Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
Just wanted to post up a little info real quick. I recently traded my 97 Lexus in for a 2009 Hyundai Sonata. I wanted something that got substantially better than the 22mpg I was getting in my old car.
Sticker lists the MPG's on the Sonata at 22city/33hwy with a 25mpg average. I've been applying a few hypermiling tips and let me say that I'm totally smoking that number. The 2 tanks before I started applying the tips I averaged around 25mpg's as the sticker suggested. A few modifications to driving habits and my last tank I averaged 29.5mpg. I'm finishing up another tank now and looks like I will be at around 31mpg, and that is AVERAGE with a good amount of city driving involved.
The only things I'm doing different? Much slower takeoffs, letting off the gas and coasting in neutral on long downhills, paying close attention to red light cycles and trying to avoid coming to complete stops by timing my arrival at the intersection, and limiting the amount of air conditioning (not easy to do in Dallas!). The interesting thing is that by applying these tips and paying attention to trying to save gas, I'm actually staying much more stress free behind the wheel. Weird, but its true.
But anywho, an extra 5-6mpg's will save me a few bucks a week, and cut a few bucks out of what I'm paying the oil companies and the middle east countries.
But anywho, an extra 5-6mpg's will save me a few bucks a week, and cut a few bucks out of what I'm paying the oil companies and the middle east countries.
Excellent ideas!
But only about 18 percent of our petroleum imports came from the Persian Gulf in 2007. 48 percent (with Canada being the largest supplier) came from the Western hemisphere.
People keep telling me that using the AC does not effect your gas mileage. Does anyone know or can anyone find the facts on this? It doesn't make sense to me.
People keep telling me that using the AC does not effect your gas mileage. Does anyone know or can anyone find the facts on this? It doesn't make sense to me.
AC does affect your mileage but it is better to use the AC than ride with your windows down. Drag from spoilers, tailgates, open windows and anything else that catches the wind will eat up gas.
AC does affect your mileage but it is better to use the AC than ride with your windows down. Drag from spoilers, tailgates, open windows and anything else that catches the wind will eat up gas.
Exactly. The AC will pull your mileage down, but not as much as riding with the windows down. But I guess there is a break even point somewhere along the way with that. I would assume that if you were stuck in an area where you couldn't get over 30mph for a little while, rolling down a window wouldn't cause much issues with wind drag like it would going 65mph down the freeway.
I tried this a while back and it does help. I was able to increase my in town mileage by about 5 mpg. What I don't understand is why cars are getting LESS efficient. When we were first married we bought a brand new 1989 Toyota Corolla. We had the car for 16 years and the guy we sold it to is still driving the car--great car. The sticker on the window, which we found in the glove box when we sold the car said 35 city/40 hwy. We averaged about 45 highway and 40 city. This is pretty much the same posted mileage for the Prius. Since people don't tend to keep cars that long I don't know that people really have noticed that.
We have a small Saturn that is comparable in size to the Corolla, it gets about 32 on the highway .
What I don't understand is why cars are getting LESS efficient.
Tougher emission standards and heavier cars due to safety standards and everyone wants a 5 star crash rating. Sad, but true.
People have long said that the auto industry is in bed with big oil, but I've always disagreed with that, and it is showing very clearly since gas prices started rising. Manufacturers are doing everything they can to increase mileage because they are very aware that a 2mpg difference on the sticker can be the difference between someone choosing their car, or the competition's.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
