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Old 04-12-2011, 03:25 PM   #4 (permalink)
SentraSE-R
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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)
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Moderate aero mods can help you tweak 5-10% FE improvement. Driver behavioral changes can make 30-40% improvement with an AT, 50-70% with a MT. So pick the low-hanging fruit first, by slowing down. You'll get low-mid 20 mpg at 80 mph, mid 20s mpg at 70 mph, mid 30s mpg at 60 mph, and high 30s mpg at 55 mph. If you have cruise control, set it to the PSL, stay in the right lane, and watch everyone get around you. Once you build up your confidence that, indeed, you won't die by driving the legal speed limit, drop to 5 or 10 mph below the PSL. The most dangerous place to be is in the high speed conga line of tailgaters going 75 mph with <1 second between cars.

Instead of keeping your foot on the gas until you're half a block from red lights and stop signs, start coasting to them (in neutral, when you're confident of your skills) 2-3 blocks ahead. Every time you slow to a stop from 35 mph, you're throwing away the same amount of energy they crash test cars with - in other words, you're throwing away enough energy to kill a person.
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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
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