned it a few months so I have nothing to compare it to.

When I'm on the interstate, level, barely touching the gas, I can get the MPG gauge on the instrument cluster read 19mpg. Driving around town, babying it, it reads around 11-12mpg.

My STi gets better mpg than this... help

 

[bimmernut318]

19 is great on the highway, dont go by the dash, do a real test, miles vs gallons.

I average 17, most of my driving is highway

 

[HightecRednec]

I'm probably running some of the same roads as you and can tell you that I'm only getting about 15 combined driving right now with it being this cold. Since you are 4x4 with different gears you should not be surprised to see 14 mpg right now. I usually average 16.5 mpg combined once the temps warm back up.

 

[CoastGuardZ]

I have the 4wd 6spd... I get about 18 on the Interstate @ 75... and I typically get about 15 in town but I drive appropriately... 2500rpm or less for shifts and Charleston is pretty flat, the only hills are bridges.

Winter will kill fuel econonmy. The engine uses more fuel to compensate for all that cold dense air. Warming up the truck before going to work in the morning will kill fuel economy per tank full. I think they still use a different mix of fuel for winter which helps emissions but is not good for fuel economy. Also, when you fill up and see that the pump states x% ethanol, it might as well say "I don't give a crap about your MPG".

By the way... that trucks weighs about 1000 lbs more than your STi, has 2 more cylinders and the aerodynamics of a brick. Turbo or not that STi is still based on an economy car.

 

[colin123]

he is driving a nismo which has lower gears for better offroading. op i hate to break it to ya but you really can't compare you MPGs of your STI to your truck. its a truck so its less aerodynamic, its heavier, and has 2 more cylinders and 1.5 more liters what part of any of that leads you to think you should be getting the same or better mileage as an sti. i had a twin turbo 400+ whp 350z and it got about the same mileage city and much better highway than my frontier. start going by calculations each fill up and buy a programmer and thats about all you can do. through the tune alone from a programmer many get 2 more mpg and the bully dog gt even has a driving coach that will help you drive more economically

 

[Grendel]

I do calculate my own mileage... but it's usually very close to what the gauge says. I reset the gauge each time I fill up.

I was being facetious about the STi.

CoastguardZ: You should sell me that Z. No, really.

I see 0% difference between ethanol gas and non-ethanol gas. 3 tanks in a row. I'm on tank 2 of 93 octane versus 87 octane. First tank of premium was about .5mpg better than 87 oct.

Ok, well if I'm getting about the same as you guys, I guess nothing is wrong. I just expected to be able to get about 17 combined. I wasn't thinking about the cold air.

Time to buy a cheap civic for daily driving...

 

[edubble]

I have same model, 50k miles, get same or worse mileage. My computer right now for 70% city driving says 12.6. When I calculate my gas it comes out the same. I don't know how some people get high teens, low 20's. My wife calls my truck guzzles. I love this truck tho!

 

[Grendel]

I have same model, 50k miles, get same or worse mileage. My computer right now for 70% city driving says 12.6. When I calculate my gas it comes out the same. I don't know how some people get high teens, low 20's. My wife calls my truck guzzles. I love this truck tho!

It really shocked me that I would like a truck so much. I've had nothing but sports cars for over a decade. Last truck I had I really loved, but it was a bagged Silverado on 22's. I always associated 4x4's with the ******** I went to highschool with, so this is my first 4wd truck. I actually bought it because I bought a house and needed the utility. Now, no matter what mpg it gets, Im not getting rid of her.

If I can get rid of this $#%^ing STi, Im going to buy a gas sipper to drive the 75 miles round trip to work each day.

s for the sluggishness, I think it is a perception thing since my other car is so much lighter and has over 300hp... but I'm going to fix that with some Doug Thorley long-tube headers and catback. (Which is funny, because thats what I had on the Silverado)

 

[bimmernut318]

buy a programmer and thats about all you can do. through the tune alone from a programmer many get 2 more mpg and the bully dog gt even has a driving coach that will help you drive more economically

The Bully Dog has really helped, I am not really using the driving coach feature, havent had time to set it up but by default it sort of coaches you, it grades your driving, beeps at you when you accel/decel to fast or hard and basically tells you how much energy your wasting and gives you more power to boot, great investment so far.

