Gassers, you are pretty much stuck with the economy that you get provided it is in tune, tire pressures at the proper level, alignment in good shape, etc. Adding components like exhaust, intakes, cams, ignition systems will gain you HP but will NOT help at all in the economy range.

Diesels on the other hand, can be modified to get higher MPG gains. Example, F350 Dually Diesel, add a 5" exhaust, K&N or other free flowing intake, and a tuner can give 1-3 MPG increase in fuel gains. Driving habits can also give better gains when the above mods are added, but in some cases(mine) the mileage will stay the same because the added power translates to a heavier foot with gives a greater smile factor. I have gained, when driving carefully and keeping foot out of firewall, 2.5 MPG with a tuner and 5" exhaust, but normal driving with hotshot takes offs(because its cool for an 8000 dually to smoke the wheels) have kept my mileage around 15 MPG. On the highway doing 60 I have a good 19 MPG average, above 60 though because of the 4:10, the average drops to around 17. Above 65 closer to 75 I get between 14 and 15 MPG. Before I added the tuner, I was getting average 14-15 MPG driving granny style, with the tuner I can drive aggressively and still maintain 14-15 MPG.

It costs me well over $80 a week to drive the truck when fuel was about $2 agallon, now would be much higher at $2.50 a gallon, so I parked it and got me a car that I have been wanting for a long time, 2001 Crown Vic LX Sport. It costs me about $40 a week to drive it, so I save about $40 a week, $160 a month. Doesnt make up the difference for the car payment and insurance, but I have a baby on the way and a good safe car is a good idea, that and its a nice car and fun to drive. On average the Vic will give me about 21 MPG depending on traffic, the faster I go the better the milage, the more stop and go the lower the mileage, 18 city, 27 highway, most of my commute is 55 MPH roads, but some of them during rush hour have people who dont know that to go 55 MPH they need to put their right foot on that long pedal on the right and press down.

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