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Hey Kenny; ...MPG
Topic Started: May 4 2008, 12:13 PM (604 Views)
The 89th Key
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kenny
May 9 2008, 05:00 PM
The 89th Key
May 9 2008, 12:54 PM
I think it's 20/28

Then how are you getting 23.41 driving like a madman?

EPA must be higher.
People who get EPA also get lots of middle fingers too.

Anyway I'm getting 60% better than EPA, and I avoid using the hybrid system so you can get near that too.

What do I think you'll get?
It depends how much of a madman you were, and how much of a Kenny you become. :angel:
I'd say high 30s, maybe 40.

Your tank only takes you 300 miles? :dead:
Mine take me 600 or more on 10.5 gallons.

I think I'll get near 30 or so, not really sure. I inflated my tires a bit more yesterday afternoon and since then have been going 56 MPH on highways on cruise control and doing my best to accelerate and brake slowly. Doesn't feel like I'm saving much gas, but I guess we'll see what happens.

I definitely don't think I'll keep this up afterwards though...depending on what the result is. I'm not that concerned enough with saving a little bit of money and gas compared to the extra time involved in driving "slowly". I put it in quotations...because technically I'm still going over the speed limit! :lol:
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The 89th Key
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Well I just filled up again, the stats after a week of doing all the right things (brake less, accelerate slower, cruise control at 55mph on highways, inflate tires, no A/C, etc) are quite disappointing.

Gallons used: 12.245
Miles driven: 319
MPG = 26.05

That's up from 23.4 or so.....DEFINITELY not worth the extra effort and time involved. I thought it would be much higher! I wonder if it's because my car is a 1995...pretty old compared to the technology in newer cars?

Anyway...sorry Kenny, pretty poor result for the time and effort involved. I thought I would at least crack 30 MPG!
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jon-nyc
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Cheers
Whew, you must be glad that's over with.

No you can go back to being a real man and treat driving like the zero-sum game that it is. :P
In my defense, I was left unsupervised.
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The 89th Key
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Well I did learn how long I can coast (e.g., approaching a red light or going through a neighborhood) without needing to press the gas or brake), so that was cool to know, but it was very tough to drive 55 MPH in the right lane with people zooming past on the left (where I'm driving again starting today! :yesgrin:)
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Improviso
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HOLY CARP!!!
The 89th Key
May 16 2008, 10:41 AM
it was very tough to drive 55 MPH in the right lane with people zooming past on the left

I do it all the time.

Dare to be different 89. Don't be a sheeple.

I calculated about an 11% fuel savings from your numbers. Gosh, if everyone did it and we could reduce (as a country) our gas consumption by an average of 11%, maybe oil prices would go down due to reduced demand.

Nawww..... pedal to the metal boy... 6 bucks a gallon, here we come. :thumb:
Identifying narcissists isn't difficult. Just look for the person who is constantly fishing for compliments
and admiration while breaking down over even the slightest bit of criticism.

We have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences.
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The 89th Key
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Thanks Improv but I don't like "daring" or "trying" to be different...I like being who I am, which is someone who likes to drive fast fast fast!!! :biggrin:

It's true that if everyone slowed down a bit, that it would certainly help the oil situation. Although I have no real worries...it'll get expensive, the market will react (by creating less demand, encouraging alternate energy, etc) and the world will go on as usual.

If anything, the higher oil prices will encourage an increase in nuclear power (duh!) and drilling for domestic oil (duh!) and biofuels and other alternate energy exploration. :thumb: I have faith in the human race to react and adapt as needed...usually driven by the market!
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rontuner
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Junior Carp
Hey 89th! I ran a similar experiment. I've got a 2006 Scion Xb that I bought to be my "tunermobile". I replaced a minivan with the eye on getting better mileage. I averaged around 30mpg - a little less in the winter. (pretty much the EPA numbers) I had tried many tricks, looked at forums where other people were getting close to 40 and just figured the 10% ethanol Illinois gas kept me from doing any better. I thought I was doing everything I could.

Then I bought a scangauge...

The ability to see realtime mpg, as well as average trip mpg makes all the difference in the world. I know this can't help with your current car, since it is older than 1998 where the on board diagnostic ports were standardized.

On one trip to work (20 some miles) My average mpg was 44 until I got to the last corner. I saw I could either gun it, and sneak in a little spot, or wait through a huge line. I gunned it, pulled around the corner to the parking lot and checked the trip computer. 38mpg.... just because of that last stretch... (It felt goooood though!)

The moral of the story? It is tough to make a change based on guess-work. Once you get to see what is happening in real-time, you can make informed choices. I got to peel away from the stop and still get way better mpg for the whole trip than I was able to do just a few weeks ago!
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
Good point RT.

I remember when I got my first hybrid car over four years ago.
Every morning I'd zero the meter and experiment to get better MPG on my commute than I got yesterday.

Instant feedback is key.

