Help me: Large sample for tracking fuel economy

[Ever Victorious]

This goes out to every Versa owner. Including ones that may not be on NICO, that NICOers have regular contact with.

I have created a sheet for tracking mileage (kilometers for you canadians) and fuel economy, as well as several other factors.

I would like to collect all of this data and come up with both comprehensive numbers and also be able to see if there are any specific factors that may attribute to better/worse fuel economy.

This will take into account transmission, normal weight carried, ac usage, driving habits, commute length, commute speed,... Yeah, I think that's it.

I am conducting this privately, and for the sole purpose of data comparison, to see what common threads cause variation in fuel economy. If you wish to participate, EMAIL ME using the link on my Nico profile. Do NOT reply to this thread with any information... OK to reply if you have questions about the survey.

I have both US and Canada versions of this tracking sheet.

It's pretty simple: start tracking mileage both using the regular odometer and trip odometer, for 5 tanks, starting with your next tank. Plug the data into the excel spreadsheet (or give me the data if you don't have excel, and I'll do it for you).

Email me if you would like to participate. The more participants, the better. Your answers are confidential and will only be seen by me.

(If any mod wants to make this sticky... it would be appreciated)

[MinisterofDOOM]

Interesting project. I look forward to seeing the results.

(If any mod wants to make this sticky... it would be appreciated)

[Ever Victorious]

Thanks for the sticky.

Already got some responses coming in. The more people participate, the more accurate this survey will be. let's keep it going, people!

[BenDupre]

EV,

Did you already take mine from the RWMPG thread or should I mail you something?

Ben

[Ever Victorious]

Good to clarify this.

Anyone who wants to participate needs to email me. I'd like to start with fresh figures, so I'll be sending you a tracking sheet that you use starting with your next fillup.

I just want to make sure everyone is using the same method, to eliminate problems related to methodology.

[Althalus]

The gallons in tenths column, did you want how much we filled up?

[Ever Victorious]

Yes, and I want a complete fill up every time.

[Althalus]

Complete till the auto stop hits or till it starts pouring out? lol

[Ever Victorious]

Autostop, preferably.

No extra points for setting yourself on fire accidentally.

[Althalus]

lol. I always fill up to the nearest quarter after autostop, but I'll suffer for the greater good.

[Elmojo]

Great idea EV, count me in.

[Ever Victorious]

Well, email me then and I'll send you the file.

[voltronguy]

Hi EV,Nice idea, I'll try to send you the sheet I have been keeping soon.

On a side note, it might be fun to capture the following meta data: driver's sex and age! It could provide some fun bragging rights!

[Ever Victorious]

Hi EV,Nice idea, I'll try to send you the sheet I have been keeping soon.

On a side note, it might be fun to capture the following meta data: driver's sex and age! It could provide some fun bragging rights!

Is that a sheet you have been doing personally, or one I gave you? If it is your own, I have to say thanks, but for the sake of being a "good scientist", I have to ask you to email me and request my form, so that everyone is doing it the same way.

Also, I want to put this out there: so far, I'm not sure if anyone with an S auto has signed up... I need all transmissions represented, and it would also be good to have as large of a sample size as possible.

SOo.. EVERYONE SIGN UP, PLEASE! All it requires is for you to carry around my worksheet, and fill it out when you fill up the next few times!

[BenDupre]

Professor Victorious

I sent you my sheet this morning. If it's not what you want, let me know.

Ben

[Elmojo]

Hey EV,I haven't gotten my sheet yet. Did you get my email?

[Ever Victorious]

Looks like Comcast's auto-spam filter nixed your message. I have emailed you a copy.

Anyone who has a hotmail account who is trying to get ahold of me, let me know... I will have to mail you first, since it looks like Comcast doesn't like that domain.

[fritzlovesmary]

are we going to see results here in the forum?fritz

[Ever Victorious]

Absolutely! I know everyone's dying to know. I know I am, too.

[clone]

Ev, what are the chances of submitting the results of your survey to the government Versa owner's "Average User MPG" at http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/sbs.htm ? At the present time their are only 3 "users" reported on that sight.

I plan to buy a small car and have looked at the Versa quite a lot. But, reading this and other forums gives me pause on the claimed mileage being achieved. Makes me think I'd not be bettering myself.

Perhaps if enough current owners posted there, Nissan might look into the matter if the results were negative.

Thanks to all for the information posted.

[Ever Victorious]

I'll consider that. For the data to actually make an impact on the website, a login would have to be created for each car, and each car would have to be input individually. If I simply plugged my numbers in there, all of the cars that I am studying would have the weight of only 1 car on the fed's site, as opposed to the number of actual cars.

Once I start getting surveys back, I'll have a better answer for this.

Shameless plug again: If you haven't signed up already, do so! the more cars I get, the more accurate the data. I specifically need more S autos, but ANY transmission is useful again for having more accurate data in the end.

[BenDupre]

EV

Please e-mail me: dupre at iowatelecom.net.

I sent you my form, but I don't think you got it.

Ben

[Ever Victorious]

You've got mail.

[BenDupre]

Wow, there's a lot on that form. Are you having much luck getting people to fill it out?

Ben

[Ever Victorious]

Wow, there's a lot on that form. Are you having much luck getting people to fill it out?

Ben

There are quite a few individuals signed up. One has even completed it and sent it back (I expect more to start trickling in, now that a couple weeks have passed since I started passing out the form.)

Actually, the form is super-easy to fill out. Most of the fields are locked so you can't modify a field that you shouldn't. Mostly it's just entering odometer and gallon readings, and then a little demographic info. Nothing too complex.

Oh, and KC5F gets props for being the first completed with his survey.

(My survey would be about a day from completion had it not been interrupted in the middle by the accident.)

[Althalus]

My sheet's on it's way

[Ever Victorious]

Received, thank you.

Looking forward to the rest of you turning in your results.

[Cyclonicks]

I've only done 2 refills so far lol

[Ever Victorious]

I've only done 2 refills so far lol

That's quite alright. I know we all drive at radically different rates.

I would have been done over a week ago had I not had an accident. I'm guessing my trip odometer will get reset by the body shop, so I'm going to have to start my personal tracking all over once I get the car back.

[Ever Victorious]

I had a good question from another owner this morning, and I would like to bring up a point here.

The mathematics of the spreadsheet have been set up so that you must do the survey over five CONSECUTIVE tanks. If you keep a log of your own numbers and choose the data for only your best five or your worst five tanks, you will get a horrible miscalculation error.

This is intentional, it is meant to keep the data as scientific and realistic as possible. We're trying to track what ACTUALLY happens when you drive a Versa, not what is THEORETICALLY possible.

I realize for some people this may take weeks or a couple months to reach, as far as fill-ups. I am fully aware of this, and was not planning on having the first batch of data available until about New Year's.

On a side note... anyone else done, or close to done? I have 3 completed submitted sheets so far. I've sent out 27, so there are another 24 outstanding (I realize a few of you just requested it this week. )