I downsized from a 1998 Land Rover Dicsovery (12 mpg) about a year and a half ago to a 93 Festiva
. I came out about a grand ahead in the swap, so I basically drove the Festiva free for a year. It's a 1.3L 5-spd manual with stock 12" tires & rims, everything's stock and manual, no frills here.
I have it registered at Fuelly ("Suck it,Hybrids!" is my car), and I have averaged a respectable 43.3 mpg over the last 17,000 miles. I drive it slow and easy, shift at low rpm, and I have the tires at max pressure, and that's about the only things I actively do to increase gas mileage.
I'm looking for the absolute cheapest ways to push it up towards to 50 mpg range. A/C is unhooked but still on the car, so I'm getting ready to remove it for the weight savings, planning on also removing the rear seat.
Anybody got any other free or super cheap ideas to kick it up a notch?