Quote:
Originally Posted by SentraSE-R
Can you combine trips? Maybe offer to pick up the neighbors' kids from school? Do the grocery shopping for your elderly neighbor every Friday? At least then you'd be able to warm your engine up and have a chance to bring your mileage up into the thirties.
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I find it admirable to offer ones driving services to help neighbors, the elderly, etc. but driving more for the sake of getting better mpg defeats the purpose of trying to save fuel unless the driving you are doing is serving a purpose (I'm not saying good deeds don't serve a purpose...just saying adding miles to the route to get a warmer engine isn't a popular suggestion). While Jason might see others driving "nice 20+ mile commutes" he has an advantage that many of those 20+ mile commute drivers might envy...low consumption.
I would take a different view Jason...one of conservation. Even though you might not be getting the mpg you desire your short commute gives you the advantage of using less fuel than the average driver.
Maybe along with your goals of higher mpg you should also have goals of conservation (see how few gallons of gas you can use in a week, month or year and keep good records to compare your progress for both mpg and conservation).
Here's my personal example:
In March I moved into a new house and my commute to work went from 4 miles to 11 miles. Prior to moving I was driving a 4runner and getting 20 mpg. After moving I bought a Prius and get 60 mpg. So while I tripled my mpg I also nearly tripled my commute (which is 75% of the miles I drive each tank for me).
When looking at my fuel logs the other day I noticed I've saved nearly 120 gallons and $500 in fuel from driving my Prius vs. the 4runner. But, in the 4 months I've owned my Prius I've also driven about 1500 more miles than I would have driven in my 4runner with the shorter commute. So, while I am certainly saving money by getting 60 mpg in my Prius I am also driving more.
So the lower mpg you are getting is all relative to your consumption. Small improvements in mpg via driving technique and mods will lower your consumption even more! Maybe setting mpg and consumption goals would give you some optimism in your quest to be more "green."