[GreenD]

You've got it right, they guzzle! Mine gets 13-14 on a general basis and maybe 15 on all highway. I just asked because it narrows your search to eliminate R/T's, but now I see why you want an SLT.

 

[Kid Durango]

Wow! 13-14, I was luck to see 9-10? on a good day!

 

[Don Fox]

With the current high fuel prices, now's a good time to get a really nice 03 D for a great price. I can speak from experience though when I say you may have to travel a bit to accomplish this. Witness the example of my Durango search in 2010 when I decided it was a mistake to be without a Durango. I endured having several Gen 2 D's sold out from under me before I could get to see them, but eventually found "my" D 250 miles away near Cleveland OH? at a Nissan dealer of all places. So a 500 mile round trip all in one day to get it and I still have it!

Regarding the comment about AWD being a fuel hog, I beg to differ and offer these examples:<ul>[*]My 2001 4.7L Durango SLT was built with the part time T-case which I swapped out for an AWD unit and the mpg penalty was ~1 mpg.[*]My current 04 Durango Hemi SLT AWD has 100HP more than the 01 did, but gets the same if not better mpg? and that's aside from the traction benefit of having power in all 4 corners 100% of the time in all types of weather![/list]Don

 

[Kid Durango]

I'm amazed you only lost 1 MPG with the P/T to AWD swap? I thought for sure that's where I was losing it! Now I wonder if the R/T didn't have something else going on with it? :?

I have been considering traveling a little farther for what I want and, honestly, I'm even starting to look at some Gen2's now. I never really thought I'd consider one but, as I've done some more homework, it looks like they get better mileage than the Gen1's? even with a Hemi! So I may end up with an 04 or 05 Gen2. All I know for sure is, the F150 has got to go!

 

[FSTDANGO3]

If you're entertaining Gen 2's, look at 06 or later.
Steve

 

[Don Fox]

+2 on bypassing the 04-05 D's if you can. The D gained the MDS cylinder shutdown system in 2006 for the Hemi and that'll give you another mpg or 2 on the highway. The Hemis also suffered some catastrophic failures in the 04 models. If you could stretch a little further and get an 07, they freshened up the front end so it looks better IMO than the 04-06 D's. There's also a few areas that tend to rust on the Gen 2 after they get some age on them, so the newer you can swing the better.

Regarding overall mpg. Remember we're talking about 5000+ pounds of steel and 330 HP. It takes power to move all that weight around and even more to allow it to "get out of its own way" as they say. I've touched 18 mpg on the highway a couple of times, and even saw 19 mpg one time, but 17 mpg was highway norm for my 01 D.

Don

 

[FSTDANGO3]

The HP was bumped to 390 for 07 and 08 (although I think that's inflated a bit.)
Although I like the 4.7 in a Gen 1, there's no real gas savings over a well tuned 5.9 in normal driving.
Steve

 

[dizzyD]

My father-in-law went from SoCal to West Virginia to buy his car; although it was a 2004 Porsche 911 soft-top. He had a local WV shop inspect it and then drove it all the way home.

 

[Kid Durango]

Definitely good info to know, thanks Don and Steve!

I saw a huge mileage difference between the 4.7 and 5.9. It was almost unbearable to have to put gas in it every other day and I was up on all of the maintenance on the R/T as well. A part of me says just go back to the SLT, but another part says get another R/T. I just don't want to put myself behind the 8 ball where I have to deal with the mileage issues again.

Up until the R/T, I'd only had 4.7's, although I always wanted the 5.9, and now I keep double guessing myself. :wall: I guess that's why I've started thinking Gen2 with the Hemi. Will I experience the same issues though? How good are they really on gas?? I do realize any V8 powered SUV isn't going to be great (it's basically pushing a brick through a wind tunnel), I just don't wanna be at the gas station more often than the employees working there! LOL I also need interior space at this point.

I miss the old D and need another!

 

[FSTDANGO3]

If you get a later year 07+ Gen 2, it'll have MDS which will net the same if not better mpg results than the 4.7 in a Gen 1.
The 07 and later are the best of the Gen 2's (sorry Don.)
Good luck in your hunt!
Steve

 

[Kid Durango]

Still on the fence, but hope to find something soon!

Thanks, Steve!