Fuel economy. Can you really save?

[MadMerv]

Most of you know that I have long commutes, both to work and to the house in Granbury. My monthly bills have gotten way too high, so it was time to try and conserve How? First of all, the truck only gets driven for hauling/towing big stuff. Since the house is pretty much finished, that expense has dropped considerably. It gets 13mpg, no matter what! Second, the Mazda6 is leaving home next month, so it is "resting" in the carport. That leaves Sunny and the Kia Spectra. Since I started driving more sainly about four years ago, Sunny gets 32 consistently, which isn't bad. Surprisingly, the Kia does just as well. so, with car-pooling whenever possible and average week is about 900 miles. At almost $4/gallon, that's almost $500/month

Now we're into conservation mode, and I'm getting better and better at it Wish I could say the same for Shelley, but she's trying. We have reduced our speed considerably. Never over the speed limit, usually five under. Downhill, the clutch is in and we coast as much as possible without making other drivers too mad. I am much more aware of what's happening further down the road . If I see a light turn red 1/2 mile ahead, the clutch is in and I coast. It is reducing full stops by probably 70%. If I do get caught at a long light, the engine is off. I never shift above 3000RPM, normally under 2500. As of this morning, Sunny has used 41.1 gallons in 1552 miles which is 37.76mpg! Each tank the average goes up, and NO, no one is adding gas to my tank!!!!!! The Kia is hovering between 35-36, but that is "shared" driving. Shelley hasn't driven Sunny at all.

Time wise, my typical commute has gone up maybe ten minutes, from 2:10 to 2:20/day, and I'm more relaxed, even though many other drivers are not! It is amazing that those driving the biggest gas guzzlers are driving the fastest, slam on the brakes just as they catch a light, and I slowing coast up beside them as the lights turn green and my remaining momentum allows me to continue with a downshift to fourth or third, and off they go again. On I30, from the Fort Worth mix-master, I pick out one vehicle that has just blown by me and watch them as far as I can. If they go as far as 820 to the west, I can typically be only a few car lengths behind. I guess the "tortise and the hare" has some truth to it.

[tailchaser]

Careful, Merv... if more people figure out it's not what you drive, but how you drive, the market for uber-cheap Tahoes will dry up... Not to mention the Kia mafia that will come after you...

[motorollow]

I just bought a premium DART pass that I will get reimbursed by work. I really have no excuse for not taking DART since the bus park & ride is 1.5 miles from my house and the bus stop downtown is 3 blocks from my building. I will go from 900-1,000 miles per month down to less than 200.

[miataspeedracer]

I've taken to very aggressive drafting to increase mileage. If I get RIGHT on the bumper of another SUV or pick-up, I can bump the mileage in the Ridgeline from 15 to 17 mpg in town. Of course, my brake pad bill is going through the roof! :)

Kidding aside, I think pretty much everyone could increase their overall gas mileage by over 10% by just being more prudent in their driving habits.

[Darron65]

I thought I've been driving conservatively and getting a solid 29 mpg. These last 2 tankfulls I've been setting the cruise at the speed limit instead of 5-6 over and I got 31.7 and 32.0. Was not expecting that much difference.

[MadMerv]

I just bought a premium DART pass that I will get reimbursed by work. I really have no excuse for not taking DART since the bus park & ride is 1.5 miles from my house and the bus stop downtown is 3 blocks from my building. I will go from 900-1,000 miles per month down to less than 200.

Rub it in......... I would certainly use it too, if I could.

[CosmosMpower]

How do you guys not get run over? When I'm accelerating in traffic if I shift at 2500 rpm's in the 1.6 Miata I feel like I'm going to get rammed by even the biggest POS 4 cyl econoboxes. I shift around 3500 most the time in the Miata and drive about 10 mph over and I only get about 22-23 mpg. (220 miles on a tank and about 9.5-10 gallons till it clicks).

I put in a little less than half a tank Saturday afternoon to drive out to Dallas, Frisco etc over the weekend and I'm at 110 miles and empty again. That was 75% highway driving. Most of it was about 70-75 mph cruising and probably a 1/4 was 80 mph cruising. I'm guessing it equates to about 110 miles/4.5 gallons or 24 MPG, what gives?

