Best mpg of the year!

[Quattro Pete]

24.1 has been my best MPG this year on the 530i. This car only gets driven on weekends nowadays, and when it does, I don't baby it.

56.3 MPG on Vulcan.

I don't track MPG on the C300 since it's wife's car. It gets miserable MPG anyway...

 

[Quattro Pete]

Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
I was willing to let everything you posted go up until this point.

Wow! Did someone [censored] in your cornflakes this morning?

Take it easy, folks.

 

[Hermann]

Originally Posted By: Bladecutter
Originally Posted By: subiedriver
I also don't charge up to stoplights, I usually start backing off 1/4 mile in advance, normally it'll turn green by the time I get there. Other people look at me like I'm nuts, but in reality, they're the idiots, lol.


I was willing to let everything you posted go up until this point.

Being a fellow motorist on these roads in Colorado with you, I can attest that Subaru drivers out here tend to make themselves into rolling roadblocks. Intentionally, at that.

They have superiority complexes about being (supposedly) better safer drivers, and sometimes go out of their way to get that extra mile per gallon out of their Outback because it makes them feel good about themselves. One of my best friends does exactly the same thing in his '06 Legacy Outback hatchback.

Its great that you want to do that.

But, can you, and the rest of the Subaru drivers who want to drive like that, PLEASE do several other activities, also.

First one, please drive in the right lane on a road that has multiple lanes going in the same direction. There is a law about slower vehicles are required to stay right, you know. Granted, the Police don't enforce it, but I wish they would.

Second, try doing the speed limit instead of 15 mph slower than the speed limit, especially up a hill. We have LOTS of hills to climb here in Colorado, if you haven't noticed. Actually, I know you noticed, because you bought a Subaru to get you better traction in the winter to go up those hills.

Third, when you merge onto a highway, can you please speed up to the flow of traffic in the merge lane before you pull into the right lane of the highway? It would be greatly appreciated to not have to slow from 65 mph to 30 just because you don't want to have to wait for me to go by your slow moving vehicle.

Fourth, if you have an automatic, have you considered pulling the AWD fuse to see if you would get better fuel economy from that alone? You know, that fuse you have to pull if you need to use the space saving spare tire on your car. Have you considered that at all? Probably not. You really don't need your AWD during the summer, on your asphalt commute, you know.

And I have to point out the most important thing that you have obviously missed in all your feelings of superiority:

Your driving behavior makes you stick out like a sore thumb, yet you think everyone else is nuts for driving like normal people.

You are the one going out of your way to drive abnormally.
You are the one holding up the flow of traffic.
You are the one disturbing traffic flow, and holding up other people who simply want to get where they are going.
You are the one struggling to get 30 mpg in your car, in the spring. Just about every car in your vehicle's segment with the same size engine gets 30 mpg WITHOUT driving the way you do. My '07 2.5 Nissan Altima would regularly get 35 mpg on the highway.

You are the one that is out of the ordinary, and you need to realize that.

By the way...

I get 55 mpg driving my touring bike like a normal person in traffic, getting around people like you (probably you, even) with barely a thought. I can get down to 49 mpg driving a bit aggressively, or up to 60 if I have the patience to drive like you, which I don't.

When I need better mpg, I switch to the appropriate vehicle to get that mileage. I don't keep trying to push a square peg through a round hole.

I have a car for bad weather, and I have winter tires for that car for snow driving. I have 3 motorcycles for the nicer summer weather, where I can choose what type of mpg I want, depending on what type of smile I want on my face while getting those mpg.

And that's the difference between people driving Subaru's who try to get somewhat decent mpg numbers:

You have to WORK at it.
I like to enjoy my drive on the road.

Being behind people like you means that I don't get to enjoy my drive nearly as much.

But yet I'm still getting better mpg than you.
And I'm not having to work at it, at all.

Which one of us is nuts again?

BC.


Wow, last year during a trip to Colorado I found Suburu drivers to be the bullies of the road, speeding, tailgating, ect. Rude rude rude. Kinda like Big pickup and SUV drivers here.

 

[HTSS_TR]

Subaru drivers in So Cal are much nicer than jackup pickups and big SUV's.

 

[garlicbreadman]

i think the highway mpg are underestimated. i can achieve 38-40 in the summer on my 31mpg highway rated integra. my tsx can get 34-36 on highway and its rated 31 as well.

