To your clutch... over the long run not good To your transmission..it doesn't matter much to it. Back in the day of muscle cars with more torque than a tractor and 4.11 gears 2nd gear starts were doable easily but with a Civic although it may do it I wouldn't make a practice of it.
As a habit, it is not good. I sometimes start off in second when the car has enough forward motion, but never from a stop, and it is NOT a habit.
On the other hand my father who was an auto mechanic used to do it a lot and I would not say it was a habit, but somethings he consciously did. I asked him once why he did it and he looked at me a bit quizzically (we had a full shop and I have to tell you the attitude was: we ain't got no problems or potential problems, a full shop of tools can't solve) and said, before coffee break, we'd have the clutch and what ever parts needed swapping, swapped. (what's the big deal?)
Don't know if its a coincidence that my mileage is going up each time, I'm definitely getting more used to driving in mileage mode instead of speed racer mode and it seems to be helping.
Still, its encouraging that with only about 500 miles on the car I'm already hitting almost 34 mpg in probably 40/60 city/hwy driving.
I'll update when I've got 6,000 miles since that seems to be the consensus of when you start to hit max mileage.
I am at 5800mi and my mpg avg 28 60/40 city/hwy. I do drive hilly roads but moving most of the time. I don't see how some people on this forum are claiming upper 30 mpg??
Depends on the style of driving. Me i drive pretty conservatively seldom never hitting above 2600-2700 RPMs on my shifts, and always smooth on the throttle. I am getting 37-40 mpg with 85/15 Hwy/Cty.
I now get a consistant 30 MPG (Canadian) /10 liters 100km driving 12 km to work. I think it would be better if I drove further because for the 1st 5km then engine is cold and running rich til warm
When I first brought my 06 in May I created a spreedsheet to track everything about fuel and miles. I always wrote down how much fuel I use, miles cost etc. Here is the result.
I have just over 5000 miles total and the average mpg for that period of time is 40.04 mpg. That's it.
I live in the Midwest and it is getting cold so I expect to see the mileage drop off. When I purchased the car I was the only one to drive it. My dealer called me when it came in and it had not even be cleaned. I broke it in exactly how the manual said.
My driving is may be 60/40 60% being city. My routine is going to a cafe at 6am each morning and it is about 1 1/2 miles there. This is such a short drive I expect the cold weather will soon have its effect. Then local trips to walmart, Sams etc. and a little around the city beltway. No fast starts just take it easy. Not to slow either. When on the highway I set the cruise to 66/67 and thats it. Unless traveling, I use the same station, same pump when I fill up. I try not to let the tank get below 1/2. My car is a automatic. It has a great coasting ability. I have learned to let off the gas way before turning or stopping. If you have a auto you may understand what I mean about coasting. This car seems to go forever when you let off the gas. Be sure to learn how far yours will travel and how long it takes to decelerate. For instance, when I approach a light or stop sign I've learned to let off the gas and let the car gradually slow down. It works great. When on the highway and exiting to a off ramp I use the cancel cruise button so the car slow on its own. This not only saves on your breaks but saves money on gas. This must not make much since to you, all I know is that it seems to work for me. I think the key may be learning to use the great coasting ability of this little car.
If you have a computer, create a spread sheet to track the fuel your vehicle may use. It is not that hard. You can then see the result each time you add gas, the end of the month total and accumulative running total. See if you can improve your mpg using the coasting effect. This won't work if you have a tail gater. Hope this helps some. Good luck.
I know what you mean about the coasting. The CRV (06) seems like a friction machine compared to it. Certainly don't get any engine breaking out of it. If you really care about that you can downshift it pretty easily though. It is a great little engine.
I incorporate many of these techniques (coasting and moderate starts). Don't really get why people are in such a hurry in the city; you are just going to hit a red light. I have a manual tranny so i have more shift control; shifting always at or below 2600-2700. The only time I get a lead foot is when I'm merging onto the highway; usually between 4-5k.
Don't expect better than what your currently getting. With a 4 mile total commute, the engine won't warm up and run at peak performance. With a 1 mile one-way commute I'd consider walking or riding a bike.
You are operating your engine in some of the most difficult parameters for the engine, that one can imagine. Another that comes to mind that is worse is operating the same way in winter (snow & ice) conditions.
seriously, nothing in your car is ever gonna get up to operating temps. if you're planning on keeping this car for any amount of time I wouldn't wait for the computer to tell you to change the oil -- at least every six months, and probably run synthetic in it.
