Midrsv Posted January 30, 2010 Share #1 Posted January 30, 2010 I'm close to making a deal on a slightly used '09 Tahoe LTZ with the 6.2L (395 HP) engine and 6 speed transmission. I've currently got an '03 Tahoe with the 5.3 and I am used to poor mileage. Will the 6.2 mileage be much less? When I test drove it I checked the trip meter for average MPG and it was a bit higher than the average on my '03. The LTZ is a nice package with lots of buttons. Are there any other issues I should be concerned about. Thanks, Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted January 30, 2010 Share #2 Posted January 30, 2010 (edited) It may depend a lot on which rear end it has. I don't remember now but at one time, I think you could get a 4:10 rear with the 6.2 and that was a gas mileage killer. I know that most of the 3/4 ton trucks with the 6.0 were lucky to get 12-14 MPG. When I look at the chevy site now, I don't even see an option for a 6.2 in 2010 but they show the rear end options to be 3.08 standard or 3.42 if you order the trailering package. Edited January 30, 2010 by Freebird Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted January 30, 2010 Share #3 Posted January 30, 2010 OK...I just took another look at the Chevy site and selected the 2009 model year. The only rear end available with the 6.2 engine is the 3.42. That would typically mean that the gas mileage will not be as good. That is not always the case though. Sometimes the lower rear will get as good or better mileage if you do a lot of towing or drive where there are a lot of hills/mountains. At any rate, I wouldn't expect very good gas mileage. I will still stick with my estimate of 12-14 MPG. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midrsv Posted January 30, 2010 Author Share #4 Posted January 30, 2010 With my current 5.3 I only get 12 to 13 mpg around town and on the highway it will get about 15.5 to 16. Now I admit I run a couple of MPH over the limit. Towing a single bike on a trailer to FL I only get 11 to 12 running the speed limits and it seems like I've always got my foot in it. It down shifts at the first hint of a grade. It almost does that without a trailer. I was hoping that with more torque and a 6 speed it won't be under as much strain and maybe get equal mileage. When I did an Autotrader search I only found 1 Tahoe with the 6.2 engine within 300 miles so they must not be too popular. Since I commute on the bike as much as possible I only put about 10,000 to 12,000 miles on the truck each year so mileage isn't going to kill me. I'm more worried about reliability. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted January 30, 2010 Share #5 Posted January 30, 2010 I can't help much on the reliability question. I sold Chevrolets for a few years and sold a lot of 3/4 ton trucks with the 6.0. We had very few problems with that engine. That was about 7 years ago and before the 6.2. I don't know how much it differs from the 6.0 but if it's pretty much the same engine, it should be OK. The main problem with any of the GM motors was the intake gaskets. It wasn't a matter of IF they were going to leak but WHEN. I never understood why they didn't do something to correct that problem. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Flyinfool Posted January 30, 2010 Share #6 Posted January 30, 2010 Best rear end ratio is not always the lowest. Wen I had my last gmc P/U it had the 3.08 gears, It was so pathetic on the road and sucked gas because the engine never got up to the torque band. The gear ratio made it nice and quiet on the freeway because the engine was only turning 1800 rpm at 65mph. I ended up almost never using OD, I got better mileage and performance in 3rd gear. I traded it in for the same truck with the 3.42 gear and it got much better mileage and power to the pavement. I still have that truck now with a 1/4 million miles on it. A lot of people get worse mileage from the bigger engine because they tend to use the bigger engine. My truck with the 350 (5.7L) gets better gas mileage than my buddies identical truck but with the 305 (5.0L). We both have the 3.42 gears. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted January 30, 2010 Share #7 Posted January 30, 2010 I agree with you. That is why I stated in my post that it really depends upon how you use the truck. Same thing goes for motorcycles. That's why I'm running the lower ration VMAX rear in my RSV. Much better performance overall and better gas mileage under certain conditions such as pulling the trailer. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Condor Posted January 30, 2010 Share #8 Posted January 30, 2010 Man, am I glad my '98 Suburban has the 5.7 Vortec in it. 21mpg highway, and about 17-18 around town.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midrsv Posted February 6, 2010 Author Share #9 Posted February 6, 2010 OK, I pulled the trigger. New to me '09 Tahoe LTZ with 6.2L. It runs! I picked it up in Bowling Green, KY and drove to Nashville, about 60 miles and it average 17.5 mpg running 75 to 80. If that kind of mileage holds up I'm satisfied. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Freebird Posted February 7, 2010 Share #10 Posted February 7, 2010 Very nice. I'm sure you'll be happy with it. I like the style of the new Chevy trucks and the Tahoes. I would probably have looked at them also except my wife is the primary driver of that vehicle and doesn't like one that big. If I was the primary driver, I would have given it a lot of consideration. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Midrsv Posted February 22, 2010 Author Share #11 Posted February 22, 2010 OK after having lived with the truck for a couple of weeks I am very pleased with it. The mileage is about what I expected. Over 3 tanks of gas with my standard driving with a mix of city and highway I've averaged 13.5 mpg which is the same as my old 5.3L Tahoe. I really like the bluetooth phone once I figured out how to use it. Just speak and it dials. All cars should have that. The weather was decent here today and we cleaned it up from the salt and snapped a couple of photos. Dennis Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beau-Kat Posted February 22, 2010 Share #12 Posted February 22, 2010 Man, am I glad my '98 Suburban has the 5.7 Vortec in it. 21mpg highway, and about 17-18 around town.... I could only wish for mileage like that. My '98 Suburban is a K2500, 7.4 Vortec and 4WD. Lots of power, but only about 12mpg on the road. 10 mpg pulling my 30 ft. 5000# camper on flat land. 7.5 mpg pulling that camper in the mountains last fall. I have OPEC on speed dial for emergency road side fueling:fiddle:. Good thing I have a 44 gallon tank. 160K on the odo. But I love it. It's very dependable. Just took it and a 6x12 enclosed trailer to Indiana to pick up the '88VR in November:mytruck1:. Maybe I'll get something newer in a few years. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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