Need to vent: low milage

[Yuri4x4]

On a normal week, I drop the wife off on my way to work. Just by casually ecodriving, I can normally hold 23-24 mpg on a regular basis. The best gas saving comes from the fact that we're using one vehicle instead of two.

I happened to be sick last week, so the wife had to drive herself back and forth to work. Monday morning came around and I noticed that the Grand Caravan's fuel economy reading wasn't showing... so I flipped it on. Low and behold, it was under 20 mpg!

Now I'm only married to her for 17 years... so I'm kinda a newlywed... Is there a device I can buy that will give her an electric shock if she exceeds 55mph?

...alright, I'm joking. But I just needed to vent a little bit instead of fighting with her. Now I have to look at 20-21 mpg for the rest of the tank and it pisses me off.

[ebacherville]

Well cant offer any advice but i heard the wife take off this morningin the vegibenz and i was like .. dang there goes fuel down the drain.. cant complain she has adopted the veggie benz and has learned to switch over and shut down the fuel as needed.. so Im not complaining.. however.. its all about training.. everythime she drives the car and the FE is low, go up to her and ask her for $10.. say well your spending that much extra in fuel you dont need to so you can certainly cough up the same to you.. Little knudges that make her think.. woman are pretty fricken smart.. you just need to shift that brain over to your side... Its all about focus.. a 60 watt light bulb can cut through steel if all the energy from it is focused in one point..

[gamer_jim]

I feel your pain. My last tank was 5 MPG lower then the previous. My wife drove 3 times on that tank, coincidence? I'm hoping to get the MPGuino in there will help her as she could see right away what her driving habits are doing to the FE. I don't say anything to her anymore about it as my marriage isn't worth a few extra bucks in gas. But there's definitely a difference in my tank-to-tank averages when we change driving.

[Ophbalance]

My wife took out the Elantra yesterday. She likened watching the SqII to playing a video game. She's going to approve the purchase of a second SgII for the Sedona. I may yet get her to change her ways .

[ebacherville]

I gave the wife the veggie benz to drive and parked her 18mpg minivan in the back yard.. she can waist all the fuel she wants in that .. the fuel is free

I feel your pain though .. my "hf" has a CA or high alt tranny in it .. only getting 47.7mpg was hoping to break 51.. oh well more mods should fix that..

[JohnnyGrey]

Time is money. FE isn't always the bottom line. Calculate how much her time is worth, then factor in time saved by speeding vs money saved by going 55. Why the heck are you commuting in a minivan with only 1-2 people in it? Picking a fight over 2-3 mpg in a mostly empty minivan is being penny-wise and pound-foolish.

And what's with you married guys having your wives "approve" purchases? Do you not make any money yourselves? Jeeeeezus, you're killing me!

[gamer_jim]

Originally Posted by JohnnyGrey

And what's with you married guys having your wives "approve" purchases? Do you not make any money yourselves? Jeeeeezus, you're killing me!

Either your single or a newlywed

just kidding!

[JohnnyGrey]

Either your single or a newlywed

just kidding!

I am neither. I am unmarried.

[ebacherville]

Originally Posted by gamer_jim

Either your single or a newlywed

just kidding!

I was going to say the same thing..lol

Its good relations to get approval.. and great for when you screw up .. then you can say "but you OKed it"

[ttoyoda]

Calculate how much her time is worth, then factor in time saved by speeding vs money saved by going 55

Ah yes, but how do you calculate THAT? Very few of us get paid money or make money to get somewhere 10 minutes sooner.

I am neither. I am unmarried.
Good. Save yourself. You still have your whole life ahead of you. Flee while there is still time.

(actually, my current wife is a saint)