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Honda Civic Real World MPG

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Comments

  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    So while I would not discourage you from bringing your car in (especially) during the customer satisfaction (1 year /12,000 miles typical) warranty period; I would further swag the dealer will indicate nothing wrong with your vehicle. If you do decide to bring it in for that reason and/or other things, please post/repost.

    Honda Civics are (designed) optimized for a min of one hour operation, 45-75 mph situations. On the EXTREME up side, hypermilers can get in the high 50's mpg.

    Given your snapshot (21 mpg) and realistically without a lot of information, I would SWAG you operate in the worst city conditions (for a city environment) and are driving absolutely the HARDEST mileage for ANY car, but specifically a Honda Civic.

    So for example, if you look at the survey posted, MSG #1416 and the/YOUR new car sticker's SMALL PRINT (right under or near the posting for EPA City and Highway ratings) you will probably see that (21 mpg) is within the range, albeit a very low percentage of folks reporting that range of mpg. :lemon:

    If you do a tremendous amount of idling,stop/go was a hybrid one of the considerations? (i.e., Civic hybrid, Prius,)
  • vitakhvitakh Member Posts: 5
    ruking, thank you.

    Actually my driving is not strictly city, but include some free-way roads.

    I guess, the millage may improve after 1000 miles. Also I may try to use another gas station (I use Gulf with cheap gas).

    I'll let you know if talk to the dealer.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Indeed it should somewhat. If nothing in the driver's behavior and/or conditions change, I would not reasonably expect much more than 1/2 mph more.
  • cherubjacherubja Member Posts: 1
    I recently purchased an 09 Civic EXL and have been getting less than 30 mpg average. I drive about 60/40 city/highway. I am very easy on the accelerator, and I do not leave the car idling, not using a/c either. The car has about 500 miles, will the fuel consumption improve? I used to get over 30mpg average in my old Saturn, I figured this car would be better...
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    While we have (from new) put down the mpg data ( 04 Civic), (baseline measures mainly- we did not endeavor to get what we actually got and documented) I would not even worry about till app 10,000 miles.

    Up untill then, you have SO much going on, i.e.:

    1. up to 500 miles @ less than 55 mph tire break in new tires can suck -1-4 mpg
    2. choice of whatever psi can make 1-2 mp difference
    3. proper engine break in (who really knows mpg)
    4. brake pads bed in (want oems to least INXS of 100,000 miles)
    5. component parts getting used to each other, suspension, transmission, etc.
    6. even stuff as mundane as getting used to driving the car: that some to all the variables might become moot at that mileage. This can make 1-6 mpg differences.
    7. non standard driving due to new pony rides ;) :shades:
    8. less/more than optimized conditions
    9. ETC., ETC.

    So as a anecdotal data point we started off getting a range of 36-38 mpg. Fast forward to currently: get between 38-42 mpg in a normal everyday 54 miles R/T commute (.75 to 1.5 hours) . I am also aware a LARGE majority of folks (94% or so) report getting less ! This commute seems to be what the Honda Civic was optimized for. We are currently in the 77,000 miles range. OCI's of 20,000 miles with Mobil One 5w20, 0w20 oil and 20,000 miles (per owners manual, shop manual, internet Honda recommendations ) oil filter changes. Oil consumption is between 1/4 to 1/2 quart of oil in 20,000 miles. We employ no real fuel miser techniques other than not getting in accidents in a rolling parking lot commute. ;) :shades: :lemon:
  • cjhepburncjhepburn Member Posts: 12
    My '08 LX Sedan AT did improve after the first couple of tanks. My commute is much like Ruking about 60 miles each way and driving normally I was getting about 38MPG.
    One thing I just noticed is that my mileage just dipped as the weather here in the Boston area is dropping below freezing.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    There are a few more winter variables.

    1. the winter blend of RUG gets less mpg,

    2. it takes longer to get up to sustained operating temperatures

    3. in a lot of cases, in effect do not stay at sot long enough, etc.

