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I have to wonder if it just seems like it takes no effort for you because you are so used to driving efficiently that it comes as second nature? I must say that it takes a bit of effort for me to hit 29 mixed, but I'm used to putting my foot in it and periodically I like to be the first off the line.
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.
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?
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.
It sounds like someone is confusing the ability that emergency vehicles have to make a light change in their favor if they need it to do so. It's not just flashing your high-beams, it takes some sort of special signaling device and of course the light has to have the corresponding receiver installed.
Anyone have some more MPG results to share? :shades:
I guess I asked because being able to trip the light would prevent the number of full stops you would have to come to thereby increasing your MPG. Every little bit counts.
Of course I would never do it around others. I travel at 4 in the morning. Most lights are green anyway, but there are some that always seem to turn at the worst time.
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.
Could you guys please tell me how you're getting 29/30 mpg? I drive 85 miles a day (65 of highway, 20 of local) and I have only been able to get 26.8 MPG best. I have the Auto I-4 08 Accord. Granted i am only about 1500 mi into the car, but I use cruise control whenever possible, don't accelerate that hard, and i only have the A/C on like 30% of the time. On the highway i drive about 60-70 mph.
Is this MPG what i should be expecting or am i just doing something wrong?
My tips are don't accelerate where your RPM's get over 2.5. Do not drive 60-70 drive 55-60. Put more air in your tires about 40 PSI helps alot and is safe.
Thegrad and I both have generation 7 Accords along with a ton of others, I think ezshift has a generation 7, I'm not sure. I've learned to "trick" the car into 5th gear if I am going 40 mph by accelerating to 45 to get it to shift and then dropping back to 40. I've also stopped putting my foot in it so much.
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.
Numerous Gen8 owners, who upgraded from Gen7, also say that the FE is not as good as gen7.
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.
Drove 97.4 miles on the NYS Thruway frrom Northern NJ to Hudson, NY, and refilled -3.14 gallons, 31.09 MPG with our 2008 Accord V6 with VCM - 75 MPH+, A/C on. Kept steady speed, accelerated gently when necessary.
Thank you scz3838. Your experience is what I'm experiencing. I'm being very conscious of my driving. Slow starts, lots of coasting, using cruise on highway at 60mph. Still, best tank was 26mpg. Most recently, just 21mpg in mixed driving.
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.
Most emergency vehicles have a bright white strobe light(s) atop their vehicles that can trip the sensors and grant a green light. This can be imitated by flashing the high beams, and I'm speaking from experience. The negative is that doing so can result in a traffic ticket.
I have 08 Accord with I4, and I am constantly getting 31 to 32 MPG in 20/80 city/hwy. In a trip from PA to NY (Manhattan) I managed 36 MPG. But this numbers are from a manual transmission. I did drive the automatic in my wife 2007 Odyssey without VCM, and I trick the computer by going to 45 MPH to get the car to shift to 5th gear then drop to 40 MPH and maintain that speed if I am in town, on the highway do not use the cruise control, because the computer add more gas every time there is a small change in speed. When I am driving in the highway 65 Mph the Odyssey sometime feel like is slowing a little bit let say 62 MPH, I do not press the accelerator quickly to keep the 65 MPH speed; I maintain my speed by adding slowly more gas. It really easy to do, or the best way is to invest in SCANGUAGE2 ($150) but it’s worth it, it shows you the Load, the MPG, the IGn, the CFM, whether is CLsd LOOP or Open Loop, etc. By looking once and while at the MPG you can tell if you’re running efficiently or not. You can adjust your driving habit based on the data you see on the screen. But make sure not to get distracted by this gadget. Automatic transmission are good in stop and go traffic, because you do not get leg cramp from changing gears, but on the other side you have limited options. Even the best computer cannot shift as good as human. I hope this help.
I can't tell if you are being sarcastic, or not. I can tell you that with an automatic 2.4L EX Accord (2006 model), with 700 lbs on board at 75mph, I've averaged 34-35mpg on a trip from Birmingham to Oklahoma City, and back. A 1500 mile round trip.
I can confirm that an 08 Accord EX I4 MT Sedan can be driven in a way that it will easily do MPGs in the high 30's (at least on level roads). I'm only on my 3rd tank of gas with a newly purchased car. My car is still has break-in oil but after the 2nd tank of gas, I did take my tires up to 40lbs pressure. I run my AC about 80% of the time. First tank before buying a ScanGauge, I got 28 MPG. Second tank with the gauge, I got 35 MPG and learned alot. Half way through my third tank I'm at 36.6 MPG. The only hills I have are overpasses so that is definitely an advantage. My commute is about 70/30 hiway/city and I tend to cruise between 65 and 78 MPH. The ScanGauge works very well with this car - it can be set to the fastest update setting to achieve near instantaneous read out. The methods described by others are all important but I've been very surprised to see how much difference there is when comparing a highway drive with lots of traffic (but moving) compared to a free run on the highway with little or no traffic. Even without doing anything like extreme tailgating, just being in a normal traffic flow with another vehicle in front of you (even 50-100 feet) makes a big difference. My worst mileage for my 25 mile commute was 34 MPG when driven at night with no traffic. My best was 42 MPG in continuous but moving traffic at about 65 MPH (this has happened twice). Short runs doing errands at home can clobber the average numbers but once the engine is warmed up, I still seem to get in the high 20's or low 30's around town. If I were willing to shut the engine off at traffic lights, I could boost the FE numbers by several MPG around town.
