Mileage Logging and a New Versa

[ericb2410]

Hi guys, first time poster, this seems like a great community.

I've decided on getting a Nissan Versa Sedan S (4-speed Automatic) after weeks of consideration and test drives. I'm currently a Junior in High School, and the car should last me through college while providing good fuel economy to reduce expenses. After reading around many places, this forum included, the decision was easy; the Versa was the way to go.

I'm looking to log all fuel economy and MPGs as I go, and I wanted to make sure this started with when I actually got the car. It seems like many other people around here take an interest in this, and was curious on how you went about doing it. Whether you log it in a book in your car, or a spreadsheet, or both, I would love to know what information you take down, where you take it down, and what exactly (and how) you calculate for data. I've signed up for that fuel economy and repair site posted in the sticky, so I assume that's one thing for it, but I'm just looking to see what fields you take data on, and how you go about organizing and totaling it.

I would also be interested about hearing what transmission you are using, and how you went about breaking your car in (and in your opinion, what is the best way to break in one of these cars, which I realize is a subjective topic).

Thank you for any help, and I look forward to any information that is returned to me.


Modified by ericb2410 at 10:15 PM 11/15/2007

[MIdnkight-lude]

do it, i have an almost complete log for my car. since i gotten it. so i alwasy do fill up.

as bad as my current gas look, my over all gas is still around 30mpg

[Sapphire]

First time poster myself. I've had my 2008 4spd Auto Sapphire Versa S for just under two months. I have 3750 miles on it already, don't ask.... I've got a couple of computer programs I'm evaluating at this time. Their names escape me at this time, it's on my "other" computer. They both track mpg and maintenance. Highly recommend the software route. I think i got one of them from download.com, it's a 10 dollar shareware program. I've tracked mpg from the beginning and am averaging 29.5 with a low of 26 and a high of 31.

On another note my first (2) mods are in the mail. DC sports strut bar and a Nismo license plate frame. I know I'm starting small, but I guess you have to start somewhere. Next up are the Nismo rims, still undecided on the rubber to dress them with. Probably be a toss up between Yokohama or Toyo. Any input would always be welcome.

[kc5f]

I just keep a small notebook and pen in the center armrest compartment and update it to a simple spreadsheet later. I only look at averages over a couple of tanks, however. The mileage for any one tank can be influenced by not getting it as full as other times, etc, but over several tanks that will average out.

[coxcj]

I've been tracking mine a little bit like kc5f. I always pay at the pump and get the receipt. I'll write on my receipt the mileage for the tank and the total miles on the car. Then I'll put the information into an access database. I picked access because I wanted something that was easy enough to do graphs because I'm more of a visual type of guy.

Also, I don't look at the single tank information for anything more than part of the whole. To me it's nothing more than a mark of a trend that would only be verified by more information from more tanks of gas.

Good luck with your endeavor.

[ericb2410]

Ahh, that's a good system with the receipt. And would it be possible to maybe upload your Access file so I could possibly get a look at a good template for doing this? I never considered Access, but that's probably a better idea than Excel anyways. I have Access 2003 if that matters at all.

Thanks again!

[Sapphire]

Got to my other computer with the software I mentioned. The simplest is Automobile Tracker 5.0. The more complex of the two is Automotive Wolf. I actually like the printed report of Automobile Tracker 5.0 and it also does a graph for the "visually" minded people as well. I'm not sure but I think you can export the data as well.

I also have several "rules" when filling up at the pump. I feel like the gas pump nazi but anyhoo:

1. Always pay at the pump. Pump and go with debit/credit and avoid waiting in line at the cashier.

2. Never, ever, ever, ever top off the tank. BAAAAAAAAAAD for your car, bad for the environment and absolutely no reason to round up to the nearest dollar because you're using your debit/credit card right? If not, refer to pump nazi rule number 1. Besides your data will be more consistent if you always stop after the first "click".

