My car history(post yours:) )

[dann_04]

I just thought i would throw out my history as an ecodriver and the conclusions i have drawn from it.

1st: 1990 Ford Escort Lx auto 3 spd 1.9l sohc engine(cfi).
EPA rated-26 overall
My return-32 average
Notes: With this car i drove the speed limit, accelerated slowly(is there any other way?), upshifted by lifting my foot off the pedal, tires at 32psi, and that's about it. Windows always open because the a/c didn't work and i still got 32mpg. Now my bro drive it.

2nd: 1995 Geo Metro manual 5spd, 1.3l sohc engine(cfi).
EPA rated-35 overall
My return-44 avg
Notes: With this car i shifted at 2k, accelerated slowly, tires at 35psi, coasted with engine on alot, safe drafting, windows open. Unfortunately the frame broke at the front pass nuckle to frame connection(factory defect). That was a sad day.

3rd: Girlfriends 1999 Chevy tracker auto 4 spd, 2.0 dohc engine(mfi), 4wd.
EPA rated- 21 overall
My return-26 avg
Notes: This thing was a gas hog. She had bought it long ago and still drove it. It drove the same no matter how you tried to drive it because it was horribly under powered(the escort was more plesant). Just tried to drive it nicely and got ok returns, but the thing liked to violently downshift at the slightest incline so that was painful(for me and mpg). Just not a good car...

4th: 2003 Honda Civic Si(EP3) manual 5sp, 2.0 dohc i-vtec engine(mfi)
EPA rated-25 overall
My return-34 avg
Notes: Coasting, shifting at 3k, windows normally up, accelerating slow, driving slow, Valves just adjusted. Good car, have had a few problems, but in illinois it was one of only 11 cars to make the epa's smartway certification for emissions. Even the prius didn't make it because of NOx emissions, but the i-vtec system substantially lowers acid rain emissions as well as keeping the CO2 fairly low as well.

5th: Girlfriends 1997 Chevy cavalier auto 4spd, 2.2l ohv engine(mfi i think)
EPA rated-25 overall
My return-32 avg
Notes: Still figuring this one out. Shifting is squirley with the torque converter and all. Seems kind of under powered even though it's a 2.2L, i think it's the gearing. Basically just go slow.

So I have found that i like sohc cfi engines the best i think. They are simple(1 injector) and last forever. Also all you have to do is keep the rpm's down to get good mileage. Dohc's seem to have a sweet spot, especially those with vtec, for shifting. I Do like the civic because it has eps and that eliminates a pulley on the belt and keeps the loss of power to 12.5% and also when i turn the wheel all the way it doesn't fight me or squeal. I loved the metro the most even though the quality of materials wasn't quite there. I would love to get an xfi or civic with the variable displacement. Cfi seems to be better for mpg than mfi, but i have read that dfi is even better. Manuals are nice because they allow you to adapt for any conditions(i hate unexpected down shifting in autos) also they take the guess work out of shifting.

Thanks for reading, i hope to eventaully break 40mpg in the civic, but i'm not sure if i will until i get a sg or something else to help me find where the mpgs are in this car. Post up your history as i find it entertaining lol.

[whokilledthejams]

1st:
1989 Toyota 4Runner. V6, 5 speed, 4wd, SR5. I actually usually managed 22-25mpg, despite the EPA's 15/18 figure. Absolute blast to drive, despite scary handling over 60mph. The removeable top made it worthwhile. Died of a blown head gasket that managed to fail in such a way as to put most of the coolant into the crankcase. I'd love to have another.

2nd:
1995 GMC Sonoma (The Beemobile). 4cyl, 5 speed, short bed, regular cab, 2wd. I had a tonneau cover the whole time, and usually got 25mpg in town, and 30mpg at 75mph. I inherited it from my dad when I was in college, so he go to go buy a new truck. Total POS. It tried to murder me several times (dropped the driveshaft on I90, broke a ball joint, several different fuel leaks, hit a deer). Plus, owning a truck as a college student means you get roped into helping people you don't even like move.

