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Honda Civic Real World MPG

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Comments

  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    Stop the $%^&#$ $%$#^&% press! A lot of you must not know how to get mpg out of a civic that is not a hybrid!
    I drive a 2005 manual all gas civic and get 43+ mpg on the highway and 35+ mpg in the city and I do check it correctly.
    I consider my self the king at milking mpg from a civic. I am moving toward 44 mpg on the highway and I do not drive a HX or a VX. My car was initially marked 38 on the highway.
    Ask me how to do it and I will advise. Sometimes adjustments you make may not become cost effective for many many miles but at the same time you want to deny those %$#$^%& anymore oil money.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Well Gosh! I'm all a tither with anticipation! :shades:

    Please do inform us King Rick119.

    Kip
  • will26will26 Member Posts: 62
    I go 65 because that is the speed limit around here. If I drove the speeds you want I would get pulled over. I better go. I just missed out on my pathetic tv viewing by being on Carspace. What will I do???
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I also have concluded (67,000 miles on the Civic and 108,000 miles on the Jetta TDI) that the vehicle (Honda Civic) is indeed optimized for certain conditions. So for example, we do absolutely NOTHING in the way of fuel miser procedures and get what 95-98% of Honda Civic owners do NOT get: 38-42 mpg. :lemon: :shades: This is done in arguably one of the top 5 WORST commutes/roads in the country. To give a USA perspective worse examples would be:

    1.commuting to D/T Manhattan

    2. commuting to D/T San Francisco over the Bay Bridge (sister bridge is the Golden Gate Bridge)

    3. commuting to D/T Boston

    4. commuting to D/T Chicago

    (don't want to leave out any other truly bad commutes- but thems the breaks) ;)

    (I have done all of the above and more but obviously at different time frames)

    It would be interesting to see what changes to the mpg would be if we started hypermiling (NOT doing it, but an interesting projection nonetheless)

    Our 54 miles R/T commute SEEMS to fall into the optimization.

    1. One hour minimum operation (anything under this is less than optimal) , 27 miles each way @ 45 min to 1.5 hours. What happens is all systems come up to specified operating ranges temperatures and min times.

    2. best miles are highway miles, so 80/20 to 90/10%

    3. I know for example we lose a min of 1 mpg having an auto vs 5 speed manual (EPA rated difference between auto/manual) To be real clear I SWAG 39-43 mpg if we used a manual. In (apples to oranges) comparison we get 48-52 same commute using a 5 speed VW TDI Jetta. My take is while the Jetta is NOT optimized for this same commute, it does take it in stride and yields the stated numbers.
  • mikpaqmikpaq Member Posts: 2
    I have been driving my civic for 1 year and religiously track my mileage. I recently purchased a scanguageII to see my fuel consumption in real time. Pretty cool device if you've got "OGMD" (Obsessive Gas Mileage Disorder). I recently took a long trip that I decided to hypermile on. I didn't do any of the dangerous stuff, just driving very conservative (55mph), and coasting occassionally down long steep grades. My scanguage said I got 50 MPG, over a 596 mile drive. It also said I had 1.2 gallons left in my tank. When I filled it I put 11.675 gallaons in. The calculation would be 51.04 MPG. I too believe there is variation from pump to pump and even the outside temperature can influence. I've been using the scanguageII for about 2 months and it is very reliable once you calibrate it.

    After filling up I needed some speed so set the cruise control for 70 for the 220 miles of my remaining drive. I got 42 MPG during this time according to the scanguageII. Pretty big difference.

    You can find more info out about scanguageII here. www.scanguage.com

    :)
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    It probably goes without saying a scan gauge and/or on board computers can save large %'s for any and all gassers.

    Indeed a scan gauge and/or on board computers can take some of the mystery out of what are the most fuel efficient parts of the curve, given any and all conditions. YOU of course can/do/need make the decision for literally every second to every hour of operation. Of course it helps to have a good dose of (OCB's) obsessive complusive behaviors in ones back ground. ;)

    There has never been any doubt in my mind the Civic is "CAPABLE" of getting much better fuel mileage.
  • gqllcgqllc Member Posts: 8
    I am guilty as charged and I am OCD about the mileage! Just ordered a scan guage....where is the plug on a 08 civic LX???
  • kltronkltron Member Posts: 21
    The connector is behind the dashboard near your right knee. There's a label on the dashboard--I think it says "IDC" or something (it's really the OBDC connector, but Honda just calls it something else). Just look under the dash, and it's tucked there, kinda to the left of the center stack.