I've been considering one or the other of these monitoring devices and for the sake of safety and record keeping I went with Carchip Pro. It's a simple data logger and never requires you to take your eyes off the road. With parameters that can be set by the vehicle operator while connected to a computer via USB, you can decide how low to go before an audible signal will indicate you've exceeded the settings for fuel efficient starts and stops. It also reports any "Check Engine" codes and allows you to clear them. I've only had it for a couple of days so I'm just getting the feel of it. It's also about 30% lower in price. I figured that between the cell phone, GPS and the radio, I already had enough distractions and this would allow me to monitor my levels of aggression or lack thereof, towards both the brake and accelerator. With both visual and audible signals turned off, it also allows a parent to remove the chip and have a very detailed analysis of how their child has been driving. Overall a very useful and inexpensive tool.
Yes the scangauge is very usefull. It really helps to show how short stints of poor mpg can bring down the overall average. I just noticed that the updated firmware will display instant, trip, current and yesterday mpg all at once. Mine can only do I
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.
-use synthetic oil (drain out those crappy break-in oil)
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
On an all highway drive with air conditioning I obtained 30mpg at 8,000 miles on the odometer. Should I expect it to get better or is the 2007 getting less mpg than the 2006?
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
@ 3,477 miles of my '08 Accord V6 EX-L w/ VCM I got almost 29 MPG mixed today. MPG's getting better & better. No complaints & no questions asked whatsoever.
Accord VCM gas mileage is no big deal - get this about the 361 HP Pontiac G8 -
"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. "
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.
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.
On the interstate (on trips w/ a 70 mph limit) I run at 2,400 RPM, which is 72 MPH. Just enough to keep me safe in the right lane, and keep my mileage well into the upper 30s.
Dudley (or anyone with experience), would you mind sharing what was involved with the purchase, installation, and setup of your ScanGauge? I'm curious about it and am considering it for my 2006 EX I4 Sedan.
I remember you saying something to that effect a while ago, I just couldn't remember the exact shift-point, so 45 is a good number for me. I think if your careful once you get it into fifth you can easily drop back to about 35 before it downshifts. I'm not positive though, I haven't had occasion to try it. The only 35 zone near me is a construction zone and fines double in construction zones, so I'm not going to push it.
The problem I always run into is that I simply can't drive a 5 speed well. I can drive them, but need a lot of practice before I try to drive one to save gas. My problem is always starting from a dead stop. I end up killing it more often than not. That's not conducive to good mileage.
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.
34 MPH seems to be the downshift point back to 4th. At that speed, in 5th, it is running at 1,000 RPM, and I'd rather not lug it. At 40 MPH I'm running 1,333 RPM, so since that is the speed I go, that RPM seems sufficient.
I did notice that when I was in 5th and slowing down a little bit. My car starts getting confused and I'll notice the needle bouncing between 900 and 1250 or thereabouts, these are only estimates because I'm not one to stare at the tach, that's not safe , but anyway when it starts to bounce back and forth I give it a touch more gas just to even it out.
I wouldn't say there was any sarcasm in my comments, but I do appreciate the feedback everyone provided. It certainly does appear that there are numerous people that are getting 30+ in their Accords. Also, I've been hearing more and more about the scanguage II. Sounds like a good product to get.
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?
Those getting 35+ tend to be in Gen VII models, not the new 2008 Generation VIII model. Plus, these numbers (including mine) are achieved with PURE highway. When I throw in much city driving, that easily drops by a significant number.
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.
No way Rrbhokies. I got 25 MPG on my '02 Accord V6 EX (currently 72,500 miles) loaded with 850 lbs+ of furniture traveling @ 75+ MPH on highway. No VCM on '02 Accord V6.
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 !
The problem I always run into is that I simply can't drive a 5 speed well.
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.
.....The problem I always run into is that I simply can't drive a 5 speed well.
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)
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?
The Scangauge II is pretty easy to install. It is about the size of one of those pink erasers (pink pearl) but longer. It has a cat 5 type plug in the back and a wire that plugs into the obdII diagnostics port under the dash. You just mount the scangauge where you want it and run the wire.
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.
Has anyone with a VCM equipped V6 used the Scangauge II and do you feel it reports fuel usage accurately? The reason I ask is I spotted this on the web page:
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.
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
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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)