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over 2200 miles overall 39.1 avg, mixed a/c, mixed commuting/highway. best 40.5mpg, worst 37.1
looking to improve as I get more used to the car.
I noticed on the highway (assuming normal flowing traffic) the car gets a little above 35 mpg. I measured this using the bars on the fuel gauge and assuming 2 bars = 1 gallon.
You shouldn't worry about the car if you're getting more or less 35 mpg on the highway. That is the best way to compare mileage as highway conditions are more or less normalized across Civic drivers. The city mpg can be different based on what city you live and the driving conditions in that city.
For example, if you are going 300 miles on 10 gallons, you are getting 30 Miles Per Gallon.
I'd bet lots of money that the Eclipse has a larger gas tank than your Civic.
Also, if you find that your mileage isn't great, keep in mind that the car IS 15 years old. Cars develop problems over that length of time (things like carbon buildup in an engine can reduce mileage without creating real problems). If you are getting 30+ MPG in a car that old, rejoice!
Just curious; Automatic or manual? How many miles are on the car?
I'm also trying to find the 'sweet spot', as the return trip got me 37.5mpg. :surprise:
Do an exact calculation. Guessing leaves too much room for interpretation. If you are only getting 300 miles, and when you fill up the car takes 11 gallons, then divide 300/11 = 27.27MPG. If you are getting 320 miles and the car is only taking 10 gallons, then its 320/10 = 32 MPG. Big difference. Do calculations at each fillup (you can use your cell phones calculator to do it - it'll only take 15 seconds or so) and start recording them. That way you know if you have a problem or not.
Again, don't use the gas gauge to determine how much fuel is left, because when the gauge reads empty, you'll still have gas in the tank, MEANING: If the tank hold 11 gallons, you aren't actually using 11 gallons of fuel before refueling, and that your mileage is actually better than you think.
1st tank = 34 mpg 80hwy/20cty
2nd tank = 37 mpg 90hwy/10cty
3rd tank = 41 mpg!! 90hwy/10cty
It is realistic, just get the gallons filled on your fillup and divide by the number of miles you got on that tank. It may also depend on what type of gas you are using. I try to use chevron or shell. Also are you an aggressive driver? I'm shifting at 2500 rpm's most of the time and driving at or below 70 mph when i'm sane. I also get my dose of VTEC at least once daily usually during the morning commute.
If a tankful is 10 or 11 gallons your average is 30 or 31 MPG.
1. fill the tank, preferrably on level ground. Some people try to cram as much gas as possible into the tank, I let the auto fill cut off then slowly pump by hand until the nozzle clicks off one more time.
2. reset trip odometer.
3. drive until you want to get gas. the more of the tank you use the more accurate the average MPG will be.
4. Repeat step one. In an ideal setting you would use the same pump again to correct for the cutoff on the nozzle, but this rarely happens with me. Record the number of gallons, you will need it in the next step.
5. time for math. miles on trip odometer/gallons pumped into the tank equals miles/gallon...
what I've noticed is that driving style and conditions have a lot to do with this. I rarely have the engine >2500 rpm and don't usually go >65mph during my daily commute (~75% highway congestion, ~25% crowded surface streets), although my best MPG was straight highway, cruise control @ 72-75 mph.
play with the way you drive and I'll bet you see a difference.
This car's fuel economy seems very dependent on driving style. It seems very tolerant of reasonably high speed cruising without tremendous economy penalty. however, If you have the need put your foot in the accelerator heavy every time you ramp-up, you are gonna pay the price at the pump.
I also find that acceleration, especially downshifting, really cuts into mileage. I find this true across the board, whether I'm driving the civic, my '99 yukon or '01 Acura CLS. By changing my right foot habits I can get 18/20mpg in the yukon (EPA 12/16mpg) and 28/35mpg in the acura (EPA 19/29).
I put 7,145 miles on my '06 LX manual-trans sedan in 27 days, the car had just over 5K miles on it when I started out. The car had a trunk full of luggage, I'd say close to 600 pounds of weight was in the car including passengers.
Most of the time on the interstates I was traveling around 68 MPH (with the cruise control on naturally) even when the speed limits allowed 75 MPH. There were times I traveled 70 to 75, but usually 65 to 68. Also did my share of 20 MPH 2nd-gear driving while sightseeing on slow and winding roads through the forest, plus some stop-and-go in smaller towns along the country highways. About 90% of the trip was on the wide-open interstate highways between 60 and 70 MPH.
