Longtime Lurker finally decides to join

[calvinstrikesagain]

Hello,

My old dodge dakota died, so I bought a Ford Fiesta! I've finally decided to actually make an account, and lurk with a login!

The best I ever got out of that old 1996 Dodge Dakota was a city-only tank of 17.35, and a highway-only tank of 27.41 (Colorado Springs to Brighton, a trip with a 2500' descent over the majority of the distance).

I'm hoping to acheive a city-only average of 36 and a highway only average of 44 with this fiesta. Does that seem unrealistic to any of you?

[digital rules]

Hello Longtime Lurker, welcome to the forum!! The MPG numbers you are looking for seem very realistic with "Zippy". How long have you been using the Scangauge?

[user removed]

My 2011 powershift hatch is at 46.2 for 24k miles and 48.7 last 90 days. New Mexico can get awfully hot so AC may be more necessary in your case, but I think your goals should be easily obtainable especially if your routes don't have terrible traffic light timing and you don't go too fast on the Interstates. I have seen an all time high of 62, probably with a good tailwind.

Mine was totalled and rebuilt at 3700 miles, paid $10 k for it.

Coast as much as you can stand and try to keep the shifts below 3k if yours is an auto, if manual you might do better but the only ones that beat me on fuelly are 95% european diesels.

I see yours is a powershift like mine.

Welcome to the nuthouse!

regards
Mech

[MetroMPG]

Welcome to the forum -- nice to see a de-lurking!

[calvinstrikesagain]

digital rules

I've been using a ScanGuage II since 2012. I was generally able to beat the EPA mileage for my old truck on everything but the mountain passes in Colorado. I hoping for more of the same here.

Old Mechanic, what's the driving like in your neck of the woods?

Here, I'm firmly in the suburbs at home with speed limits around 40-45 and lights every mile or so. The area I work in has more lights and is a little more urban (SLs of 35, lights every quarter mile). On instantaeous measurement, the Fiesta gets 112-130 going downhill to work and 36-40 coming back uphill, but with the lights, it breaks up that smooth cruising. I'm thinking with good timing, I can get up to 55 or so going to work(213 ft descent, SL35-40, 7 lights, 3.1 miles), and around 29-32 going to the bank (361 ft climb, SL 35-45, 10 lights, 3 stop signs, 3.6 miles), then about 42-45 coming home from the bank (174 ft descent, SL 40, 3 lights, 2.0 miles). I'm working on the route to the bank, as I know that's what's killing my mileage. Unfortunately, many of the routes with fewer lights, also have much longer cycles, up to 6 minutes. If I felt safe riding my bike for this, which I don't anymore, I know that would be the ultimate in efficiency. (I had a man clip the city street sweeper who hit the curb right in front of me while I was in the bike lane. Very high pucker factor.) Thoughts?

[calvinstrikesagain]

Also, how do I get the little Ecomodder signature like yours?

[Fat Charlie]

I wanted a Fiesta when I was looking last winter. Nice move! 36 is a reasonable start point.

[Daox]

Welcome to delurking! The fiesta should fairly easily be able to get you those numbers if you're willing to drive it for good mileage.

Heres some instructions on the signature:
http://ecomodder.com/forum/showthrea...ure-20941.html

[mcrews]

Welcome to the world of MPGs!!

Have you increased the psi in your tires?
most go for 40+

[calvinstrikesagain]

mcrews,

I haven't changed the tire pressure yet. They came nitrogen filled and I haven't messed with them yet. I've been working about 60 hours a week the last two weeks, so I haven't had time for modifications yet.

It is on my to do list, though.