    3. in a lot of cases the engine doesnt reach ideal sustained temperatures

    4. it is a common habit to carry extra weight in various areas of the car, sand, extra winter tools

    5. winter tires, chains,

    6. longer sustained idling

    7. greater current draw affects mph (usually - minus)

    8. etc.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    But then on the other hand, we are back up to the range (38-42 mph) before the new tires and break in routine (normal commute traffic) . Filled @ 393 miles with 10.1 gal = 39 mpg (ok-38.911)
  • kenlwkenlw Member Posts: 190
    but also add that colder air is denser, so more oxygen, only somewhat countermeasured by intake sensors.

    bottomline: too many variables to identify a single causative factor.....

    btw, most areas do not distinguish between winter and normal blends anymore. it is the same year 'round.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Indeed, but it doesn't need to be that academic. After all, there is usually one reading despite WHATEVER variables there are = MPG (miles/gals) Since there are a lot of folks who do experience mild winters, i.e., certain parts of FL, CA., the winter season can range from not much to 10-25% hits to the mph readings.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    In the spirit of "wintering up", we are experiencing a -2 mpg hit or -5.2%.

    (36 mpg vs 38 mpg/2=) if only global warming were true.
  • cjhepburncjhepburn Member Posts: 12
    I think I lost about 3-4 MPG. It's been cold here in the Boston area. Last week I warmed up slightly and I noticed that it was rebounding but nothing like the 40-41 like I got during the late summer/early fall.

    As I read here and various other forums, I think it's most like due to:
    lubricant viscosity is stiffer in cold weather,
    lower energy "winter" fuel, higher O2 content but lower BTUs
    Fuel wasted during warmup (both driving or sitting warm-ups)
  • cjhepburncjhepburn Member Posts: 12
    I'm considering adding a high performance suspension. This will lower the car by 1.5".
    My motivation is to improve handling but I'm wondering if the lower vehicle profile will improve fuel economy?
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    You might want want to do some research on www.vtec.net. The response will range from I do not know, do not care, to overall loss of fuel mileage. How and what you do can be from mild to wild in the check book department. Fuel economy will literally be the least of your worries. Overall I would NOT do it. Whatever you think you are gaining in so called "performance" you will DEARLY pay for. What do you think it will cost you when you scrape the bottom of your vehicle? How about continually?
  • cjhepburncjhepburn Member Posts: 12
    The car really does not handle well; too much body roll. I'm going to start off with sway bars and see what that does. Overall new suspension is not a huge expense, just $7-800 is enough to outhandle the SI.
    This is a commuter so I don't want to do anything at the expense of fuel economy.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    First of all it is your nickel, and of course you are totally at choice to use your nickels as you please and/or see fit. But since you did post...!?? Do you slalom to work? ;)

    Stabilizer bars in theory come on in the twisties. So for example, in my normal commute, the benefit would be totally non existent for literally the majority of the mileage.; since the majority of the mileage is used in a commute (80%). The other 20% can be errand (shorter trips to longer trips)

    (as an aside you would not know this but I am used to pretty massive stablizer bars...Corvette Z06, 1G at the limits )

    Now if I want to do Highway One (Pacific Coast Highway, aka TWISTIES) as the majority of a 60 miles R/T per day commute....Then at the best I WILL see the % benefit with a higher % of the miles.

    But from a safety point of view (some may consider this very important) you are increasing the edge to which the cars chassis is actually communicating to you the upper limits. Body roll is communicating something to you. You are increasing the signal point and NOT improving the chassis' performance. You basically have UPPED the indicators. So in effect you get less notice.

