The Matrix broke 40 this weekend

[mechman600]

IMP, that is. The Queen's gallon.

The wife and I drove up to the family townhouse in Osoyoos this weekend. I intentionally gassed up in Hope to make the ~500 km round trip in one go. This trip is ridiculously mountainous - BC hwy #3 is a notorious road - so getting a round trip in one tank is essential for making the trip "elevation-neutral". This tank also included some short drives to the movies, local wineries, etc.

The highest I have ever recorded is 36.2 MPG (Imp) on this trip, although I have only ever gassed up along the way - never in Hope there and back (never elevation-neutral). I usually go 12 km/h over the speed limit and drive it HARD up hills. (Usually in a big hurry to get out there). At some points I am in 2nd gear (automatic) at 5000 rpm for 5 minutes at a time on the big uphills.

This time:
-Inflated tires up to 40 psi
-Stayed within 3 km/h of speed limit
-Backed out of it on big hills to keep the revs down
-Used neutral on slight down hills to maintain speed when DFCO was slowing me down
-Used A/C on the downhills only (when I could). It was 28C today and the wife is preggers...so I didn't feel like getting punched in the face because of lack of A/C.

The result? 41.0 mpg. 6.9L/100km.
I think I will do some duct tape aeromods when we do it again in May and repost here.

EDIT: Here's a map for a visual.
http://maps.google.ca/maps?saddr=Old...ra=mrv&t=p&z=9

[Tango Charlie]

If Google is accurate, that's 34.1 MPG (U.S.). Not bad for a mountainous route in a Matrix. Is it manual or automatic?

Is this a four lane highway? If so, you can really bleed off the speed at the crests without disrupting traffic too much. I would also let gravity store some energy in your momentum to help you up the next incline. As much as the curves allow, anyway. Looks like a fun twisty drive!

[MetroMPG]

TC: automatic

Congrats - onwards & upwards. Continue being vigilant about getting punched in the face!

I was out in this neck of the woods in February - helped my cousin move from Penticton to Thunder Bay. We picked up the moving van in Osoyoos. And I've driven the "southern route" through BC before on a cross-country trip. A very enjoyable drive.

[mechman600]

Yes, an amazing drive. I absolutely love it, which is good because I do it half a dozen times over summer.

TC: It's an automatic.
It's a mix of different roads. 22% 100km/h 4-lane (fairly flat with an initial major elevation gain - 1200 meter gain in the first 40 km), 45% 100 km/h 2-lane (decent elevation changes and slower twisty corners), 33% 80 km/h 2-lane (ridiculous elevation changes and slow corners, many with 40 km/h warnings).

[mechman600]

This weekend is another Osoyoos getaway, so another Hope-Osoyoos-Hope mileage calculation. Unfortunately I didn't get around to any aero mods for this run. Next time. Next time.

This trip has the potential to yield even better mileage. Thanks to heavy long weekend traffic, highway speeds have been lower than normal. Plus, I am cruising at speed limit when I can as opposed to slightly above speed limit like last time.

Now for a question, and please excuse my ignorance as I do not have a Scangauge....yet. When going up a hill at 85 km/h, I have two choices. Run in A) 4th gear with the torque converter unlocked, engine at 2600 rpm or B) 3rd gear with the torque converter locked, engine at 3000 rpm. Which one is best? Obviously the engine is at a greater load and more efficient in option A), but I have a feeling that any efficiency gain is lost to the slipping torque converter that option B) doesn't have. Once I get a Scangauge I will find out for sure. Should we take bets on which option end up being better?

[gone-ot]

...I've been able to break 42 mpg on a couple occassions (and 40-41 mpg routinely) with my 2009 Pontiac Vibe with 4-speed automatic, but that was without anybody else in the car and no A/C, so "...Congratulations!"

[mechman600]

I assume you are using US MPG. I am using the queen's MPG (IMP), which puts me at roughly 41/1.2 = 34 mpg. Still a long way off from you if my assumptions are correct. Once I reach 41 US MPG, then I will accept your congratulations!

[gone-ot]

...yes, US-gallons vs. Imperial-gals.

...last time I calculated with Imperial-gallons was w-a-y back in the summer of 1965, in Argentia, Newfoundland, when I bought a brand-new MG Midget up in St. Johns and drove it back to Yuma, AZ, 3 months later over the still-under-construction Trans-Canadian Highway (TCH).

[Tango Charlie]

Originally Posted by mechman600

Once I get a Scangauge I will find out for sure. Should we take bets on which option end up being better?

I wouldn't begin to know how to guess, as my 2003 Vibe, while is equipped with a Scangauge, always has the torque converter locked; it's a 5-speed manual.
How soon will you have a SG? It will be interesting to find out.

[mechman600]

Originally Posted by Old Tele man

...when I bought a brand-new MG Midget up in St. Johns and drove it back to Yuma,AZ....

That's a bloody long drive! Wow. In a Midget.... Google says 7050 km, but of course Google wasn't even a thought in '65! I've thought of driving out there a few times, but it's even farther for me from Vancouver.

Originally Posted by Tango Charlie

How soon will you have a SG? It will be interesting to find out.

Agreed. I need one. I will try to stealth in a purchase without the wife finding out. I wonder if she'll notice it, considering it's going in her car.... HA! I'll probably get the SCe for the cheapness.

I did a Google Map route of Hope-Osoyoos-Hope, getting an exact mileage (if Google is accurate, which I assume it is) to make distance adjustments. It turns out the Matrix trips 2.6% lower than actual, which means I can increase my mileage calculations by the same amount. This round was a hair better than last round: 42.2 mpg (IMP), 35.2 mpg (US), 6.7L/100km