Amazing how much speed really affects gas mileage!!

[smccall]

Whatup gassippers?!! By changing my daily driving habits from going nearly 85mph at times to work to going between 60-68 mph has allowed be to acheive my highest tank average of 49.89mpg!!!! I was only doing mid 40s mpg when driving fast. I think with a bit more work like a tune up and new air filter, I might break the 50mpg mark.

[civic94]

looks like you live in GA, i drove there twice in a road trip and i would say its very hard going under 70 mph when everyone else is blasting at 80 mph. you can achieve over 50 mpg easily with your vx, i have gotten 47 mpg going 80 behind a semi in GA, with a shorter ex transmission.

[monroe74]

In my VX I've done a few fills averaging 85-90 mph. That yielded mpg under 40. When I keep the speed under 60 mph, a result over 50 mpg is pretty much guaranteed (even without any drafting).

[ma4t]

I have a V-6 Mazda Tribute, 200 hp. I had an intensive course where I had to drive 30 miles 2x a day. I went about 65 mph, following big rigs as much as I could, and my FE increased dramatically.

I started doing it mostly to save money.

M

[smccall]

Originally Posted by civic94

looks like you live in GA, i drove there twice in a road trip and i would say its very hard going under 70 mph when everyone else is blasting at 80 mph. you can achieve over 50 mpg easily with your vx, i have gotten 47 mpg going 80 behind a semi in GA, with a shorter ex transmission.

Yeah, everyone here in Ga drives way over the speed limit, me being one of them before my "gassavers" change in driving. I stay in the slow lane and people still fly around be and jump in the slow lane to speed ahead. Most people are doing 70+ in the slow lane here.

[jcp123]

In my work vans, I've noticed that going from a steady 70mph to a constant-throttle state that gains speed downhill and scrubs it uphill at a ~65mph average can net me over 1.5mpg. That's nearing a 10% gain in those bricks...

[R.I.D.E.]

Total drag at 70 is almost 66% aero. Most other losses are linear but aero is exponential.

Take your speed and square the number.

60 squared is 3600
80 squared is 6400

Thats almost 75% more drag due to speed. 20 MPH more speed 75% more drag losses.

Its somewhat offset by higher efficiency due to larger throttle openings and therefore less fuel per horsepower.

regards
gary