This is why cars get "up to 40 MPG HWY"

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Originally Posted By: JHZR2
The key isnt revs but load. Driving really hard with a ton of acceleration, preferably big hills with high rates of acceleration up them, etc. Attempts at high load to heat up and burn off any deposits or crud to allow the engine to operate better/cleaner.

I've got some of those around me. Nothing like scampering up one at 50 mph, foot to the floor, and the engine straining for every ft/lb it can scrape up.
 
The older Civic was really a much nicer car, but the 2012 is OK in that segment, I guess. To be honest, most cars in the c-segment today are pretty lackluster in my book. The 2012 is one of the most boring cars I've driven, and is worse than my Prius in many ways.

My friend has a 2012 Civic with about 12k. No issues to date, aside from windshield wiper inserts wearing out after 10 months - but Honda's 1/12k adjustment period covered those.

It does call for 0w-20, with no full-syn requirement. The computer calls for a service about every 10-11k with mostly highway driving. I serviced it once at about 6k with Toyota 0w-20 and had the dealer do their free B1 service 5k later. It is a very simple car to service.
 
.. My car gets up to 110mpg highway but that's when I'm traveling on flat land at 55mph in lean-burn mode, which the newest cars can't have because of increased NOx emissions. Oh and it has all of the little MPG improvements you guys mentioned; underbody aero, super light weight, low rolling resistance tires, fuel economy optimized alignment, very low highway gearing (2 overdrive gears), and electric assist for the tiny motor under higher loads.
 
Originally Posted By: Artem
Originally Posted By: johnsmellsalot
Anyways let me tell you the differences I noticed between the 2008 and the 2012. First of all, that "ECO" button on the dashboard. What it does is make the car slow so that it doesn't use as much gas. So when you press the gas pedal, it takes 3 seconds for it to do anything. Basically, it makes the car less fun to drive lol. He says that it also doesn't let the RPMs go above 3,000 when he's accelerating.


If you've got the Eco mode on, you shouldn't be having "fun". The point of it is to drive as economic as possible, which is the opposite of going fast and having "fun".


To hypermilers...driving as economic as possible IS their fun.
 
So the Eco button disables the speedometer and replaces it with a fuel economy gauge?
cool.gif
 
No. The eco button doesnt provide another gauge. There is already an MPG gauge. Also, the car has a blue to green lighting scheme on the instruments that shifts to the green color when driving efficiently.
 
The car will go above 3k rpm in eco mode. Yes, it takes a while to downshift with it on, so just turn it off if you need to merge or pass.

I drive 80% hwy (70mph speed limits)/20% city and with the warmer temperatures I'm getting 45mpg. If it takes an eco mode, skinny tires and 0w-20, then so be it. I'm happy.
 
Originally Posted By: AmericaWestCMH
The car will go above 3k rpm in eco mode. Yes, it takes a while to downshift with it on, so just turn it off if you need to merge or pass.

I drive 80% hwy (70mph speed limits)/20% city and with the warmer temperatures I'm getting 45mpg. If it takes an eco mode, skinny tires and 0w-20, then so be it. I'm happy.
Excellent work! Try another 10psi on your tires and see how it works for one tank. Just for the heck of it.
 
Based on the tire size I think the 08 and the 12 Civic your dad have are different trim.

To be honest I'm sort of disappointed that all these tricks only get "up to" 40MPG. I would imagine if we allow lean burn, smaller engine at 1.5L, less weight, and smaller size, we could get 50MPG with all these fuel economy tricks they put in the newer cars.
 
Originally Posted By: d00df00d
Originally Posted By: johnsmellsalot
First of all, that "ECO" button on the dashboard. What it does is make the car slow so that it doesn't use as much gas. So when you press the gas pedal, it takes 3 seconds for it to do anything. Basically, it makes the car less fun to drive lol. He says that it also doesn't let the RPMs go above 3,000 when he's accelerating.

Yup. Total gimmick.



You don't believe that limited RPM and reduced throttle actuation speed will reduce fuel mileage?
 
The best mileage recorded on my car was 48mpg on motorcraft synth blend 5w-20. I've been running various 0w-20s since then and haven't been able to hit it. I don't believe it causes *that* much of a difference.

The biggest mileage killer on my Focus is the short 5th gear. I'm above 2000RPM at 60mph. I really can't go above 60mph otherwise I really start winding up the engine.

I'm going to be taking a few hundred mile road trip in July. I plan on doing the following:
- Taping off the openings on my wheels
- Grille block upper / lower
- Try to make a belly pan
 
48mpg for a full tank would be a great accomplishment. How fast were you going and how many miles did you get on that tank?

I would be cautious about blocking off the grill area entirely. The top grill for sure block it, but I would make the lower grill block segmented so that you could remove sections as needed. I wouldn't go by the dash temperature reading either, they are dumb for the most part, so a a ScanguageII or Ultraguage is your best bet for accuracy.

Also remember that any increased fan activity the engine calls for to compensate for the lack of frontal air flow can undo any gains that might have occurred from the block.

