What kind of numbers have you guys seen over a break-in period? Could anyone give a rough estimate such as:

"I went from X mpg typical to Y mpg typical after a Z mile breakin"

Anyone want to do a statistical analysis from the mileage database:

Average 1st tank:
Average 4th tank:
Average 7th tank:
Average 10th tank:

I know that improved driving skills and warmer weather play a big role, but I'm curious about what is typical for a new owner.

 

hi allen - my experience has been that there's not a lot mechanically that improves your mpg during the break-in period. i suspect that any improvements in hch.ii mpg over time has come from either: 1) warmer weather since the hch.ii was introduced in the late fall and colder weather and/or 2) driving habits. my driving habits have taken a few months to change. this has resulted in some of the largest gains in mpg since my first tank. btw, not all of my driving habits have resulted in more timid driving. i've actually learned to drive more normally than when i first got the car. the car does an amazing job of handling everything for you if you drive normally. still, you do learn to let off the accelerator earlier than a block before the light and to have a lighter foot when cruising .

 

FWIW I'm on my second hybrid.
My first was a 2004 HCH CVT I bought April 2004.
It took me about 2 years to get my lifetime average up to 60 MPG.
Jan 2 2006 I bought the 2006 HCH CVT and already after 4 months I have the lifetime average up to 60.
I think much of it is driver skill.

 

Check the fillups in the database to see the progression. I know my first tank was like 47 MPG and my last was 55 MPG. I would attribute most of that to learning how to drive again.

 

If you look at the mileage database you can see how our tanks are rating. My average went up from 48 to 53 in five tanks, but I also "learned" how to drive the car.


https://www.greenhybrid.com/compare/.../car/2238.html

 

Ok, I averaged the 1st, 4th, 7th, and 10th tank of every HCH2 in the database that has at least 10 tanks (43 entries). Here's what I saw:

1st tank: 45.0 mpg
4th tank: 46.5 mpg
7th tank: 47.3 mpg
10th tnk: 47.9 mpg

If I throw out the top 5 and bottom 5 from the database I get:

1st tank: 45.2 mpg
4th tank: 46.5 mpg
7th tank: 47.3 mpg
10th tnk: 48.3 mpg

Looks a good, steady increase. Most of that may be due to the driver, and or warmer weather in the last couple of months. It would be neat to see the database have an entry called AVERAGE that had a living trace that showed the average fuel efficiency for each tank number that was in the database.

 

I suspect most of this increase is not from the cars being broken in. Rather it is the driver that is being broken in.

Ron in SoCal (in the process of being broken in)