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SentraSE-R · 03-25-2011, 12:08 AM

Keep your Accord and drive it 5 mph below the PSL. Your new, longer commute will allow you to get better fuel economy than you've ever gotten before, because your engine will fully warm up, and you'll be in torque converter lockup the whole time. You should be able to average 35-36 mpg (135% of your 27 mpg EPA highway estimate) by keeping your speeds down.

You're talking about putting 22,360 miles a year of wear and tear on a beater. Do you really want that as your only car if it breaks down 40 miles from home? If you found a $1000 beater that gets 40 mpg, your Accord would cost you only $200/year more in fuel costs. It would take you 5 years to pay off the cost of the beater in fuel costs, if it was still running without major repairs 115,000 miles later. Even if the beater got 45 mpg, it would take you 2-1/2 years to pay off its extra cost (assuming $3/gal gas).

03-25-2011, 12:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
SentraSE-R Pishtaco Join Date: Jun 2009 Location: Bay Area, California Posts: 1,485 Mean Green Toaster Machine - '06 Scion xB Team Toyota 90 day: 48.92 mpg (US) Thanks: 56 Thanked 286 Times in 181 Posts	Keep your Accord and drive it 5 mph below the PSL. Your new, longer commute will allow you to get better fuel economy than you've ever gotten before, because your engine will fully warm up, and you'll be in torque converter lockup the whole time. You should be able to average 35-36 mpg (135% of your 27 mpg EPA highway estimate) by keeping your speeds down. You're talking about putting 22,360 miles a year of wear and tear on a beater. Do you really want that as your only car if it breaks down 40 miles from home? If you found a $1000 beater that gets 40 mpg, your Accord would cost you only $200/year more in fuel costs. It would take you 5 years to pay off the cost of the beater in fuel costs, if it was still running without major repairs 115,000 miles later. Even if the beater got 45 mpg, it would take you 2-1/2 years to pay off its extra cost (assuming $3/gal gas). __________________ Darrell Boycotting Exxon since 1989, BP since 2010 Have you ever noticed that anybody driving slower than you is an idiot, and anyone going faster than you is a maniac? George Carlin Mean Green Toaster Machine 49.5 mpg avg over 53,000 miles. 176% of '08 EPA Best flat drive 94.5 mpg for 10.1 mi Longest tank 1033 km (642 mi) on 10.56 gal = 60.8 mpg Last edited by SentraSE-R; 03-25-2011 at 12:19 AM..