    So let's see @ corner store prices @$ 1..62 per gal, $ 800. will buy 494 gals x (your mpg) mine is @ 38-42 mpg)=18,765 miles of commuting.... and you are worried about a few mpg? :confuse: Component interactions are also inter-related. One consequence will probably be shorter mileage on your (now probably inadequate) tires. So for example, I got 74,300 miles on the (crappy old ) oem tires. (rated 23/24-thank heavens for #24) The cost to replace was 51 per +15 per tire mounting and balancing. (In theory) It is both qualitatively and quantitatively a huge improvement. The new UTOQ rating is 700 vs the old @ 320. So for example if I got 74,300 miles a projection of 140,000 miles might be seen as reasonable. A vendor I deal with got me a free $90. alignment. . So I can tell you in app 70,000 more miles if that difference has any meaning.(match the old crappo tires) The oem tires were MAXIMIZED for lowest rolling resistance, aka best fuel mileage. I researched the replacement tires with a weighting on the prior sentence. So do you think whatever improved tires you choose, your mileage will increase or decrease?
  • cjhepburncjhepburn Member Posts: 12
    I wasn't looking for a debate but you actually DO increase the chassis performance. When cornering the suspension basically squats down and decreases the tire contact patch. The resistance from the suspension sitting down (body roll) is created by torsion in the sway bar. By tying the left and right together with a sway bar that flexes less (larger diameter sway bar), the suspension squats less and you get a larger tire contact patch. I was going t start off with replacement sway bars and see how much that improves handling, that's only $160.
    I could call this a safety improvement, if I get cut off on the highway that causes me to swerve out of the way, the car could loose grip and go out of control and cause a total wreck and endanger my life. Now $160 or even $800 for the entire suspension seems cheap.
    With that said, I don't want to improve my enjoyment of driving at the expense of mileage.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    The bottom line is the math really makes the decision/s for you: given your last (goal) statement. Your assertions about improved "chassis performance " really did not intergrate the points made, but seems to be further down the decision tree given your goal statement.

    ..."I don't want to improve my enjoyment of driving at the expense of mileage."...

    You didn't state your range of mpg. (as a point of baseline/comparison)
  • cjhepburncjhepburn Member Posts: 12
    It's actually quite simple.
    I don't want to do anything to the car that will cause a decrease in mileage.
    I don't think in terms of $800 is x number of gallons of gas. This is primarily for the enjoyment of driving.
    It's OK to not know the answer. Don't try to spin this into something that it's not or read between the lines, there's nothing there. Like you said, this may not be the correct forum to discuss modifications and the effects on mileage.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Yes, actually it is quite simple. Seems you think I am trying to spin it into something that it is NOT. That is not even close. You said your goal more than once, I have acknowledged it more than once. If anything, I mentioned that modifications can definitely can have effects on mileage and have given examples. Also when you don't mention a baseline range mpg, one has really no reality on where you are at.

    Indeed there are a lot of posters on this thread doing NO modifications, who are less than satisfied with the mpg they clock.
  • kenlwkenlw Member Posts: 190
    well, I'll chime in since i've actually done it (lowered the Civic). Actually, the dealer did it, the HFP kit drops the regular EX about 1" (as measured by me, a smidge more than 1". The aero kit lowers the "visual" part even more, but not the chassis).

    now as far as it "being worth it", you'll need to define "worth it" for yourself. Handling? a lot less roll in hi g turns. and it rides rougher. be aware that I also have 18" wheels and the lower sidewalls add to the roughness and stickiness and noise. a pic is here:
    http://www.carspace.com/kenlw/Albums/kenlw%27s%20Album/

    Me? I like the looks. that's it.

    does it hurt mileage. no. no way. dropping a car in itself does nothing to help or hurt mpg.

    but a lot of things that are done along the way can:

    >adding wider tires will hurt mpg.
    >adding softer tires will hurt mpg.
    >driving it like it is a "performance car" will hurt mpg.

    If you like the looks of it, go for it. Will it help performance? can't hurt it, it has none to begin with.
  • kltronkltron Member Posts: 21
    > I think I lost about 3-4 MPG.