[POS Racing]

I drive an SUV everyday so I don't care about gas mileage!

Actually the 4Runner has been averaging about 20-21 mpg in town since I have been being real real easy on it.

I drove the POSIII to the world headquarters today but that had more to do with the nice weather than my desire to conserve fuel.

[Mark52]

Driving the speed limit and checking/increasing my tire pressure about 2psi got me several more mpg. I haven't tried the coasting/drafting thing yet, but may have to soon. I've noticed about 80% of the traffic on my short journey to and from Mansfield are going much slower these days!

[wrxmr2eater]

Downhill, the clutch is in and we coast as much as possible without making other drivers too mad.

Actually, in the Kia at least, you will get better mileage leaving the car in gear and coasting as the ECU will cut fuel to the engine when the drive wheels are driving the engine. I have tested this in my 01, and my wifes VW. Others have verified it in Miatas with scan gauges at least back to 99.

Similar tips from Mr Clarkson, like him or not.
http://www.topgear.com/blogs/planett...top-fuel-tips/

I get @30 MPG in the Miata with a 7 mile commute with about 50% stoplights.

[Darron65]

How do you guys not get run over? When I'm accelerating in traffic if I shift at 2500 rpm's in the 1.6 Miata I feel like I'm going to get rammed by even the biggest POS 4 cyl econoboxes. I shift around 3500 most the time in the Miata and drive about 10 mph over and I only get about 22-23 mpg. (220 miles on a tank and about 9.5-10 gallons till it clicks).

I put in a little less than half a tank Saturday afternoon to drive out to Dallas, Frisco etc over the weekend and I'm at 110 miles and empty again. That was 75% highway driving. Most of it was about 70-75 mph cruising and probably a 1/4 was 80 mph cruising. I'm guessing it equates to about 110 miles/4.5 gallons or 24 MPG, what gives?

I'd guess acceleration has the highest impact on your mpg, followed by cruising speed. With my AC off, I can start in 2nd and upshift at 2500 which stills allows me to keep up with half the traffic. I often turn off the AC temporarily too just to get started. Even merging onto the interstate I can use 5th (1:1) without a problem. Of course Denton is plagued with horrible on-ramps and a 55 mph speed limit so that helps; everybody drives slower.

Don't let others push you around. They can always pass you, right?

[HudsonHawk]

I gaind 3MPG in my 3500 Ram by slowing down to 60 MPH on my daily commute. I went from 21 to 24 MPG. 60 MPH = 1800 RPM. That is where the engine is most efficent (Best Specific Fuel Economy) vs 2200RPM where it makes the most power. On a highway trip with little to no stops I can get 27 MPG by staying at 60 MPH.

As I am the slowest thing on the road I stay in the right hand lane to keep from pissing off the faster drivers. In that truck I really don't have a problem wtih people trying to run me over.

[channelmaniac]

I get to work from home a lot these days.

Between that and parking at the airport the truck & Miata don't see a lot of use.

Now the wife drives a LOT but I picked her up a 2006 Jetta TDI for Mother's Day. Diesel may cost more but at 45mpg is sure goes a lot farther.

Hell, I was tromping all over the TDI's accelerator and driving the car like a madman while trying to figure out why the parents weren't answering the phone... (Mom & stepdad have heart issues and they had the kid for a few days... turns out their phones were damaged in a storm) I put over 400 miles on the car that day and with driving it crazy it still got almost 40.5mpg.

Not too bad for a 4 door family sedan.

[ken o]

One reason I am holding on to the Mini is the gas mileage. I average 33mpg commuting on 75 for 25 miles. This is speeds from "slightly" above to a crawl. Drove to Houston and at slightly above 70 I got 38mpg.
- Good mileage
- Tires and stuff fit inside
- Top of GS (AX class)
- Ok power (small turbo)
- Chicks dig it more than a Miata
- Not as much of a chick car as a Miata
- Makes my hair look thicker.

