The Worst EcoModders on the site

[Cobb]

Beats me the year, I bought it from a mechanic when I got my license some time ago. It was white and had a drivers side air bag, no drls. 4 speed automatic. The engine filled the bay under the hood. It seemed to top out at low revs, it hauled, but 9mpg no matter what I did, even inflating the tires to 80 psi.

Originally Posted by Mustang Dave

What year F-250 had a straight 8? I'm not aware of Ford ever making a straight 8.

[Weather Spotter]

I am not sure my car could get below EPA anymore.

there would have to be lots of idling, stop and start traffic and city driving.

last week I had a relative drive my car for about 100 miles. that person did 75 MPH on the freeway with cruse and pulled 42.1 MPG. EPA 31 highway.

to pull epa on the freeway would likely require speeds around 95-100 MPH unless I get to the salt flats I will never know.

[Cobb]

My fully modded Insight is another story. In the city I average 29 with all eco mods, but the phev kit. On the highway 44. This is in sport mode keeping with traffic, auto stop disabled and heavy use of ac or heater.

[wmjinman]

I have a new claim to fame!!! Just checked the "% over EPA" list this morning, and the White Gnat, with a 24.91 MPG first fill-up is SECOND TO LAST ON THE LIST!!! Number 440 out of 441 with 28.8286% BELOW EPA.

Of course, I'm not sure how long that honor will last - it had two "dead" cylinders with ZERO compression, and when the head was removed, there were 2 cracked exhaust valves. The head's at the machine shop now, so I may never be able to repeat that amazing feat of less than 25 MPG in a 5-speed manual Suzuki Swift!!!

[320touring]

I Do myself no favours!

Always large engined (2.0+) always Petrol, and always RWD Straight 6's..

I can't help it, I like to DRIVE!

Current daily is the 326i- current mods, Tyres at 42psi and front lowered.

It could use a cover under the engine, the roof rails off and some other trick pieces, however it's never Idle long enough for me to work on it.


Car has LPG conversion- an old skool single point one- not exactly uber efficient..and you use circa 205% more LPG than petrol due to lower calorific value/litre.

I've had vapourisor leaks (19mpg!!) and all sorts, but finally got it running ok. Most of the LPG tanks are at, or about EPA figures..so I count that as being 20% up!

The petrol tanks are easy to exceed the EPA

[Cobb]

Guys, only when cheating at golf is the lower number better.

If I had the swift gt that would be my best mpg. Shame I traded the tacoma for the insight, it got 18 mpg unloaded, 16 fully loaded, although I didnt think this was a contest.

Originally Posted by wmjinman

The head's at the machine shop now, so I may never be able to repeat that amazing feat of less than 25 MPG in a 5-speed manual Suzuki Swift!!!

[Varn]

I would think the worst would be the one who has the most travel expense per year. After all that is a measure of being earth friendly. Just because you get 50 mpg doesn't mean much if you drive 50,000 miles a year.

[Allch Chcar]

My Mustang was pretty bad. I only got 16 MPG on the highway and <12 MPG in town. But I drove it less than 150 miles a month. Now that I live on campus I bike everywhere, so I sold it. I can still borrow my mom's SUV if needed.

For those rare long trips I can rent a car at weekend rates. It's about the same price to go 100 miles and uses far less fuel.

[wmjinman]

Originally Posted by Varn

I would think the worst would be the one who has the most travel expense per year. After all that is a measure of being earth friendly. Just because you get 50 mpg doesn't mean much if you drive 50,000 miles a year.

I guess a person could set up their criteria any way they wanted. For example, my actual MPG numbers arent the worst on the site - this is in the "percentage over (under) EPA" list. As far as the 50,000 miles per year, I think about the commercials for that train (CTX?) on TV. they talk about hauling a ton of frieght something like 400 miles on a gallon of diesel....

As far as "travel expense" - I'm guessing a person could buy a brand new, top of the line hybrid & put only high-priced "premium" fuel in it and have higher travel expense - even at 50+ MPG - than someone who gets a used "subcompact" like a Metro & drives it the same miles at 45+/- MPG, but always puts the cheapest "regular" grade fuel in it.

So again, I think it depends on the criteria; "earth friendly" (whatever that is), "most miles per gallon average", "highest percentage over EPA", "least out-of-pocket cost per year for travel" (a home-bound or bed-ridden person probably wins that one).......