    My MPG is also down with the cooler weather settling in (I am also near Boston). In early October it was around 41mpg, now it's 36-38 or so.

    2008 Civic EX manual

    Eh, spring can't be all that far, can it? :-)

    ...kl...
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Got to love that infra-red shot.

    So in line with the topic, brings up the questions: what were your before and after mpg figures?
  • kenlwkenlw Member Posts: 190
    it was purchased that way.
  • mjstenmjsten Member Posts: 17
    Am glad to see that some one is still getting the 36+ mpg. Just did a calculation on my average mpg over the 20,000 miles since I got my 08 civic, and am averaging 31 mpg. With the high mark being 37 mpg on a 200 mile trip between KCMO and Lincoln NE, real flat interstate ride with the cruise on 68 mph.
    I drive daily15 miles to and from work normally on I 29 at 65 mph.
    Little disappointing as my daughters 04 Accord averages 29 mpg with double the leg room.
    Merry Christmas
  • kenlwkenlw Member Posts: 190
    would be curious to see if your mileage drop corelates to ethanol in your fuel. I had in past years noticed an approximate 5% drop in mpg during the seasonal ethanol mandates. also a significant power loss as well, but we shant go there......

    Now that 10% ethanol (in my area at least) is year-round I would assume that the mpg drop is constant. Since we were 10% ethanol from day 1 with my Civic, I have no "0% ethanol" data to relate it to.
  • jpcanaverajpcanavera Member Posts: 33
    We are year round 10% ethanol although we do go to a summer blend for pollution issues in the summer. My worst mileage comes in the winter which I attribute to the need for a richer mixture during warm up. I run anywhere from 31-37 mpg on a tankful. About 70% being highway driving to and from work. I'm currently driving an '07 Civic EX with auto trans.

    My previous Honda, a '97 Accord averaged about 28-33 mpg from the day I bought it new till the day I sold it, 10 years later. The 28 figure pretty much came into play when we hit the cold winter months.

    They key factor affecting mileage I've always felt is controlling shift points. Once I exceed 3,000 rpm, the mileage starts to suffer. It just takes a small amount of attention to the tach and once you approach that 3,000 mark you just back off a little bit on the accelerator. Not much, just a little. You will hear the auto trans upshift once you back off.


    Jack
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    ..."Now that 10% ethanol (in my area at least) is year-round I would assume that the mpg drop is constant. "...

    No this is NOT the case in CA (anyway) This can and does vary. CA has different standards and different blends. I read in passing there are at least 23 formulas of RUG. It is just that one does not know what the blends may be. I once had to get a "Smog Test" and later on a "SMOG ONLY Test", the car being domiciled from once county and driven when the test was required in another. No problem would be the normal response. WRONG !! The "SMOG ONLY TEST" station directed me back to the county of domicile and said the regulation and rules prevented another SMOG ONLY Test station in another county to run the test !!?? 600 miles R/T later, the test was passed. What a complete and utter waste. We probably used more fuel and added to the "system" to pass the TEST.
  • kenlwkenlw Member Posts: 190
    "I read in passing there are at least 23 formulas of RUG."

    yes, that is similar (i heard 24 in CA, but who's counting?) to the info I had. I was "in the business" for several years (and still am in related areas).
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I am NOT in "the business".
  • patpat Member Posts: 10,421
    Kenlw, as I mentioned in another forum, you need to email me right away - pat AT edmunds.com.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Lastest fill (9.6 gals,325 miles) for 33.84 mpg.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    My commute to work is 6.5 miles. The first half is mostly up hill. A few traffic lights and stop signs. Very little traffic. Got the timing of the lights pretty much worked out, so the mileage is pretty consistent. Well..., it is consistent as long as the temperature is.