Yes, this is about exactly what we get with a somewhat longer commute..mostly around 24 mpg. We probably drive about 15-18 miles per day with few longer trips. While I tend to agree with some who replied indicating that the car doesn't really warm up in a mile drive (it doesn't)the fuel economy won't be affected much by the lack of a warm-up but engine longevity...no, make that overall mechanical longevity will suffer in the long run. You will most likely never see 30 mpg with your type of drive...EPA ESTIMATE = 30 city. Most EPA estimates are typically high and used for comparisons between similar sized vehicles. Many will dispute this and state they get much more than the estimates but our experience is...37.6 mpg (against EPA 40 highway) highway with cruise set on about 70-72 mph using a full tank, refilled with a little over 12 gallons (over 400 highway miles). About 24 mpg "city" in our smallish city with no real gridlock. Average around 31 mpg...
So would letting it idle for awhile to warm up help?
Even in the mornings after a cold start, by the end of my one-way trip, it's up to at least 3 bars in the temperature gauge. I've never seen it more than about half way, which is like 8 bars I think.
No, I agree excessive idling (over 1 minute) is not the answer to head off potential long term problems. To be fair however if any type of problems from your driving style ever arise they probably will be very far down the road and probably long after you get rid of the car. What you should do instead is head for the open highway at least once or more a week and drive to the next town or 25 miles which ever comes first at higher speed (65-70mph). This allows the car to properly heat up and evaporate/burn off any water that condensates in short trips. You may say it is a waste of fuel so go shopping in that next town...have supper..whatever, but if you don't just a highway run will help. Oh, half way on the temperature gage is about normal worry if it goes much higher.
I've been told that if you live in winter-ish cities that gets several inches of snow or gets colder than 15 degrees in January, it's best to warm the car up a couple minutes so that the engine and all of its components adjust to quick change in temperature. Otherwise if it's been sitting over night, some parts of the engine will be extremely cold while others will be extremely hot at startup...the wide difference in temperature and driving right away might cause wear/tear on the engine, might even cause cracks in some parts similar to what happens when you put hot water in cold glasses...is this possible/realistic or worthwhile to take note off? I live in area that gets below 0 degrees in the winter time, and have always been taught to warm the car up at least 5 minutes to warm the engine up...Does this matter if I don't care about the gas mileage saving and warming up the car interior?
Actually I too live in the snowbelt(PA)and I am of the "older" generation. I always believed in a long warm-up period until relatively recently. Virtually everything I have read on the topic indicates a long warm-up is unnessary. In fact all current thinking indicates that the best thing you can do to ensure a proper warming of the drivetrain is to idle about 30-45 seconds then drive off but drive moderately/easily until the engine/drivetrain warms together. By that I mean no full throttle acceleration, no immediate driving at 75 mph etc. I don't know how it is expected that those who commute via interstate avoid those things...I guess almost everyone has SOME distance to drive on surface streets before hopping on the interstate.Anyhow, I have mostly broken my old habit of excessive idle time and find that the temperature gage does show warmup quicker than if I sat and idled. Oh, new cars warm VERY quickly(our 2006 Civic) as opposed to my older car (1995 Stratus). I recently rented a 2006 Malibu and it was warm within a 1/4 mile on a chilly morning of about 40 degrees. I'm not sure if what you have been told about some parts being hot while others are cold at start-up holds true. While it is true that interior engine components are immediately hot due to the nature of the beast (internal explosions and cylinder temps at over 900 degrees) the temperature difference between components doesn't really matter and nothing will be damaged if you don't allow temps to balance out (as best they can) with a long warm up. So, no it doesn't matter. Try to adhere to the drive gentle concept until warmup is completed or at least well on its way.
I have an '06 EX coupe with about 1600 miles. I'm averaging about 28 mpg with mostly city driving, although often on freeway with some rush hour stop-and-go. This past week I had a couple of longish runs on the highway with clear traffic and calculated 29 mpg when I filled it up today.
I'm a little disappointed with the mileage, but I'm hoping mileage increases some as the car is more broken in -- I'd be happy if I got over the 30 mpg mark on an average week.
Haven't driven the car on any long trips, so I have no idea what kind of highway mileage I'd get.
It really is a mystery. How can driving styles be THAT different? We're getting 33/43. Trying to be good on the highway (me) and couldn't careless about how we drive around town (her). Around town is not really city though - its suburbs.