3rd:
2005 Subaru Impreza. NA 4cyl, 5 speed, AWD, sedan. Fantastic car to drive, but mediocre fuel economy-- I only managed to meet the old EPA ratings of 23/30. Got rid of it because my needs dictated efficiency and a wagon.

4th:
2004 Scion xB. 4cyl, 5 speed, FWD wagon. Fantastic car. It does everything I need it to, plus it baffles people, despite being almost five years old and not that uncommon. Exceeding the EPA combined rating by 13% is a plus, too.

[whokilledthejams]

Originally Posted by dann_04

5th: Girlfriends 1997 Chevy cavalier auto 4spd, 2.2l ohv engine(mfi i think)
EPA rated-25 overall
My return-32 avg
Notes: Still figuring this one out. Shifting is squirley with the torque converter and all. Seems kind of under powered even though it's a 2.2L, i think it's the gearing. Basically just go slow.

My GMC had that same godawful engine. It's totally damn gutless (and the one I had was backed by a five speed and short gearing!), because it was designed when cars were starting to emerge from the Malaise era, in the late 80s. 118hp out of a 2.2 isn't that great. It tears through head gaskets, too. If you start to consume coolant, start saving up if you aren't ambitious enough to DIY. Also, a complete exhaust system is crucial to maintaining low-end torque and basic driveability.

[Tony Raine]

1st rig:

1984 ford bronco 2 4x4, my high school rig that kept me off the school bus.
even back then (late 90's), i was "hypermiling" it to around 30 mpg. most of my driving was slow back country roads and some creeping around offroad to get to the good fishing spots. it had a 4-speed stick and no a/c. but my reasons for saving gas were because i was young and dumb, and the less i spent on gas, the more $$ i had for booze, cigarettes, and chasing women. no, i didn't keep any kind of fuel log, i was too busy chasing women, getting drunk, and smoking. now its lifted and gas mileage went out the window. buts its a purpose-driven rig now, its not on the road very often.

2nd:

1998 ford ranger extended cab, stepside, 4x4, 3.0 v-6, 5 speed
still miss that truck.

3rd:

2001 ford explorer sport 2wd automatic.
its paid for, time to see what i can do with it. dying to get a scanguage for it.


i always stayed away from cars because 1, they are a lot harder to take fishing, and 2, i'd be tempted to go fast. just about any car handles curves like a dream compared to my rigs.


but now i'm married and my wife drives:

'08 pontiac g6 sedan, automatic.
beautiful car, blast to drive. she keeps me from going fast in it, haha. came from the factory with instrumentation for instant and avg mpg, tire pressure, (estimated) miles left and oil life. yeah the last 2 don't do me much good, but the others have really helped fine-tune my driving skills on my commute to work. i have found out my explorer will coast longer than her car, and it doesn't drop out of overdrive on steeper hills like her car.

[Will]

I bought my Metro off of Ebay last summer. It was 280 miles from me. They guy said it ran, but smoked. I figured that I could make it run as long as the front end was rust free. When I got there to pick it up I found out that it was only running on two out of three cyl. I was a little peeved off, but I figured I could handle it.

I drove the car back to my house 280 miles on two cyl. (32 mpg for those counting). I figured if the little engine made it I would try to rebuilt it, and if not I would replace it. The little sucker did it. I was impressed.

The list was pretty long. Piston #2 was cracked from the top of the dome to the bottom of the skirt. The cyl wall was scratched. All of the rings were bad. 2 of the valves were hosed. The head gasket was bad. The front end had been hit really hard, and the repairs sucked. The car had more oil leaks than I could count. The entire underside of the car was caked with sluged oil. The cat had been removed. the radiator had no fins at all. (by this time my wife is having her doubts, as she thought my 93 Buick was great with 30 mpg)

I pulled the engine apart to the block. I left the block and the trans. in the car. I replaced the pistons, rings, all valves, seals, etc.. I honed the cyl. walls and put it all back together. The car ran great.

I finally sold my old car to recover the cost of all this, and have been happy to do it. My wife no longer has her doubts, of course. She still drives her 03 Buick, but I cannot blame her. The Eco-driving game is not for everyone.

I am now lovin my Metro, but still looking for an Insight I can afford.

