[johnco]

my 86 6.9 had no turbo, automatic, got 14-16+ miles a gallon. I overheated and cracked a head at 240,000 miles and the compression was still at factory spec. It was nothing to carry 2 yards of sand in the back or pull heavy excavators or skidloaders. that really didn't affect the mileage that much it seems. not much acceleration though. the 96 7.3 auto/overdrive gets 16-18 mpg but has tons more power I think. and with the turbo, I don't have to wait untill traffic is a quarter mile away to pull out on the road. it goes like a passenger car. I drive a 100-150+ miles a day and I find the truck rides better than most cars i've owned. Being a 4 door 8ft bed dually, you have to be careful where you park. sometimes, just because you got in there, doesn't mean you can leave before anyone else does.