Any Tips on hypermiling Subaru Outback?

[dremd]

I failed prety hard at hypermiling the 2 loaner cars I used in VEGAS at SEMA

1) 03 Subaru Outback L.L. Bean 88,000 miles 4 speed Auto H6 3.0

For the life of me I couldn't get 20 mpg (factory instrumentation) either crusing at 60, or in town with lots of EOC. Tried P@G, tried driving with load, tried airing up the tires to 45, removed roof rack . . . . .

Any ideas?

2) 05 Subaru Outback L.L. Bean 22,000 miles Unknown engine, 5 speed auto

I managed to get 21 mpg with HEAVY EOC in town, and 18 mpg cruising at 65 (also Factory instrumentation)
I left the tires at the 38 psi they were at when I received it, no roof rack installed.


Is it just me? or are both of these things just FSP's?

FYI; they belong to different families (1 in Reno 1 in Vegas) so take that as a data point.

[The Atomic Ass]

So, no tank report I take it? How about ambient conditions, cold, warm? The factory instrumentation in my fathers Bravada is over 2mpg off at all times.

Perhaps both were in poor states of tune, or had poor factory tuning?

Another is inexplicable, but some cars do acclimate themselves to their normal drivers, (this is not a computer phenomenon), and will continue to act as if that person is driving long after, as much as 6 months. One of the cars my father owned, he bought from my grandfather, (and this was a carb, non-computer car), and for 6 months after that, it continued to drive like my grandfather. Surge forward, fall back, surge forward, fall back...

Just tossing ideas out there...

[dremd]

Good Questions!

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

So, no tank report I take it?

Yes; however I was not the only driver on either vehicle.

03 outback 16.3 MPG calculated tank (assuming last fill was full) ~75% driven by 18 year old 25% by me. No computer tank average to compare.


05 outback 18.6 MPG Calculated tank (assuming last fill was full ~25% Driven by 50 year old female ~75% driven by me. Tank average matched fill within 1/10 mpg.

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

How about ambient conditions, cold, warm?

Highs in the mid 70's Nights in low 50's very low humidity.

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

The factory instrumentation in my fathers Bravada is over 2mpg off at all times.

I wish my SGII was that close on the TDI . . . .

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

Perhaps both were in poor states of tune, or had poor factory tuning?

I woldn't doubt it on the 03; it has been through a heck of a lot. (several wrecks; off roading by 3 teenage boys; and all of the things a car goes through having teenagers drive it).

The 05 however is in excellent shape; I was the first person ever besides my aunt to drive it and she is very protective of her belongings. + it has super low miles . . . .

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

Another is inexplicable, but some cars do acclimate themselves to their normal drivers, (this is not a computer phenomenon), and will continue to act as if that person is driving long after, as much as 6 months. One of the cars my father owned, he bought from my grandfather, (and this was a carb, non-computer car), and for 6 months after that, it continued to drive like my grandfather. Surge forward, fall back, surge forward, fall back...

A possability 4 sure

Originally Posted by The Atomic Ass

Just tossing ideas out there...

That's what I posted here 4 :-)

[PonchoBuick]

IIRC, the Sube boxer engines generally don't get the mileage that equivilant inline and v configurations do. I seem to remember a friend of mine with an older Outback, about a 1999(?) with a 2.5 boxer 4 that seemed to get a best of around 22 mpg with 80-85% in town driving.

However, that does seem disappointing considering my old Buick gets roughly 16-18 mpg in town.

Aaron