[Vince-HX]

Bought my Hx from a old co-worker for $2500. I remember him saying that it got 38mpg no matter how you drove it. Put 50,000+ miles on it driving like a normal person, read - fast and inefficient, got anywhere from 30-40mpg. Discovered ecodriving and modding and put down a 64mpg tank and hope to back it up with a 65mpg tank soon.

[wwkayaker]

1st
1968 Chevy Chevelle 307 V8 Chromed out.

2nd
1970 ford Ranger F150 auto 2wd

3rd
1974 Ford Ranger F150 long bed auto 2wd positrac

4th
1970 MGB GT Manual Trans hatchback

5th
1994 Chevy Cavalier 4 cyl
ave 32mpg

6th
1985 Chevy Cavalier 4 cyl auto

7th
1980 Chevy Malibu V6 3 speed manual

8th
1990 Ford Probe V6 auto

9th
1993 Pontiac Grandam 2.4L 4cyl 5 speed manual
EPA 21 cty 32 hwy
My ave 44 mpg

10th
1985 Nissan Sentra 4 cyl manual

11th
1999 Mazda Protege 1.6L 5 speed manual CAI
EPA 25 cty 31 hwy
My ave 38 mpg

12th
2001 Ford Explorer Sport Trac 2wd V6 auto
EPA 14 cty 19 hwy
My ave 12 mpg (I think there was something wrong with the transmission)

13th (current vehicle)
2005 Mitsubishi Lancer

[xbUser]

1st 89 Honda Civic hatchback 4 speed manual
EPA 31(?)/36 (?)
My ave 36mpg (85% freeway), max. 39mpg (99% freeway)
The first car I buy it with my own pocket money (not driving the car from family) 4 speed is kind of noisy in freeway (still much better than Ford Festiva), but has good acceleration. My brother took it and ended up in junk yard.

2nd 91 Honda Civic DX hatchback 5 speed manual
EPA 31/36
My ave 36mpg.
Love it. I own it when I was in U. Buy it $2700, sell it $2500 after 40K driving. Not bad.

3rd 97 Honda Civic CX hatchback 5 speed manual
EPA 34/38
My ave 36mpg, max 40mpg
I love this car a lot. Save a lot of gas. I knew nothing about hypermiling, just cruise at 70mph and pass 40 mark. The only bad thing is no AC. Too hot in the summer.....

4th 04 Scion XB 5door 5 speed manual
EPA 27/32 (2008 standard)
My ave 32mpg (before gas price goes up), 38mpg (current) max 39mpg
This is the best car I ever own. It has all powered equipments (power door, window, lock, steering, ABS, traction control and the most important, A/C) I didn't have in any previous cars. And also, is the most spacious car I ever sit, very practical when the seat is folded down (good help for moving, it fits a twin size mattress).

[dremd]

1) 66vw Type2 Deluxe 13 window. (Bus aluminum trim, 1 extra window on each side) Gut it when I was 12~13 had to fix it to be able to drive. Learned a lot; but what a mess. Had tons of stereo, killed lots of alternators, broke lots of motor mounts, upgrade to the near 100 hp range, lots of noise insulation, lowered 3.5 inches front and rear (correctly), Painted it, polished, went to car shows with it, drove it to high school, had it stink bombed, spray painted, keyed, lug nuts loosened, oil filter pierced (very visible with no rear bumper). Burn to the ground day I graduated from High school because a float stuck in one of my brand new carburetors. (there's a thread all to it's self)

2) 62 Vw Bus Parts for the 66 and needs restoration now

3) 67 Vw bus Free Parts

4) 87 Toyota Supra Started as n/a Auto ended up as highly modded turbo 5 speed. Should mention that I bought it because it had excellent to me brakes; power steering; cold A/C; adequate power; and handled like I tried to make my vw handle. Was reliable, but I managed to kill that quickly. Had 15" monitor moulded in to dash, painted it is300 blue, did lots of experimenting with it, tons of gear rations, diff setups, turbo setups, intercooler setups, water injection, little NOS, suspension geometry changes, lots of different rubber went on the car, methanol injection, intercooler sprayer. wrecked 2 times, lived a hard life, killed by a neighbor who had it out for me and would find creative ways to separate me from my motor oil.