3. Yes, you can always keep a small log book in your car, but why. Just get the receipt from the pump. You are following pump nazi rule number one by now right? That receipt has more detail than you'll ever need. Just write the odometer reading on the receipt and hit the road. Small clip/envelope in the glove box keeps everything nice and neat.

That's just the Gas Pump Nazi's two cents worth.

[kc5f]

Yes, you can always keep a small log book in your car, but why. Just get the receipt from the pump.

Maybe pumps are better in OK than in SC, but I often get the message, "Please see attendant for receipt" when the pump's printer is out of paper, jammed or whatever the reason. And since you've got to write the mileage, anyway, it's just as easy to write the gallons, too, and there's no paperclips, receipts to go through a second time, etc. But it's just a matter of preference, just like Excel vs Access, since Excel does graphs, too...

[Ever Victorious]

I just use an excel spreadsheet I whipped up real quickly.

I enter in the start mileage for the tank, and the end mileage, and gallons to the hundredths. It calculates tank economy, and lifetime economy.

I just write the tank end mileage on the receipt when I fill up, because it gives me all the info I need (plus the total so I can balance by debit card in Quicken).

(snickers at Sapphire's pump nazi comments) By the way, welcome to NICO you two!

[coxcj]

eric, I'll send you an email with what I've got.

That's just the Gas Pump Nazi's two cents worth.

no gas for you!!!

Seriously, though. It just takes the diligence to keep track of it. I like using the receipt "when it works" because it has so much info on it, and there's very little that would need to be added to give you all you need for you records.

Now, I have to spend some time figuring out what Excel can do. I really want to get a decent graph running to know where my milage looks.

[Rockhound]

Yeah, I just use Excel for this purpose...just a really basic spreadsheet to track date, miles driven, fuel consumed, calculate MPG, and miles on the clock. You can make some snazzy graphs in Excel, too, if you want a visual comparison. The graph/chart wizard has all sorts of designs, and you can neatly integrate it with your spreadsheet. Access almost seems like overkill for such a simple purpose.

[ericb2410]

Welp, looks like for Christmas, I'm going to be getting the SpeedGauge II, so that will make all my calculations that much easier, however, I'll still be logging them.

The dealer also made a mistake on the S model that was originally going to be mine, so they are offering a reduced price on an SL model that I'll be going to look at tomorrow. We expect to have a car by either Wednesday or Saturday of next week.

[KimberKenobi]

I started with a book... (the first Camel) and found that to be cumbersome, so I used it mainly to back up all my data. When I got the second Camel, I had already changed practices.

What I do now is at every fill up (I always fill till the pump clicks) I jot down the total mileage (odometer reading) and the mileage since my last fill (trip A). Then I clear the trip and repeat.

I found that it was helpful to jot down the total mileage so that when I finally put all the gas receipts together, it was easier to put them in order (sometimes part of the receipts fade and it seems every station puts the date in a different location).

[ericb2410]

Thanks for the advice guys, it's greatly appreciated and helped me much so far.

It looks like I'll be getting an Onyx Blue 2008 Versa SL (CVT) this Wednesday for $500 more than I would have gotten the S because of a dealer screw up. I can't wait to finally get behind the wheel and drive already!

[Great White Versa]

Thanks for the advice guys, it's greatly appreciated and helped me much so far.

It looks like I'll be getting an Onyx Blue 2008 Versa SL (CVT) this Wednesday for $500 more than I would have gotten the S because of a dealer screw up. I can't wait to finally get behind the wheel and drive already!

good deal for you. If i could go back i would get an SL. So much nicer.

[sooner4x4]

As a lot of folks have already mentioned, using a spreadsheet like excel is an easy way to track. I have four inputs from each fillup:Date, Odometer, gallons, total cost. Everything else is calculated;Miles, cost/gal, tankful mpg. I also have column to input where I filled up, and an extra column for notes, for things like when you changed an air filter, or anything else that could potentially affect mpg.

I just write the odometer reading on the gas receipt from the pay at the pump. I also reset the trip odometer at that time. If you don't do a complete fillup, say you are needing gas real bad and the only station around is too high, and you just pump in a couple of gallons, just add that amount to your next complete fillup and everything is good for calculations.

