.~*~. Hello from the Mountains .~*~.
 

Hello Everybody,
My name is Cherish. I live with my parents up 2.5 miles on a mountain, and that makes for unusual driving conditions. I find it fun, but it really cuts down on mileage and it adds a lot of wear and tear to the vehicles. I just bought my first vehicle last November. It's a 2000 Toyota RAV4. SUVs or Trucks (With 4x4) are a MUST where we live! Although, there have been a few Winters (Including this one), where even the 4x4 vehicles don't make it up. When that happens, it's time to snowmobile! One snowmobile for 3 working people is a challenge all in itself!

I'm looking forward to discovering new ways to improve my mileage. I already get around 26 MPG, but I won't be content until I get at least 30 MPG (including driving up the mountain). I don't know if that is possible (Seeing how the RAV is an automatic, not my preference but circumstances made this the best choice), but experience and tinkering may make it possible. And speaking of experience, I have not been able to find any videos that show some techniques for steep or long hills. Or even some written advice. I have an Ultra-Gauge, but it almost seems to me that powering up the hills gets better gas mileage and it gets the hill over with more quickly too.

I used to be a lead foot. And I do LOVE speed! But the more I work at getting better MPG, the lighter my foot gets. I was noticing today while out driving that I was UNDER the speed limit most of the time. As long as nobody is behind me, I'm fine with that!

Well, enough about me. Not that you guys have much of a choice, but Thanks for having me! : ) I look forward to learning from you all, and someday perhaps giving some advice. But we'll see. : )

G'day myrefugeisintheLord!
I love that username!

Mountain driving can be a real hassle for FE, but where you have to plant your foot on the way up, you can usually coast on the way down.
I don't live as high as you, but once you learn where and when you can SAFELY coast in neutral (auto = engine on), that saves heaps when averaged out.
Anyway, welcome. Now go and read, read, read, there's lots of interesting stuff here.

Depend On God (Pete)

Welcome to EM:)

You might ask AlohaSpirit for tips, he also has a long hill to climb each day, iirc.

If you're really serious about saving fuel you may consider leaving the car at the bottom of the hill and walking the rest of the way. It doesn't have to be at the very bottom, it can be anywhere, like before a steeper part. It saves a ton of fuel and keeps you fit. I've read about people who do this - they usually find someone next to the road who they can rent a few square meters of property from and park there. Of, course, you can drive all the way up if the car is needed at home.

Thank you both for the ideas. I have tried coasting, but then I have to sacrifice wear and tear. But I guess that is where learning to fix cars comes in. I've been thinking about spending some extra time working on the road fixing it up to get better coasting areas. The last 1.5 miles I can coast, with engine off, if I get enough speed for one hill. And I like the idea of walking some of the time. A great opportunity to work on the road and it would never hurt to walk more. I don't know why I never thought of that before seeing how we've done that lots in past Winters. And I WILL read, read, read! : )

~Thanks again!~