5) 94 gs 300 Didn't do much to this thing baught it, swapped running motor in to it, sold it.

6) 89 Supra Grey (stiil have it) baught when neighbor killed last Supra. got it in 05 with under 70k (50k of which was on it by 92) full maintance records, synthetic everything since new, short OCI's and get this the reason it had so few miles was the owner decided to become a priest and basically parked the car. Drove it as was for 15~20k had to replace virtually everything rubber, started "upgrading" poly mounts on everything but the motor, nylon subframe mounts, home brew stb, master cylinder brace, SS brake lines, EBC green stuff pads in all 4 corners, Koni's and Eibachs, MKIV wheels, 120 treadwear tires, 60 trim on 9.5/1 n/a motor, Turbo electronics swap, stock auto with cooler and synthetic fluid, 4.30 LSD, oh and don't forget it's a targa.

7) 90 300zx n/a 5 speed wrecked front and rear Parted out (still have a few bits)

8) 95 300zx Turbo 5 speed Parted out ALL GONE

9) 95 Accord Wagon acquired with a wrecked front a tweaked frame, heaved and hoed untill the alignment was stock and the front end went on with in the factory wiggle room (larger holes in body panels than the bolts are). Not perfect, but pretty decent painted it 2005 Accord grey. Wanted to swap motor but never did, sat in drive way for several years then sold.

10) 92 Celica GTS (should be much earlier in list)got a deal on it when a woman had to have an SUV. Polished it up swapped motor mounts and it looked and drove like brand new. My sister borrowed it and basically never gave it back, except when she hit a deer, a ditch, another car, and yeah she shouldn't drive.

11) 92 Ford E-350 460 motor. Was never mine, but my dad owned 2 for about a year and left one with me; it was nice to have around, but man it drank fuel.

12) 2002 Golf GTS we all know and love.

[Matt Herring]

1985 Chevy Monte Carlo - this was the V8 gas-guzzling "sports car" I drove in high school and college. 0-60mph was great but had to fill it at least once a week only driving in town. Of course, from 1993-1997 gas was not at $4+ and it was easier to drop the hammer down the strip!

1995 Ford Ranger - my 1st car out of college and I bought it 1 year old. Was outstanding on gas compared to the Monte Carlo and a nice little truck to buzz around in. I wasn't into ecomodding then, didn't even know what it was, and thought the back of my truck was for a second apartment so dragging an extra 100 pounds in the bed of the truck didn't seem like a bad idea. Funnier story...because my truck was two wheel drive I loaded 300 pounds of sand bags in the back during the winter to get better traction living in Buffalo, NY...major no-no but I had no idea at the time!

2003 Isuzu Rodeo - Basically a brick box on wheels! Horrible gas mileage, terrible accessories, couldn't wait to get rid of it! Enough said!

2005 Toyota 4Runner - This is my current vehicle...and I love it. All the bells and whistles you need and for a mid-size SUV does pretty good with 22-24mpg (about 6-8% above EPA without any physical mods). I am new to ecomodding so looking forward to getting this car up to snuff approaching 25mpg.

2008 Roketa 50cc Scooter - My new toy to drive to work when the weather allows. Had it about a month now and logged 90mpg on my first tank! Try to get it to work at least 2-3 times a week to supplement gas usage on the 4Runner. Fun little guy to drive!

[mhmitszach]

1) 1997 Ford Explorer XLT
Giving to me by my parents for 16th bday at around 132-5k miles. Sold for 2000 dollars at around 142k miles.
I drove like crap. Got 17 mpg on a good day. Low of 13 mpg. Approximately. Found out it goes 107 mph.

2)1998 Ford Escort ZX2
Bought for $1590 with 106k miles , rebuilt title. Currently at 114k miles.
Started out driving like crap in the winter when I got it. Got roughly 30 mpg. Started slowing down, coasting, tires at 40 psi, grill block. Got up to 35 mpg. Summer came, drove slower 40 mpg and still climbing. =]

[RH77]

Memory "Lane"...

