My new best tank: 448.6 miles

[unicycle]

Originally Posted by Big Panda

When you DID have to shift, did you use 'auto' or 'manual' modes?

Good question. I always forget to include things like this.

Of course, since I'm mainly on h'ways, it's 5th gear for me. But I never drive in D if I can help it. I also shift way before the car's puter would tell it to do so if left to its own devices. So when I'm turning from a stop sign, say, I'll shift into 2nd gear really early on, all the way up to 5th, never hitting more than 2500 rpm. Unless I'm answer a fire call. Then I have to burn rubber just to get her to 55 mph. Luckily, that's been quite rare.

Locally, I also take uphills in pretty high gears, gen'ly 4th or (most often) 5th, if possible. If there's someone behind me, I'll switch into 3rd sometimes. On the h'way, this is irrelavant; I'm always in 5th.

[randygt]

it seems that all of you have gas smart cars ...am i correct...cuz mine is a 2005 passion and its diesel it gives me 60 miles to a gallon..and also if you want good milage and more power get a k/n air filter its worth the money cuz the factory paper ones are garbage the k/n can be used over and over again up to 1million miles you get the kit to wash it and re oil it and its like new again..the factory one you throw it out and then spend another 15.00 and for the k/n you pay $39.00 and lasts for 1million miles....believe me its worth it you save alot of money

[Bum-bling-B]

You must only have about one light on your whole route. I generally average 42mph on my 44 mile trip to work. A bit of time at lights I spend. (Yoda talk)

[unicycle]

BBB: Yeah, I don't have many lights on my route; over the 170 miles of commuting, there are just a few in NYC and then just one in my town. In fact, I could do even better if I chose to park closer to the h'way in Manhattan and then ride my unicycle to work, as I used to do. That would cut down on the half-mile of city driving that I do.

Randy, if I were driving a diesel, I'd be getting 80 mpg. Are you trying to sell me a k/n filter? I have no idea what that's about.

As for driving at night (and this is true for daytime), I DO worry about sleepy drivers, and in fact I've just begun driving with my hazards on as an experiment. It seems to alert other drivers to the fact that I'm going slower than they'd expect. I've noticed that they change lanes earlier as they approach me.

[h20m0f0]

Noway!!!!!

[Neonspinnazz]

448.6 miles?

Now we just need to break 600 miles on 1 tank so the new Chevy Equinox can look even more useless!

[GHammerly]

Goshhh! That is too much patience to save the earth or a $. I'm not complaining or flaming, I just can't imagine driving so slow.

[Dave777]

Good job unicycle! I know you'll equal or better me some day. If you'd done the same drive all in one day, instead of three days, I know you could have made the 500 miles on one tank. It also takes trusting that there's more in the tank than 8.7.

[GHammerly]

Just make sure you don't have a heated discussion on your way to work. You might just keep on driving till you run out of fuel

[unicycle]

Originally Posted by Dave777

Good job unicycle! I know you'll equal or better me some day. If you'd done the same drive all in one day, instead of three days, I know you could have made the 500 miles on one tank. It also takes trusting that there's more in the tank than 8.7.

That 505 is my holy grail. I'll never do it -- it certainly takes patience, but I don't plan to overfill the tank more than a few tenths of a gallon. Didn't you put in a bit more than that? Or did you use the legendary hidden gallon of our weird tanks? What was the gauge readout when you finally pulled into the gas station? The lowest I've gone is -0.1

And yes, I could conceivably do better if I avoided any city- or even town- driving. According to SCii, my best ride was a trip home where I supposedly got 55 mpg for the 80-mile ride. Over 8.7 gal, that's still 'only' 478 miles. So my next goal is 460. Btw, in my current tank I'm getting only about 52 mpg thru the first 375 miles. It's been colder and windier this week. There are so many little factors!