Fuel mileage average for the trip using 87 octane was 40.955 MPG. :shades:
I removed my 18" O.Z. aftermarket wheels and used the stock 16" wheels and 205/55-16 tires for my trip, pumped up to the 44 PSI sidewall max. The ride quality was plenty comfortable at that pressure, I keep my 225/40-18s pumped up to 51 PSI (again the sidewall max). Gotta keep the pressure up there for excellent fuel mileage.
No special tricks, no coasting down hills, just driving normally. I even screamed it up a few long upgrades at 6000 RPMs in 3rd to pass trucks when I needed to. The R18 pulls down the great numbers no sweat. The worst tank so far has been 30 MPG, I usually average about 31 to 33 in lightly congested city commuting. This was my first nearly pure-highway trip with the engine close to being fully broken-in, city mileage should go up a bit now that it's been broken in some more.
I got great mileage and I didn't have to go 55 the whole time to get over 40 MPG. Glad my purchase of the Civic gave me everything I was expecting.
I filled up before my journey at my favorite local station at my favorite pump. I filled up all across the country and when I came back I again went to my local station and pump and filled using my usual method, fill until it clicks and then to the next $0.25.
This makes for a pretty accurate method of checking one tank to the next, and makes up for the differences in stations and pumps on my trip across the USA. Your car will sit at a different attitude at different stations, the amount of air left in the 'bubble at the top of the tank can vary substantially from station to station.
My 7,000+ miles and topping off at my local station before and after makes it a very clear and accurate picture of my fuel mileage, far more accurate than checking one or even 10 tanks of gas. 7,145 miles divided by 174.459 gallons = 40.955 MPG. Even if I was off by a couple of gallons (I'm not
Have no fear, my calculations are on the money. Been doing this with all my cars for the last 30 years.
Sure I am, grasshopper. :P
We do a 54 mile R/T daily commute and the range is between 36-42 mpg (no topping to round off). Filling is complete at the first click (off). But really no matter as long as what you are doing is CONSISTENT.
High 30's to Low 40's is a can do easy and at speeds of 80-95. (two drivers) so obviously neither of us was going for the fuel miser award.
Yes there is an upper limit for this vehicle, but NOT 42.6 mpg.
Separately, the truth is it is really no problem going 45 mph on a 80 plus freeway with speed limits at 65 mph. I did it once to break in some tires on a Z06 Corvette it was not an issue at all. While I was passed by literally 1000's of cars, the most noteworthy was I was passed by 5 highway patrol cars on the prowl with nary a look or concern.
I still don't think a Civic can achieve 42+mpg at speeds of 80-95 mph though. At least not sustained, maybe a short burst to those speeds then a return to sanity.
I would be inclinded to believe that YOU for sure do not achieve 42 mpg plus!!?? So I am not surprised you believe that it can't/doesn't/and/or is rarely done.
I don't overinflate my tires, either (32psi cold).
I expect that the 'upper limit' of mpg is significantly higher, if one could maintain lower speeds on flat ground (?60mph in kansas), but that won't happen where I live. maybe one day I'll get bored enough to set my cruise control to the speed limit and see what happens...
The mpg of 35 - 44 is BS. I think I will trade my GAS GULPING CIVIC in for a corvette. :surprise:
Anyway, the dealer told me my mileage would go up with time. Is that true and if so, can anyone explain why? Is it just about breaking in the engine?
I have a 28 mile mostly freeway commute each way to work which is why I bought a Civic. I'll post some numbers after my first tank is burned up (usually less than a week for me).
For best mpg, the rule of thumb is to up shift into the next higher gear ASAP while not lugging the engine.
Because you have the M/T, just know the places/conditions where you can cause the most wear and the best is to avoid it. . you are presented those opportunites is to cause as little wear as possible. One that has the most opportunity for wear and damage is HOW you engage the clutch. The best way to learn this is in a "parking lot" type of place where you can really concentrate on engaging the clutch with as low a rev possible without stalling the engine. The next when you find that engage point and are as comfortable with it as possible, to let the clutch go AS FAST AS POSSIBLE, while at the same time being smooth. Knowing how to downshift is advantageous, but as you have found is not entirely necessary. Let me also plant the seeds about double clutching. (you can goggle this if you are interested)
Over reving (beyond the readline) is usually computer controled to "cut out" before over rev is achieved. Where the computer does NOT work is when the engine revs and ground speed are SEVERELY mismatched. i.e. 7500 rpms in 6th gear and you miss a shift and drop it in say 2nd gear and slip or let out/pop the clutch.
The best is to start and GO !! Also the best condition to run car are highway miles and at least 1 hour trips.