What MPG Would Satisfy You?
 

Recently I’ve been doing a bit of soul-searching as far as fuel economy is concerned. Being the co-founder of EcoModder and an active user on the forums, it’s obvious that the interest is there. But recently, I’ve been wondering how there it really is. Earlier this summer I swapped a new engine into my CRX, which [...]

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I don't know if I'll ever be satisfied. However, there is a point at which I'll get sick of trying hard for those little gains. I'd be fine to maintain my current MPG and fueling costs IF my emissions decreased drastically or IF there was a big benefit to oil independance. Otherwise, I'd like to see my mileage continue to increase. In short, there is just a lot more to it than MPG.

30 mpg out of my explorer sport.

then i'll sell it.

why? i want something more fuel efficient, but its really hard to sell an suv right now. so my explorer will be my "crash course" in eco-mods and eco-driving. i'll take what i learn and do it better next vehicle (triple-whammy on mpg gains: better vehicle, better mods, better driving). plus, the explorer should be easier to sell if i can show a potential buyer it will get 30 mpg (like my gas mileage excel spreadsheet).

I think it is simply human nature to want more, and the more you have the more you want. The reason we can fly to the moon is due to that simple human trait.

Hrm...

So, we're parsing the word 'there' :confused:

I agree with Daox! Nobody is satisfied with their gas mileage.

The question is, how much are you willing to tolerate, e.g. suffer? And, I would *guess*, not much, given the amount of obduracy on this web site!

Personally, I would be satisfied getting 50 mpg with my little rice rocket, but I know it's NOT going to happen. So, I would be satisfied with the impossible...

Therefore, since I cannot accomplish something that is impossible, I will never be satisfied... :cool:

Could look at it in economic terms:

10,000m/year; $4/g gas:

20mpg = 500.0 gallons = $2,000
30mpg = 333.3 gallons = $1,333
40mpg = 250.0 gallons = $1,000
50mpg = 200.0 gallons = $800
60mpg = 166.7 gallons = $667
70mpg = 142.9 gallons = $572

Jump from 20 to 40- hell yes! That's worth it!

Jump from 40 to 60- eh, that'd be nice but it could be hard justifying the expense to get there.

So, 40 is my magic number for now.

As you can see Blue doesn't even average 30. I'm not satisfied with that. But the car I use most is pretty close to 40.

I'm in the same boat as you svoboy, with a d15z1 powered crx. Just drove up from LA yesterday back to Mammoth and averaged 45mpg. I was initially disappointed with the mileage, but all things considered it wasn't so bad. During the course of the trip you gain 7500ft. It was really windy through the desert plus it was 95+F during the day so that meant windows down under 50mph and cracked a couple inched 50+mph. It also involved stop and go traffic in la plus driving 75-80mph to keep from getting killed on the 405.

So yeah, 45mpg. It could be better, and I would be stoked to see 60mpg...but on the 300 mile trip it would save me just over 1.5 gallons of gas. By simply slowing down I should be able to accomplish that, suffering through the mojave desert with no a/c for an extra hour just doesn't seem to justify the extra $5-6 saved...esp when the gf is riding along (tough enough to get her to ride in it anyways).

Overall, to be getting the same mileage that normal drivers get with their prius except for a fraction of the cost makes me happy.

Trust me, nothing is impossible ;)

and thats all i'm saying about that

As for me, i'm shooting for a average between 70-80

I'm satisfied when at the end of the day I know I did my best to save fuel given the circumstances.

SVOboy -

I say "1 MPG more than I'm getting right now". That way, what I am driving doesn't matter. But, each MPG is a steeper hill to climb, and you eventually reach the summit, and then what?

For my current drivetrain, I'd like to hit 50 MPG in one 90 day segment. That would put my conventional circa-1999 ICE in direct comparison with existing hybrids. I know it is possible because people like diamondlarry could get 50 MPG in a Saturn S-Series, but I don't think my urban environment will let me hit that apex. However, I am thinking that my "summit" will be around 45 MPG ... and then what?

CarloSW2

~50-54 will keep me "happy"
~55-60 will keep me satisfied
60+ is Just showing off.

Since we're parsing words - would you care to define 'nothing'?

Seems contradictory...

If you can define 'nothing', than 'nothing' must be 'something', hence, "something is impossible" must be true, which contradicts your original declaration.

Did you mean, 'anything' is possible? If so, that is impossible! ;)

Trust me, I would suggest almost 'everything' is impossible!

