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Originally Posted by Atheria
Sophia has a 10.5 gallon tank. But, if the car wasn't as full as the gas gauge made it seem when I got it...I actually would have gotten WORSE mpg, not better. It just must have been a fluke because I checked after driving only 117 miles in my curiousity.
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No, what I meant was that perhaps you didn't fill the tank as much as the dealer did originally - in which case it would appear that the car didn't use as much gas as it actually did, when you refueled it. Some gas attendants shut the pump as soon as the nozzle clicks off. Others will fill it up almost to the brim. On some cars you could pump another gallon or two into the tank before it overflows. On a car with a small tank, that can affect the calculation. If you pump your own gas and are always consistent about how you fill the tank you will get more accurate readings of your true MPG. Also refueling and checking the MPG on a partly empty tank is never quite as accurate than waiting until the tank is almost empty, due to that factor.
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A mechanic I met swore his diesel MASSIVE....I mean MASSIVE (and lifted) pick-up truck got 34 mpg. I found that very hard to believe, but he swore he wasn't exaggerating. He laughed when I told him my Scion xD got 34-36 with a mix of highway/city driving. The Scion was rated at 26 city / 33 highway and in New Mexico I consistently got way better mpg. In Los Angeles the car only got 22! So the fact I'm getting low to mid 40s with Sophia who is rated at 31 / 40 isn't surprising here in ABQ where the traffic is good.
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I find his story hard to believe too. If there is any truth to it, he might be able get that on a trip that is all highway driving. OTOH, if your trip involves any city driving at all ("city" usually means at any speed under 45 MPH) it will reduce your high MPG substantially.
There are numerous factors that can affect MPG: weather (temperature and wind), octane and blend (whether 10% ethanol) of gasoline, traffic, your speed, elevation and terrain (whether your trip is mostly uphill or downhill), the gear ratios of the car's transmission, etc. Many of them are not under our control.
If you keep a log book of your MPG when you refuel you will have a more accurate assessment of your actual mileage. After using several tanks of gas you will have a clearer picture of the actual fuel usage.
Does your car have any instrumentation that reports real-time MPG while in motion?
Now what sort of horrible person would ask a lady to reveal her age?