 

[Cheezeweggie]

Sounds like you need a Sentra for your 75 mile commute. I feel your pain. I'm averaging about 13 mpg. I just don't have as far to drive. When I drove 70 miles a day, I parked the truck and bought a Saturn beater. 28 MPG.

 

[2018 Silver PRO-4X]

Question, Does a stock Frontier have a gas mileage indicator, or am I missing something?

 

[CoastGuardZ]

CoastguardZ: You should sell me that Z. No, really.

Ummmm.... never! :laugh: Sorry, but it took me 3 1/2 years to find the right one.

I see 0% difference between ethanol gas and non-ethanol gas. 3 tanks in a row. I'm on tank 2 of 93 octane versus 87 octane. First tank of premium was about .5mpg better than 87 oct.

I do notice a consistent 1 to 1.5 increase on 91+. I also tend to get pinging / pre-detonation on 87... I do run a tank every now and again to remind why I switched over to the higher octane. I find it odd that you didn't see an increase on non blend fuel, first I've heard of. I only have one station in my immediate area that sells it and I tend to get about 2 mpg better... but the cost is good bit more.

My wifes '05 Sentra 1.8S gets 28/36mpg but the 3spd w/OD is a b!tch in the hills... other than that I completley recommend one as a commuter/beater.

Heres a lil' teaser pic of the Z for ya!

 

[2018 Silver PRO-4X]

Ummmm.... never! :laugh: Sorry, but it took me 3 1/2 years to find the right one.



I do notice a consistent 1 to 1.5 increase on 91+. I also tend to get pinging / pre-detonation on 87... I do run a tank every now and again to remind why I switched over to the higher octane. I find it odd that you didn't see an increase on non blend fuel, first I've heard of. I only have one station in my immediate area that sells it and I tend to get about 2 mpg better... but the cost is good bit more.

My wifes '05 Sentra 1.8S gets 28/36mpg but the 3spd w/OD is a b!tch in the hills... other than that I completley recommend one as a commuter/beater.

Heres a lil' teaser pic of the Z for ya!

Very nice Z Always Loved Orange Z's

 

[CoastGuardZ]

Question, Does a stock Frontier have a gas mileage indicator, or am I missing something?

Not all of them... especially the SE... it kinda pisses me off that my wife's $16k Sentra has the MPG/DTE/Outside Temp but my $27k truck doesn't.

The computer was/is standard on the NISMO/PRO4-X and LE trim on crew cabs and SE-V6 / LE King cabs.

 

[2018 Silver PRO-4X]

Not all of them... especially the SE... it kinda pisses me off that my wife's $16k Sentra has the MPG/DTE/Outside Temp but my $27k truck doesn't.

The computer was/is standard on the NISMO/PRO4-X and LE trim on crew cabs and SE-V6 / LE King cabs.

So my SE Crew doesn't have it, BUMMER

 

[Grendel]

Thats a sexy Z. Im going to look into the bully dog

 

[toryroyce]

Dang, that Z is hotness! Sweet ride...

Yeah, mileage is not a strong point IMO. I llike my truck, but it rips through gas like nobodys business. With my 18's in winter, I'm around 13-14 mpg in mixed driving. I once got 20 mpg on a long trip. ONCE....

 

[Irongrave]

FYI winter blend gas kills MPG in most trucks, what octane are you running in the truck now. If your running the cheep stuff try running mid or high test and see if it improves. Also the little taller tire the nimso's come with suck gas.

that being said i love my hemi and MDS rocking 17.9 mixed right now, my 2wd frontier was no were near that in the winter.

 

[Sweaty]

Geez I get 18 easy city/highway with 33's and a 3inch lift. But i dont drive very fast and always use the cruse.

 

[toryroyce]

Geez I get 18 easy city/highway with 33's and a 3inch lift. But i dont drive very fast and always use the cruse.

When are you getting 18 mpg? Not a very clear statement. This topic has been beat to death a million times. There are many outrageous claims of stellar gas mileage with these trucks, and just as many who get the same crappy mileage I do. Before anyone gets started with the usual BS excuses, I personally drive carefully and frequently use cruise as well. Lets cut this guy some slack. I've never gotten an "easy" 18 mpg (in fact I've very rarely ever achieved that mileage period) and I have no lift and stock OD tires. Some trucks just seem to do better than others for some strange reason....