    '03 Pilot AWD:
    According to the "Scan Gauge", in 50 degree weather, it takes about 3 miles of driving to reach full operating engine temperature of 180 degrees. Although the dash gauge shows full temp at about 2 miles. That first half will generally equate to 14 mpg. The entire trip will equate to 19+/- mpg.

    In 30 degree weather the first half is more in the neighborhood of 12 mpg and the entire trip about 16 mpg.

    2-3 mpg may not seem like much, but the % is significant with only a 20 degree drop on outside temperature.

    The same route, with a warmed up engine, will yield 16 and 21+ mpg.

    Starting out with 0 degree temps would likely seriously affect mileage.

    Recon the moral of the story is to make combined trips whenever possible, while keeping the engine near operating temps, rather than say going grocery shopping in the morning and the hardware store in the afternoon. Try to do them both while out. ;) .

    Kip
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    Just adding to and refreshing the information, any operation UNDER highway speeds AND less than app 45 min to 1 hour is by definition more grueling THAN highway speeds and app 45 min to 1 hour in operation.
  • dantzdantz Member Posts: 49
    Based on the abysmal cold weather mileage, especially for short trips, I wonder if having a heated garage could be economically justified. Or perhaps just an engine block heater.
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    With the reduced short-trip mileage only affecting your miles for such a short distance, I'd imagine the gains made in mileage would be offset by the increased power bill you'll face from heating the garage, or the engine block.
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    I have not lived in "real winter 24/7 for a number of years, but it would seem to me two things are needed 1. battery trickle charger 2. (if cold enough) engine block heater (timer activated)

    Multiple electrical demands in deep cold are very stressful on a battery. Some that come to mind are low amps on tap due to cold, 24/7 alarm current draw, aux lamps, sound system, cold oil inertia, heater, a/c, lights, wipers, etc,. Increasingly a lot of bettery charging systems do NOT get the battery back to 100% and low miles even if the charging system does return the battery to 100% cuts down the recharging time needed to get the battery back to 100%.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    After yesterday's post I went in to work.

    Dash "Outside Temp" thermometer showed 28 degrees. Scangage showed engine water temp at 30 degrees. The first half of the trip showed a whopping 9+ mpg. That is mostly uphill, although not steep hills. The 2nd half of the trip involves the traffic lights. Got stopped at one light for about 30 seconds and another for about 2 minutes.

    Mileage for the entire 6.5 mile trip was 14.3 mpg. Considerably lower than normal 19 or so. Coming home after 8 hours of the car cooling, the outside temp was 31 degrees. The water was 35 degrees ( I think ) and the trip yielded 16.4 mpg. Only got stopped by 2 short lights.

    Interesting that when going to work the water temp never got above 177 degrees and actually moved down as well as up 3-4 degrees during the trip.
    Coming home it maintained 180 once warmed up.

    The 2 mpg difference won't make the difference of whether or not we survive, but it is still of significance. Seems the morning vs evening outside temp and water temp of 3-5 degrees contributed to that difference. Two mpg difference in the 4400# 3.5 liter Pilot would likely equate to 4 +/- mpg in a Civic or Fit.

    An engine block heater just might help if it came on an hour or so before the trip. Whether or not it is cost effective would depend on the cost of purchase and operating the heater. But then we have to also consider starting a very cold engine with very cold oil vs a warmer one with warmer oil. :confuse:

    Oh...Well !

    Kip
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    ..."Mileage for the entire 6.5 mile trip was 14.3 mpg. "...

    It would be interesting to do a graphic (scan gauge) side by side comparison, but for one data point, I do not employ a scan gauge.

    However we do keep mpg figures religiously. So just your trip in winter consumes 2.38 x more fuel than our trip.