    I run the wire to the ScanGaugeII and put it in the center of the dash in the pocket next to the 12V/AUX jacks (I have an EX, your LX may vary). Fits nice, just sits there with no tape or anything, wire's completely hidden. I just glance down at it every now and then. It's small, so I'm sure others have found more creative places to put it.

    ...kl...
  • skippyscivicskippyscivic Member Posts: 3
    Hi I have a 99 civic lx with a manual transmission. My parents have owned it since new and now that i bought it off of them as my college beater car i figured that i would see what kind of mpg it was getting. I didn't think that it would be as high as it used to be since it now has 190k miles, but after taking a 360 mile trip i only used 8.254 gallons so..... i got an amazing 43.6 mpg! I was pretty surprised that it was still getting such good fuel economy for being so old. The trip was mostly interstate driving between 70 and 80 mph and no a/c because that no longer works, lol.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    You guys want mpg out of your civic? First you need to know how to properly check it, none of this "I get so many miles out of a tank" My manual sticker said 38 highway. I get 43 plus and If I make a couple more adjustments I could get 45 mpg.
    E-mail me at stellars2000@bellsouth.net and I can advise.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    I am calling you down and raising the BS flag on your claim of 43.6 mpg. Is that car an automatic? I am declaring that you did not check your mpg correctly especially at 70-80 mph.
    I have 400,000 miles on three civics and I know an mpg lie when I hear one. I have a 2005 manual civic that I modified to get mpg and I get 43 plus mpg at 55-70 mph.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Amazing when a someone joins a forum, declares themselves "King of Mileage", and instantly, in their first 3 posts, accuse others of not knowing what they are doing and/ or "LYING".

    For me, it kills any respectability they may actually deserve.

    Kip
  • gqllcgqllc Member Posts: 8
    I found the connector BUT does the LX civic relay gas mileage information to the scan guage??
  • kltronkltron Member Posts: 21
    The ScanGaugeII computes the MPG somehow using the information from the diagnostic computer. I don't know what exactly it uses, but I suspect it's speed and fuel flow for "instant" MPG, and it could use that or something else for the overall trip/tank MPG.

    Nonetheless, however they do it, it's really automatic. You set your engine size and gas tank size, then you do some calibration when you fill your car up. Just read the manual, and it walks you through all this. Very, very simple...From the instant you plug it in it will start to do stuff, but you will want to read the manual to set your engine/tank size correctly and learn how to use the "FILLUP" function when you put gas in your tank.

    Oh, one thing that's somewhat cryptic is getting trip computer values to appear in the "GAUGE" display. I have "Instant MPG", "Miles to empty", "Tank MPG", and "Current MPG" on the GAUGE display so they're visible all the time. The only one that's a real "gauge" is "Instant MPG", and the rest come from the trip computers. The manual explains how to get many of the trip computer values to display as gauges. It's a little cryptic, but they walk you through it, and you'll get the exact display you want.

    I am finding the ScanGaugeII to be within about 1.5mpg of what I measure when I fill up the tank. Although I try to use the same pump, it's often not the case, so the variance could easily be due to pump differences, etc. Nonetheless, "the higher the better" on those MPG trip computers, and the "Instant MPG" and even fuel flow will give you something to think about as you're driving along!

    ...kl...
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    "I am finding the ScanGaugeII to be within about 1.5mpg of what I measure when I fill up the tank."

    How does it line up with your rolling average? I ask because as I understand it, the ScanGaugeII can be tweaked up or down to represent a truer Average MPG reading. I know that I have had nearly a dozen cars over the years that have had their own built-in scan gauge type of calculators, and while the average might vary from tank to tank compared to the miles divided by the gallons calculation, they're usually accurate to within three or four percent when compared to a rolling average of at least five tanks of fuel.

