99 Explorer AWD 5.0L

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Question:

Greetings. Purchased a 99 Explorer AWD 5.0L V8… Love the thing…alot. Now, I don’t exactly expect the best of gas mileage from this vehicle…its sort of a given. I also do not rag on it either….I am a rather light footed driver. Anywho, last two fill-ups indicate about 11 MPG. What sorts of MPG are other people seeing with similar vehicles (AWD, auto, 5.0L, 50k miles, etc). Thanks in advance! -DrGonzo

Response:

What type of driving? 11 MPG seems high, but if your driving is mostly short distances and/or stop and go, it could be reasonable. I am consistently getting about 16.5 on my daily commute, which is suburban in fairly light traffic and has a long stretch at constant 40 MPH. Got about 17 MPH on a recent trip of about 2000 miles, mostly at 70 MPH. If I remember correctly, the EPA rating for the Explorer with this engine is 14 city, 17 hwy. IK

Greetings.

99 Explorer AWD 5.0L V8… Love the thing…alot. – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Anywho, last two fill-ups indicate about 11 MPG. What sorts of MPG are other people seeing with similar vehicles (AWD, auto, 5.0L, 50k miles, etc).

Response:

Anywho, last two fill-ups indicate about 11 MPG. What sorts of MPG are other people seeing

I had a 99 mountaineer 5.0 AWD with 60k. I averaged 13 mpg 50/50 highway city traffic. What kind of tires you got? During the recall I replaced the firestones with Goodyear RT/s’s. Seemed to loose about 1mpg on the highway.

Response:

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Greetings. Purchased a 99 Explorer AWD 5.0L V8… Love the thing…alot. Now, I don’t exactly expect the best of gas mileage from this vehicle…its sort of a given. I also do not rag on it either….I am a rather light footed driver. Anywho, last two fill-ups indicate about 11 MPG. What sorts of MPG are other people seeing with similar vehicles (AWD, auto, 5.0L, 50k miles, etc). Thanks in advance! -DrGonzo

in 2002, I averaged 16.5mpg with combined city and highway. Trip to Vancouver, BC last weekened got me 17mpg, mostly because of waiting at the border for an hour each way. One trip yielded 20mpg mostly at 55-60mph from Portland to the coast. That was truly a glorious day, best I ever got from my truck (mine’s a 96 V8 AWD with upgraded intake and exhaust). Zammer

Response:

95% stop and go traffic. Not driving it too hard either. Thanks for the help! -DrGonzo

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – What type of driving? 11 MPG seems high, but if your driving is mostly short distances and/or stop and go, it could be reasonable. I am consistently getting about 16.5 on my daily commute, which is suburban in fairly light traffic and has a long stretch at constant 40 MPH. Got about 17 MPH on a recent trip of about 2000 miles, mostly at 70 MPH. If I remember correctly, the EPA rating for the Explorer with this engine is 14 city, 17 hwy. IK Greetings. 99 Explorer AWD 5.0L V8… Love the thing…alot. Anywho, last two fill-ups indicate about 11 MPG. What sorts of MPG are other people seeing with similar vehicles (AWD, auto, 5.0L, 50k miles, etc).

Response:

sorry bout the mpgs…sounds kinda low, but at least u admit its 95% stopngo…that vehicle isnt my choice ifn that was what I was in 95% of the time. I got a 96 5.0 AWD, get about 14 around town (suburban) and close to 20 on 3500 mile road trip(90% interstate and mostly at nite) not too long ago…but its mpgs like that that give the anti SUVers fodder fer their mills….

Response:

Just purchased a 2000 AWD 5.0L V8 with 47000. Have had it about 2 months. My wife drives it. Per the computer in the car it is getting 12.3 mph is light suburban traffic. Brad

Response:

I think the trade off here is the 8 vs the 6…drove em both, and forgetting the towing capabilities for the moment, it was nite and day..the 6 coudnt get out of its own way, gawd help u if you had a/c on and tried a high speed merge…the 8…just cruises along, except its a gas guzzler…now dont get spazzed out here guys…I own one, and would buy another..cause towing IS a factor for me…course when I tow, I just make damn sure I know where ALL the gas stations are….

Response:

Yeah, I know…. Well, at least I will be comfortable when I laugh at them for wasting their time by telling me how horrible I am for driving my SUV…. -DrGonzo

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – sorry bout the mpgs…sounds kinda low, but at least u admit its 95% stopngo…that vehicle isnt my choice ifn that was what I was in 95% of the time. I got a 96 5.0 AWD, get about 14 around town (suburban) and close to 20 on 3500 mile road trip(90% interstate and mostly at nite) not too long ago…but its mpgs like that that give the anti SUVers fodder fer their mills….

Response:

Heh – Yeah. This is my first Explorer….my father has a SOHC 4.0… The 8 makes quite a bit of difference. I know some people argue…but you can feel it. ITs too bad that the gas gauge moves faster than the tech when you romp on it. -DrGonzo

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I think the trade off here is the 8 vs the 6…drove em both, and forgetting the towing capabilities for the moment, it was nite and day..the 6 coudnt get out of its own way, gawd help u if you had a/c on and tried a high speed merge…the 8…just cruises along, except its a gas guzzler…now dont get spazzed out here guys…I own one, and would buy another..cause towing IS a factor for me…course when I tow, I just make damn sure I know where ALL the gas stations are….