With a readout you are constantly trying to get it up or keep it up.
I remember I used to park on the 7th level of the parking structure.
It KILLED my MPG for the day so I started parking on the first level, which involved a longer walk to the elevator.
Little things add up but without a gauge you just don't know the cause and effect.
A calculator at the gas pump is too late to learn the cause and effects of a thousand decisions.

I'll bet if all cars came with MPG gauges our gas consumption would drop 10 to 20% overnight.
What could it cost when mass produced? maybe $10 per car?

I'd love to see them be mandatory.
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The 89th Key
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Interesting RT, instant feedback like that would help a lot! My friend's TSX has one...pretty cool.
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The 89th Key
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Well today I filled up again (had a lot of highway miles over the weekend) and it was 25.3 MPG with my normal driving habits. Maybe I can bump it to 30+ with another test round but with more highway miles this time....since last time there was more side roads than I would like.
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Rick
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Senior Carp
Now that I've been driving my new scooter for a couple of weeks, I can make an observation that may not be appearant to car drivers.
When driving in the city, I am amazed how cars hurry to the next traffic light, even though they might see that it has just turned red or that they plain know they're going to have to stop and wait. They rush up and hit their brakes hard.
Being on this scooter, I'm looking ahead and if I see that I'm coming to a traffic light that's red, I'll just let off the gas and coast up to the light. The CVT (auto) transmission downshifts the bike for me and I hardly have to use my brakes at all if timed correctly. So I'm coasting to the light, and all the cars are zooming by only to have to brake hard when they get there.
What a waste.

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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
Rick
May 20 2008, 10:38 AM
Now that I've been driving my new scooter for a couple of weeks,  I can make an observation that may not be appearant to car drivers.  
When driving in the city,  I am amazed how cars hurry to the next traffic light,  even though they might see that it has just turned red or that they plain know they're going to have to stop and wait.    They rush up and hit their brakes hard.


HEY! Them's fighting words, boy! :veryangry:

They are protecting their territory.
God grants all drivers ownership and sovereign dominion of the space between them and the car in front of them.
The world will end if their territory is stolen.

It's not about speed or saving time.
It is about winning little competitions when they drive.
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Rick
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Senior Carp
kenny
May 20 2008, 10:41 AM
Rick
May 20 2008, 10:38 AM
Now that I've been driving my new scooter for a couple of weeks,  I can make an observation that may not be appearant to car drivers.  
When driving in the city,  I am amazed how cars hurry to the next traffic light,  even though they might see that it has just turned red or that they plain know they're going to have to stop and wait.    They rush up and hit their brakes hard.


HEY! Them's fighting words, boy! :veryangry:

They are protecting their territory.
God grants all drivers ownership of the space between them and the car in front of them.
The world will end if their territory is stolen.

It's not about speed or saving time.
It is about winning little competitions when they drive.

I suppose you're right Kenny, sad, isn't it?
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The 89th Key
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Well for me it's a combo of speed, saving time, AND winning little competitions during the commute. :D

I love driving. I coast when I'm on vacation. :P

Rick, I probably mentioned it before...when I was in Italy, I rented a scooter...it was a blast to drive! So fun, efficient, and easy to get around the city (and amalfi coastal roads). :yes:
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kenny
HOLY CARP!!!
The 89th Key
May 20 2008, 10:50 AM
I love driving.

I love driving too.

I feel driving should be fun!

And, to borrow a phrase from that Mercedes ad, I think you should LOVE what you drive!
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Improviso
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HOLY CARP!!!
rontuner
May 19 2008, 01:00 PM
The ability to see realtime mpg, as well as average trip mpg makes all the difference in the world.

Agreed. The instant feedback on the hybrid really helped me find what worked and what didn't. When I first bought the hybrid, I was getting 45 to 50 miles per gallon. Using the instant feedback gauge and learning how to drive for mpg, I can consistantly get 55 to 60 mpg. I now use what I've learned in the hybrid and apply it when I'm driving the Expedition. Mileage has gone up, but hey... it's an Expedition. It's only going to go up so much.
Identifying narcissists isn't difficult. Just look for the person who is constantly fishing for compliments
and admiration while breaking down over even the slightest bit of criticism.

We have the freedom to choose our actions, but we do not get to choose our consequences.
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Rick
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Senior Carp
The 89th Key
May 20 2008, 10:50 AM
Well for me it's a combo of speed, saving time, AND winning little competitions during the commute. :D

I love driving. I coast when I'm on vacation. :P

Rick, I probably mentioned it before...when I was in Italy, I rented a scooter...it was a blast to drive! So fun, efficient, and easy to get around the city (and amalfi coastal roads). :yes:

You got to be careful driving the Amalfi coast for the first time, the scenery is so awesome you can't help but admire it which takes away your focus of driving the twisty cliffside road. Awwwwwwwwwwwwwwwww!!!!!!!!
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