Garage/Gas-Log Trend?

[GasSavers_brick]

Originally Posted by zpiloto

But I think that the over EPA is really a matter of how long the commute is and terrain.

I agree that it's a big part of it, but it doesn't always work out the way you would expect. In warm weather where cold starts aren't as painful, I see EPA-busting as a matter of terrain and skill, not so much distance. For example, I have a 25 mile commute on the highway that gets me in the 41-42mpg range round-trip. But there's a shorter route around town that I use to get between offices, and it blows my long highway commute out of the water. It's six miles and I've seen round trip numbers as high as 46mpg! The difference, I think, is the opportunity to "codfish" for at least 1/4 of the distance if not more. Prior to learning that technique I was stuck in the mid 30s.

[Mighty Mira]

Originally Posted by 95metro

I can't imagine gas ever hitting $12 a gallon, but I guess anything is possible. The trend I have noticed over the last four years is that gas has basically gone up $0.10/liter/year ($0.38/gal/year). I fluctuates during the year, but I can pretty much guarantee that August will produce prices of $1.15/L in my area. Last August was $1.05 to a $1.08 and the current price is $1.11/L. By the time February or March of the following year rolls around, the previous July/August prices are the norm and people have gotten used to the increase.

I'm talking longterm. Eventually it will get there, it's just a matter of when. With taxes in other countries, it's already at $6/gallon, often more. Whether it's 1 year or 10 years, we will see it. And it's not really just gas prices, it's gas price/disposable income or gas price/discretionary spending.

Originally Posted by 95metro

But, anyway, I'm getting off topic. What I mostly wanted to say is that fuel economy for us seems to be a hobby for the most part. Kind of the polar-opposite of racing, but in the same vein.

Yes, that's true. Although these days it's getting more and more popular. The jargon is becoming widely understood. Most auto buffs recognize drag coefficient now, I'd be surprised if that was the case 10 years ago. It's only a matter of time before this stuff is widely accepted. Auto enthusiasts know that to increase peak hp, you will need to add a turbo, increase the boost, add an intercooler(most likely front mount) to increase efficiency/protect the engine, open up the exhaust and intake, and adjust the air/fuel ratio. It's only a matter of time before people will understand LRR tyres, sideskirts, undertrays, custom bodykits, taller gearing and eventually electric propulsion as the necessary components of achieving excellent fuel economy.

Before long there will be magazines devoted to this stuff. In fact, there is probably an excellent business opportunity going unexploited there. Or maybe someone is already exploiting it?

[JanGeo]

I'm seeing that weird three in a row slope on my MPG per tank again - I wonder if there is some relation to the time of the month that I fill up or the weather . . . humm current tank only hovering around 40mpg average - lots of congestion from the summer tennis crowds blocking traffic when they walk across the streets. Waited for 3 light changes for a left turn with only 6 cars ahead of me today - 3 mile trip took half an hour with the AC running. Need some counrty driving in the woods to get back up into the 50's for a few miles.

[Bunger]

Originally Posted by SVOboy

Hypermile the aerostar!

Or, as my friend's might say: "Ghost-ride the whip!"

LOL, I watched my friend almost "ghost ride" his "whip" into a tree... now if you could get 3 friends and a 4 door... all do it at once... then ya got something. =)

[philmcneal]

kind of hard to determine Who these top ten drive at. mostly city or highway?

because highway is such a joke compared to city.... stay below 60 mph!

[Bunger]

My drives are 75% freeway, normally between 65-80 MPH. I've started just driving the car how I would normally, and the mileage has still been pretty good. I'm sure if I was trying more it would be even better, but driving 45 minutes at a time in traffic where people are blowing past you constantly gets real old real fast.

[duhshuh]

Take a look at the sample... a lot more Hondas and Swift-clones. It only makes sense that so many are appearing in the top ten.

Originally Posted by 95metro

This isn't terribly significant, just something I found interesting.

Under Top-Ten vehicles the list for highest MPG goes like this:

Honda
Swift-clone
Honda
Honda
Swift-clone
Swift-clone
Honda
Swift-clone
Honda
Honda

For % over EPA average the list is much more diverse:

Honda
VW
Mazda
Honda
Honda
Toyota
Swift-clone
Honda
Saturn
Honda

[95metro]

Originally Posted by philmcneal

kind of hard to determine Who these top ten drive at. mostly city or highway?

because highway is such a joke compared to city.... stay below 60 mph!

I am generally 95-100% city driving. Occasionally I take the Metro out for a highway scream to get the engine revving (80 km/h in 3rd gear to get up to the insane highway speed, 4th up to 100, and then cruise in 5th at 110). At the most this is a 10-20 km drive once during a tank. The furthest I've gone in the last number of months was a 40 km leisure drive on a country backroad.