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Old 04-18-2008, 11:17 PM   #6 (permalink)
trebuchet03
MechE
 
Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Bay Area
Posts: 1,151

The Miata - '01 Mazda MX-5 Miata
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Green Machine View Post
I own a small hotshot/delivery business. I started making a 520 mile round trip run once a week. I was making this run in my 2002 Ford F-150. Just to make the miles pass a little quicker one day, I decided to monitor my FE. 18MPG. OUCH! So, I slowed down (one stretch has an 80 MPH posted limit) to 70, added cruise, started drafting and ran without A/C. All this got me to just shy of a miserable 20 MPG. Dang! Now what?
An 11% gain is a pretty big gain - nothing to laugh at or be disappointed with at least....

Say you drive 20,000 miles per year

@ 18mpg, that's ~1111 gallons of fuel
@ 20mpg, that's 1000 gallons of fuel
a difference of 111 gallons

At $3.445 (national average 4/18 according to AAA) that 2mpg difference saves you ~382 per year.


Maybe if you air up your tires - you might be able to get closer to 21mpg (~$546 savings over 18mpg)

Extraordinary mileage (or anything for that matter) is for those that put in extraordinary effort in doing so <-- remember, 90% perspiration - some of that will be literal


EDIT: Doh! Old thread!!!
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