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Comments
I put my foot in it once in awhile to get around a car that is on my nerves (maybe riding their brakes, or simply driving erratically), but my typical commute to work or school includes nothing over 3,500 RPM in my 2.4L; around town my tranny almost always shifts around 2,700 RPM, if that gives you an idea of my pace. I also travel in off-rush travel times, typically. I get to school or work (both in metro Birmingham coming from my suburb 14 miles away) at 9am. The afternoon rush isn't terrible on I-59, it is bumper to bumper, but usually moving at 70+. Those afternoons, I tend to be around 68-70; not the slowest car on the road, but in the slower half, that's for sure. The left lane moves at 80+.
You are absolutely right that when I say it takes no effort, it does so because that is how I habitually drive. I am usually pretty equal to or ahead of the car beside me at a light for about a block, until they blaze past only to be beside me again at the next red light! :P Very few people my age (21 next month) drive putting thought into how much gas they are using, although a couple of my friends said they started driving at 65 whenever possible as opposed to their old habits of 75-80.
One friend, with an Acura 3.2CL has gone from 25MPG to 30 MPG (so he says) by changing how he drives, using his cruise control whenever possible at the speed limit + 2. Since I've ridden with him a lot, I believe it - he was an 85mph all the time kind of person. I'm a 65 all the time person.
Question, today somebody told me that if you are driving at night, with no other cars around, you can trick the light into going green by flashing your high-beams. Is this true?
It may depend on what kind of lights are used in your area, but I know that lights in my area seem to sense when a car drives onto a particular patch of road. If people "cut off" a corner into a turn lane, that turn lane will be given an arrow when the light changes. When they don't, no arrow is given.
I won't make guesses about other parts of the country but everywhere I've driven, traffic sensors have been installed in the roadway for years. As your car approaches the intersection, the sensors trip the light and it changes. Headlights have nothing to do with it since the sensors work in the daylight hours too.
Not all that long ago traffic lights were simply timed and you waited a set amount of time for that intersection no matter how heavy or how light the traffic was. Some are still like that, of course.
Anyone have some more MPG results to share? :shades:
On a side note, per your request, I've so far logged about 135 miles on "1/4" tank. I've started using grad's tidbit from months ago that if you accelerate to 46 it kicks in to 5th gear. So I accelerate to 45, allow it to shift, and then drop back to 40. I'm able to maintain 40 at 1500 rpm. The car gets confused once in a while, but usually only on hills. I think it's having an effect. I will have to wait until I get gas later this week.
Is this MPG what i should be expecting or am i just doing something wrong?
Thanks!
I know there is one person who is able to beat 30 in his gen 8, but I'm not sure who off the top of my head, but he'll probably be chiming in with his tips soon.
One question I forgot to ask, do you live in a hilly area? This has been something I've learned to deal with too. Since I drive early in the morning I don't have to deal with cops, at least not yet, but I know there is one hill that my car struggles to crest if I try to maintain 55 mph going up. So I've started to accelerate to 65 when coming to the foot of the hill so that the momentum will carry me most of the way up and then I let off the gas to allow the car to drop back in speed. By doing this I've learned to prevent the car from down-shifting.
Hope these help. Again I have a generation 7, can't be of much help with the generation 8, but these are the tricks I've learned.
Here are something you can do to increase the mpg:
-maintain a steady speed in highway, but avoid using cruise control in hilly terrain.
-drive steady at 60mph
-Accelerate slow like a grandma
-use synthetic oil (drain out those crappy break-in oil)
-avoid idling as much as possible
I would consider getting a Scangague2 to observe FE and find the optimal acceleration and highway speed.
Worse yet, 39 mpg on your return trip?
It just cannot happen.
I have about 2,000 miles on my Accord.
Just can't believe the guy who's claiming 39mpg with his Accord. Just can't happen.
Not only is it possible, it happens. I reguarly get 38-40 MPG on my one way commute of 10 miles hwy and 5 miles suburban driving every day.
It is all about information/feedback. Get a Scangauge II. Don't knock it 'til you try it.
P.S. I drive a 2007 Accord SE 2.4l AT with 15,000 miles.
I don't blame some for not believing them, as I am usually over 40 mpg.
Very astute, must have been reading this thread for a long time to realize that my numbers were down.
I can be 100 miles into a trip and going up one long hill can still bring my mpg down by 1 mpg or more If I downshift and really gun it.
Heh-heh... speaking of sarcasm. lol
There are enough of us in the Accord 40 mpg club to offset anyone who doubts that it is possible (at least in Generation 7).
06 EX-L manual I-4
Honda suggests that you leave the break-in oil in the Accord for at least 5000 miles because of the additive they put in it for the new engine. It helps get rid of the small shavings, etc. from the new engine. That was confirmed around here after someone sent their oil in for testing.
Most emergency vehicles have a bright white strobe light(s) atop their vehicles that can trip the sensors and grant a green light.
Around here (and in most parts of the country) emergency vehicles carry a device called a mobile infrared transmitter (MIRT) that sends an infared signal to change the lights, as Pat noted. There is a black market for them for people who want to cheat the system. Serious consequences if you get caught... there are better (and much safer) ways to save gas.
Do a Google search on the term or check this link from a few years ago: MIRTs
And if you still want to flash your brights, check out this Snopes.com link to bust the myth. Snopes.Com Flash Point
I also drive 07 V6 auto and could get 30mpg with (85% highway @ 65mph/15% city)
This person with 09 Sonata V6 gets over 32mpg (best tank 37mpg)... i would definitely feel bad if i drive 08 Accord I4
Maybe you should slow down for higher mpg :P
"There is some good news on that front. Like many of GM’s V-8 engines, the one in the G8 has "active fuel management," which shuts four of the cylinders when you don’t need so much power. It also has a very tall overdrive sixth gear that lets you roll down the highway at 65 mph while the engine spins at a lazy 1,600 rpm.
