Surprised by MPG on a trip this weekend

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Lyman

Lyman

Joined
Aug 13, 2011
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Location
Lakeside, CA
My 97 Mustang GT normally gets around 23 MPG driving my 34 mile round trip to work during the week. It's all freeway and I do very little city driving. I went on a 200 mile trip this weekend and got 27 MPG for the tank. I check my millage every fill up and keep a record.
Not to bad for a V-8 with 155,000 miles on it. I had just changed the oil and aired up the tires, Changed the air filter and PCV valve.
 
It's the random (non-regulated) RVP gas. March always gives me the best mileage of the year.
 
I was able to break 30 MPG in my 6 speed Vette on the highway no problem.

Many V8 cars get decent highway mileage.
 
@eljefino, That could very well be what it is. I have heard that they start switching blends in March.
 
Last edited:
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I was able to break 30 MPG in my 6 speed Vette on the highway no problem.

Many V8 cars get decent highway mileage.


I have a buddy with a newer vette. He gets great millage with it. My Mustang only has the 4spd auto in it. But it is geared high.
 
Not bad at all, my one complaint with my S4 was the highway gearing. 80mph=3200 rpm, oddly high for a v8. I never broke 20 mpg, even on highway trips of over 300 miles, staying below 75. Some people can get 23-24, but Ive never seen it.
 
Originally Posted By: LT4 Vette
I was able to break 30 MPG in my 6 speed Vette on the highway no problem.

Many V8 cars get decent highway mileage.

Yep; my 1996 LT4 6speed averaged 32MPG from Houston to Nashville without a hitch.
 
I know, I was getting over 50 mpg on a weekend drive in the Cruze. 47 mpg for the last tank. Much better than the fuel economy this winter. Summer tires, higher temperatures, and non-winter gas will do that.
 
I get 26 on the hwy with the GM. Maybe better with the tuning in progress. The Caravan gets real close to 30 with a light foot.
 
I have gotten 33.6 mpg on one trip (very level) with my 6 speed manual Corvette. Top two gears are overdrive, 6th is 0.5 which makes for a 1.71 top gear ratio! Also very good aerodynamics.

Not bad for a car with 345 HP and a 172 mph top speed.
 
I have seen just over 30 mpg in the WS6. The LSx in any type of Vette, F-body, GTO with a 6 speed isn't fair.
smile.gif
 
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
One tank anomalies don't cut it with me.
All sorts of filling variables before and after.


I agree, and have made some of the points why in my other thread on here on a similar subject.

I personally think it's extremely difficult to get an accurate calculation of MPG when you're doing it manually. For instance, if you fill up at one station to start the run, and then are filling up at a completely different station at the end, how do you know that you're filling up the tank to the exact same level you started with? Even a slight variation of a few tenths of a gallon can skew the numbers. Then there is also a temperature factor, if you fill it up at the beginning of the day when it's cooler out, and then again later in the day when it's warmer, the gas in your tank expands a little bit, so that would skew the numbers too. And how do you know that each gas station is giving you exactly the amount of gas they say they are? Temperature plays a factor there too.

That's why I put way more faith in the MPG that your onboard trip computer tells you.
 
Originally Posted By: Patman
Originally Posted By: mechtech2
One tank anomalies don't cut it with me.
All sorts of filling variables before and after.


I agree, and have made some of the points why in my other thread on here on a similar subject.

I personally think it's extremely difficult to get an accurate calculation of MPG when you're doing it manually. For instance, if you fill up at one station to start the run, and then are filling up at a completely different station at the end, how do you know that you're filling up the tank to the exact same level you started with? Even a slight variation of a few tenths of a gallon can skew the numbers. Then there is also a temperature factor, if you fill it up at the beginning of the day when it's cooler out, and then again later in the day when it's warmer, the gas in your tank expands a little bit, so that would skew the numbers too. And how do you know that each gas station is giving you exactly the amount of gas they say they are? Temperature plays a factor there too.

That's why I put way more faith in the MPG that your onboard trip computer tells you.

I fill up at the same station 99% of the time. And I don't have an onboard trip computer. I have my own filling method so I know that I am fairly close. I know nothing is perfect but I do what I can.
 
Regardless of 'fuel economy', my little old Civic has driven great this last tank. The feel is much smoother with the warmer weather.
 
My 1996 Zetec Contour, manual transmission, gets 26-27 mpg for local winter driving, 29 to 30mpg in the summer for the same driving. Warmer weather highway driving, ie vacation driving, produces 34-36 mpg at 70 to 80 mph. And this is driving loaded with luggage, lots of extra weight. I'll need those good mpg's this year when we drive from NJ to Key West, usually around 3,400 miles RT.

Whimsey
 
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