To all:

I'm curious about how the techniques we use to squeeze every mile out of our hybrids carry over to a straight IC engine.

When I first got my 03' Standard HCH in late November 2002, I was averaging about 45 MPG/tank. By last winter I had that up to about 50MPG. Running the higher tire pressure and by further refining my techniques, I expect to get that up to at least 52-53 this coming winter. So there is definitely a learning curve here.

I still have the vehicle the HCH replaced, a 98 Forester, and over the next week or so I am going to attempt to quantify just how much driving technique effects milage by driving the Forester using the same techniques I have learned to use with the hybrid. I was getting about 24MPG with the Subaru before I "relearned" how to drive. I'm hoping to get that up to 30MPG.

Has anybody here done anything similar yet?

MC

 

MC,
Yes as a matter of fact, you can check out the milage database, and we have a few non-hybrids on the hypermiler list (i'm workin on it). Wayne for one, has done an excelent job in his MDX and Corolla. Oh, BTW, glad to have you on the board.
Cheers,
Steven

 

Jason or moderator:

I shoud have posted this in the general or main milage/economy forum. Sorry. Is there anyway you can move it?

MC

 

MC,
Done,
Cheers,
Steven

 

I have tried to do this with other vehicles. The hardest part is not having the "game guage" to give you instantaneous feedback.
I don't drive our other vehicle (a minivan) enough to go through a whole tank of gas myself. My wife drive it most of the time. So trying to tell how much influence I'm having is very difficult to measure.

My sister in law has a minivan that actually has an instantaneous mpg readout mounted just above the rearview mirror. Someday I'd like to drive it to see what kind of mpg I can get out of it.

 

I have been trying to drive my Saturn station wagon for mileage. I seem to be getting between 28-30mpg which I believe is about a 15% improvement. However, I did not track the data before I started trying to drive for mpg, so that is a guesstimate.

Last tank I was doing really, really well even with AC. I thought I might get 31-32mpg. My wife used the car to visit her parents, about 15 minutes each way. When she returned it almost a quarter of a tank was gone!! :o

28mpg for that tank.

Question: I know open windows at highway speeds kills mpg. What about at moderate speeds? 30-45?

BTW- I do intend to post my data, I just haven't had a chance to do so.

 

Drag increases exponetially; drag at 60mph will be four times higher than at 30mph.

 

I am waiting for my Prius (16 days and counting) but I have been using some of the things I have learned on this board and other sites in my present car a 99 Ford Explorer. I will be keeping this for the things it does well like logging roads, fording streams, pulling my tent trailer and for snow days. It has a mileage computer and I have been experimenting. Before I was getting 18-20 mpg(usually 19.5 per tank average). Good considering the EPA average is 17 city and 23 highway. Most of my driving is rural (40-50 mph few stops) and city. About half and half for my daily commute. I now am getting 22-23. I have slowed down a bit, accelerate more slowly when safe, coast to stops when possible. Not bad I think. It is easy to get 16 mpg if you put your foot in it. I had to make an emergency run to the hospital, no actual speeding but fast acceleration and late braking. I was at ¼ tank and had 20.6 mpg for the tank and pushed to down to 16.7 in about 15 min driving. Having that immediate feed back from the trip computer in the car is invaluable. BTW it has been accurate every time I have tested it by calculation of gas used and miles. With in .3 mpg each time so I can trust it I think. I think a MPG display should be front and center on every car. B)

 

hdrygas,
Sounds like you're making a good choice keeping the Explorer. I don't think the Prius, or any midsize car, would be good for the specialized uses you mention.

Also, great job on the increased mileage. A 10-15% mpg increase just by making small adjusments to your driving habits.

 

I'm gonna do it, I swear. it's just SOOOOOOO hard getting out of my HCH.

MC