Distance on a single tank of gas

[illf8ed]

I drive 144 miles a day. About 2 miles of that are non highway (from my exit to my house and from my exit to my job). My tires are inflated with Nitrogen to 44 psi. I drive at 45 mph for about 50 miles and the rest of the time I'm driving at 55 mph. I never turn the air or a/c on and drive with the windows up. I drift down hills in nuetral and do not increase acceleration up hills ( I just lose speed and then drift down the next hill to get back up to speed). I also never have a passenger and when I accelerate from a dead stop I barely touch the gas. Once I come off the highway to my job I turn the car off and drift the quarter mile or so to work. On my way home I shut it off after a sharp turn (not sure of the distance from there to my house). If anyone lives in the Baltimore area I am more then willing to spend an hour or two on a Saturday morning proving that my fuel mileage is very possible.

[frankoV]

simply amazing . . . and again I say "Holy you-know-what, Batman!".

[srellim234]

So since you are truly hypermiling why are you in a car as poor aerodynamically and heavy as the Versa? Strictly interior size?

[Alphahawk]

If you watched the CNN report on hypermileing.....I forget the car....but it was worse off than the Versa for weight and aero. Plus according to the report as I saw it it is dangerous and not very practical to me. But that guy was doubling his 25mpg to 50mpg so the story said. I tried a few of the less severe techniques but it requires a lot of focus and I think it is still to dangerous to do. Just my opinion.

[illf8ed]

I originally wanted a Yaris but it was way too small. I then looked at a Fit. I fit in it but I still felt claustrophobic. I then decided to go with the Versa. I have a good history with Nissan and I felt comfortable in it. My friend is getting 50+ MPG out of his 94 for ranger. In all reality the mileage I'm getting compared to others doing the same thing as me isn't that good.

[srellim234]

That's partly why I asked the question. Hypermiling isn't plausible in this area and in my driving situation and I definitely don't see the Versa as a great hypermiling vehicle. In addition to the aerodynamics and weight for a small engine, my CVT doesn't glide nearly as well as other cars I've had, both larger and smaller. Which transmission do you have?

[illf8ed]

I wanted the 6 speed but it would have actually costed me 1000 more because I the dealer was more willing to work with me on the price with a cvt. It's a weird transmission. I shift it into neutral a lot. If you're doing around 40 or less and tap the gas VERY lightly, the RPMs drop to idle. That's the only useful thing I've found so far. I don't understand why the RPMs stay so high when you let go of the gas.

[J. Reid]

Best I've gotten distance wise so far is 580km, and thats with the last 10km or so being driven with the low fuel indicator on.

[keanucosmo]

my CVT doesn't glide nearly as well as other cars I've had, both larger and smaller.

I think it's more to do with the lighter alloy wheels. Ever Victorious & I had this discussion in a tire rolling resistance thread. He said this improved for him with aftermarket rims & larger tires. I can coast in neutral & maintain speed on a very slight downhill, but I have the steel wheels and a 6MT.

[srellim234]

Makes sense. I wonder, too, about the engine braking resistance the CVT puts on the car compared to a regular automatic transmission. Is it more or less with a CVT?

[marleyfan]

Mine seems to glide surprisingly well in neutral. But then I have nothing to compare it with since this is the first vehicle I've done it in. With the price of gas now over $1.50/L I've changed the way I drive. I was quite heavy on the gas and was achieving terrible gas mileage. Now I drive much less aggressively and throw it into neutral whenever I can. We'll see if my mileage shows any improvement. Wish I could change the conditions I drive in but diving on the hwy more simply isn't an option for me. I still find 46mpg lifetime difficult to believe tho. You sure you didn't get a V with an odometer that reads in Km by mistake?

[kc5f]

I think it's more to do with the lighter alloy wheels... I can coast in neutral & maintain speed on a very slight downhill, but I have the steel wheels and a 6MT.

But the quote ("my CVT doesn't glide nearly as well as other cars I've had, both larger and smaller") sounds like it was referring to coasting in Drive. When I put my CVT in Neutral, it coasts as well as any MT car with the clutch in that I've driven. And I've done it plenty with both!

[Alphahawk]

The CVT is funny when it comes to coasting compared to a regular transmission. It has more resistance. I don't know why and I am just now learning about CVT and what it will mean for future cars and if it is going to be used in more of them. Made the trip from Columbia,TN to Memphis,TN today. On the trip out did 29 miles on hi-way at 55mph and 66mph on interstate distance of 171 for total of 200 miles. The speedometer was dead on with the speed on the GPS. Mileage down was 37.8mpg. Took same route back but dropped the interstate speed to 60mph. Mileage back gave me 41.8mpg. Cruise control was used both ways....no coasting.....no head wind or tail wind.....no wind. The thing about this is that I make a 200 mile round trip around 3 times a week 90 percent on hi-way at 55mph and my mpg is around 35 to 37. But I do not use the cruise on that trip and I do coast down hills in neutral. I am going on that route tomorrow and will use the cruise and see if that makes a difference. I only do 55mph and that should give me better than the 41.8mpg I got on the interstate today. I do go through two very small towns with 2 red lights in each one but I don't see how that could make too big a difference. I am not an aggressive driver but I do go the 55 speed limit and usually 66mph on a 70mph interstate but I do weigh 300 pounds so it is like having two people in the car. I am not disappointed with my car or my gas mileage.

[superskunk]

I went to 414 once before stopping to fill up, but I also had the Camel strand me at 358 once...

yesterday on my way to work i beat your low with a whopping 265, i really need to slow it down i guess....

[kcourtad]

i get about 325 on a full tank... the best i got was 380 and the light came on... but my foot isnt light... so i get about 325 a full tank...

[Jemdawg]

I've had 40 once, and 37 a few times for straight highway driving. My average combined is about 34. That would make my average distance about 442 miles.

[gmader2001]

Just a follow up.......I made the trip to Nova Scotia and I must say I was very inpressed with what I spent on fuel. The trip 1 way was about 2050kms and I only spent about $230 with the average price of fuel being 1.45/lt. I averaged about 120km/h and with a full load (I was very suprised how much I stuffed in there) with around a quarter of a tank left I always had at least 500kms on the trip odo, thats with using the a/c a lot. Best car i every made the trip in. I've done the trip in a 2000 hyundai Elantra and a 2003 Pontiac Sunfire, this was by far the best car outta those 2. VERY HAPPY!!!!

[frankoV]

tx. I head out next Monday and will be happy if I match you.

[gmader2001]

Hey frankohabs, your heading to Newfoundland right? We'll the price I spent on gas was to Sydney, Cape Breton, not far from the NFLD ferry. I got gas just before Quebec, fill up before there because its was like 1.49/lt once u cross over. I almost made it through the whole province of Quebec on 1 tank and that was with the a/c most of the way doing about 120km/h. I think I could of made it but we had to stop about half an hour from New Brunswick. (pee break, lol) GOOD LUCK WITH YOUR TRIP!!!!!

[frankoV]

Thanks, gm.

I cross over within an hour . . . I'll be sure to fill first, but the way things are going imagine gas will be close to $1.49 before I head out!

Going to fill up in N Sydney as well, as gas is .10-.12/l higher in NL than here! otoh, it may be about the same in N Sydney as NL!

Tell you one thing, though . . . it'll certainly be cheaper in the V than in my old van!