Summer blend gas pushes FE to new heights

[JeepNmpg2]

Ok, for starters, I don't know for sure that it is because of Summer gas instead of the Winter stuff, but it is only my assumption. To date, my best trip MPG in my 2000 Jeep Cherokee is 24.2 for a straight run from Tacoma to Washugal, WA (130ish miles) at 62-68 MPH.

Two nights ago, I went up to Everett to pick up a piece of furnature (new coffee table but that's not important other than it fit inside my vehicle, so it didn't change my aero) and got 26.3 and 26.2 respectively each way at 62-65 MPH each way. No crazy drafting, wake hopping or anything else, just even footed driving and watching for slowing traffic so as not to apply the brakes and waste energy. That's 34% better than my vehicle is rated for the highway (18 MPG). I can't wait to have a chance to repeat this with another run out to my relatives about 80 miles away (last three trips that direction, I averaged 22-23.5). The road conditions are about what they always are here in Washington - light rain.... and 55 degrees.... need I say more? Ok, enough tooting my own horn. I need to get off my arse and throw some ecomods on this thing already and hopefully break 30 MPG before the Summer is out.

[comptiger5000]

Congrats!

I'm hoping to be able to hit 24 in mine on the highway when I run it to college in the fall. Of course, I don't know if I'll get it on the first try, but I'll be happy with 22, considering it's rated for 16 on the highway (and I find it hard to get less than 19-20 at 60 - 65).

[JeepNmpg2]

Update:

I didn't go to my relatives this weekend like I'd hoped, but I did make nearly an identical trip up to Everett to pick up some more furniture. Same time of day, same weather, new tank from the same pump... and the average wouldn't break 24.4 on the way up. Granted this is still really good, it just shows that something else was affecting the FE rather than just "Summer Gas" like I'd hoped.

On another note - having the rear hatch tied open at a 60ish degree angle during second half of the trip actually worsened my MPG to 22.2 (I picked up a fullsized mattress and didn't want to put it on the roof and completely kill my milleage). I tried opening the windows, running the vent, etc, it just took 2-3% more throttle the entire trip to maintain the same speeds and my coast downs or "light throttle" down hills didn't work nearly as well as it normally would.