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Comments
HandA-Accessories
258.5 miles / 6.61 gallons
Overall, this means that with A/C running constantly, cruise control set on 76 MPH, only me and one bag in the trunk, I managed to achieve 39.1 MPG. I haven't refueled since my return trip, so with my driving around town today, my mileage will not reflect the strictly highway mileage that I measured on the way to the beach.
Overall though, I was quite pleased that I drove to the beach for less than $20. (6.61 * $2.809 a gallon) for $18.57 of Chevron Regular.
This is hard to believe, but I trust your word, so I guess I've got something to look forward to. The overall mileage on my new Accord is only 675. What's yours? (I'm assuming better mileage with a more experienced engine.)
Robgrave
Be aware though, that the way I drove, the tach never surpassed 2,500 RPM for 99% of the trip (save for merging). The torque-converter stayed locked-up and in 5th gear, and I certainly never summoned a downshift. The joy of daytime traffic on a Wednesdaym I guess.
Had I downshifted a few times (like I more commonly have to do) I imagine my numbers would be closer to 34-35 MPG, because that's my normal HWY average when I'm dealing with traffic.
You'll love your car, no doubt. Some V6 owners are even getting 33+ MPG (forum poster "ezshift" comes to mind, with his 6-speed Accord). I am averaging about 27 MPG in mixed driving right now with heavy A/C use, but HWY mileage is typically above sticker for me, because I do my best to keep the car from having to downshift. It also keeps the trip interesting, more-so than just setting cruise on 80 and forgetting it. I use a little planning on hills (gather some speed before a long grade, up to say 80MPH, then I may drop to about 70MPH by the top of it in order to keep the revs down. The cruise control would have unlocked the torque converter and possibly downshifted to 4th on some of those hills, killing mileage.
Break-in your car correctly, and you'll have years of joy out of it!
I'm fairly fond of it already, but if I can get 39 mpg on the highway, I'll give it a big hug (!)
"I am averaging about 27 MPG in mixed driving right now with heavy A/C use"
That sounds about what I get now (mixed driving) without AC. I wonder how much difference AC really makes, anyway.
Robgrave
I've always heard about 5-10%, depending on vehicle.
Don't forget, my "mixed" driving could be different from yours. Mine is about 50% Birmingham Interstate driving (60-75 MPH)/ 50% suburban 30-0-50-0 MPH red light driving. I'm not a big revver unless I have to be to pull out safely or merge properly, so 3,000 RPM is usually about the top end of my normal driving range.
As far as the max of 3000 rpm is concerned, I've made it a point to stay under that during the break-in period, and it looks like I'll keep right on with it. Best for mileage, and really, perfectly adequate for power and acceleration under all but the most unusual circumstances. The fact that it is possible to drive a 4 cylinder Accord that way indicates -- as far as I'm concerned -- what a finely engineered automobile it is.
Robgrave
IMO the VP seem like a pretty good deal relative to the LX.
If the wires are in the back, you should easily see the plugs next to where the speakers go.
Just installing speakers may not work. The radio will also need outputs for 2 more speakers. Does the radio have both a BALANCE and FADER controls? If not, then it only has outputs for 2 speakers.
Mrbill
Thanks,
Chintan Talati
Corporate Communications
Edmunds.com
Not only is your plan not too stressful on a new engine, it's the perfect opportunity to ideally run-in your new car's engine!
You should not drive at the same speed (rpm) for extended periods. The first 600 miles should be driven at varying speeds. If you can, break the engine in (600 miles) before you drive on the highway at a constant speed for extended periods. Cruising down the interstate at 65 mph for 2 hours straight, would be a no-no. I would try to break the engine in before the trip.
You missed the point.
...but grammmar......
.... is Blane's focus.........
..ez..
BTW, what about the miles racked up in test drives? I doubt people are nearly as respectful to the future owners when they test drive the cars.
You paid big money for a new car, with a 3 year/36,000mile warranty.
Use it.
Sometimes we are given stuff to copy and paste and we do what they ask. Not everyone who is a member here, nor everyone who works here, knows English as a first language.
Who cares whether things are exactly grammatically correct? This is not the grammar/spelling/perfect English Forum, it's a place to talk about cars.
So let's drop these kinds of comments and stick to what we're here to discuss, okay?
Thanks!
(Your observation about how cars were driven when demonstrated is a valid question. Some prospective buyers or lookie-looz consider it their divine right to attempt achieving orbital velocity with absolutely no regard for the eventual buyer. Some dealerships maintain several cars just as demos/loaners. Others let Joe Sixpack take any car on the lot out for a weekend. I won't even consider purchasing a new car with more than 20 miles already clocked. Am I unyielding over the issue? You betcha - it's my money.)