Seems like I don't even get to 150 miles when the fuel gauge reaches half full
PLEASE don't be measuring your mileage strictly by the gauge. Do miles driven/gallons pumped.
And, as others have said, you are lucky to be getting in the 20s with a 1 mile commute. Your mileage suffers with every crank of the car, and the car expends extra fuel until it is warmed up fully.
Also, when you only fill up halfway, you aren't getting as accurate a reading as you would if you let the tank run a lot lower down (say, until the light comes on).
Mercurynews.com SJMN Friday, November 10,2006 DRIVE,
From the Chicago Tribune, by Jim Mateja,
"Milage ratings to get an overhaul with '08 model year"
EPA SET TO CHANGE HOW IT CALCULATES FUEL ESTIMATES
Why? ..."It is responding to a common consumer complaint: That the mileage they get is less than that on the sticker"...
BUT remarkably, things will probably STAY THE SAME
..."A few things won't change. Automakers will continue to be responsible for PERFORMING THE SAME TESTS (all caps my sic)and calculating the estimates and the EPA will audit the results with its tests to confirm the findings"...
QUOTE (but as noted, cut and pasted)
"2004 Civic 4DR...
CITY MPG 29 FEI, DOE EPA HIGHWAY MPG 38
ACTUAL MILEAGE will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits and vehicles condition. Results reported to the EPA inidcate that the majority of vehicles with these estimates will achieve between 24 AND 34 mpg in the city and between 32 AND 44 mpg on the highway"... UNQUOTE
So given the above information already on vehicles how much different will the 2008 stickers be? Again in a 54 mile R/T daily commute we get between 36-42 but more normally between 38-42 mpg.
OK, that isn't nearly as bad as what I was thinking (20 MPG). If you can get 24 MPG and drive 1 mile each way, you're doing great.
I used to drive 2 miles each way to my high school in my Accord LX I-4 (1996 model). I'd routinely get about 19-20 MPG. Now that I drive 14 miles one way to school, with about 5-6 miles on the interstate, I get about 27-28 MPG.
It's all in the route, my friend.
May I ask what kind of car you had before, and how you did on mileage in that one?
Well, considering that an Integra (another fuel-efficient car) got only 15 MPG in your driving conditions, I'd say you are very lucky to be getting 24 MPG in a Civic.
over the first 5415 miles I have used 143.6 gallons for an overall average of 37.7mpg.
best per tank mpg of 44.7 (long highway trip), worst 34.4.
interesting to me is that my average mileage has been continuing to decline since about september (39.8mpg), even though the routes I drive have remained essentially constant. dunno if this represents cooler temps or if there was a switch to 'winterized' gas, or both...
My mileage has always followed the seasonal temps differences you have noticed, falling off about the same amount, 1988 integra, best this summer 45, last tank 39mpg this week.
How do you measure how much gas your car is actually burning in comparison to the written MPG(fuel economy) that's assigned to your '06 LX AT coupe? If I sound like an idiot for asking, please forgive me. I'm researching for my first car.
I don't fully understand all these steps you took to find-out your vehicle's actual fuel economy. But, I guess it's because I don't own a car, and therefore cannot attempt to perform any of the steps mentioned. Maybe if you can explain to me the steps in more simpler terms, maybe I can visualize what you're saying more clearly without having a car in front of me.
nsorano's post summed it up as well as anyone: miles driven divided by gallons used equals miles per gallon. the problem some people seem to encounter is measuring the amount of gas actually used.
Quietspirit, it sounds to me that not only are you shopping for a first car, but also that you're a newer driver.
as you continue you research please permit me a couple comments/suggestions...
first as a new driver I'd be surprised if you were able to achieve EPA mileage ratings. I've been driving over twenty years and I've only been able to 'drive for mileage' for about the last three years (I cared more about going fast than the price of gas). besides, it's well known that EPA estimates are just that and often are pretty poor representations of real world driving.
in looking for a first car I would figure out what my needs are (do you need to transport a lot of stuff/friends to/from school, commuting, long trips, city car for occasional errands, et al) and then try to find the cheapest, safe, reliable car that satisfied those needs. I would specifically stay away from a new car. you'll love your first car no matter how much you spend on it, and as you evolve as a driver making your mistakes on an older car is much less heart (and wallet) breaking.
I get it, now. Just to be a little picky. What if you filled your gas tank at exactly 11 gallons or 10.5 gallons, would it still be full? And would you still get 38.7 MPG?
