Hello everyone, teach me how to save gas!
 

Hey everyone, just signed up here at gassavers, and I'd like to learn a few things! I drive a 98 Civic DX hatchback 5spd. Its a stock car with only coilovers added. My personal recorded best on gas mileage was 37mpg at an average of 80mph (I95 on the east coast) with a few stints of 100 and some traffic too. I know things like tire pressure and driving habits(staying light on the throttle) are great for gas mileage, but now i'd like to get really serious about it. Can those of you more familiar with the site direct me to where i can learn some of the techniques the gas saving gurus use? Just need a bit of hep getting to know the site! Thanks everyone, and keep saving gas!

The first thing you can do is slow the hell down!

Anyway, welcome to the site. How mechanically adept are you?

Hey, welcome to GS.

To find stuff, start off by searching for the "glossary" thread. It's got a lot of good info & links to relevant threads.

What a Drag!
 

Step #1: As quoted above. On the same trip, driving 60 mph, you could have easily gotten 45+. Anything over 60, and you're throwing cash out the window.

Step #2: Read the FAQ.

Step #3: Ask us questions, we're here to help!

Step #4: Signature. RH77

I drove like you...now I wonder why I ever did. 100 mph seems fun, but it really isn't worth a ticket, I recieved one for going 90 in a 70. Basically that fine nullified any time that I thought I saved by speeding because he kept me around for nearly 20 minutes before he let me go. Since then I have slowed down. I have deemed that speeding is not worth it, as fun as it can be, save it for the racetrack as some a few of us do here. On the racetrack it is not only more fun, but is much safer.

If you get the bug, you will realize many things:

Keys to great FE:
Look to surroundings ahead, watch the next light, roll up to stops with engine off, boost air pressure in tires....and slow down.

I got pulled over for doing 100 in a 35 zone , past a school in the middle of the day and got let off , actually I was doing just under 120 :D

I was a bad boy.
 

Back in Rural Ohio, I admit that I used to drive my '97 Civic DX (stripped) at max tilt (80+ regularly) and no Sheriff Deputy to be found. Besides, when I was driving those speeds, I was generally in uniform going to work, which was...

A Paramedic. We took turns driving, so I got the bug early for speed (especially when you have a huge coverage area and seconds literally do count). Since I worked with the Police at accident scenes, they knew me, my car, and let me go if I was speeding. In other parts of the state, the "Flying Tire Salesmen" - the Ohio State Troopers were vicious, so they put the fear of God in you. I stayed out of trouble.

Then I moved to the big city - Kansas City. I got a new '99 Civic Si and speed was the name of the game. My very first ticket (since driving with a permit at 15) was at age 22: 120 in a 65. The speedo actually showed faster, and the officer was rather nice about it, and said he cut 15 mph off, so it was 135! Since it was first offense, they knocked half off the price, and I got away with a $100 fine. Over the next few years, I had built the cost of speeding tickets into my "hobby expense". Once a year was fine. Around here, if you were in the right jurisdictions, all you had to do was pay double, and it became a "parking ticket" -- hence no insurance increase (much cheaper over time).

NOW here we are driving slow and saving gas.

My friends can hardly believe the transformation :)

Thanks GasSavers.org :thumbup:

RH77

Testimonial
 

RH77,

If ever GasSavers.org was to advertise I think that this post of yours should be used as a testimonial. :thumbup:

Thanks for the tips! But don't get me wrong i rarely ever go that fast, normally i keep it around 60, 65 since those are the speed limits on my local highways. That was the one time i was on the highway long enough to get all highway miles out of measuring a couple of tanks of fuel, and the flow of traffic happened to be pretty fast at an average of 75-85. I don't have a heavy foot, but I had to drive down to Maryland and back from NY (5hrs) in one day so i was trying to make some time. I'm glad to have found this site though, cant wait to see how much i can improve my mpg.

Thanks UfoTofU, I hope it didn't sound like a commercial, but it's the truth. I like performance cars, but 50% of their potential can't be realized without getting in serious trouble, so why bother on the streets? That's what the SCCA is for.

EK- Your enthusiasm should guarantee results. If you haven't already, track your progress on the gaslog, and good luck on your journey!

RH77