I have a seperate spreadsheet page for each calendar year. At the top I have cells that keep a running total of fuel used, total $ spent on gas, total miles driven, high, low, and avg fuel cost and ave mpg, all for that calendar year. This turns out to be some of the more interesting data over the years.

[keanucosmo]

As a lot of folks have already mentioned, using a spreadsheet like excel is an easy way to track. I have four inputs from each fillup:Date, Odometer, gallons, total cost. Everything else is calculated;Miles, cost/gal, tankful mpg. I also have column to input where I filled up, and an extra column for notes, for things like when you changed an air filter, or anything else that could potentially affect mpg.

I just write the odometer reading on the gas receipt from the pay at the pump. I also reset the trip odometer at that time. If you don't do a complete fillup, say you are needing gas real bad and the only station around is too high, and you just pump in a couple of gallons, just add that amount to your next complete fillup and everything is good for calculations.

I have a seperate spreadsheet page for each calendar year. At the top I have cells that keep a running total of fuel used, total $ spent on gas, total miles driven, high, low, and avg fuel cost and ave mpg, all for that calendar year. This turns out to be some of the more interesting data over the years.

I do the same with a spreadsheet. I even split out gas tax so I know what part of a fillup is tax. I have Excel on my phone, so I just enter the numbers while it is filling. Then I just enter the gallons when finished. I did this from the first fillup to when I crashed with 15,600 miles. Overall mileage was 31.5 with 70% highway 30% city. Highway driving was around 70 and moderate to aggreesive city driving.

I enter any money spent on the car whether it is maintenance or loan or accessories etc. Here is a breakdown of costs.

TCPerMile $ 7,331.61¢ 7.471 Gas¢ 1.284 Gas Tax¢ 6.309 Taxes¢ 3.728 Loan¢ 17.303 Depreciation¢ 6.344 Insurance¢ 1.619 Maintenance¢ 2.926 Other¢ 46.985 Total¢ 29.682 less Depr

Modified by keanucosmo at 4:48 PM 11/29/2007

Modified by keanucosmo at 4:49 PM 11/29/2007
Modified by keanucosmo at 4:52 PM 11/29/2007

[ericb2410]

Well, just filled her up for the first time at just over 25 MPG. I assume this is normal within the first thousand miles or so, seeing as it's still in break-in and all, not to mention I don't know if the dealer filled the car all the way up or maybe topped it off. I'm loving the car so far after a week, can't get enough of it!

[fjwagner]

some very complicated answers. To tell you the truth, I mentally do the math after each fill-up but a log book in your glove box is probably the easiest and fastest. You read your mileage, read the gallons, write it down, do the math and clear your trip odometer. To use Excel or some other program requires doing the above (or keeping the receipt), then entering the data. Life is too short for all of that IMHO. Fred

[c5neb]

I have been computing it on the sales slip and then logging on a pad a home. Fill-ups have been mostly at one station since this is my commuting vehicle. Happy to save that after 14 months of logging, I have averaged 34 mpg with a low of 31.44 and a high of 36.4. Since I go to work at 3 AM, I use cruise at 45 for most of the way.

[ericb2410]

http://img244.imageshack.us/my...8.jpg

This is what I ended up using after all is said and done. The top portion is the 2007 sheet, the bottom the 2008. All light green fields are entered by me, and light yellow are computed by the spreadsheet. I write the odometer and trip reports on the receipt and enter them into the spreadsheet and the TrueDelta survey at the same time. The "add .1 mi" line is because I forgot to reset my trip after filling up. Oops!

I'm not getting excellent mileage, but it's not bad. The best is a 29.7 MPG tank, and that was highway around 70 MPH for almost the whole tank. The 25 MPG tank was at a consistent 79 MPH. Both these tanks had a total of 5 people in the car and the back literally filled with luggage.

I love the car still, and was surprised when I found this bumped. Very stable in the snow and fast on the highway with the power still there if it's needed.