    Said another way, if you can get your ScanGaugeII to reflect your rolling average, then yes, tank to tank differences are almost assuredly due to the different points where pumps "click-off".

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    ello again, I did not mean to offend, sometimes this impersonal way of communicating does give off the wrong flavor. I was doing it in a humorous kind of way but others may not see it that way. I honestly do not think you checked it properly. If I owe you an appology I am giving one but I do believe if you check it again you will not see 43.6 mpg.
    You did send your offense back so lets just call it even, but I do challenge you to check it again.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    ello again, I did not mean to offend, sometimes this impersonal way of communicating does give off the wrong flavor. I was doing it in a humorous kind of way but others may not see it that way. I honestly do not think you checked it properly. If I owe you an appology I am giving one but I do believe if you check it again you will not see 43.6 mpg.
    You did send your offense back so lets just call it even, but I do challenge you to check it again.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I certainly believe 43.6 mpg is achieveable. Our commute range (no fuel miser procedures used) is between 38-42 mpg (automatic if interested) .

    My daughter got 43 mpg on a leg of a trip from the San Francisco Bay Area to LA. Her take (getting 43 mpg) was 70-75 mph.

    The real question is one willing to do what it would take to get that kind of AVERAGE??? Certainly not I !!!

    On a more macro level, the Honda design studio (where the Civic was designed) is located in LA, CA. So it makes all the sense in the world that the Civic is optimized for CA/US driving (for a gasser)
  • skippyscivicskippyscivic Member Posts: 3
    Um..... yes i have checked it multiple times because i myself thought that it may have been high, but it is what it is. I filled up at a local sheetz gas station, and while i was there i put the max tire pressure in each tire. Then after I returned home i filled back up and i put in 8.254 gallons and i went 360 miles, and i made sure that gas nozzle wasn't just randomly clicking off so it i tried to top it off and that is all it took, so i don't really know how i could be lying i just did the arithmetic.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    In response to an earlier post, if you have tips for increasing fuel economy, why not share them here instead of asking people to email you for them?
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    That's excellent mileage! Congrats on finding a gem of a car (even if the A/C is broken!).
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Yes, I would recommend getting the A/C fixed. The longer it stays out of commission, you really don't now if you will do more or less damage. This way if you have it checked you will know exactly how much it will cost to fix. Also it goes without saying the resale value is severely diminished. Getting 43.6 mpg is good but getting 43 mpg when it is 104 outside is well worth it.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    I did get 44 mpg with a civic hatchback at 70 mph and drove it 295000.00 miles. The civic I drive now gets 43 plus mpg, according to you I must be the 1-2 % that does get the mpg.
    I can advise on how to get these kind of figures.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Way cool ! No it is not according to me. I just looked at the survey and projected our results with those reported. You can "search" and take a look at the ongoing survey, where I actually got the information.

    Indeed start advising. :shades:
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    There are so many angles on getting more mpg out of your civic, it is hard to just list everything without knowing some specifics about the person and their specific civic.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    There are many things you can do that may not be cost effective until you have run up 100,000 miles. I have most of the options down and what they will do. Some people just want the mpg and do not mind spending some money to help the oil situation out.
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I think we'd like to see some of your tips!
  • skippyscivicskippyscivic Member Posts: 3
    Yeah i 'm really not too worried, the a/c died back in 2003 so it is really no big deal for me. The residual value is not to concerning since the milage is so high and it is not in perfect shape, it is just my college beater, lol.
  • kltronkltron Member Posts: 21
    ScanGaugeII can be tweaked in two ways that I recall:

    - With FILLUP you tell it how many gallons you put in at your fill up. This tweaks how it senses how full your tank is. I do not know if this tweaks how it calculates MPG, but I think it affects the "Distance to Empty" feature. You do this "FILLUP" action every time you fill up the car...it takes about 20 seconds.

    - You can tweak the accuracy of the measurement of the speed the car is going. They suggest using a GPS to tweak the speedometer in the ScanGaugeII to get it right. Again, I don't know if this tweaks how it calculates MPG. I haven't bothered to do this to any great accuracy, although it seems the Civic's speedometer is within 1mph of my GPS, and the ScanGaugeII is pretty close to that, so at least with a quick check we're in the ballpark.

