Success story. Kinda... Average speed 77 mph

[turbovr41991]

Originally Posted by gasstingy

Two thumbs up for mid-40's mpg @ 77 mph! My Rio's mileage drops like a rock as I speed up. Most of my semi-rural driving is @ 50 mph unless someone is close behind me and the speed limit is 55.

Congrats for keeping the wife happy on a 400 mile road trip. My wife refuses to even discuss going to Dallas {>700 miles one way for me} in the Spring in my Rio. We'll be sucking gas in our Silverado pickup. The bright side is it's a comfortable vehicle and rides great. It's also cheaper than renting a fuel efficient car that she would agree to do a road trip in.

Thanks! My mpg drops too, but lean burn, the VX transmission, and aero mods helps bring the MPG back up. I found it is best to break down the cost of the trip in her Infiniti G35 vs. my civic. If we are making a trip I calculate what it would cost in her 20-23 mpg infinity and compare it to my civic which is at minimum ½ the cost. If we are just driving around town, it turns into is driving the Infiniti over the civic really worth just tossing $8 away? It has worked so well that I rarely even have to say it anymore. She is more aware of the cost savings and can make the decision herself.
I did not win that battle on our trip to Gatlinburg this past weekend. That was including another couple and luggage for the weekend. Instead we took the other couples new Mazda 3 which they claimed got 36 mpg… We played around with the cluster controls to display instant and average mpg and quickly found they had been averaging 18 mpg! Even being aware of their actions they only could improve it to 26.5 mpg on the highway. Crazy. I am thinking my argument might have more merit next time.

[drainoil]

Originally Posted by turbovr41991

Thanks! My mpg drops too, but lean burn, the VX transmission, and aero mods helps bring the MPG back up. I found it is best to break down the cost of the trip in her Infiniti G35 vs. my civic. If we are making a trip I calculate what it would cost in her 20-23 mpg infinity and compare it to my civic which is at minimum ½ the cost. If we are just driving around town, it turns into is driving the Infiniti over the civic really worth just tossing $8 away? It has worked so well that I rarely even have to say it anymore. She is more aware of the cost savings and can make the decision herself.
I did not win that battle on our trip to Gatlinburg this past weekend. That was including another couple and luggage for the weekend. Instead we took the other couples new Mazda 3 which they claimed got 36 mpg… We played around with the cluster controls to display instant and average mpg and quickly found they had been averaging 18 mpg! Even being aware of their actions they only could improve it to 26.5 mpg on the highway. Crazy. I am thinking my argument might have more merit next time.

Congrats on your accomplishements w your Civic.

But the Mazda 3 info caught me. How on earth were they getting such poor mpgs?? I hope its strictly from poor driving habits rather than the cars design, etc.

[taco]

What motor in their 3?

Doing 63 mph here in the mountains of wv my skyactiv gets well see left.

Very impressed at the high speed trip

[turbovr41991]

Originally Posted by drainoil

Congrats on your accomplishements w your Civic.

But the Mazda 3 info caught me. How on earth were they getting such poor mpgs?? I hope its strictly from poor driving habits rather than the cars design, etc.

Thanks. I am guessing most it is poor driving habits and techique. The car owner normally sits in alot of traffic and is alway stop and go, running up to stop lights quickly and braking hard... Then of course always waiting in long drive thru lines at starbucks... Wasting money on so many levels!

Originally Posted by taco

What motor in their 3?

Doing 63 mph here in the mountains of wv my skyactiv gets well see left.

Very impressed at the high speed trip

It is a 2010 or 2011 4 door hatchback with the 2.5 engine mated with an automatic transmission, so that might be part of it too. Not to metion lots of mountains and higher speeds...

[taco]

Well 27 highway is about right for the 2.5l
That model is rated at 29hwy