100+ or bust :)

Consistency would satisfy me. If I could level out at 30+ MPG then I would be ecstatic but realistically speaking somewhere near 29-31 every tanks would be great considering my current commute.

I would like to average 30 highway (25 city) in the truck and I would like to average 50 in the summer and 40 in the winter with the motorcycle. I think each of those goals will take some work but be obtainable. When I reach them I will be satisfied with my accomplishment and then I will set a new goal.

I have a serious answer....

After 17 cars ( two trucks)..there is a physic I caught onto. 30mpg is just right. 35-40 is very nice. Nice meaning there is times for 75 or even 80mph, and fast takeoffs...in a car more than a ton in weight. I have only encountered two types that can: a diesel, and 3 main boxers. The rest is outright insanity.
Below 30mpg has an expansion error, injected or carbed. something gets excited. Warm days reveal it. Above 30mpg is like getting free fuel from warm days to cold- watch the guage. I have gone into the 50s mpg, and well, it is frightening for a gas engine and what I want to do, and the smallest vehicle i have ever owned is a 2wd loyale subaru...no smaller than that for me. It could have everything to do with my build physically, not a giant, and not a midget, and insane weather patterns locally.

My favorite was the 2wd loyale- no matter what I did it was 38.9 mpg, barely wavering average. Crazy ECU from the 1980s I could guess narrowed its dynamics...and that means a chance for lean conditions. I got the lean odors more than once, another reason I am afraid of 40+ mpg in a 1ton or greater vehicle on 87 octane...unless its a downdraft with no ecu, ya know a carbed boxer :)

a consistent 40 mpg. all things considered, no one's ever done that with an automatic 97 accord so i guess i'm not doing terrible. "a little more" would be nice, but i would never stop trying no matter how high i got. i guess its an obsession

As I said previously, I love Concrete's sig :
While I have the feeling that I'm doing well I'm satisfied. I entered the megane's log on cleanMPG and gassaver garages and I found myself in tops :)

I'm currently with my 1997 megane at 4.5l/100 (52mpg), ie the same level of the 2008 model, ie 33% gas saving (EPA +50%) :)

My next goal is to be at prius' CO2 emission rate, which means 3.9l/100 (60mpg) with a diesel. The 15% additional saving will be very hard but if I can't reach my goal I will have tried :)

For my next car I would like an hybrid to be able to stop the engine in (what I consider) a safe way. But with the last cars, such as the Honda Civic 2.2L iCDTi Turbo Diesel, I'm reconsidering what I would like as next car. Look at this review : CleanMPG reviews the 2007 Honda Civic 2.2L iCDTi Turbo Diesel - CleanMPG Forums (look at the ECO LED part for FE).

But before all, you must have fun behind the wheel ;)

Denis.

+1
I got a taste of the high (mpg) life a while back in our diesel kia. Now i definitely want a diesel to replace the civic next year. I'm thinking a diesel yaris 1.4D4D that does 58US MPG according to a private seller and i just know they're not a hypermiler so i might just clear the 100mpg per tank in it!!
I've peaked my mpg in the civic and often get disillusioned (like now with the weather falling in) too but i can't go back now. It would kill me to go from 20 euro a week to almost 50! (Well, i'm carpooling so it's actually 10 euro per week..:thumbup:)
So hang in there everybody!

ollie

i know the altima is not going to set any records - but as it is paid for and in great running condition, I am happy to see consistant low 30's for my commute. More is always better - but without something drastic for MODS for the city driving, i don't think i can get there. but that is OK. Like Tony Raine above - use this is the platform for improving skills and "the nut behind the wheel" - so when i DO need a new car i can make a HUGE gain ( better skills applied to a higher PMG starting point)

Steve

I am happy now. My last tank was a record 57 mpg. Going Metro again has proven to be a sound economical decision for my family, and a help to the environment. Reducing MY dependence on middle-east oil makes me feel good. So yes, I am happy as a bug in a rug.... But....... Man I can just taste the big 60!!

I will always try to do better with what I have, since I do like my a-bodies. I seem to have gained about 13-15% overall since starting here at the beginning of summer. I did think Id be doing pretty dang good if I could get 35 on downstate trips, and Ive been doing better than that lately. Now Im going to try for 40. I wont hit it this year, theres not much time left before the snow flies and I put away the Celeb for winter. But next year Ill try the thinner tires, since most of the noise when driving comes from the tires. And over the winter Ill probably come up with a hinged fastback that still allows trunk access, and a more aero nose.