    In looking at the last few fill-ups, the ScanGaugeII has been fairly accurate (top is most recent):

    SG: 42.4, Me: 42.55
    SG: 42.0, Me: 41.59
    SG: 41.0, Me: 40.38
    SG: 43.3, Me: 41.52
    SG: 43.4, Me: 43.45

    ...so perhaps it's a lot closer than I was thinking---I think that 4th one stuck in my head.

    The ScanGaugeII manual is available at their site. Perhaps there are other tweaks that I don't recall reading about. Since I use this as a tool to help me drive the car better (more or less), having a little jitter in the numbers (either my numbers or ScanGauge's) isn't a big deal to me, and I haven't looked to calibrate it closely for the speed measurement anyway. However I do know the gas tank size is set right, and I do the FILLUP thing, as I do tend to rely on the "Distance to Empty" gauge and have seen the low fuel light turn on more than once. :-) But, jeez, it's nice to know it would be possible to get more than 500 miles out of a tank if I really had to with this car.

    ...kl...
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    You must not live in Alabama, like I do! (93 is the forecast for today and tomorrow, and that's pretty average)

    I'd be dehydrated on my afternoon commute without A/C! :sick: :P
  • chikoochikoo Member Posts: 3,008
    the real question is how was it measured/determined?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    And that would tell you what, and operatively what?

    So what does it tell YOU when we get what 95-98% of what most Honda Civic owners do NOT get, and without trying??
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    The 2008 1.8 Civic ( as I understand) is up to 6% more efficient than the 1.7 liter civic, probably due to increased torque while dropping rpm. I have looked beyond the basic rules for getting better mpg and can offer free advise to bump your civic mpg 2-4 more!
    I have a 1.7 civic and I have pushed highway mpg from 39-40 to 43 plus and after 2 more adjustments it should get 45 mpg.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    Is it a 4 cylinder automatic? Do you have a lead foot?
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    Are you running the oem factory wheels?
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    What year civic do you have and is it automatic or stick? What size are your wheels?
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    I can advise but I must get some preliminary info first. What part of the country do you drive it in? It basically a cummuter to work or a family ride? Again what size wheels do you have on it?
    I have looked well beyond the average things for getting better mpg, that is why I can not just list everything, I need to know specifics as well.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    Are you willing to drive 100,000 miles before you recoupe your costs? Do you only want cost effective measures that you recoupe in 50,000 miles? I have one measure you will recover from very soon after you buy it. I have a high tech background and may not be the best but I am in the 90% area for advising on this.
  • shiposhipo Member Posts: 9,148
    For a couple of weeks now you've been saying stuff like, "I can offer suggestions on many ways that folks can improve the mileage they're getting from their Civics...", however, you've yet to offer a single suggestion. As such, my Scam-O-Meter is starting to reach SCAM level. If you truly have recommendations that can demonstrably improve the mileage of a Civic, post them, please.

    Best Regards,
    Shipo
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    I think the point is that we'd be interested in any information you can share about conserving fuel, especially these days. We're not really set up for these kinds of one on one interviews though.

    If you can share some general tips, that would be nice. (Provided, of course, that you aren't selling anything.) :)
  • pilot1226pilot1226 Member Posts: 166
    Model: 2000 Honda Civic LX Sedan
    Transmission: 4-Speed Automatic
    Engine: 1590cc Inline 4
    Final Drive Ratio (AT): 4.36

    I drive about 5 miles highway and 5 miles city (downtown Newark, NJ) 5 days a week, each way from work.

    I've noticed that my 11.8 Gallon Tank gets around 300-320 for a tank, but I've also noticed that since I've owned the car, it seems to lose performance both starting and accelerating when lower than 1/3 a tank. As such, Once the needle says I'm around the 1/3 mark I will fill up and I grab about 9 or 10 gallons. (Seems like it drops from 1/2 to E a lot faster than it does from F to 1/2 tank).

    Honda quotes my mileage as: 4-Speed Automatic (City/Highway): 28/35

    On strictly highway driving, I'll get in the upper 30's, which is pretty good considering the age of the engine. Every oil change I make a point to put in Chevron Techron to help keep the injectors/fuel system clear. I probably get better than 35 when pure highway.

