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Old 08-14-2009, 07:39 PM   #8 (permalink)
MetroMPG
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Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: 1000 Islands, Ontario, Canada
Posts: 22,534

Blackfly - '98 Geo Metro
Team Metro
Last 3: 70.09 mpg (US)

MPGiata - '90 Mazda Miata
90 day: 54.46 mpg (US)

Appliance car Mirage - '14 Mitsubishi Mirage ES (base)
90 day: 57.73 mpg (US)
Thanks: 4,082
Thanked 6,979 Times in 3,614 Posts
Quote:
Originally Posted by blownb310 View Post
I find modifying a car for better mileage just as challenging as modifying it for speed.
Substitute "driver" for "car" and you have my take on it.

In my university days, I spent a silly amount of money (to me) on high performance driving, skid control, racing instruction & track/lapping days. Unmodified road cars & open wheel cars. Fun, fun, fun. Loved the challenge of constant refinement of technique and the immediate feedback: smoother transitions, better lines, faster laps & catching up to other drivers (or taking longer to BE caught by some ).

But at the same time, I was also becoming interested in fuel economy. I honestly never had any interest in buying or building a fast car, even though I also liked monkeying with mechanical stuff. I guess I was more interested in learning the skills to go fast than actually doing it.

Economy driving is equally (possibly even more) challenging, and has the added bonus of being easier on the car, the wallet, and less likely to attract the wrong kind of attention! (Usually.)

Plus, there's more than a little bit of overlap between the two skill sets.
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Project MPGiata! Mods for getting 50+ MPG from a 1990 Miata
Honda mods: Ecomodding my $800 Honda Fit 5-speed beater
Mitsu mods: 70 MPG in my ecomodded, dirt cheap, 3-cylinder Mirage.
Ecodriving test: Manual vs. automatic transmission MPG showdown



EcoModder
has launched a forum for the efficient new Mitsubishi Mirage
www.MetroMPG.com - fuel efficiency info for Geo Metro owners
www.ForkenSwift.com - electric car conversion on a beer budget
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