Since the tube/pipe from the tank up to the tank fill access port can hold a certain amount of fuel you should pick how many times you want to re-engage the pump handle after automatic shutoff. In other words after automatic pump shut-off you can usually pump in an additional amount of fuel manually. This action usually not only fills the tank but fills the filler pipe also until you can literally overflow fuel onto the ground. I believe it frowned upon to do that for two reasons...enviromental (spilled fuel) and manufacturers caution about overfill to the point of overflow due to an emission control device that vents fuel vapors back into the tank and it resides near the top of the fill pipe. Anyhow, the way I do it is to refill the tank until the automatic shut-off device clicks the pump off then manually pump in more fuel until I round the price up to the next whole number ($$$dollar amount) OR you can always click the pump manually a set number of times (1-2-3 times, you choose) after auto shut-off to be consistant. Finally, after auto shut-off the tank will be full enough for most people to compute fuel economy..the extra 1/2 gallon needed to completely fill the pipe won't make a difference if you are consistant.
The problem with filling up until it clicks, and then filling again, until you reach the next quarter/dollar/whatever, is that the amount you're adding in, is going to vary, based upon the current price of fuel.
To minimize the number of variables, you're better off with the method of stopping after "x" number of clicks. If you're able to stick with the same pump at the same gas station, then you've got the best situation available for considering your readings accurate.
QuietSpirit, you have to do two things consistently to be able to calculate your mileage on a regular basis: * Always fill up, as opposed to adding a specified dollar amount of gas * Always reset your trip odometer, or write down your odometer reading, whenever you fill up.
When I pull my receipt from the gas pump, I immediately write the trip odometer's mileage on the back of it, then reset it. The total number of gallons pumped should be printed on the receipt, so you can wait until you get home, to calculate your mileage.
Currently i am as happy as a bug in the rug with my 07 Civic ! First tankfull figured 36 mpg combined ! Looks like second tank is gonna do as well are better. I do admit to making a practice of driving 5 m.p.h. under the posted speed limit. Why speed save money it's your's ! I sold my second and last P.T. Crusier out right to purchase this LX Sedan. Now after being in our country some 30 plus year's i finally purchased a Honda car after owning several Honda motorcycles in my younger days. Remembering the dealer telling me the Honda would come in the form of a car soon. Now i hear tell they are making jet airplanes. What next ? Looking cool setting behind the cockpit of my LX sedan for a 51 year old man ! One question what is the best oil to use reguardless of price? It says 5w20 on the filler cap and owner's manual and thats cool. But what kind of oil and best brand should i use for long engine life? Honda service guy says a syn-blend and said he thought Honda oil was manufactored by Havoline. My first thought was Castorol but please some expert give me some advice !
To keep accurate I never top off after the automatic shutoff, and always fillup on the very last bar of gas. Your MPG will vary due to traffic, weather and such, so it is'nt always an exact thing.
This from the real world; daily commute, 38-42 mpg in a plain jane 54 mile R/T, 80 highway/20 city, 45 min to 1.5 hour per 27 mile trip. This is on one of the most congested highways in the COUNTRY. (acknowledged by transportation agencies)
Using a VW Jetta TDI in the SAME commute, (same driver) the figures are 47-51 mpg.
Nope, not all down hill. I commute from Lacey, WA to Tacoma, WA and there are 2 grades on I-5 covering a few miles each on my travels to and from work. This is a 46 mile commute round trip. It's been cold lately so my last tank was'nt that fruitful (35mpg).
I bought a new 2007 EX civic, automatic & Nav. on 11/09 I've subsequently filled my gas tank up 4 or 5 times, each time I calculate the MPG immediately on the calculator right on the navigation screen.
the best average mileage per tankful I've been able to get is 25.8 usually it averages around 24-25.
I drive about 50/50 highway local driving. My commute is only about 8 miles each way, but I usually set the cruise control for about 6 miles of highway driving.
One of the reasons I purchased this car was the EPA rated gas milage. I'd be really happy with a combined average of around 32-34 mpg, but I was hoping to get at least 30 MPG minimum.
does the civis need to "break-in" to get better milage or should I give my dealer a call and ask them to take a look.
