Long Road Trip Report

[834k3r]

TLDR: I'm extremely happy with the truck's performance, mileage (especially with a 3.92 ratio) and comfort during the trip.

Just returned from a week-long trip to see family (college graduation) and we took my truck. More than doubled the mileage on the truck, but the end result was a very enjoyable trip.

Drove through mountain passes (Continental Divide), rolling hills and flat roads, at speeds from 45 (I really hate construction zones) to 80 (most of one day each way), as well as city driving. In the truck were me, my wife, and one of my daughters (20 y.o.); about 150 pounds of luggage and stuff. Really happy with the overall mileage (see pic); I reset the trip odometer when I left my house, and took that picture shortly after arriving at home. We took 2 days to travel to our destination, but 1.5 back. The comfort of the truck was good enough I told my wife we could have made the entire trip back in one day because the comfort was good enough driver fatigue wasn't an issue.

My favorite experience: passing vehicles on a two-lane highway at 92 mph, and the truck feeling rock solid and quiet.
Second favorite experience: driving 80 on the interstate and having the MPG gauge read 19 MPG.

 

[mikeru82]

These trucks are definitely comfortable. And your fuel economy was great. Thanks for the report!

 

[DivingOtter]

I've done several shorter trip in the 2.5 hour range with the wife and I and 3 kids in the back. I can total confirm that the ride was exceptional and the ability to pass at 85 mph with no problem was VERY nice! I didn't get your 19, (more like 14) but it was still nice. We've got several long trips planned in the future and I look forward to it!

 

[parnine]

TLDR: I'm extremely happy with the truck's performance, mileage (especially with a 3.92 ratio) and comfort during the trip.

Just returned from a week-long trip to see family (college graduation) and we took my truck. More than doubled the mileage on the truck, but the end result was a very enjoyable trip.

Drove through mountain passes (Continental Divide), rolling hills and flat roads, at speeds from 45 (I really hate construction zones) to 80 (most of one day each way), as well as city driving. In the truck were me, my wife, and one of my daughters (20 y.o.); about 150 pounds of luggage and stuff. Really happy with the overall mileage (see pic); I reset the trip odometer when I left my house, and took that picture shortly after arriving at home. We took 2 days to travel to our destination, but 1.5 back. The comfort of the truck was good enough I told my wife we could have made the entire trip back in one day because the comfort was good enough driver fatigue wasn't an issue.

My favorite experience: passing vehicles on a two-lane highway at 92 mph, and the truck feeling rock solid and quiet.
Second favorite experience: driving 80 on the interstate and having the MPG gauge read 19 MPG.

FWIW odds are your actual mpg is at best 1-2 mpg lower than that - sorry to burst your bubble, but that mpg calculator is not very accurate.

 

[834k3r]

FWIW odds are your actual mpg is at best 1-2 mpg lower than that - sorry to burst your bubble, but that mpg calculator is not very accurate.

Fair enough, but traveling at 80 for hours at a time would have been problematic and uncomfortable in my last truck ('14 Ridgeline).

 

[DivingOtter]

I actually get better gas mileage on my commute work in rush hour at about 55-65 mph that I do on the long haul at 85+. West Texas speed limit is 75 for everyone who doesn't know, and traffic is usually moving at a speedy 84-86 for the most part. Occasional hops up to 95 is not unheard of to get around folks before you lose a 'gap' ahead somewhere. Most Cops don't blink an eye until your over 86, being reckless or just being an a$$. With the exception of Parker County on I-20. Weatherford Cops meet and greet everyone at the county line, both ways!

 

[834k3r]

I actually get better gas mileage on my commute work in rush hour at about 55-65 mph that I do on the long haul at 85+. West Texas speed limit is 75 for everyone who doesn't know, and traffic is usually moving at a speedy 84-86 for the most part. Occasional hops up to 95 is not unheard of to get around folks before you lose a 'gap' ahead somewhere. Most Cops don't blink an eye until your over 86, being reckless or just being an a$$. With the exception of Parker County on I-20. Weatherford Cops meet and greet everyone at the county line, both ways!

That MPG matches my experience; when I was on roads with 55-65 speed limits my MPG was about 3-4 gallons/mile better than at 80. I guess part of my happiness is getting good mileage at anything about 70; in my Ridgeline, if I tried anything above 70, my mileage dropped to about 15 mpg--or worse. If I tried to hit 80 in the Ridgeline, the steering really started shaking a lot (a factory feature to limit speed apparently).

It's so nice to drive a efficient and solid truck.

 

[Zig10]

That's better mileage than I see on the highway, even correcting for the Ram calculator. We did 2,100 miles round trip to Florida back in February and averaged 16.2 MPG (hand calc). Best I have ever seen on a longish trip (600+ miles) is 17.1. Granted, we're usually running 75ish (speed limits are largely 70 where we travel), but it would be nice to get up closer to the magic 20 MPG mark.

 

[DivingOtter]

but it would be nice to get up closer to the magic 20 MPG mark.

Your not kidding there. I've not see north of 16.5 even by hand calc'ing it. But I knew what I was getting into and I'm not sad for it!

