Just a suggestion for the mileage database, please let me know what you guys think. I have been taking a look at lots of the data in the mileage database and there are several users in the database for every model who have only added one, two or maybe even there tanks or so and have now stopped adding tanks. Some of these people have not signed back online or added more tanks in over a year. Most of these users also have low mileage figures in the database. I think that after so long these non-users should be dropped from the database. Eventhough this is a real mileage database this users are not contributing and are hurting the over mileage figures and skewing the data for every model. Do you think that this is feasable?

 

Hmmm, good question. But is the goal to maximize mileage or to have an accurate indication of average mileage?

My opinion would be that even if they don't participate any more, they still drove the cars and got that type of mileage for the tanks indicated, so it is data....

 

Good point. That's true but most people in general and especially here on GH as a whole start off with poor mileage and continue to improve upon that. To me the improvement or decrease in FE, the continous data, is the real world mileage not just someones two tanks from when they were interested in the site or their mileage for a sort period of time.

 

Isn't it easy enough to make the data summary exclude cars with less than a certain number of tanks and also calculate the average based on averaging all tanks, not all vehicles? Someone that input 2 tanks wouldn't effect the whole as much as someone that input 100 tanks.

 

There was a suggestion a few months back to 'gray out' inactive contributors after say, 3 or 6 months. Jason's a busy guy.

Its not good to delete them- their numbers are a valid as anyone elses on average (the point of the DB, after all, is to provide as braod a picture as possible), but some marking would be worthwhile so actve users can gage things more easily.

 

It is a lot easier to just leave it the way it is. It is also a better indicator of "what an average Prius driver will average" if you leave those low contributors in the mix.
Now, if you want " the average of the average mpg of very committed Prius drivers" then change it.
What you might consider is getting an actual Prius mpg. All the numbers are there-distance traveled and gallons used.This could establish "bragging rights" Prius vs HCH. It would reward the mpg monsters, and the committed(ha,ha) members.Now if this number is already there,sorry I missed it.
I used the Prius as an example, of course(on my 1st cup-need at least one more before becoming hybridly correct).Thanks,Charlie

 

That's a good idea. I like that!

 

That's very bad because someone with 100 tanks does not have 10x more relevant data than someone with 10 tanks. Both cars are in fact equally valid, as both are broken in.

The current method is perfectly fine with no flaws. It sounds like you guys are trying to find ways to artifically skew the results higher.

 

Agreed- skewing the data to those who regularly contribute, as opposed to those who toos in their 1st few tanks, is not a good idea. Most people I know base 'their MPG' off of the 1st couple of tanks when they go the car new, anyway- when it was the new toy to play with. So in a way, the '1st tank off the lot' mpg is more valuable to many consumers. Few are interested in what the FE is a year down the road- they want to know what the instant gratification (or frustration) factor will be.

Although I think its worthwhile to differentiate on the page who the 'active' contributors are, while keeping all the data. It woud be purely cosmetic, and only matter to those who want to know 'where they stand' relative to other active contributors- no effect on the compilation. I think that would satisfy most users.

 

Thanks guys! It was just an idea I had, and it seems like it may not have been such a good idea as I originally thought. That is why I wanted some input. Thanks.