New from Atlantic Canada
 

Been looking at this site for last few months - is incredible. Am so impressed. Am driving 06 Toyota Matrix - 5 speed manual. Have Scan Guage, tire pressure at limit based on what is written on tire, use mild hypermiling techniques.

First mods I plan in order:

1. Front Grill block - removable

2. Low friction synthetic oil -..still trying to decide which is best... leaning toward Amsoil and hope to have done while on vacation to South Carolina in few weeks time.

3. "Moon Hubcaps"

Open to any suggestions

P.S. while slightly off topic, I live in passive solar house I designed and helped build - am happy to learn about anything to do with "doing more with less" and energy efficiency.

Welcome to the site. Good to see another Matrixer around. :) The mods list looks good. I look forward to seeing what you do. What kind of mileage are you currently getting with the Matrix?

We also run a sister site EcoRenovator.org for home type discussion. If you are interested in discussing your home or ideas we'd love to hear about it and try to help out.

Thank you for your warm greeting Daox. Matrix is also used by wife who does not practice hypermiling - yet. Average combined FE over last few months about 32 mpg. I have one question, whether you have any thoughts: The FE <using scan quage> I get with matrix once warmed up.... is depedent on what the idling rpm is - best mileage occurring when car idles around 800 rpm - but this is completely variable.. i can sometimes drive the car for over half hour and when stopped idling....it can still sometimes be at just over 1000 rpm... and when this is the case.. subsequent overall FE drops. Wonder if this is normal quirk or perhaps problem with O2 sensor.. . any thoughts ?

Mine is the same way. I have found that if I turn the car off, then restart once it is warmed up it will often idle down to 800, but not always. I have noticed that if you stop at a light and stay there for more than a few seconds it will idle down to 800 vs 1000 too. I'm guessing its part of the programming for the engine.

Hi LowDrag, welcome to the forum. Where are you in the Maritimes?

I'd also be very interested to learn about your solar house if you feel like posting at EcoRenovator.org (or here at EM). From what I've seen of the old (and even newer) houses in Lunenburg NS, "insulation" wasn't/isn't in the lexicon!

Hi MetroMPG

Am in Oromocto, N.B. I really like all your posts: great to read. Thank you.

Reference passive solar house design: is based on two precepts: significantly increased insulation and passive solar design. The house is 2500 sq foot bungalow - designed to be multi-generational - 3 families live here - in-laws; immediate family; adult son and his live-in girlfriend. Standard contruction with 2 inches of extruded polystyrene under slab, and external to all vertical walls. R 60 in ceiling. Passive design involves modified relatively square L shape......L formed by large garage on north side, south side of house which is back of house and is facing grid south has lots of super windows <everywhere>. Only one window on north side, 3 windows on east side, two smaller windows on west side. Inside is open consept. Heating when needed - by hi efficiency pellet stove and air-to-air heat pump. On sunny winter day... the sun provides more than enough heat. .and in summer.. house is cool.. due to flow through design of doors and windows.

That house design sounds great. Inspirational, and a model of things to come, I hope. Congratulations.