 

[Rickey]

44.3 MPG average on one tank, 2010 Cruze ECO 6MT. This is almost all highway miles.

Rickey.

 

[jgeorge]

heck an old 3.8l gm engine will get 32mpg if it is maintained.

 

[SOHCman]

^+1

I don't have a problem with slow drivers at all, as long as they stay the (strongword) out of the passing lane.

The same goes for the swerving soccer moms driving 50 in the 65mph passing lane while trying to break up a food fight in the back seat.

 

[SOHCman]

Originally Posted By: jgeorge
heck an old 3.8l gm engine will get 32mpg if it is maintained.


Its true, the 3800's are gems. Not sure if its true, but I heard the latest generation has been ruined by emission mandates in the aspects of fuel milage and dependability.

 

[whip]

Originally Posted By: subiedriver
One more thing Indylan, I don't need arrogant people like you telling me how to drive, I'll drive how I [censored] well please, get it?

In your initial post, you called the other drivers "idiots". Who threw out the first arrogant stone?

 

[subiedriver]

Maybe dumb would have been a better word, what sense does it make to charge up to a stoplight and slam on you're brakes, versus backing off 1/4 mile ahead of time and coasting through it.

Also, I don't have to appease bladecutter's driving techniques on the highway, if he wants to be agressive and lose 3-4 mpg doing it, that's his perogative. I drive for maximum mpg, but I'm not a slow or "grandpa" driver.

 

[Bladecutter]

Originally Posted By: Hermann


Wow, last year during a trip to Colorado I found Suburu drivers to be the bullies of the road, speeding, tailgating, ect. Rude rude rude. Kinda like Big pickup and SUV drivers here.


Depends on where you drive through Colorado, I would bet.
Didn't happen to be winter, and you were heading up to the ski resorts, was it?

My regular commute brings me through Highway 36 heading to Boulder every morning, then back home down Highway 93 at night. I get to witness road behavior that leaves you scratching your head wondering what the other person was thinking.

Now to Subiedriver:

Its entirely possible that you aren't driving on the roads like the vast majority of the Subaru drivers I deal with on a daily basis (and there are a whole lot of them in this state, that's for sure), but like I said, your sentence in your post rang of sarcasm that other people who drive normally in traffic are inferior to you, as you struggle to get 30 mpg in your car.

I pointed out the majority of driving behaviors that I see Subaru drivers exhibit on my commute, and wish they would change.

But, my overall point stands:

You can get better gas mileage in a different vehicle without having to work at it as hard. And if you drove the same way you currently do with a different vehicle, you would get even better gas mileage. Its amazing how that works.

But thank you for staying to the right on highways, and speeding up to the flow of traffic. I'm sure you see that behavior that I described, and know what I'm talking about.

BC.

 

[IndyIan]

Originally Posted By: Bladecutter

But, my overall point stands:

You can get better gas mileage in a different vehicle without having to work at it as hard. And if you drove the same way you currently do with a different vehicle, you would get even better gas mileage. Its amazing how that works.

Yes, but that no reason not to get the best mileage out of what you've got. Getting another vehicle just for mileage purposes doesn't pay off in most cases, either financially or environmentally. By all means if you've going to have a motorbike anyways, then use it to save gas. But buying one just to save gas, isn't a practical option for most people.

 

[subiedriver]

I like my Subaru, its an awesome car for Colorado. I drive what I would consider to be normal, at least along highway 24 between Woodland Park and Colorado Springs. I pass atleast two dozen cars not even doing the speed limit in the right lane, every day. I'm getting 30+ mpg driving 60 mph in a 55 zone and I'm not "working" at it. I just use enough throttle to maintain speed on hills, no jackrabbit starts, ect.

When I'm decending a hill, I build up speed so I can start the hill at 70 mph, keep my throttle position the same and I top the hill at about 62 mph, this has given me excellent fuel economy.

Considering the fact that a 1.8 litre fwd honda civic is only epa rated at 35 mpg, I'm doing pretty good in a heavier, awd car, with a 2.5 litre.

 

[needsducktape]

Would all the Subaru owners still be bad drivers if they switched to Toyotas?

 

[onebigunion]

Originally Posted By: subiedriver
I like my Subaru, its an awesome car for Colorado. I drive what I would consider to be normal, at least along highway 24 between Woodland Park and Colorado Springs. I pass atleast two dozen cars not even doing the speed limit in the right lane, every day. I'm getting 30+ mpg driving 60 mph in a 55 zone and I'm not "working" at it. I just use enough throttle to maintain speed on hills, no jackrabbit starts, ect.

