I'm a fuel economy junkie

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I owned an old diesel Rabbit back in the 1980s that regularly returned 55mpg on my 120-mile daily commute. My recently junked Impala with the 3.4L engine wasn't a record-setter, but I found on long trips fully loaded with 4 people onboard I could get 32mpg. My Kawasaki 500 motorcycle regularly returns about 52mpg. You don't need a lot of fancy technology to get great mileage.
 
Originally Posted by supton
I can't remember if I ever drove a Geo Metro... maybe 20 years ago in college. ...

Right now I'd probably give more thought to getting something with more mpg if it could hold my road bicycle easily on the inside, ...

Drove a couple of Prius (regular and C) and felt they were hateful. Just don't care for all those LCD's and whatnot. ...
I never rode a Metro, but knew a pair of old bachelor brothers who had one. They liked it, until they accidentally knocked a hole in the engine block (specifically, into an oil line, no less!) attempting to remove the stuck oil filter with a hammer and chisel.

Fuel savings aside, one of the best features of a Prius is that it can easily swallow a bike or two; otherwise, I certainly would not have bought it. One of its worst is its combination of monotone vacuum-fluorescent and badly positioned LCD dash displays that are not only drab, but also dangerously difficult to read under common lighting conditions. You can nearly run off the road trying to see how much fuel is left, or how the HVAC system is set.
 
That sounds annoying.

I drove a C once and it seemed kinda underpowered (but there was 3 of us in it). But the '17 Prius I drove I took a distinct hate towards. I decided to flip on cruise in a 40mph zone, just to see what its psuedo-CVT would feel like--and one of the LCD's popped up a warning about being careful in a residential zone! It also felt dead slow from a stop, but perhaps it just lacks the aggressive tip-in that my other vehicles have (which I never liked but wound up adapting to).
 
I need to get up to speed on what comes with CVT …
not going to buy one, and every rental I've had with one was a dog.
 
It's good to remember that e-cvt is not a chain-belt cvt, but rather an electric motor and gear or on/off-clutch affair that varies the speed of the electric motors as needed. Nothing to slip or wear out.

Put another way, hybrid cvt's are not the same and don't have the same troubles. Don't associate the bad cvt reputation with today's hybrids.
 
Originally Posted by RayCJ
. . .

Also, I'm always mindful of the people around me. Sure, steady accelerations and coasting to stops will increase fuel economy but, it might also annoy the living daylights out of the drivers behind you. In the worst case, putzing along at a self-righteously slow pace can create a dangerous situation. In my view of the world, driving for good fuel economy is a good thing but driving and being considerate of others on the road is more important.
. . .

Ray

Reminds me of that annoying State Farm spot with the woman obsessed with her discount. We've got more of that type than we need on the roads now.
 
my son's 6MT 1.5T civic seems to hold mid 30s, with him driving it like we drove sticks in the 80s.... shift 3-4k rpm, and 42ish on the highway ... excellent mpg without even trying. Even my older S60 2.4NA volvo would return 28 on my commute and 30's highway, and it wasn't a lightweight vehicle, just good aero.

As a 1/2 ton truck owner I'm thrilled with the mpg the newish F150 delivers, but I have very mixed feelings about it. We pull a trailer with the truck but besides that I'd be happy with a small vehicle IF I didn't feel so threatened by the small percentage of large vehicles that drive recklessly or aggressively with little consideration for smaller vehicles. I love the less-is-more concept and would willingly enjoy commuting in an open frame go-kart if there was a way to do it safely.

(Conversely, as a truck commuter who DOES care about the smaller vehicles, I keep my speeds down, leave space in front of me and drive with others' in mind, which then ends up frustrating the small cars around me who want me to drive faster or get out of their way. We, as the human element is a messy bunch!)

Some old tech is not always good. I used to ride a CB440 with a bunch of miles on it, and really couldn't break 30mpg. It was no better than my 4cyl accord.
 
I'm pleasantly surprised by the fuel economy my Clubman returns in the daily commute. Depending on traffic I often see over 40 mpg. If I didn't already have the Mini I would seriously consider picking up a 2015-2016 i3; I loved the 2016 REx that we leased for a couple of years.
 