Have you been to ecomodder.com? They have some pretty 'innovative' ways of squeezing more mpgs. I have a full upper and segmented lower grill block, front area belly pan, taped up my hubcaps and am running 40psi. I have also lowered my car a little and have some pretty good results, but wind is my nemesis as well some of the hills
 
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Grille blocking absolutely works. I did it on my old Buick, and my new car has automatic grille shutters. It was neat to walk onto a dealer lot and buy a car already eco-modded from the factory!

Airing up the tires is worth it, as is slowing down when possible. Our Fit can break 40 mpg on long trips by sticking to 60-65 mph and tire pressure at 40-42 PSI (51 PSI max sidewall). And it's rated at 33 mpg highway.
 
Originally Posted By: PandaBear
Based on the tire size I think the 08 and the 12 Civic your dad have are different trim.

To be honest I'm sort of disappointed that all these tricks only get "up to" 40MPG. I would imagine if we allow lean burn, smaller engine at 1.5L, less weight, and smaller size, we could get 50MPG with all these fuel economy tricks they put in the newer cars.


That's why I'm buying a Mazda3 Hatchback with skyactiv. Yes, you read that right. We should be taking delivery of it tomorrow night. Since I started commuting 60 miles a day highwya, I've been wholly unimpressed with my MPG, especially considering that I'm using premium fuel. I've been averaging 30mpg, which isn't good enough considering that I'm driving carefully. Mazda doesn't use "tricks" to get good mpg, they use engineering, reducing engine friction, and all kinds of cool stuff. I'm looking forward to it.

NOTE: That is not the only nor the primary reason, but that is the reason I'm picking that particular car. There is a good, financial reason for doing so. More info will be provided once I post a thread about it.
 
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Originally Posted By: Nick R


That's why I'm buying a Mazda3 Hatchback with skyactiv. Yes, you read that right. We should be taking delivery of it tomorrow night. Since I started commuting 60 miles a day highwya, I've been wholly unimpressed with my MPG, especially considering that I'm using premium fuel. I've been averaging 30mpg, which isn't good enough considering that I'm driving carefully. Mazda doesn't use "tricks" to get good mpg, they use engineering, reducing engine friction, and all kinds of cool stuff. I'm looking forward to it.

NOTE: That is not the only nor the primary reason, but that is the reason I'm picking that particular car. There is a good, financial reason for doing so. More info will be provided once I post a thread about it.


If you qualified for Mazda's 0.9% APR loan for 36 months, that's a heck of a good reason! Weren't you paying near 5% interest on the Cruze? My little brother takes delivery of a MZ3 Skyactiv hatch next week. His is a MT, is yours MT or their kinda-DCT automatic?

I'd love to know what fuel economy your new MZ3 hauls down with a commute like that.
 
Originally Posted By: Nick R
[/quote]

That's why I'm buying a Mazda3 Hatchback with skyactiv. Yes, you read that right. We should be taking delivery of it tomorrow night. Since I started commuting 60 miles a day highwya, I've been wholly unimpressed with my MPG, especially considering that I'm using premium fuel. I've been averaging 30mpg, which isn't good enough considering that I'm driving carefully. Mazda doesn't use "tricks" to get good mpg, they use engineering, reducing engine friction, and all kinds of cool stuff. I'm looking forward to it.

NOTE: That is not the only nor the primary reason, but that is the reason I'm picking that particular car. There is a good, financial reason for doing so. More info will be provided once I post a thread about it.


Nick R, you are buying your third new vehicle? new focus, new cruze, now new mazda 3? I thought you only bought American vehicles.
smirk.gif
 
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Originally Posted By: Cutehumor


Nick R, you are buying your third new vehicle? new focus, new cruze, now new mazda 3? I thought you only bought American vehicles.
smirk.gif



He's trying them on, seeing which one fits best.

Nothing wrong with a Mazda. They're nice-driving cars, and with their Skyactiv seem to have addressed the biggest knock against them.
 
Actually, it has been proven many times that over inflating your tires does not increase your fuel economy. It's best to go buy the manufacturer's recommended tire pressure for best handling, ride comfort, tire life, and fuel economy. Go on Google and type in "fuel economy myths". There's a bunch of websites that list myths. Example... http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/story/2012/04/05/f-fuel-economy-myths.html
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
Originally Posted By: AmericaWestCMH
The car will go above 3k rpm in eco mode. Yes, it takes a while to downshift with it on, so just turn it off if you need to merge or pass.

I drive 80% hwy (70mph speed limits)/20% city and with the warmer temperatures I'm getting 45mpg. If it takes an eco mode, skinny tires and 0w-20, then so be it. I'm happy.
Excellent work! Try another 10psi on your tires and see how it works for one tank. Just for the heck of it.
 
What car is it?
Originally Posted By: L_Sludger
.. My car gets up to 110mpg highway but that's when I'm traveling on flat land at 55mph in lean-burn mode, which the newest cars can't have because of increased NOx emissions. Oh and it has all of the little MPG improvements you guys mentioned; underbody aero, super light weight, low rolling resistance tires, fuel economy optimized alignment, very low highway gearing (2 overdrive gears), and electric assist for the tiny motor under higher loads.
 
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