When I'm decending a hill, I build up speed so I can start the hill at 70 mph, keep my throttle position the same and I top the hill at about 62 mph, this has given me excellent fuel economy.

Considering the fact that a 1.8 litre fwd honda civic is only epa rated at 35 mpg, I'm doing pretty good in a heavier, awd car, with a 2.5 litre.


Yes, but its not hard to exceed the MPG ratings on the Civic either . My 2005 5-speed with 210k miles has averaged over 43 mpg since new (almost all highway, able to buy 100% gas until last year, runnning snow tires about 30% of the year). My 2011 with automatic is so far averaging 38.4 mpg (all on 90% gas), in 3000 miles. Best ever tank on the 2005 was 50.2 mpg and on the 2011 41.8 mpg.

I wish I could buy real gas still. Do you have that, or 90%? The altitude you're driving at probably helps some too.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: needsducktape
Would all the Subaru owners still be bad drivers if they switched to Toyotas?



That would generate an entirely different rant, one that typically implies they are mindless sheep following the herd, etc.

More on topic: this thread was not at all what I expected, but it did provide a few laughs.

Last summer I peaked out at mid-30s in mixed driving (very hilly topography here). That was after starting to experiment with the saner and more sensible hyper-miling techniques.

Shooting for 40 mpg this summer, not sure if I'll hit it, but it'll be fun to try for.

-Spyder

 

[needsducktape]

Originally Posted By: Spyder7
Originally Posted By: needsducktape
Would all the Subaru owners still be bad drivers if they switched to Toyotas?



That would generate an entirely different rant, one that typically implies they are mindless sheep following the herd, etc.

More on topic: this thread was not at all what I expected, but it did provide a few laughs.

Last summer I peaked out at mid-30s in mixed driving (very hilly topography here). That was after starting to experiment with the saner and more sensible hyper-miling techniques.

Shooting for 40 mpg this summer, not sure if I'll hit it, but it'll be fun to try for.

-Spyder


Here in the upstate NY area (Where lake effect snow can ruin your day in less than 20 minutes) Subaru drivers are seen as nothing more than people who want decent gas mileage and winter capability. Its just a practical alternative to driving a 4-Wheel drive monster SUV.

 

[SS1970chrysler]

Those drivers cost everyone else mpgs to squeak out an extra for themselves because you have to slow down then accelerate around them. I get 30-32 mpg highway with '78 Granada 6cyl and same with 81 'stang 6cyl. I'm no highway star in those cars, but I show consideration for those around and behind me.
Some of the aforementioned driving tactics for mpgs are illegal around here. Drive safely.

 

[Spyder7]

Originally Posted By: SS1970chrysler
Those drivers cost everyone else mpgs to squeak out an extra for themselves because you have to slow down then accelerate around them. I get 30-32 mpg highway with '78 Granada 6cyl and same with 81 'stang 6cyl. I'm no highway star in those cars, but I show consideration for those around and behind me.
Some of the aforementioned driving tactics for mpgs are illegal around here. Drive safely.

On the highway, I'm sometimes the one driving around other cars even while employing hypermiling techniques. This is due to our speed limit being 100 km/h, while my engine typically hits peak efficiency at 115-120 km/h which is also the convention the left lane follows (even at that speed, I keep right except to pass) and which LE tends to ignore so long as you keep it under 120 km/h and aren't tailgating (which I don't do and its a major pet peeve of mine).

"Hypermiling" is a catch all phrase that describes everything from techniques that are safe and completely transparent, to those that are illegal, unsafe, or just plain inconsiderate to other drivers.

I opt for the legal (the mild speeding could be called "illegal," but when I'm driving at that speed behind a police car, along with the rest of traffic in front of him, the shoe doesn't really fit), safe, and transparent ones only. This means mainly avoiding jack rabbit starts, coasting to a red light instead of approaching it at full speed and braking at the last moment, and keeping the engine at lower RPM while staying at (or slightly above) the speed limit.

The upshots, aside from increased FE, is less wear on the car (particularly the brakes) and increased driver alertness and awareness.

Don't lump all who employ hypermiling techniques into the same basket, or assume the inconsiderate driver is using these techniques (most probably are not familiar with the term, are not driving to improve FE, and are more likely just plain inconsiderate).

-Spyder