I learned to drive on my Mum's '86 Jeep Cherokee Pioneer, 4-speed, 2.5L and Dad's 1988 Olds Cutlass Supreme Classic RWD 307/V-8 Auto.

1: 1988 Plymouth Voyager SE V-6 (1994-1995)
- The parent's car, but my first "ride". Permit at age 15. Mistu 6-cylinder, 225K miles at acquisition. It actually was my "High School Car". I know, cool stuff. Versatile but smoked a lot. ~20 MPG, but seated 7. Great acceleration for the type of vehicle. Lasted to about 275K miles before sold.

2: 1977 Olds Cutlass Supreme Brougham 4-door, 350/V-8. (1995-1996)
-Soft top, plaid, pillow-top seats, BOAT. My first car. The sheer mass allowed decent coasting. I calc'd the MPG's: 14-18 was the norm. The Quadrajet carb was busted, so it took adjustment every time the Weather changed. Just wasn't reliable.

3: 1995 Chevy Beretta Level-II, V-6 Auto. (1995)
- First new car. It was a great car, except for the reliability. Mid/Hi-20's MPG with a lead foot (3.1L Second Gen V-6, low RPM at cruise). Transmission was faulty from the factory. Sold it for a '90 when the warranty ran out. First volunteer Fire/EMS response vehicle.

4: 1990 Chevy Beretta GTZ, Quad-4, 5-Speed (1996-1997) -- acquired at 60K miles.
- Finally a Manual, and the 16-valve, DOHC 4 was faster than any Beretta V-6. 30 MPG Hwy. 16" Color-keyed rims and fully loaded. Volunteer Fire/EMS response vehicle: full light bar, strobes at all 4 corners, 100-watt siren, and wig-wags. Handled great and wound-out nicely. Torsion beam rear suspension was rough, though. At 80K miles, the head-gasket blew like all the rest of the GM Quad 4's. I was done with domestics...

5: 1997 Honda Civic DX, 5-Speed (1997-1999) -- Bought new for reliability. Stripped.
-No PS, A/C, etc. Only option: tape deck. Fire/EMS: "Stealth" strobes X6 and 100-Watt Siren for EMS/FF.
-Best FE yet: 35 MPG without trying.
-Rear-ended when stopped, and nearly totalled within one-year of ownership. Never was the same. Still, it handled better than anything yet. 106 HP was plenty.
-Moved to KC from Ohio. Traded it for the best one yet...

6: 1999 Honda Civic Si Coupe, 5-Speed (1999-2004).
- Hands down, the best car I've owned. 100 HP per Litre from the 1.6. The Coupe was perfect. I got around low 20's MPG due to the performance. Darn I miss that car.

7: 2003.5 Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution VIII (2004-2005)
- The "EVO" bug bit. ~300 hp from a DOHC, turbocharged, intercooled 2.0L 4-banger -- and AWD. Stupid fast. Got married. Got a lot of tickets. Didn't make sense to own it. Mid-teens MPG. Traded...

8: 1999 Acura TL Premium, 3.2L V-6 (2005-2006). Bought at 80K as a "patch" sedan to haul family, etc. I turned it over to my Wife and acquired the current car. The transmission was the slightly more reliable 4-speed auto (subsequent years had the horribly unreliable 5-speed).
-Still, the transmission threw codes and the cat went bad. It averaged 23-ish before dumping it for a...

9: 2006 Acura TSX Auto (current).
-Wife's car. Lifetime average of ~30 MPG from the 2.4L 4-cylinder. Great car. It gets 37 MPG hwy if I really try. XM radio and the whole she-bang.

10: 1998 Acura Integra LS Auto (current).
-Wife bought it new, I took it over at ~75-80K miles in 2005. Current = 136K miles.
-Coming off of the EVO and TL, I felt it was slow, underpowered, and hopelessly "automatic". One night, I decided, "what kind of mileage can this get". I discovered "Hypermiling" and the rest is History. Check the Fuel Log for the progress.
-The early days weren't recorded: ~26-27 MPG.
-It's easily moving up the list as the best car yet. The hatchback allows hauling of cargo, and the small 1.8L can deliver FE if carefully attempted.

RH77