XterraVersa was right

[Ever Victorious]

With the new V, I've started watching my footwork more carefully on the V, keeping a longer following distance, backing off the gas a half second sooner before shifting, and trying to keep my RPM's as close to 2000 as possible when I'm on surface streets.

As you can see in my signature, the results are positive. My first Versa basically got exactly 30 MPG every single tank. This time, I'm getting nearly 2 MPG more. And my numbers are slowly creeping up, since I've had a couple tanks over 32 MPG.

I don't expect to break 33 MPG lifetime as the hills around here are too steep and numerous, but what I'm getting is still exceeding my expectations.

[biggie]

When in the city I definately run my too hard probably. Still think its getting use to a lack of power and the very short gears. I can tell the difference when I'm shifting a lot more instead of cruising. My tanks vary from 28.5mpg to 31.5mpg.

[bone_stock_240]

With the new V, I've started watching my footwork more carefully on the V, keeping a longer following distance, backing off the gas a half second sooner before shifting, and trying to keep my RPM's as close to 2000 as possible when I'm on surface streets.

Also you will benefit from less wear on the clutch and brakes. My friends all follow really closely when they are driving and it makes me insane. Usually when I am driving home in bumper to bumper traffic, I am the only one on the highway that doesn't have to come to a complete stop every 2 seconds. Well me, and the guy smart enough to follow behind my car.

I have hit 32 mpg a couple of times. Long highway trips following the speed limit.

[marleyfan]

Around here if you leave 2 car lengths in front of you 3 cars will try to get in. I personally have stopped worrying about my mileage and drive the car the way I enjoy driving it. I have found that my mileage is increasing. Could be due to break-in or could be due to slightly more highway driving. But either way I'm enjoying the journey more now that I'm not looking at the trip meter and gas gauge every 5 min.

[kc5f]

You guys make me appreciate this area even more. I can drive in a relaxed manner (and still pass more than I get passed), with beautiful scenery and mild weather, and not have to worry about bumper-to-bumper traffic and maniac drivers thinking they're on a raceway. I'm sure that helps me get my 34 mpg in the summer and 31 in the winter with my Versa, even with the mountains!

[ThirstyRoss]

I am the only one on the highway that doesn't have to come to a complete stop every 2 seconds. Well me, and the guy smart enough to follow behind my car.

This is why I like being behind truckers in stop-n-go, bumper to bumper traffic. They do the same and hardly ever come to a complete stop.

[bone_stock_240]

This is why I like being behind truckers in stop-n-go, bumper to bumper traffic. They do the same and hardly ever come to a complete stop.

Yeah, best thing to do especially if you are driving standard. Sometimes I make it home with barely having touched my brake pedal. I find it funny that people think the fastest way to get through bumper to bumper is to come to a complete stop, and then accellerate till you are right on the bumper of the person in front of you, and then stop again. Lather rinse and repeat until you are home, and you will be 1 very frustrated person.

[Ever Victorious]

I find the easiest way to get through bumper to bumper rush hour traffic is to use the carpool lanes.

However, since I've owned this new V, I haven't been able to use them once, since my wife is still on maternity leave.

Side note... I got my plates today. that is the fastest I have ever gotten plates for a car. Two weeks to the day.

[XterraVersa]

Last week I borrowed my sister's Jeep in Baltimore. When I gave it back to her, she complained that I refilled without resetting the trip meter when we went to the gas station. I said I never refilled it until we got to the gas station. She had been getting 15 mpg with her driving style. I got close to 25 mpg with mine.

She was considering getting rid of the jeep because of the poor gas mileage. I took her for a ride durring rush hour to show her how to get the good mpg. It is also a 6-speed. She said she got it up to 20 mpg on the next tank & it didn't take any longer to get to work on her 30 mile commute.

[sambot]

I am told the optimum way to drive is tap, glide, tap, glide, and for sure, glide into a stop position. The gliding part drives people crazy. Personally, I've been gliding for years - we all seem to get to the red light together. The blast-past-me drivers just get to wait longer at the light. I don't get the tap part.

I find the 6 speed manny transmission has this habit of creeping up in speed. I thought I was going the speed limit, but I'm going 20 over. It can just be so smooth. And I do love the hanging rpms. I don't need to double clutch.

[marleyfan]

As a motorcycle rider I hate being behind creepers. It's hard to maintain balance when you're creeping along at 2mph. I know this has nothing do do with versa mileage but just saying that not every driver on the road appreciates being behind drivers like that. So if you see a motorcyclist in your rear view...do him a favor and come to a complete stop more often.

[Ever Victorious]

No offense, Marley, but I find motorcycle riders to be the rudest, most selfish drivers and those with the least regard for the law. Even worse than all the Microsoft drivers with their Lotuses, Mercedes, and even the occasional Lambo.

