WHAT KIND OF GAS MILEAGE DO YOU GET?

[Benn Griffin]

This is just my own experience: I drive a 2001 Chevy Prizm that I bought in 2004. I have put over 100,000 miles on it so right now it's at 138,000 (bought it used with about 30k on it). It's an automatic transmission which kind of kills my gas mileage, but there are some tricks I have learned that have equated to better gas mileage. Since I am driving to and from college 40 miles each way about 3-4 times a week, plus driving to work and back and sometimes to Emma's house, I want to be as gas efficient as possible. I have found that I get better gas mileage if I don't let my car sit there idling. Anything over a minute of idling is just wasting gas. Rather, what experts suggest is to start your car and simply ease into it. Your car will warm up within the first few minutes. In addition I try to keep rpms around 2.5 and no higher (this unfortunately means I usually cause a line of angry motorists behind me). I drive 45-50 mph top speed on the 55mph zones, and no faster than 55-60 mph on the highway. Just doing this I have found that my gas mileage increased from 27 mpg to a sweet 33.39 mpg (as per my last fillup on 10/8/08). My goal is to get the mpg up to 35 mpg by the next time I fill up. (FYI this is really neat because the car brand new was listed at 27 mpg highway. I am definitely showing them! And this is without any performance enhancers or dry gas or any gizmos). Just doing this saves me as much as 5-6 bucks easily a week in gas That's nearly a half tank of gas a month!

[adam]

Truck: 14-16 mpg
'77 Firebird: about the same...maybe less depending on the speed limit, whether it wants to start or not, etc. It's pretty sensitive with the gas pedal. Touch it a little bit and the engine gets going pretty quick.

We try not to drive much if we can avoid it, or we try to make sure we can do multiple things with our trips. Often I'll run or bike places instead. Sometimes it takes just about the same amount of time to run/bike as it does to drive, and it can be less stressful cuase I don't have to deal with sitting in traffic.

[James Winzenz]

2005 Hyundai Elantra GT - average anywhere between 34-37 mpg for a tank, depending on how much highway miles I put on it, and how my my wife drives (she doesn't like manual transmissions).  I have a trip computer on it, so I get instant gas mileage averages.  Typically, when I first fill up and reset the trip computer, I get the mpg up to almost 45 on my first trip to work, which is about 98% freeway.  The only thing I do different is I use full synthetic oil.  BTW, this was rated 32 mpg highway by the EPA.  I drive no faster than 65 on the freeways here, and whenever possible, I will coast down the hills with the transmission disengaged (either engage the clutch all the way or put it in neutral).  Prior to this car, I had a 1994 Geo Prizm that got right around 30 mpg.  We put about 150,000 miles on that, IIRC.

[Sasha Pachev]

Draft behind semis. This did a miracle for us when we had to drive our CNG van from St. George in between stations with low pressure and thus being able to fill up only half way.

[jtshad]

James, be careful with cluth approach as that is a good way to damaging it.  I had a friend who did that down a hill that was about 5 miles long and a short time later on the trip his clutch failed.

[James Winzenz]

Draft behind semis. This did a miracle for us when we had to drive our CNG van from St. George in between stations with low pressure and thus being able to fill up only half way.

Under normal circumstances, this is not a very good approach and one semi drivers hate (because they literally cannot see you at all).  I remember watching an episode of Mythbusters where they did actually show the increase in efficiencey when drafting behind a semi at specific distances, but I remember an incident several years ago where my little brother was drafting behind a semi and it started hitting its brakes and swerving back and forth to lose him.  It is the equivalent of our tailgating another car to the extreme.  I understand your situation was unique, Sasha, but I would not advocate others taking up this as a pastime.

Jeff, thanks for the warning - I haven't had any issues, but will make sure to take it out of gear if I want to coast instead of just engaging the clutch.  I only have 50K miles on it right now and on my previous car, the clutch didn't have to be replaced until 90K miles - I am hoping for the same sort of longevity.

[Scott Zincone]

Drafting behind a big truck must work because the MythBusters confirmed it.

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2007/06/episode_80_big_rig_myths.html

[adam]

Yes, but, sadly cutting a hole in the floor with a machine gun doesn't work. They did not confirm that.

http://kwc.org/mythbusters/2006/09/special_megamovie_myths.html

[milesdavis]

 8)My '97 Geo Prizm LSI gets 30 mpg in the city and 35-39 on the highway. My '02 Highlander gets 20-22 mpg in the city and 25 on the highway. My convertible '05 mini cooper S gets 25 in the city and about 28 on the highway. I'm sure the mileage would increase if I slowed down, but the mini is too fun to drive slow. I usually go about 85 on the highway.

[Benn Griffin]

UPDATE! On my last tank of gas using nearly 11 gallons of a 13.2 gallon tank, I averaged 35.45 MILES PER GALLON! This is a huge breakthrough. I'm going to try to get even better mileage now!

[Paul (RivertonPaul)]

Also helps to only drive downhill.

[Benn Griffin]

OH YEAH!!! Last tank of gas: 36.5 MPG!

[Tyler]

I averaged 48.3 mpg in my Toyota last summer. I kept trying for 50, but the closest I got was 49.6.

And I don't have a hybrid. If anybody can guess how, I'll give you a hug.

[Jon Allen]

Is it a Tercel?

[Tyler]

Why, yes it is.

You're on to me.