With the cruise control set at 75 mph, the G8 returned 26 mpg, not bad, but at 60 mph it jumped to 32 mpg. "
Now THAT is impressive.
Just filled up yesterday and got 29.25 mpg or thereabouts. Still can't crack 30, but I guess as long as I can get close I'm okay. I've been cruising at 70 more often and it hasn't had a large effect negative or positive over 65. I think the big thing I have going against me is that there is no gas in MN that doesn't have ethanol in it. All of our gas is E10 or greater. I keep trying though.
I have my tires at about 37 lately, not sure all of my gauges read differently, I don't know which one to believe. I haven't tried changing out the spark plugs though because I'm not sure if it would be worth it in the long run. Eventually I know that I'll have to deal with them.
I continue to try to find a happy medium. Also, I've been "tricking" the car into fifth at lower speeds by accelerating to 45 and dropping back. If I can possibly do it without creating a hazard I try to hit hills going about 65 to allow momentum to carry me over.
FYI - the transmission will shift into 5th at 42 MPH in my EX I4; no less. I use that piece of knowledge on a local flat 40 MPH road.
Even with the shorter gears, the practical limit for the MT is about 30/35 mph in 5th gear and that is on a level road at a steady speed. By about 45 mph you can go up most hills and by 55 mph you never really have to downshift unless you're in some serious mountains. I have yet to down shift on the highway.
The taller gears on the AT do help with high speed mpg though. Just a guess based on numbers here and my numbers I would say that anything under 65 mph the stick gets better mpg. 75 mph and over the AT gets better mpg. Between 65 and 75 there is a gradual transition depending on terrain weather etc.
Many thanks,
TheGraduate
The other day I had some fun in my friends 4.8L mustang. He said I was okay, but that I need to work on it.
I guess I'm just more frustrated with the lower mileage I'm getting. I now have 2,300 miles on my 08 Accord EX 4 cyl. Auto. On my last tank, I went 343 miles and on fill-up, took 16.519 gallons. That's only 20.7mpg.
To give a little background, this includes three highway trips totalling about 120 miles averaging 60mph on cruise with little interuption. The rest of the time, it's around town driving. When I find a stretch of road where I can sustain a constant speed, I'll go between 45mph and 50mph on cruise depending on the speed limit in the area. I also am trying hard to anticipate stops and coast as much as possible approaching stoplights and stop signs. I also will shift out of drive and into neutral during those coasts when I know the light will stay red, and then put it back into drive when the light turns green. I'm also much more conscious about not accelerating fast, and trying to maintain constant speeds and coasting whenever possible.
That said, as my efforts to drive more conservatively increase, my mileage keeps going down. My first couple of tanks were around 24-26mpg with very little highway use, yet the mileage has consistently decreased since I hit the 1,000 mile mark, and 20.7 is now my lowest recorded mileage, even though this tank included the most highway miles I've driven and my best efforts to drive conservatively and take advantage of coasting, etc.
Where in the world am I going wrong? I applaud those that are getting in the upper 30's and into 40's, and if anyone could give me insight as to what I may be doing wrong to obtain such miserable mileage, I'd appreciate it.
Finally, I am concerned about my tires and or suspension though. Is it normal for the 08 Accords to feel every single dip in the road? I swear I ran over an ant yesterday and felt the vibration!!! It's really that bad. My 98 Accord with 141K miles has a softer suspension than my car. Plus, I feel lots of vibration from the tires. Could they be out of balance possibly, or could the suspension be adjusted too firmly?
Thanks
I'd love to know how long your commute is time-wise versus miles. That'd give an idea of average speed, how much stop & go, etc...
Remember, every time you are stopped, you are getting 0 MPG.
On my '08 V6 EX-L I got 29 MPG mixed. I believe I can get 30+ MPG on highway easily. Remember MPG's getting better after break-in. Long live Honda/ Acura, True King of Kings in automobile industry !
If you drive one every day, you'd get better in a hurry. I understand if someone doesn't want to buy a manual for whatever reason. However, you really can't judge your skills unless you drive it regularly.
If you drive one every day, you'd get better in a hurry. I understand if someone doesn't want to buy a manual for whatever reason. However, you really can't judge your skills unless you drive it regularly.
....and after regular 5-speed use hones your skills razor sharp, the 6M awaits (with multicone synchros on the first four gears yet)
Either transmission: it's a great car. (Automatics excepted)
best, ez....
So you wouldn't drive the automatic? :confuse: Were you referring to the two manuals that are offered? The 6m for the v6 coupe or the 5m for all the others?
I mounted mine inside the CD cubby under the a/c controls. That way when I close the cubby it is totally hidden. I had to drill a small hole in the top left of the cubby to run the wire, but you can't see the hole. I made a bracket with some 1 1/2 inch aluminum bar stock 1/8" thick.
Just bend the bar into a I___I shape and use double sided foam tape to stick it to the cubby. Drill a hole into the middle of the bar so you can attach the wire and then use the same tape to attach the scangauge to your mounting plate.
It looks pretty good - especially at night since you can choose from 128 colors for the backlight so it is easy to match the dash.
I can take a picture or two, but not sure if we can still post them here, and I don't have a site to put them on.
Partial Compatibility
Some vehicles do not provide all of the possible information.
The following list applies to the vehicle that fall within this category:
Multiple displacement engines will report incorrect fuel economy and fuel use when some of the cylinders are disabled.
First time I've seen a cylinder deactivation type engine called a multiple displacement engine but I guess that's what it is.
GM - Displacement on Demand (DoD)