My recent post regarding my bad experience with a series of early 1990's
4.3L V-6 engines has received replies from many others testifying that their newer 4.3L V-6's are great engines. Since the 4.3L V-6 is the standard engine in many GM vans and trucks, it would seem that the 4.3L V-6 would be a money-saving choice when only light duty performance is required. Yet, I'm not sure that this is actually the case.According to the 2004 EPA Fuel Economy Guide, the 4.8L V-8 gets better gas mileage than the 4.3L V-6 when both Silverado trucks are equipped with an electronic 4-speed automatic transmission:
Model Trans. Engine MPG Average C1500 Silverado 2WD A-4 ..... 4.3/6 ..... 15/20 17.5 *** C1500 Silverado 2WD M-5 ..... 4.3/6 ..... 15/21 18.0 C1500 Silverado 2WD A-4 ..... 4.8/8 ..... 17/20 18.5 *** C1500 Silverado 2WD M-5 ..... 4.8/8 ..... 15/20 17.5
Of course, if you drive the 4.8L V-8 with the accelerator on the floor, you won't be able to tell the gas gauge from the speedometer. But maybe if you drive both the 4.3L V-6 and 4.8L V-8 gently, the 4.8L V-8 will downshift less and use less gas. However, the 4.8L V-8 will always have more power in reserve than the 4.3L V-6.
If the EPA figures are accurate, the 4.8L V-8 engine works out to be a free upgrade when it is paired with an automatic transmission. If a truck is purchased at the dealer invoice price, the $745 4.8L V-8 upgrade ends up costing around $670. If the 4.8L V-8 actually does use around 5% less gas than the 4.3L V-6, the savings in gas (figured at 15 thousand miles per year for 4 years, at $2.00 per gallon) would be at around $200. At trade in time, the truck with the 4.8L V-8 would be worth at least $500 more than an identical truck with a 4.3L V-6.
So, is the more powerful 4.8L V-8 really a free upgrade?