Fuel Economy, Hypermiling, EcoModding News and Forum - EcoModder.com - View Single Post

elhigh · 08-18-2014, 08:08 AM

Hi, and welcome.

I see by your garage ticker your ride posted over 20mpg, not bad at all for an Avalanche. You're on your way!

I'm sure you've seen it elsewhere, but the usual recommendations: read up on the 65+ modifications and the 100+ hypermiling tips.

The beauty of hypermiling tips is that a lot of them don't have much cost associated with them. We say that the most effective mod you can make is to "adjust the nut behind the wheel," it really holds true.

I won't be the only guy to say this either: Scangauge. The in-dash mileage display is good but if it's one of those that only shows you a rolling average, it isn't everything you could really use. If it provides instant MPG, the Scangauge is a much lower priority but still not a dreadful idea as its ability to display a lot more information gives you more ammo in your guns.

Without referring to the tips or mods, I have these two initial pieces of general advice:
1) Slow down. If you're keeping up with everyone else, you're getting the same lousy mileage they are. Don't drive like them and you won't get mileage like them. Okay, you might have to leave the house five minutes earlier.
2) Drive ahead of yourself. This is another bit of not driving like everyone else. The majority of drivers you see are really only aware of the vehicles immediately around them, and react to what those drivers are doing. With only a little practice, you can vastly expand your situational awareness to encompass the next several vehicles around you. Instead of reacting to what drivers adjacent to you have done, react to what drivers five or six or twelve cars ahead of them has done, so that when your adjacent drivers take action, there is already a slush space opening, or you have let off the brake, or swerved aside to allow the flaming oil tanker to pass, etc.

The biggest downside of this is that it tends to make you a lousy conversationalist in the car. If you like to talk to people while driving, expanding your situational awareness will distract you mightily from the topics at hand. On the other hand, losing track of the conversation is nothing if it means you get to dodge the flaming tanker instead of becoming one of its casualties.

08-18-2014, 08:08 AM	#2 (permalink)
elhigh Master Novice Join Date: Jan 2008 Location: SE USA - East Tennessee Posts: 2,314 Josie - '87 Toyota Pickup 90 day: 29.5 mpg (US) Felicia - '09 Toyota Prius Base 90 day: 50.48 mpg (US) Thanks: 427 Thanked 616 Times in 450 Posts	Hi, and welcome. I see by your garage ticker your ride posted over 20mpg, not bad at all for an Avalanche. You're on your way! I'm sure you've seen it elsewhere, but the usual recommendations: read up on the 65+ modifications and the 100+ hypermiling tips. The beauty of hypermiling tips is that a lot of them don't have much cost associated with them. We say that the most effective mod you can make is to "adjust the nut behind the wheel," it really holds true. I won't be the only guy to say this either: Scangauge. The in-dash mileage display is good but if it's one of those that only shows you a rolling average, it isn't everything you could really use. If it provides instant MPG, the Scangauge is a much lower priority but still not a dreadful idea as its ability to display a lot more information gives you more ammo in your guns. Without referring to the tips or mods, I have these two initial pieces of general advice: 1) Slow down. If you're keeping up with everyone else, you're getting the same lousy mileage they are. Don't drive like them and you won't get mileage like them. Okay, you might have to leave the house five minutes earlier. 2) Drive ahead of yourself. This is another bit of not driving like everyone else. The majority of drivers you see are really only aware of the vehicles immediately around them, and react to what those drivers are doing. With only a little practice, you can vastly expand your situational awareness to encompass the next several vehicles around you. Instead of reacting to what drivers adjacent to you have done, react to what drivers five or six or twelve cars ahead of them has done, so that when your adjacent drivers take action, there is already a slush space opening, or you have let off the brake, or swerved aside to allow the flaming oil tanker to pass, etc. The biggest downside of this is that it tends to make you a lousy conversationalist in the car. If you like to talk to people while driving, expanding your situational awareness will distract you mightily from the topics at hand. On the other hand, losing track of the conversation is nothing if it means you get to dodge the flaming tanker instead of becoming one of its casualties. __________________ Lead or follow. Either is fine.