Response:

I have a99 explorer with the 5.0L and AWD. I bought it new from the dealer. Since then, the best mileage I obtained was driving a round trip of about 180 miles. The mileage averaged about 22 MPG, at just under 60MPH most of the time. My typical "in town" mileage is more like 16 or 17 MPG, but I have never averaged less than about 14. – Mike

Response:

That is incredible! You must live in a warm, flat, low altitude climate with no wind, have steel-like tires with 35+ psi, run SAE 5 synthetic oil in the engine and all running gear, never use the brakes or air conditioner, and never drive over 60 mph – Or else you’re using the values from the built-in mileage computer which is way out of calibration… Where do you buy your snake oil? My ‘99 Mountaineer with V8 AWD never got over 20 mpg hiway under best conditions, and true in-town (summer) would be more like 15, probably. Mixed, mostly local hiway 16 mile trips averaged 16 -17 mpg in summer. My 2001 EB V8 AWD is much worse. Getting around 12 mpg in-town careful, fuel-conserving driving with temperatures in the 10 – 20 degree F outside range. Summer is only around 14 – 15 mpg in mixed driving, and hiway maybe 18. Dealers won’t even look at mileage issues like this. Ron (in Minnesota, both vehicles with Michelin LTS M/S p-series at !30 psi) —

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – I have a99 explorer with the 5.0L and AWD. I bought it new from the dealer. Since then, the best mileage I obtained was driving a round trip of about 180 miles. The mileage averaged about 22 MPG, at just under 60MPH most of the time. My typical "in town" mileage is more like 16 or 17 MPG, but I have never averaged less than about 14. – Mike

Response:

Ron, Methinks that Mike may have fell victim to the old "neighbor putting a little extra gas in his car every day" prank. Just wait until he starts taking it out! Al Seelbach Poughkeepsie

– Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – That is incredible! You must live in a warm, flat, low altitude climate with no wind, have steel-like tires with 35+ psi, run SAE 5 synthetic oil in the engine and all running gear, never use the brakes or air conditioner, and never drive over 60 mph – Or else you’re using the values from the built-in mileage computer which is way out of calibration… Where do you buy your snake oil? My ‘99 Mountaineer with V8 AWD never got over 20 mpg hiway under best conditions, and true in-town (summer) would be more like 15, probably. Mixed, mostly local hiway 16 mile trips averaged 16 -17 mpg in summer. My 2001 EB V8 AWD is much worse. Getting around 12 mpg in-town careful, fuel-conserving driving with temperatures in the 10 – 20 degree F outside range. Summer is only around 14 – 15 mpg in mixed driving, and hiway maybe 18. Dealers won’t even look at mileage issues like this. Ron (in Minnesota, both vehicles with Michelin LTS M/S p-series at !30 psi) — I have a99 explorer with the 5.0L and AWD. I bought it new from the dealer. Since then, the best mileage I obtained was driving a round trip of about 180 miles. The mileage averaged about 22 MPG, at just under 60MPH most of the time. My typical "in town" mileage is more like 16 or 17 MPG, but I have never averaged less than about 14. – Mike

Response:

Hmm… 26 mpg doing a roundtrip from Lufkin TX to Austin TX – right near 250 miles one way, no major highways, rainy conditions, light traffic – I even used the defroster (AC pump running) some… I still normally get 22 mpg or so. JS – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text – Ron, Methinks that Mike may have fell victim to the old "neighbor putting a little extra gas in his car every day" prank. Just wait until he starts taking it out! Al Seelbach Poughkeepsie That is incredible! You must live in a warm, flat, low altitude climate with no wind, have steel-like tires with 35+ psi, run SAE 5 synthetic oil in the engine and all running gear, never use the brakes or air conditioner, and never drive over 60 mph – Or else you’re using the values from the built-in mileage computer which is way out of calibration… Where do you buy your snake oil? My ‘99 Mountaineer with V8 AWD never got over 20 mpg hiway under best conditions, and true in-town (summer) would be more like 15, probably. Mixed, mostly local hiway 16 mile trips averaged 16 -17 mpg in summer. My 2001 EB V8 AWD is much worse. Getting around 12 mpg in-town careful, fuel-conserving driving with temperatures in the 10 – 20 degree F outside range. Summer is only around 14 – 15 mpg in mixed driving, and hiway maybe 18. Dealers won’t even look at mileage issues like this. Ron (in Minnesota, both vehicles with Michelin LTS M/S p-series at !30 psi) — I have a99 explorer with the 5.0L and AWD. I bought it new from the dealer. Since then, the best mileage I obtained was driving a round trip of about 180 miles. The mileage averaged about 22 MPG, at just under 60MPH most of the time. My typical "in town" mileage is more like 16 or 17 MPG, but I have never averaged less than about 14. – Mike

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