Look Who Got 45.5 MPG with an Automatic!

[kevlar]

OK, now you got me piqued about drafting... Is it true you can do great drafting semis? And, Iv'e heard this, can they supposedly tell when you are drafting?

[Arminius]

Originally Posted by kevlar

OK, now you got me piqued about drafting... Is it true you can do great drafting semis? And, Iv'e heard this, can they supposedly tell when you are drafting?

Sorry, I didn't see your post above until I came here to report that my mileage was 48.39 on my last tank. Thank goodness for warmer weather.

To answer your question, drafting really does seem to help in my van, but I don't draft closer than 3 seconds behind. I think my last long trip had improved mileage of about 35%, most of which is due to drafting. The last time I drafted, I drafted the same semi for 3 hours and he called the police. I backed off a bit when they showed up and they did not pull me over, but it was very clear that they were looking for a reason to. I wouldn't have done it if the trucker had shown any indication that he was upset.

I don't draft semis too often in my Civic, mostly because I'd have to accelerate to catch up to a semi, and because there are few opportunites on the routes I take. But I do get lucky once in a while and catch a smaller draft off of the rare slow-driving SUV or van.

I'm off to Mexico (by plane) for a few days. See ya.

[akcapeco]

I wish there was a large universal symbol to put on the rear of a car to indicate... something... like hypermiler, etc.

In Europe, students have to drive with a large A sticker on the rear of the car, and certain cars carry a MAX KMH sticker. Europeans are sticklers for lane discipline... and thus people aren't in a constant state of irritation about slow cars in the right lane.

[azraelswrd]

Awesome job Arminius!

EOC sounds like the lynchpin of your strategem (and why wouldn't it?). My Scion apparently does not like EOC (can't be flat towed, automatic) so I'm stuck on mostly flat terrain. But on this next tank I'll be working on NICE-ON and see if that gets me closer to my 40mpg goal (hey, I gotta aim low to aim high, right? ). Last tank was 38.09mpg but with a few mods now, I hope to match or improve. When that Scangauge comes in, that'll let me see what and where I can be better.

I just checked... am I the only automatic xA here?

[LostCause]

Originally Posted by Arminius

ME!

See my last tank!

Ya got me!

Great job, but your ruining the curve for the rest of us automatic drivers.

Originally Posted by akcapeco

In Europe, students have to drive with a large A sticker on the rear of the car...

That's brilliant. A set of "student driver" magnetic signs would probably do wonders. Those things are like car repellent on the freeway.

- LostCause

[Arminius]

Originally Posted by azraelswrd

Awesome job Arminius!

EOC sounds like the lynchpin of your strategem (and why wouldn't it?). My Scion apparently does not like EOC (can't be flat towed, automatic) so I'm stuck on mostly flat terrain. But on this next tank I'll be working on NICE-ON and see if that gets me closer to my 40mpg goal (hey, I gotta aim low to aim high, right? ). Last tank was 38.09mpg but with a few mods now, I hope to match or improve. When that Scangauge comes in, that'll let me see what and where I can be better.

I just checked... am I the only automatic xA here?

My car can't be flat towed either. I'll let you know if I ever have trouble.

Anyhow, Mexico rocks! So many fatastic tiny cars there that are made by the Big 3 that I've never seen before, and a few foreign gems too. Without all the US polution control and safety device weight, I have to wonder if those tiny cars get 80 mpg. Oh well.......I'm glad for the polution controls and the saftey......I guess. I expected to see more motorcycles or mopeds than I did.

I saw about 1/10 of what I would have seen in a similarly populated area in Thailand.

[Arminius]

50.63 mpg, baby!

[groar]

Congratulations,

Denis.

[Daox]

Wow, keeps goin up eh? Great job.

[NoCO2]

That's awesome man, keep going, keep going.

I can do 47mpg, but that's about it I think...