Short Notice Cross Country Trip: Best Bang for Time?

[steveo539]

Not sure what states you will be traveling through but on my trip WA, ID, MT, WY, CO, NE & back through NE, CO, WY, UT, ID, OR, WA, gas was least expensive in Montana and Wyoming. Most expensive in Oregon. Avoid the higher percentage ethanol in Nebraska. It was the cheapest thing at the pump due to State subsidy of ethanol production. My HX hated it. Milage dropped from low 40's to mid 30's and my check engine light came on (had this happen on a previous trip too). Hope your trip goes well.

[Joggernot]

[QUOTE=sarguy01;411938]With the other two drivers as non-ecomodders, I'd install the cruise control. Tell them to set it at the speed limit. I think that'd be your best chance for best overall mileage if you are swapping drivers.
QUOTE]

+1 You can't change a driver over night. Cruise is your best option.

Please let us know what you ended up doing...

[sarguy01]

Originally Posted by UltArc

For me, if I was with two people I consider friendly, it would be no problem to travel at the speed limit. I hate to say my time is not worth a lot, but if I travel alone, I do push it more...I want to get there, so I get there a bit faster. With cruise, I can just sit back and relax compared to holding the exact throttle I want.

Plus, if one person is sleeping, and rotating out, 18-24 hour traveling is possible. I'd say time > money, but time well spent is valuable. I like having opportunities to utilize it. I think back to my road trips, and we calculated the time with extra travel time. Yes, we had to be somewhere in 8 days, but it was the journey over the destination. I know not the same for you in this case, but I would just plan to drive at the more reasonable speed.

Now, if I was losing someone close to me, the Mustang would be bouncing off the governor to get there.

I just did a trip to Iowa and back over the holiday break. 1100 miles one way. It was me, the wife and my 8/4 year old daughters. The difference in 5 mph average speed is over an hour saved, one way! I set the cruise at 5 mph over the speed limit. I still got 28-29 mpg in the Mazda. I was happy. Even if I set it to 5 mph under the speed limit, I'd probably would of averaged only 30 mpg, but would have paid for it with my sanity. The last vehicle we took to Iowa was the Durango. It got 14.5 at 60, 14 at 70, and negative infinity above 71... So, 14 to 28 mpg is double. The eco mod was the vehicle switch.

Over a 3600 mile trip, I would surely be setting the cruise at 5 mph over. Even in my Civic LX, I think I would average right around 40 mpg with CC on. If I really was trying for mileage, I would probably get 42? 44? Most hypermiling gets tiring unless of course you are drafting. P&G for 3600 miles? Not me. DWL? Maybe, but staring a gauge that long trying to keep it in range would also get very tiring. So, how much would I save from 40 to 44 mpg over 3600 miles? Less than $30, but would shave how many hours off the trip? Probably enough hours to not spend another night in a hotel.

[UltArc]

That's fair. I imagine if I was in a vehicle with three women for that long, I'd be going more than 5 over the speed limit...lol

When I go to NC, it's a 9-10 hour trip, and I make it in >11 but <12, Pulse and glide EOC and CC keeping me around 55. I didn't check my average speed last time I went, but my first trip at 46 mpg averaged 63 mph. But ~600 miles compared to 3600 miles is very different, I will admit.

[poomanchu]

Originally Posted by Gealii

if you dont count paint drying time ive done a belly pan smooth wheel covers and grill block in under 3 hours and the only reason my belly pan came off was due to snow piling up on top of it

belly pan was one option grouped with smooth wheel covers which is one of my fav ecomods anyone should do

haha I could see that, I've had ice build up under there and block my shift linkage movement.

Definitely on my to do list

[sarguy01]

Updates? How is the trip going/how did it go?

[Superfuelgero]

Sorry for the delay.
57.6mpg over 4421 miles.
Wanted more, but had many 6000+ ft to sea level climbs. Also my wife would run at triple digit speeds when I slept. This brought my 67-72 mpg tanks down overall.

I ended up working overtime, so no major mods beyond trip prep could be done.