Motorcyclists seem to have the attitude of being more than capable of fending for themselves, so other than making sure I don't run over them, I ignore them as much as possible.

[Woogie]

Can't argue with that. It's a toss up which is worse IMHO, the crotch rocket riders who speed up the freeway and weave in and out of traffic or the obnoxious Harley riders with no mufflers that you can hear over your stereo with the windows rolled up from half a mile away.

Had one of those jerks nearly perforate my eardrum when I was getting on I-90 around midnight one time. I was in the right lane which was a dedicated turn lane with the driver's window down, and he was right beside me. The *** opened up the throttle and zoomed ahead and cut me off, leaving my ears ringing. If I'd had been able to catch up with him, I probably would have run him over. On purpose.

[marleyfan]

It's those two types of riders that give the rest of us a bad name. Most riders are just riding for the love of riding. You notice the a-holes, you don't notice the rest. My comment was just to point out how difficult the creeping traffic is for riders. Many of the people in this forum comment that they got the V for fuel economy to both save money and do a bit for the environment (dont open THAT argument again). Riders feel the same way. Don't lump us all into one of your two categories.

[sambot]

As a motorcycle rider I hate being behind creepers. It's hard to maintain balance when you're creeping along at 2mph. I know this has nothing do do with versa mileage but just saying that not every driver on the road appreciates being behind drivers like that. So if you see a motorcyclist in your rear view...do him a favor and come to a complete stop more often.

Most of the motorcyclists here pass me long before I start the glide/creep. I think it's 'cause I'm one of the few people in Edmonton who goes the speed limit, and I tend to drive on roads that motorbikes avoid. My husband's a biker and he drives like it, blasting up to red lights. I think he too doesn't like gliding creeps like me.

Actually, I was taught to glide to red lights when I took driver training some 35 years ago, back in the pleistocene era before crotch rockets ruled the world.

Many of the people in this forum comment that they got the V for fuel economy to both save money and do a bit for the environment (dont open THAT argument again). Riders feel the same way.

Except the versa carries 4 people comfortably, 5, not so comfortably and keeps you dry in the rain.

[ThirstyRoss]

As a motorcycle rider I hate being behind creepers. It's hard to maintain balance when you're creeping along at 2mph. I know this has nothing do do with versa mileage but just saying that not every driver on the road appreciates being behind drivers like that. So if you see a motorcyclist in your rear view...do him a favor and come to a complete stop more often.

Hey, motorcycle drivers can choose another lane if they don't like me creeping along at a speed which isn't "good" for them. People creeping along are far less common than people embracing the rush-and-stop mentality.

[Lenixma]

I agree with you ThirstyRoss.....Especially here in the GTA (Oshawa - Pickering for me).....

That and the fact that the bikes also like to creep between the 2 lanes of traffic, - I know it is only a few bad apples but they seem be be multiplying like rabbits at this point

Umm I think we ALL just thread jacked this. But what are you going to do....

And besides the creeping that is being referred to also saves in the long term on brakes and other wear and tear....Just ask my buddy who goes through breaks even 20,000 KM on his G5 because he is the racing up and stop type of driver....

Just my 2cents....Dont wanna offend anyone.

[motoguy128]

I ride BMW motorcycle, with a very tall 1st gear so I have to agree that creeping is a little annoying.... but I can live with it.

One reason that motorcycles seem so rude and arrogant is that even a touring motorcycle like my R1200RT, has the power to weight ration equal to a Doadge Viper, but with shorter gearing, so it's even quicker up ot 60. SO when I accelerate "slowly" I'm easily oupacing cars. When I take a corner "easy" I'm at a speed where my Versa would be sqeeling it's tires and sliding off the road. When I life the throttle and slow down using engine compression, I'm slowing faster than when I apply the brakes moderately on my Versa. The level of performace is so much higher.

Bottom line, motorcycle riders are poeple, even if you don;t like they way some ride, we don;t have a preotective cage surrounding us, so any collision could be life threatening. You don;t drive donw the freeway pointing a loaded gun and people, yet some drivers treat motorcycles in just that manner.

No matter how rude or big of an ******* someone is, they don't deserve to have a driver put their life at risk, even if they are riding wrecklessly. 2 wrongs don't make a right. Remember that one? I don't condone the careless riding on some riders on crotchrockets (we call them "Squids"), but keep in mind that a mtoorcycle gets mor estable at higher speeds, and at their performance level, 100mph on my motorcycle feels like going 70mph in my car in terms of control and stability. And even at that speed I might still be able to stop in a shorter distance than my Versa with it's mediocre brakes.

Back on topic. It's amazing to difference is how people drive in urban areas compared to smaller towns. If most drivers just relazed a little and looked more than 30 feet down the road, we could save a lot of gas.... or maybe we all just need to ride motorcycle more. I get 45-50mpg in the city and highway.