    I also tend to drive no more than Speed Limit + 5 mph on highways, anything higher than 55 mph will drastically start to reduce your economy due to parasitic drag.

    I used to use STP Fuel Saver (the red bottle) but I noticed that it wasn't really worth it - I wasn't getting very much "extra" mileage for the extra dollar-a-bottle, and the hassle to get the attendant put it in (in NJ we can't pump our own gas).

    I also make it a point to change my air filter every year, this'll definitely help with economy and probably performance. If you're looking for performance, I recommend K&N filters, but personally I use the Purolator brand and have had good results.

    Wash and spray-wax your car regularly for even less skin friction on long trips.
  • cartagramcartagram Member Posts: 115
    Like thegraduate, I live in Alabama (Huntsville) and I'll soon be vacationing near Gulf Shores. For grins, with my new used '07 Civic LX automatic, I've been running without AC on in the mornings and evenings. I keep a zipper-pull thermometer from REI in the car, just to see if I can run around town during the day without AC. So far, my tolerance for cabin air temp. is around 95 degrees.

    Overall, though, I find mornings and evenings pleasant without the AC. On hot days, I'll usually turn it off about a mile from my destination. That is, when I'm not testing my heat tolerance for grins.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    While every one's heat tolerance can be/ is different, one question most folks would have from your post might be: what are the mileage gains/losses given A/C OFF/ON ?
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    Using my scanguage (not on a civic....but hear me out) it appears that A/C is a huge hit in the city on most vehicles. Cold start driving around town with the A/C on burns gobs of fuel. Out on the road it's not as big of a difference as far as I can tell. So small you can't measure it.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    That sounds logical.

    I watched a "Myth Busters" piece (cable tv show?) where they used a F150 (if I remember) put in a measured 1 gal and ran each scenario with A/C ON and with A/C off with windows opened (for obvious practical reasons- i.e., not test reasons) and the A/C on ran further on a gal of gas.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    I am not selling anything. I was an RN for 13 years and I need to get a history before I can advise what would be best for your particular civic and what it is used for, otherwise there are so many variables it might take a small book to post. If you are driving an unmodified oem civic, some of these things can get technical to some people. If I post all the ("if")
    situations it could get just too lengthy. Everyones situation may be a little different. If you can not give me some specifics it is hard for me to give specifics unless I just get real general and I just do not want to write that book all at once.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    Ok, let me start with gas additives. There is only one that I have found to not only work but is cost effective. Lucas gas treatment, one gallon treats 400 gallons of gas. And it should up your mpg by "up to 1 mpg" the math shows that it is cost effective if you say buy it at 19.99 a gallon or even cheaper by the case online.
    Some people do not want to fool with this so I will move on. I have also found that all the increases I give you can be cummulative.
    We all know weight is everything right? Take those heavy $%$%
    steel wheels off your car and buy a wheel that weighs 1/2 the weight but the same height. do not go any more than 1/2 inch wider on the light wheel. Depending on the size I can advise on which wheel. My steel 14 inch wheels with the plastic cover and heavy lug nuts weighs 20 lbs each. I went to a 9.3 lb wheel with light weight lug nuts and dropped 10 lbs per wheel. you can multiply lost wheel weight by 4 to get the equivalent in static weight.
    So I lost 160 lbs of static weight off the car and it performs noticeably better. These were 14 inch Kosei 119.00 each wheels. again you may determine that it is not cost effective but just this 40 lb of lost turning weight gave me 2+ mpg on a 4 cylinder 05 civic. Do not change the height of the wheel unless you can get the rubber that stands 2 inches taller than the stock tire, but of course then it will change your gear ratio and change your odometer . Your mpg would go higher but the odometer will not show it. If the speedo says your doing 68 you may be doing 70. Most of the time taller rubber will not fit in the wheel well anyway. I would not advise this. But By the time you lose the weight off the car the car could easily pull a slightly taller gearing. A narrower tire can bump up your mpg but possibly at the cost of losing a slight amount of traction or ride comfort.
    Get rid of that heavy $%$#^ battery! Depending on what part of the country you live in will help determine which battery you need. I run a 11.5 lb Braille battery here in the hot south and it works just fine. Braille also makes a 15 lb battery possibly for the 6 cylinder or colder weather.
    Take the 7 pound cover off the spare tire and leave it at home.
    A lighter quiet muffler will help and so will a different air intake.
    Magnets on the fuel line do not work, If you run a fitch fuel catalyst on the gas line the Lucas gas treatment may not improve your mpg at all, so be carefull about using both. The fitch fuel catalyst may or may not have improved my mpg, if it did it went up by up to 0.5 mpg.
    I run pulstar capacitor discharge plugs, the torque went up by the seat of the pants feel but I can not say my mpg went up with it, if it did it was less than 0.5 mpg.
    you can go to billette aluminum oem spec pulleys. Do not go to underdrive pulleys! Some hesitiate to put a light weight crank pulley on due to harmonic distortions but if you are not racing it I personally would put one on. It is my understanding that for each 1lb you take off the crank it is equal to 2.7 hp which would up your mpg if you do not drive it any faster.
    when was the last time you had a flat that fix a flat could not fix?
    I have had one in my 47 years that fix a flat could not fix. If you stay around the city take that heavy $#%#$^ spare out of your trunk and leave it in the garage. Take your cell phone with you and hope there is someone at home if you ever need it.
    I am the master at milking mpg out of a manual trans, I can shift through all 5 gears before 40 mpg without lugging it, easy to do after getting the weight off your car ( 35 plus mpg in the city) If you rarely carry a passenger or commute long distances take that passenger seat out and leave it in the garage, let occasional riders ride in the back seat.
    Now if you want even more mpg, go to the Bridgestone low rolling resistance tire, it may cost 95.00 each and may not be cost effective but you may realize up to 1 mpg or more out of it.
    Sometimes I am willing to spend a little more to keep from buying more gas. Go to search and pull up Bridgestone low rolling resistance tires. I would not even fool with buying " low resitance plug wires" any increase you may not even notice.
    This is a good start, any questions?
  • cartagramcartagram Member Posts: 115
    I've only had the car for a bit more than a month so I haven't isolated AC on and off on two tanks of gas. I picked up 3 mpg by using several techniques, although AC off was the most-used technique. With AC off, I'd "crack" the windows, although I suppose that working 4 window motors uses a bit of the juice saved by the AC being off.