I am the owner of a 2006 EX sedan automatic. It is a year old with around 7K miles. I can tell you that a break-in period makes no appreciable difference in fuel economy. In fact most manufacturers now state that a formal break-in is not necessary and the car will get whatever fuel economy it is capable of "right out of the box". We get the same 24-25 mpg in "around town" use that you report. We do not live in a large city with lots of stop-go driving but rather a smaller town. On one of the few longer "highway only" trips we used it for I achieved a best of 37.7 mpg. This was all highway driving at around 70 mph with cruise on. Many report mid 20's normal driving and mid 30's highway. This in my opinion is about what you should expect...subject to all sorts of variables of course. The EPA sticker promises what most cannot achieve...oh someone will say they get much better and I personally feel that if you stick to 65 mph on flat land in good weather you can probably get that 40 mpg but don't misbehave by going 75 or haul a bunch of passengers and their luggage on mountainous driving. Do not have very high expectations based on the EPA sticker only...
Comments
On the other hand my father who was an auto mechanic used to do it a lot and I would not say it was a habit, but somethings he consciously did. I asked him once why he did it and he looked at me a bit quizzically (we had a full shop and I have to tell you the attitude was: we ain't got no problems or potential problems, a full shop of tools can't solve) and said, before coffee break, we'd have the clutch and what ever parts needed swapping, swapped. (what's the big deal?)
First 3 half tanks of gas:
26.7 MPG
30.0 MPG
33.9 MPG
Don't know if its a coincidence that my mileage is going up each time, I'm definitely getting more used to driving in mileage mode instead of speed racer mode and it seems to be helping.
Still, its encouraging that with only about 500 miles on the car I'm already hitting almost 34 mpg in probably 40/60 city/hwy driving.
I'll update when I've got 6,000 miles since that seems to be the consensus of when you start to hit max mileage.
I have just over 5000 miles total and the average mpg for that period of time is 40.04 mpg. That's it.
My driving is may be 60/40 60% being city. My routine is going to a cafe at 6am each morning and it is about 1 1/2 miles there. This is such a short drive I expect the cold weather will soon have its effect. Then local trips to walmart, Sams etc. and a little around the city beltway. No fast starts just take it easy. Not to slow either. When on the highway I set the cruise to 66/67 and thats it. Unless traveling, I use the same station, same pump when I fill up. I try not to let the tank get below 1/2. My car is a automatic. It has a great coasting ability. I have learned to let off the gas way before turning or stopping. If you have a auto you may understand what I mean about coasting. This car seems to go forever when you let off the gas. Be sure to learn how far yours will travel and how long it takes to decelerate. For instance, when I approach a light or stop sign I've learned to let off the gas and let the car gradually slow down. It works great. When on the highway and exiting to a off ramp I use the cancel cruise button so the car slow on its own. This not only saves on your breaks but saves money on gas. This must not make much since to you, all I know is that it seems to work for me. I think the key may be learning to use the great coasting ability of this little car.
If you have a computer, create a spread sheet to track the fuel your vehicle may use. It is not that hard. You can then see the result each time you add gas, the end of the month total and accumulative running total. See if you can improve your mpg using the coasting effect. This won't work if you have a tail gater. Hope this helps some. Good luck.
M
What RPM range do the auto trannys shift at?
Driving mostly in the city, a handful of highway trips.
So I'm getting way closer to 20 than 30 it seems. Yes have to wait for the break in. Not lead-footing it at all.
My commute is about a mile each way but I put at least 4 miles a day on it.
Seems like I don't even get to 150 miles when the fuel gauge reaches half full, which is about 6.5 gallons.
Even in the mornings after a cold start, by the end of my one-way trip, it's up to at least 3 bars in the temperature gauge. I've never seen it more than about half way, which is like 8 bars I think.
I'm a little disappointed with the mileage, but I'm hoping mileage increases some as the car is more broken in -- I'd be happy if I got over the 30 mpg mark on an average week.
Haven't driven the car on any long trips, so I have no idea what kind of highway mileage I'd get.
PLEASE don't be measuring your mileage strictly by the gauge. Do miles driven/gallons pumped.
And, as others have said, you are lucky to be getting in the 20s with a 1 mile commute. Your mileage suffers with every crank of the car, and the car expends extra fuel until it is warmed up fully.
Also, when you only fill up halfway, you aren't getting as accurate a reading as you would if you let the tank run a lot lower down (say, until the light comes on).
So about 24 MPG with one long highway trip and a couple of 6-mile jaunts (one way) on the freeway.
From the Chicago Tribune, by Jim Mateja,
"Milage ratings to get an overhaul with '08 model year"
EPA SET TO CHANGE HOW IT CALCULATES FUEL ESTIMATES
Why? ..."It is responding to a common consumer complaint: That the mileage they get is less than that on the sticker"...
