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Old 02-23-2010, 09:57 PM   #12 (permalink)
Istas
is not covered in bees.
 
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Join Date: May 2009
Location: Seeley Lake, Montana, USA
Posts: 207

Honda - '05 Honda Accord EX
90 day: 27.16 mpg (US)

Insight - '00 Honda Insight w A/C
90 day: 66.55 mpg (US)
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The driving tips that Metro linked are excellent to check out. To recap some of the ones I think are key, one thing you should concentrate on when driving on the highway is driving smoothly, try not to make sudden changes in direction or speed. Without sacrificing safe driving, try to drive so that you need to use the brake pedal as little as possible. Anticipate when you'll need to slow down and let off on the gas early rather than needing to brake later (coasting in gear to slow down at highway speed in most modern gasoline cars uses zero fuel). When practical, if you need to accelerate, never accelerate uphill, try to wait until you're going down the other side. Another tip, when it's practical (that is, when you're not a hazard to traffic), let yourself slow down some when going uphill, then pick the speed back up on the way down the other side. As well, driving at 70 mph involves a lot more wind resistance and drag than driving at 60 mph.

Making sure things are in working order, like the fuel filter has been changed, make sure the brakes or bearings aren't adding more rolling resistance than they should be, tires are at the max sidewall pressure (or at least 35 psi, if the max is high like 44 or 50... I've had some center-wear issues on my car trying to run 44-psi tires at max pressure). And driving at the lowest (practical and safe) speed in the highest possible gear without bogging down the engine.

Even so, 33 mpg is not bad at all for a car that will turn 20 soon. And remember, cold weather and winter gas will lower fuel economy, so take that into account if there's a drop in mpg in winter. Keeping a log of the gallons of fuel on each fill-up, and the miles travelled, will help you see what works and what doesn't.
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