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Old 07-11-2011, 11:44 AM   #13 (permalink)
PaleMelanesian
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Texas
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PaleCivic (retired) - '96 Honda Civic DX Sedan
90 day: 69.2 mpg (US)

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Quote:
Originally Posted by PaleMelanesian View Post
I tested in my Odyssey once. Drafting at 70 mph gave the same mileage as driving solo at 65. You don't have to be much slower to make up the difference.
Quote:
Originally Posted by phunky.buddha View Post
TRUE.

Not that anyone should attempt to duplicate the results I've found but...

There's a very specific route I used to drive almost every weekend between a tiny town in East Texas and Dallas, mostly along I-20. Anyone who's driven this piece of highway knows how high the speeds get.

Setting the cruise at 70mph and just driving as smoothly as possible would always net me 27mpg for the trip. Drafting people and running 90-100mph the whole way always got me 29-30mpg. It's not an A-B-A comparison, but I did it enough times to prove it to myself. Same mile count, same pumps at both ends, same weather conditions.
Same stretch of road. Keeping the speed below the limit and using a smart foot instead of cruise control regularly gives me 30+ mpg in a 3.5 V6 Odyssey.
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11-mile commute: 100 mpg - - - Tank: 90.2 mpg / 1191 miles
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