    I actually began to prefer the AC off until the car was in the mid-90s. I'd gotten used to stepping out of a refrigerator into the summer heat so that when I began cutting the AC a mile before destination and for a mile after starting up, I felt more comfortable driving and leaving the car.

    BTW: the post with all of the weight-saving ideas was great. I, too, have questioned the presence of the spare tire around town.

    One other change is to remove 10 or 15 lbs. of body weight, and wear light-weight clothes (runner's dry-fit gear works well during the summer). There are probably a pound or two of clothing and shoe weight that can be shaved off.
  • rick119rick119 Member Posts: 21
    I have even more things that will give you 2 more mpg but will keep it quiet because it cost so much. Taking a few pounds off the inside or clothes is not really going to do any more than coasting a few more feet. If you want significant improvement you have to spend money.
  • harvey44harvey44 Member Posts: 178
    I drove 275 miles today. In my wife's 2006 EX MT. 10% suburbs, 90% highway. When I filled up RIGHT after getting off the highway - I had gone 240.6 miles and the car took 4.98 gallons. The math on that is over 48 mpg.

    I couldn't believe it. The best I had ever done in her car was 42. This time I really tried hard. I kept it at 65, or the speed limit or lower. On top of it all...it was really hot and I ran the AC on the lowest possible setting most of the way.

    Normally on this drive I set the cruise on 68 and stomp on it when necessary or I feel like it. This time I was a light as I could be. It took me about 20 mins longer than usual, on a five hr ride.

    It''s a pain in the [non-permissible content removed] to concentrate like that the whole drive, and all that work really probably saved me only 5 bucks.

    The pumps could have clicked out in my "favor." But even at 45mpg that's pretty cool. That's borderline hybrid mileage.

    One advantage on the highway I noticed...EVERYONE was using cruise control or driving easy and the heavy volume spots kept moving, so I never got stuck.
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