ever since i bought this truck 2 weeks ago i've noticed my driving habit has changed IMMENSLY. I mean i want to conserve every ounce of gas and get as many miles to that ounce of gas i can get. I drive stupidly slow because of that mindset!! I'm always constanly looking at my gas gauge to see how much it drops (which by the way is really annoying) and i'm always looking at my tachometer to see if i can beat my previous record of miles of driving on 1 tank of gas until the light comes on. By the way it is only 225 miles until the light comes on.

My first car (which i still have) is an 87 supra turbo, modified. So of course i like to mash the pedal. I like to merge onto the highway and just leave people behind. I like to keep the revs high, i like to let the turbo spool and then release the gas to hear the BOV.....that's the way i like to drive.

Hahah, i'm just curious to see how many of you have turned into what i have become?? it's good in a way because i'm ALWAYS driving at the speed limit, but it sucks because it isn't the way i drive. I'm always thinking about my fuel but i'm sure that would change if i could get Toyota to fix the damn gauge.

 

When I first got my 4runner, I babied the heck out of it. I barelyever gotit over 2000 RPM. I was getting close to 20 MPG. about 270 miles per fill up. Now bigger tires, lift and intake, I'm lucky to get 220 miles between fill ups. And I'm getting about 16 MPG. That might be because of the tire size skewing numbers a little. I only drive it about 10 minutes most weeknights and use it all day on weekends since I drive my company truck home.

 

yah i sorta know what your talking about, when i drive my sis car i find myself always driving over the speed limit, but when i drive my truck i am satisfied driving the speed limit and i also like to beet my previous gas milelage i also see how long i can go between fill ups so i car pool alot

 

I feel like my truck isnt happy unless I rev it to at least 3k on every shift.

 

That's when you can here the deckplate mod.

 

Before the Runner I had a 1995 Olds...
Always had the pedal to the metal...
(still at the speed limit or maybe a little higher...)
When I got the Runner at first I babied it...
Didn't let the reves get above 3K...
But then one day someone else in a Runner thought that theres was better...
And off we went...
But my driving mood always changes,
Sometimes I will alway drive over the speed limit...
Sometimes I will stick to the speed limit...

And watching the gas guage every min does get annoying...

Makes it feel like the gas is being spent more quickly...

I have tired to try to beat my mileage each time I fill up, but it never happens...

Sometimes I get great mileage, Sometimes It just stinks...

I am trying to stick to one gas station,
I got close to 300Miles when the light turned on...
Sunocco Gas, 87
If I have a good trip planned ahead I like to fill up with 89 at half a tank and then again up to 93 when at half at tank and keep in there till the trip, then switch to 94, get more horses and the same mileage...

I believe that works could be superstition...

But back to topic...

I wish my driving style changed...
My wallet would be a little heavier...
Especially since I do an average of 25K a year...

 

I don't even care anymore. I used to conserve the gas but I just like to hear the intake and exhaust. I feel sorry for the environment.

 

i'm sure if i could somehow get my meilage back up to the norm i would feel a little better driving it. But as of right now, i don't feel good at all knowing how bad my meilage is. Right now i'm logging 16.6 MPG, but considering i'm BABYING the truck is pretty bad and as well i do about 32 miles everyday to school and back all highway miles. The truck is all stock too......

 

At first yea, but now I just dont care. Still get better mpg than the 3.0's do and way better than a v8 would.

 

my gas mileage is always around 16-17. and my 4runner is pretty much all stock. I usually drive a bit over the speed limit, when doing so on the high way i usually turn about 3000 rpm. So for 1 tank of gas i decided to baby it and see what happened. I never did any speeding or "fast" take offs and my mileage did not change at all.

My 4runner is well maintained and taken care of and the best mileage i have ever gotten is around 18.5mpg. I see alot of people on here claiming to get 20+mpg and i feel that is damn near impossible out of the 3.4L. I owned a 1998 tacoma limited 3.4L 5speed 4x4 before i got this 4runner and i only got about 17mpg out of it, then i put on 31" MTR's and as expected with mud tires it dropped to only 13 mpg. I just dont think this is a very fuel friendly engine.