 

[834k3r]

Your not kidding there. I've not see north of 16.5 even by hand calc'ing it. But I knew what I was getting into and I'm not sad for it!

I guess that's where I'm at, too. I'll hand calculate the next tank, but as you said I was fully aware of the factors involved with going from a 1/4-ton to a 1/2-ton, and really enjoy the better capability the Ram brings.

 

[Drivinfast247]

I wish mine wasn't a shaking POS.

 

[Idahoktm]

FWIW odds are your actual mpg is at best 1-2 mpg lower than that - sorry to burst your bubble, but that mpg calculator is not very accurate.

I disagree. My computer has not been off by more than .35 mpg compared to hand calculations and most of the time it's less than that.

 

[ChrisID]

Used to take my wife's Grand Cherokee (v8) on long trips, when I had GM's, etc.... now we take the Ram. Significantly better comfort, capability, etc...

 

[Grimgreg]

Since I bought mine (Feb) over 2/3 of the 6200 mi!es has been road trips. Love it!

 

[yellowboy]

Here is my recent trip from NC to PA. I did not verify with my gas purchase NO complaints here

 

[asgadf/lkjnadsfg]

Nice report. I've experienced all of what you wrote, except the mileage. I've got a little different setup than you (a Rebel), so I don't expect great mileage, but it's a wonderful road trip vehicle. After the breakin period I took it West for almost 1,800 miles to hunt and hike. I drove 17 hours the first day and I was extremely happy with everything about how the truck rode and felt. I hit just about everything on that trip, flats, hills, mountains, altitudes from 400 feet to over 8,000 feet, rutted trails, rain, snow, everything. The truck handled it all with no problems.

The only strange thing I had happen was on a desolate stretch of highway north of Rawlins WY, heading toward the Tetons. An 18 wheeler was in the opposite lane, and when he passed me I thought the hood was going to fly off the truck. It wobbled and shook like it was coming apart. After that it went back to normal. I guess the wind direction and speed combined with the vehicle speeds just hit it the right way.

 

[834k3r]

Your story makes me stand up, took my friends and go on a trip.

 

[StuartV]

I disagree. My computer has not been off by more than .35 mpg compared to hand calculations and most of the time it's less than that.

I have logged every single fill-up in my '19 since I got it - 71K miles ago.

I log them in Fuelly and I always put in the notes what the Lie-o-meter says, so I can compare it to the actual calculated mileage.

In all that time, my experience has pretty much matched what @parnine said.

Occasionally, it is spot on. MOST of the time, however, the truck display is 1 or more MPG higher than what I actually got.

 

[StuartV]

TLDR: I'm extremely happy with the truck's performance, mileage (especially with a 3.92 ratio) and comfort during the trip.

Just returned from a week-long trip to see family (college graduation) and we took my truck. More than doubled the mileage on the truck, but the end result was a very enjoyable trip.

Drove through mountain passes (Continental Divide), rolling hills and flat roads, at speeds from 45 (I really hate construction zones) to 80 (most of one day each way), as well as city driving. In the truck were me, my wife, and one of my daughters (20 y.o.); about 150 pounds of luggage and stuff. Really happy with the overall mileage (see pic); I reset the trip odometer when I left my house, and took that picture shortly after arriving at home. We took 2 days to travel to our destination, but 1.5 back. The comfort of the truck was good enough I told my wife we could have made the entire trip back in one day because the comfort was good enough driver fatigue wasn't an issue.

My favorite experience: passing vehicles on a two-lane highway at 92 mph, and the truck feeling rock solid and quiet.
Second favorite experience: driving 80 on the interstate and having the MPG gauge read 19 MPG.

That is awesome, but just for my clarity, it looks like your truck is 2 wheel drive, yes?

I have a Hemi w/eTorque and 3.92 and I have never gotten mileage as high as you reported, ever. I bought my truck new and it has over 71K miles on it now.

But, I could see 2WD giving you a small improvement over my 4WD, and then your truck's onboard computer reporting 1 - 2 MPG more than what you really got. All that put together would bring you pretty well in line with what I would get over the same drive and conditions that you reported.

All of that is why I am working on trading mine for an EcoDiesel (with a 3.21). I know it won't save me much money (at current fuel prices). But, dang! It just irks me to drive a nice, modern truck and still be averaging 14.1 MPG. I guess it's the principle of the thing, for me, as much as anything.

 

[834k3r]

That is awesome, but just for my clarity, it looks like your truck is 2 wheel drive, yes?

I have a Hemi w/eTorque and 3.92 and I have never gotten mileage as high as you reported, ever. I bought my truck new and it has over 71K miles on it now.

But, I could see 2WD giving you a small improvement over my 4WD, and then your truck's onboard computer reporting 1 - 2 MPG more than what you really got. All that put together would bring you pretty well in line with what I would get over the same drive and conditions that you reported.

All of that is why I am working on trading mine for an EcoDiesel (with a 3.21). I know it won't save me much money (at current fuel prices). But, dang! It just irks me to drive a nice, modern truck and still be averaging 14.1 MPG. I guess it's the principle of the thing, for me, as much as anything.

My truck is 4WD, but I leave it in 2WD until I need 4WD (in the winter it's mostly 4WD Auto).