Car mfgr:
Chevy
Car model/body style:
Malibu LS
Year:
2005
Engine size (displacement/cyl):
3.5L / 6cyl
Transmission type (auto/manual):
Auto
MPG info
(estimates from memory, check every tank, but never recorded)
MPG before hypermiling:
30
MPG currently achieved:
33-34
Specifics
Location of primary driving (country/state):
Arizona
Miles driven per year:
36,000 last year, 20-30% city, the res freeway
List all tools/techniques used to achieve current MPG:
- Accelerate like a scooter pulling a cattle trailer
- SLOW DOWN! Used to drive 80-85 mph on freeway, now I keep it 65-70, unless running late.
- Don't drive into the Mexico plant, park at the border and catch a ride. Saves from idling in the slow moving line for anywhere from 15 minutes to well over an hour.
- Coast to red lights. Always done it, just try and do it better now
- "Draft", not close, but if I come up on a tractor trailer doing a few mph slower than myself I'll just follow along instead of passing. This probably makes the biggest difference so far.
I ordered a ScanGauge II on Sunday, we'll see what I learn from playing with that. I'm pretty happy to be able to pull 30+ mpg from a decent sized car with a V6 and slushbox tranny. The whole hypermiling thing is fun in a sense of seeing how good you can do, but it's kind of tough for me. Work pays the gas for my traveling, so driving slow and saving gas costs me time and doesn't save me money, although I get some satisfaction from being less wasteful.