 

I drive my truck pretty conservatively too, but in my case it's because it just doesn't handle as well as a car. And while the 3.4 has some zip, it's no rocket, so why treat it like one? If I'm driving a sporty car I tend to drive more aggressively, but it's just not as satisfying in a truck because that's not what they're built for. It can also be dangerous.

Then again, maybe I'm just getting old...I did turn 30 a few months ago...

 

Register your truck on the fueleconomy site and you'll really be watching your economy closely. I am trying everything to get another 3-4 MPG out of mine.

https://www.yotatech.com/forums/f2/we-need-more-3rd-gen-4runners-86034/

 

If converting from a car, I think everyone, for the most part, changes their driving style. I know I dont mash the pedal as much with the 4runner and take corners alot slower, obviously, than I used to with a car. Also go alot slower on freeways too but could be because I'm getting older as well

 

I have always owned a sports car until this 4Runner. I used to conserve fuel, as well. I drove 70 on the highway and easy take-off's at stoplights. I usually got 21mpg (about 300 miles before the light would come on).

Now, I really don't care. I will hit 75-80mph on the freeway, pass cars left and right, and launch at the stoplights. It's much more enjoyable, which is well worth the 3-4mpg drop (I also got larger tires, so that might be contributing to the drop in mpg).

Drive to enjoy--don't put any more stress on yourself over $2-3.

 

[QUOTE=derK;50362139]ever since i bought this truck 2 weeks ago i've noticed my driving habit has changed IMMENSLY. I mean i want to conserve every ounce of gas and get as many miles to that ounce of gas i can get. I drive stupidly slow because of that mindset!! I'm always constanly looking at my gas gauge to see how much it drops (which by the way is really annoying) and i'm always looking at my tachometer to see if i can beat my previous record of miles of driving on 1 tank of gas until the light comes on. By the way it is only 225 miles until the light comes on.

QUOTE]

Oh, so your the jerk (or would that be derk ) that made me late to work yesterday!

Just kidding.

Seriously, though. I was just thinking about this the other day. I've changed my driving habits quite a bit, too. I still acceleration fairly quickly to get up to highway speed. That's really the only time I get to use the power my engine produces. Around town, especially in rush hour, I rarely leave 2nd gear. Conversely, though, I don't really touch the brakes. I gear down and jab the throttle to match the revs with the tranny. It's like double-clutching, but with an auto. It's practically second nature now...unless some a-hole decides his 17' car will fit in the 13' space between me and the car in front of me.

 

New to the toyota family... just bought a 2001 tacoma, 4cyl, 4wd, 25k miles. I traded a 2004 Ford Focus SVT. I drove that car like a rally car, it redlined at 75k, and did not make usable power till over 4k.
In the tacoma, I am happy just putting around. I smile every time some idiot tries to race me and blows me away cause I know this little truck will still be on the road running when their car is in the junkyard.
Still have a 1972 BMW 2002tii when its not snowing and I want to remind myself what a sports car feels like.... damn I got it good!

 

I drive my '04 GTO like my grandma is in the back seat most of the time. But it's fun to have the power on tap when I feel like it

I take it easy on my Yota pickup just because driving it like that is cheaper than replacing parts.

Rob

 

when i first bought my 4runner it was stock and i drove it real nice. then i bought an intake and it was all over. to hear the intake you really must be @ WOT so i found myself there alot. then i got exhaust and didnt havta gas it as much to hear noise. now ive had those mods done for a few months and i dont drive as hard. there is some situations like the other day on the way to work there was a lowered honda with a huge fart can on it in front of me and he was gasing it really hard and it sounded so queer, so naturally i down shift into 2nd and go flying by him, then we get matched at a light. i gave him a small rev didnt even look at him, light turned green and i took off as fast as i could(which isnt that fast lol) the honda didnt even race but i know he wishes his honda sounded as good as my runner.

 

I do the same. Cep't my max is 350miles, and I fill up at the 300mile mark.

Mine is a 5speed with 265/75 tires and about a 3inch lift. I drive mainly on the highway. The acceleration is what kills you. I just set the cruise at about 70mph, and forget about it.

uberhahn

 

well i just sold my m3 and am going to be back in a 4runner by the end of the week. so i think my drving style will change a bit. figured i'd sell the m and save some money