[Dave04]

My big thing has been to take advantage of mass transit. Since DART doesn't run up to McKinney (yet), I found that I can a shuttle bus from the Raytheon plant (on 380) down to the DART station in Plano and back. The DART red line stops at JBJ/Central and that's just about 100 yards from our corporate campus (I can either take a TI shuttle bus or if it's nice out, just walk to my building).

Being as I have a 48 mile round trip, this is saving me a good bit of gas. I have started riding the bus/train 2 days a week or optionally telecommuting. I'm spending about as much on gas as I was last summer, so not too bad.

It's still hard to get rid of that feeling I NEED to have the car at work.

[CosmosMpower]

I'd guess acceleration has the highest impact on your mpg, followed by cruising speed. With my AC off, I can start in 2nd and upshift at 2500 which stills allows me to keep up with half the traffic. I often turn off the AC temporarily too just to get started. Even merging onto the interstate I can use 5th (1:1) without a problem. Of course Denton is plagued with horrible on-ramps and a 55 mph speed limit so that helps; everybody drives slower.

Don't let others push you around. They can always pass you, right?

I agree, there's a big difference in flooring it to 3000 rpms and shifting and ramping up slowly. I can definitely feel the lag with the a/c on and I can get the car started in 2nd but I don't think there are any gains to doing that and it lugs the engine at low rpms. Also I think 1:1 is 4th gear not 5th at least it seems that way in my 5spd NA.

[Darron65]

I was trying to clarify mine's a 6 speed. My 2nd is a lot lower than yours (just a tallish starting gear that will rev out at 52 mph) and my 5th is direct, 6th is essentially the same as most other's 5th.

[cArAzzIE]

Talking about fuel economy...

I was wondering about using the AC. I've already found my answer to one of my questions...and the answer is BE COMFORTABLE. The drag caused by having the windows down counter act any savings...and while the compressor puts a drain on the engine it doesn't cut down fuel efficiency that much (so I read at Edmunds.com and fueleconomy.gov).

But one question remains...does the compressor cycle on and off when you adjust the temperature - or does it run continuously and just filter in warm air from outside to make the air not as cold?

I had the impression that 1) using the AC is a big gas guzzler, and 2) changing the temperature dial to make it a little warmer would cause the compressor to cycle on and off - like a home AC - and help conserve fuel.

[cam76034]

Talking about fuel economy...

I was wondering about using the AC. I've already found my answer to one of my questions...and the answer is BE COMFORTABLE. The drag caused by having the windows down counter act any savings...and while the compressor puts a drain on the engine it doesn't cut down fuel efficiency that much (so I read at Edmunds.com and fueleconomy.gov).

I read the same thing, but the drag from the windows isn't a factor at speeds lower than 40mph. So windows down at slower speeds is more fuel efficient than AC on, but at highway speeds, you want the windows up.

But one question remains...does the compressor cycle on and off when you adjust the temperature - or does it run continuously and just filter in warm air from outside to make the air not as cold?

I had the impression that 1) using the AC is a big gas guzzler, and 2) changing the temperature dial to make it a little warmer would cause the compressor to cycle on and off - like a home AC - and help conserve fuel.

Don't know if all systems are like this but I do remember reading that the warm air mix is what determines how cold it gets.

[nealb]

I bought a Civic automatic in July 06

don't like driving it but it's done almost 33mpg in 33,000 miles without slowing down (usually 5+ over)

that's 33k not put on the Silverado at 16mpg or so

there is about 2mpg between winter (no air) and summer (air on)

and you really have to keep smooth on the throttle on it, or else the A/C compressor kicks out to help acceleration

kind of a built in don't-floor-it-o-meter

one thing I didn't hear anyone mention is fuel itself

if you can, buy fuel without ethanol

10% ethanol has 93% of the BTU, so mileage will be 6% or 7% less

I buy non-ethanol in Granbury every chance I get, and even go so far as to buy an extra 5 gallons in a can sometimes

my understanding is that ethanol is not required in counties that do not share a border with Tarrant or Dallas, but even so, many stations in Granbury Hood County only sell ethanol

must be easier for the distributor to only stock one flavor