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
But you know what, I just came back from the dealership and they got it to work. The first person tried and couldn't get it to work, but the key worked in the second guy's hand right way. They were not sure what happened but I'm just glad it's resolved. Other that that, I'm loving my new car.
It just sounded like you weren't. Glad they fixed it and you are happy.
'11 GMC Sierra 1500; '98 Alfa 156 2.0TS; '08 Maser QP; '67 Coronet R/T; '13 Fiat 500c; '20 S90 T6; '22 MB Sprinter 2500 4x4 diesel; '97 Suzuki R Wagon; '96 Opel Astra; '11 Mini Cooper S
I haven't seen anything about limiting speed. I do remember seeing something about varying speeds (for the first 600 miles) which can be hard to do, if you forget about it while driving on a long highway with little traffic. Don't cruise down the interstate at a constant speed, for even as little as 30 minutes.
As far as the test drive thing goes, I'm glad the salesperson went on test drives with the customers where I bought my car.
I was also working with Honda of Panama City, but when I emailed the internet guy back to let him know I closed a deal with Proctor, he sent me back some pretty immature and cry-babyish emails that were pretty much giving me crap for not buying from him...it's a longer story than that, but that's the jist of it. Basically, from working with the internet guy, I wasn't too surprised by his email replies!
Anyway, the navigation makes it a whole new car with all the bells and whistles it provides. The voice commands work pretty well for changing just about any setting in the car, as long as you speak clearly. I have a lot to learn about how to use some of its features, but so far, so good.
My only concern so far is that my gas tank was just about full when I bought it, and now it's down to about a 1/3 of a tank with only 220 miles on it. (Also the total miles on the car) Should I expect low MPG's on the first tank? Well over 100 of those miles were highway in 6th gear at about 70-75 mph. I have taken it easy driving it so far, as I'm supposed to...I don't think I've topped much over 4K RPM's, so while I've been extremely impressed with the performance already, I haven't even tapped into its true potential!
When you take your foot off the accelerator, vacuum from the engine tends to draw oil up--it can't go too far because the new engine is tight. On old engines that burned oil, the blue smoke usually poured from the exhaust after the car had been coasting in gear and engine vacuum pulled oil into the combustion chambers past worn piston rings.
Of course, I'm referring to cars of very long ago, but varying engine speeds is more likely to better lubricate pistons and cylinder walls than constant driving without coasting in gear.
Not sure about the foregoing, but I'd bet it's correct.
Tantalizingly close, but not quite ready for prime time. Varying engine speed by alternately applying light acceleration and coasting back down helps seat the piston rings to their bores* - literally "forcing" gentle, controlled wear to achieve a tight ring-to-bore seal. (While a brand new engine is "tight" in terms of bearing clearances, it's also at its worst in terms of piston ring sealing. That's the reason the oil level should be checked often during the first 500-600 miles - a new engine will use some oil during that period until the rings fully seat.) Oil is supplied under metered pressure from the oil pump to the cylinder bore surfaces from small holes intentionally drilled into the connecting rod's large end upper bearing area for that expressed purpose. In older and/or abused engines, oil is, indeed, "sucked" into the cylinders during the intake stroke due to intake valve stem seal failure - the reason a trail of blue smoke is apparent when behind an affected car coasting to a stop sign or down a grade. But in this case, the excess oil is being drawn down from the cylinder heads, not up from the bottom end. That smoke's a sign of an engine in serious trouble.
*The final machining process at the factory (and during a rebuild) for the cylinder bores is honing them with a special stone tool to a 60 degree cross-hatch pattern to roughen them very slightly (a glazed cylinder wall does not achieve a good seal with the rings). That precisely machined-in "roughening" accelerates seating of the rings when the engine is driven reasonably along with varying vehicle speeds during the nominal break-in period suggested by the automaker. Drivers who beat the livin' snot out of a new engine are simply accelerating excessive bore wear unnecessarily. But, their owners paid their own money, so it's their own choice. Fortunately for the automakers, the car will likely be out of warranty before the damage becomes apparent; thus, fixing the problem will be at the owners' expense, too. (The Zen of universal balance is a good thing, no?
Meaning:
45 MPH - 1500 RPM
60 MPH - 2000 PRM
75 MPH - 2500 RPM
90 MPH - 3000 RPM
et cetera...
Hope this helps.
BTW, older Accords that came with the 4-speed Autos rev a little higher in top gear (about 2300 RPM at 60 MPH).
The Auto gets 24/34 per the EPA, while the manual gets 26/34. (Assuming 4-cylinder, of course).
Interesting, indeed.