24 MPG (Y33 97 with 180K) this week

[miata007]

Thanks for the current gas prices, I've altered my driving habit. Filled up this morning and did the math (280mi/11.5) = 24 MPG!!!!

This is only 1 tank of gas so can't be accurate I normally get 20 MPG going to work, so same route.

What did I change:1. driving 60 to 65 (instead of 80mph) on the highway with cruise control whenever I can.2. no more reckless driving3. New spark plugs, coils, and air filter4. slow down early when I see light is red way in advance.

I only seem to get to work 3 to 5 minutes later compared to my previous driving. One thing I notice is there are less cars and accident on the freeway. People must be taking public transportation and doing more carpooling. On the other hand, I see more and more people doing 60mph that I can't stand on the number 2 lane (4 lane each way).

007

[qsiguy]

Good job. Driving habits can make a huge difference. What was your average before changing the way you drive?

I've been doing the same thing. Doing my best NOT to floor it all the time, and that is a difficult thing to do in my car. While testing the turbo and tuning I was down to about 14 mpg. Careful driving lately has gotten me back up to 19.5 mpg. Mostly city driving. That's with my new 4.08 rear diff and a/c on as well.

I have more helpful tips on my mpgsolutions website.http://www.mpgsolutions.org/3steps.htm

[BadQ45t]

with my 19" rims and my driving habits I get 18-19 best case.....sometimes it gets lower, the car was only rated at 17-23, you really sure you got 24????

[gammer_ghn]

pffft you guys are in dreamland!!! with shiz Cali gas im gettin 17mpg with my 60-65 mph and other mixed driving if im lucky! can you say $4.95 a gallon with me driving 200miles in one day??? haha good times good times!

[Q45tech]

Less about top speed [within reason- say 55-65] than about acceleration from stops and slow downs.

A WOT, zero to 60 consumes 10 times the fuel that a SLOW acceleration does. Keep rpms below 2500.

Just remember those Semis are getting 5.5 mpg at best.

Unfortunately the 3.694 vs 3.538 diff gear sacrifices 4.4% to improve acceleration from 9% smaller engine so the net is only about 4.5% betterment in MPG vs an early Q.........about 1 MPG on a good day.

[jimbyjimb]

I got 26 in my Q on a 200 mile one-way trip, and just a little better than 25mpg on the way home. The windshield sticker rating doesn't mean much and is an average. Nothing is concrete when it comes to cars.

Most tractors aren't considered that great if they can't get at least 8mpg. When I worked on semi's 8 was the standard, fully loaded. Heavy hauls achieved only slightly less. 90% of our fleet were Freightliners with Detroit Series 60's in them, 470HP. The Cummins motor did about the same at 400HP in the Volvo trucks.

[Q45tech]

Not much experience with Big trucks but DOE says nationwide they get 5.5 MPG:http://www.greencarcongress.co....htmlKenworth says 6.0 MPG is historical average and newer ones get 7:http://www.kenworth.com/FuelEconomyWhitePaper.pdf

Guess it depends on how many stops and whether you idle all night.http://www.transportation.anl.gov/pdfs/TA/15.pdf

We didn't discuss the idle fuel consumption of a Q, but obviously a 4.1 gets better than an 4.5 if the rpms are exactly equal. But if the 4.1 is idling just 55 rpms higher it is a wash.

[jimbyjimb]

I'd like to see a natural gas Q. That would be pretty neat.

I believe the nationwide average of 5.5 though, taking into long hill climbs, older trucks still on the road, etc...

Whats amazing is how little the newer more aerodynamic trucks increase economy. The Volvo truck is much smoother than any of the Freights or Kay Dub's but really didn't get better fuel economy. I guess any little difference these days helps in any case. What's more interesting is aerodynamics in general. So many common beliefs are incorrect, like bluff front ends. The 69 Charger 500 has a lower drag coefficient than a new Corvette.

[maxnix]

Unfortunately the 3.694 vs 3.538 diff gear sacrifices 4.4% to improve acceleration from 9% smaller engine so the net is only about 4.5% betterment in MPG vs an early Q.........about 1 MPG on a good day.

That's reflected in my experience, between 1 and 2 mpg difference.

[oldmako]

If I drive the way I like, I routinely get 20. (80 on the interstate using cruise control, with occasional brief forays into triple digits).

If I get my geezer on and keep it at 65 then I can achieve 23 and change IF I stay out of the cam. I allow the car to accelerate to speed rather than make it accelerate. I think that's where the real savings lie. But, geezer driving sucks and I really miss the noise it makes approaching 6600 rpm. So, it's 20 mpg for me....week in and week out since October of last year.

[Q45tech]

Create an electronic engine sound simulator and play thru stereo.

All cars need something like a taxi meter to enable you to properly charge your passengers, dates, and children, the 51 cents per mile it costs: gas, mainteance and repairs, insurance, tag/tax.

[BadQ45t]

I used to get 20 before the rims..problem for me now is I only drive the Q about 2-3k a year, I have a 84' 300ZX (which gets 22-23 being drive HARD) and a 95 X-Terra that gets 18 mixed. but only driving the Q every so often I cannot resist stomping on that V8...I just filled up and my estimate is 17, I guess that isn't bad considering my lead foot at this point.

[jimbyjimb]

Couldn't help but notice you had a 77 Celica. Those things are awesome, wicked looking little buggers.