Does this sound right? (20 mpg from 1999 Honda Civic)

[GRU]

I have a short comute to work and back. about 4km (2.5 miles) one way. average speed is about 40km/h (25mph) and have 8 lights/stop signs. Because of this i get 12l/100 km (20mpg) with my 99 Civic by just driving casual.

I was really hoping to get about 10l/100 km and i know i would probably get that if i didn't have so many lights and stop signs. Is anyone else getting horrible numbers on a short comute with lots of stops or no?

Thanks

[Frank Lee]

Sounds like an easy bicycle ride.

[JRMichler]

My commute is 3 miles with three stop signs and one traffic light that is almost always green. My trip MPG in summer varies from 26 to 35 MPG depending on temperature, wind, and traffic. It's almost all driving and a little bit of vehicle mods.

Frank: All right, I admit it - I'M LAZY.

[GRU]

Originally Posted by Frank Lee

Sounds like an easy bicycle ride.

Yes it is but not in the rain .


So basically I need to learn to drive like a hypermiler

[greenkz]

in 2.5 miles the engine isnt up to operating temperature

[F8L]

As greenkz stated, your car is not reaching operating temperature and is therefore running rich until it does reach operating temperature and can go into closed loop mode. This is a very common problem for any vehicle except pure electric. The only really solution is try out an engine block heater which helps preheat the engine and reduce warm up time. You can also try grille blocking during the colder months. You can also choose to ride a bike or walk during the mild temperature days. This will greatly offset your mpg impact.

There are people on our Prius forum that complain about getting mpg in the low 40s. We then find out that they have a short commute (less than 10 miles). On longer drives they get 50+ mpg. It's just the way cars work.

[Frank Lee]

Originally Posted by GRU

Yes it is but not in the rain .


So basically I need to learn to drive like a hypermiler

Too bad it rains every day- morning and evening- there.

[SentraSE-R]

I commuted 6.5 miles each way by bicycle for 6 years (OK, six warm seasons) in Alaska. I also commuted 6.5 miles each way by bicycle for 3 years (year round, rain or shine) in California. The OP could walk a 2.5 mile commute.

[jakobnev]

Originally Posted by GRU

Yes it is but not in the rain .

And you also need protection from the flying hockey pucks and the bears, eh?

Driving "like a hypermiler" will also make you engine temps even lower.

[brucepick]

All good advice above.

4 km/2.5 miles is very short. The car definitely doesn't get warmed up in that distance so you won't get anything like EPA from it. Hypermiling techniques will help but there's only so much you can do with a cold engine. But shucks, with those kinds of distances you're hardly burning very much gas anyway. Round trip = 5 miles = .25 gallon per day at 20 mpg.

I put a little pad type oil pan heater on my '97 Civic (same generation car as yours). On the vertical end part of the oil pan, driver's side. see the heater pad It helps, but the kind that goes into an engine block freeze plug probably does a more thorough job. This one does help though, and is pretty easy to install. Uses only 125 watts. With a short ride like yours I'd use the heater year round.