BUT remarkably, things will probably STAY THE SAME
..."A few things won't change. Automakers will continue to be responsible for PERFORMING THE SAME TESTS (all caps my sic)and calculating the estimates and the EPA will audit the results with its tests to confirm the findings"...
QUOTE (but as noted, cut and pasted)
"2004 Civic 4DR...
CITY MPG 29 FEI, DOE EPA HIGHWAY MPG 38
ACTUAL MILEAGE will vary with options, driving conditions, driving habits and vehicles condition. Results reported to the EPA inidcate that the majority of vehicles with these estimates will achieve between 24 AND 34 mpg in the city and between 32 AND 44 mpg on the highway"... UNQUOTE
So given the above information already on vehicles how much different will the 2008 stickers be? Again in a 54 mile R/T daily commute we get between 36-42 but more normally between 38-42 mpg.
I used to drive 2 miles each way to my high school in my Accord LX I-4 (1996 model). I'd routinely get about 19-20 MPG. Now that I drive 14 miles one way to school, with about 5-6 miles on the interstate, I get about 27-28 MPG.
It's all in the route, my friend.
May I ask what kind of car you had before, and how you did on mileage in that one?
But that engine basically died a few months back so who knows how many years it was running substandard?
It was overdue for a second tune up (had 135k miles plus) and other than oil changes, I had stopped doing maintenance on it.
Congrats!
best per tank mpg of 44.7 (long highway trip), worst 34.4.
interesting to me is that my average mileage has been continuing to decline since about september (39.8mpg), even though the routes I drive have remained essentially constant. dunno if this represents cooler temps or if there was a switch to 'winterized' gas, or both...
On a longer term bases your 5,000 mile experiences seem to mirror my first 10,000 miles (oem conventional filled oil changes, as a back drop) .
11.1 gallons =(what it took to fill the car)
430 miles =(how far i went on that tank)
Divide 430 by 11.1 = comes out to 38.7 MPG.
It's pretty simple
Quietspirit, it sounds to me that not only are you shopping for a first car, but also that you're a newer driver.
as you continue you research please permit me a couple comments/suggestions...
first as a new driver I'd be surprised if you were able to achieve EPA mileage ratings. I've been driving over twenty years and I've only been able to 'drive for mileage' for about the last three years (I cared more about going fast than the price of gas). besides, it's well known that EPA estimates are just that and often are pretty poor representations of real world driving.
in looking for a first car I would figure out what my needs are (do you need to transport a lot of stuff/friends to/from school, commuting, long trips, city car for occasional errands, et al) and then try to find the cheapest, safe, reliable car that satisfied those needs. I would specifically stay away from a new car. you'll love your first car no matter how much you spend on it, and as you evolve as a driver making your mistakes on an older car is much less heart (and wallet) breaking.
good luck in your search.
To minimize the number of variables, you're better off with the method of stopping after "x" number of clicks. If you're able to stick with the same pump at the same gas station, then you've got the best situation available for considering your readings accurate.
QuietSpirit, you have to do two things consistently to be able to calculate your mileage on a regular basis:
* Always fill up, as opposed to adding a specified dollar amount of gas
* Always reset your trip odometer, or write down your odometer reading, whenever you fill up.
When I pull my receipt from the gas pump, I immediately write the trip odometer's mileage on the back of it, then reset it. The total number of gallons pumped should be printed on the receipt, so you can wait until you get home, to calculate your mileage.
Your MPG will vary due to traffic, weather and such, so it is'nt always an exact thing.
This from the real world; daily commute, 38-42 mpg in a plain jane 54 mile R/T, 80 highway/20 city, 45 min to 1.5 hour per 27 mile trip. This is on one of the most congested highways in the COUNTRY. (acknowledged by transportation agencies)
Using a VW Jetta TDI in the SAME commute, (same driver) the figures are 47-51 mpg.
the best average mileage per tankful I've been able to get is 25.8 usually it averages around 24-25.
I drive about 50/50 highway local driving. My commute is only about 8 miles each way, but I usually set the cruise control for about 6 miles of highway driving.
One of the reasons I purchased this car was the EPA rated gas milage. I'd be really happy with a combined average of around 32-34 mpg, but I was hoping to get at least 30 MPG minimum.
does the civis need to "break-in" to get better milage or should I give my dealer a call and ask them to take a look.
Thanks for any advice.