I wish I could buy my vehicles based solely on the best fuel economy. But in reality, most people buy vehicles based on their lifestyle and needs (utility/cargo, passengers, etc), their budget, and then go shop the best examples available. Once I buy the right vehicle, I try to get the best fuel economy that I can. I ride dirt bikes and go camping quite a bit, so a pickup truck is definitely the best vehicle for my lifestyle. (I have considered SUV with rear bike rack but that's only good for one bike.) I'm getting around 23 MPG average which is good for a midsize pickup. Of course nobody "needs" a Corvette, but everyone needs toys, and it averages 22 MPG which is also pretty good for a 24 year old V8 sports car... long highway trips are around 28 MPG
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Originally Posted by supton
... But the '17 Prius I drove I took a distinct hate towards. ... It also felt dead slow from a stop, but perhaps it just lacks the aggressive tip-in that my other vehicles have ...
Um ... yes, non-aggressive "tip-in" was probably a big factor. I'm guessing you didn't try pressing the accelerator all the way down from a stop. That can squeal tires, albeit admittedly only briefly. All that said, I've never ridden a 4th-generation (2016 -present).
 
Could be--I was doing musical vehicles in the driveway, and snuck off for a quick ride. It took me a few years to get used to the tip-in on my Toyota's, that was something I've never warmed up to (but have learned to live with).
 
Driving from Georgia to Oklahoma for a family reunion. Drove 580 miles today and got another 435 miles tomorrow. 2002 Tahoe 5.3L with 248k miles, loaded down with a family of 5 + luggage + cooler + food/drinks, etc... cruising at 65-70 mph with the AC on.

I stopped for fuel at 406 miles and it took 20.4 gallons til it clicked.

406 / 20.4 = 19.9 mpg

I'll take that.
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Most recent tank, as of today, 7.7 gallons for 428 miles or 55.6 mpg. This involved only local use and seven days of my commute with only a little AC use.
Insane fuel economy for a 3500 lb car with 110 cubic feet of interior volume and a 17+ cubic foot trunk.
 
Originally Posted by RDY4WAR
Driving from Georgia to Oklahoma for a family reunion. Drove 580 miles today and got another 435 miles tomorrow. 2002 Tahoe 5.3L with 248k miles, loaded down with a family of 5 + luggage + cooler + food/drinks, etc... cruising at 65-70 mph with the AC on.

I stopped for fuel at 406 miles and it took 20.4 gallons til it clicked.

406 / 20.4 = 19.9 mpg

I'll take that.
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I beat this by a good bit today on the second leg of the drive.

430.2 miles ÷ 19.672 gallons = 21.87 mpg
 
21+ mpg from a well loaded Tahoe with the AC cranking and with 250K on it sounds pretty darn good.
Fuel economy is always relative to what you're driving and how it's loaded.
 
I get 28-32 mpg out of my 2er if I show some restraint. Considering the performance that's more than good enough for me.
 
I no longer keep track of what my XTerra gets. I've seen it as low as 11-12 when four-wheeling or towing my trailer while loaded up with gear and a pair of kayaks on the roof. I think the best I've ever gotten was 17, once.

My Camry gets about 25, but I figure that includes a bit of oil burned as well as gas. Tacoma is anywhere between 17-23 depending on how it's driven and if we tow anything.

Mustang gets about 18-19 which is surprisingly decent, all things considered.

Wife has hit 61 for a tank on her motorcycle. Mine gets around 45-50.
 
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I'm the opposite.....Vehicle needs fuel, Fill it up!! Have some slow J/A in my way....Pedal to the metal around them. A little to warm.....A/C full blast!
 
Originally Posted by 2strokeNorthstar
I quit caring. My job is good enough that I can afford fuel without noticing. I try to get it at a decent price but I try to life a reduced stress life outside of work.


I'm in the same position, but I don't like to spend the money. lol On this long trip I made this week, running above the speed limit would've only saved me an hour or so off a 16 hour drive and cost me an additional $30+ in fuel. I see no reason for that. I just cruise at 65-70 mph, keep stress off the engine, trans, rear end, tires, brakes, and wallet. I mapped out ahead where the cheapest fuel prices were reported so I could plan where I'd stop for fuel.
 
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