    (28 miles/ 54 miles R/T @ 34 mpg (normal commute range 38-42 mpg)

    An attempt at a graphic normalization would be: in 100 miles, you use 7 gals vs the 3 gals we use (similar equipment, 04 Civic 78,000 miles)

    Compared to your (/my) "economy car @ 14.3 mpg my SUV (94/96 TLC's) gets 15 mpg. :blush: (fully loaded with 4/6 folks and skis/boards exposed on roof /hitch racks- yes I wonder what the mpg would be, sans roof rack wind exposed accoutrements same route but not in snow I get 15-18 mpg, speed of course is higher)
  • sellthesedownsellthesedown Member Posts: 3
    Got the car on Saturday, just filled up for the first time today ->

    33 MPG combined.

    It's about 45 miles to work, probably 90% highway and 10% streets.
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Over all the Pilot is not quite as bad as that 6.5 mile commute. If we go the other direction to a small town 25 miles away, and drive the posted speed limit, the mileage is usually 25-26 mpg. Even though the first 6-8 miles is with a cold engine, 3 stop signs and 35-45 mph posted limits, in 3rd and 4th gear. The rest is at 55-65 and not unusual to see 27-31 MPG, on the S-Gauge on flat ground. Yet even the slightest rise in the road can drop the instant mileage to 21 if the speed is maintained. A steeper hill will drop it into the teens. Keeping a steady foot will result in only dropping to about 24 on a slight uphill with very little loss in speed. It will drop to 20+mpg on steep hills with 5-8 mph loss in speed.

    And YES, consideration of other drivers is paramount.

    Main point I'm attempting to make is the "COLD" start up mileage. A 20 degree temperature drop amounted to a 25+% decrease in mileage with a Cold start, over a short course. I don't know what type mileage a Civic "At" would achieve over the same route and conditions with same driver. A co-worker and neighbor recently purchased a new Civic LX AT and says he gets "about" 30 locally. Same driving conditions, different driver.

    Another interesting thing is the fuel consumption at traffic lights. Leaving work, the first light is about 2 miles and the road is a very steep uphill. When I arrived, at the (2 minute) light, the "Current Trip" mileage for the 2+ miles was 8.9 mpg. (Cold start up hill). When the light changed to green again, the gauge showed the current trip had dropped to 8.1 mpg. I was just sitting there watching the MPG click lower and lower.

    I've done the same drill with the engine at operating temps. Arrived at the same light with a 12+ MPG for the 2+ miles. This time it dropped only about half as much. Of course it was working with a higher mileage to begin with.

    Point is, that drivers in heavy traffic with cold engines will suffer considerably in the MPG department. Trying to compare their mileage with a longer distance, lighter traffic driver, will only lead to unnessary frustration. ;)

    Have a blessed Christmas day, :)
    Kip
  • ruking1ruking1 Member Posts: 19,826
    While I am not among the "disident" group, there has been a minority but significant population (that would beg to differ- for discussion sake) that have switched from a so called gas guzzler to a so called (Civic) economy leader, and have been disappointed in the mpg results/ category. Specifically (Civic) economy leader getting same or not much better mpg than the so called gas guzzlers.

    More on topic

    The last tank full ( winter) has yielded (first winter in 5 years that the mpg has dropped this dramatically - minus 4 to 6 mpg/ 11% to 15%) 35 mpg. Can't wait for the (winter) RUG blend du jour/season to go back to normal. :confuse:

    Happy New Year to one and all !
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    Last week or so, we have had some real mild weather . Pilot commute, that 6 miles to work was 21+ one day and 20+ a couple of others.

    Seems that when gas was at it's highest price, may have been the time a lot of folks decided to actually check their mileage and then get something more efficient. When gas was at the $4+ mark here the weather was still fairly mild.

    Also possible that, when the "TRADE" took place, weather turned colder and winter additives were added to the fuel. Thus lowering the mileage on the more efficient car to nearer that of the car they got out of when there were more favorable driving conditions.

    Example an Accord in mild weather with "Summer" gas just might get near the same mileage on short commutes as a Civic with more unfavorable weather or fuel.

    Could also be the need to have the same "Seat of the pants" experience with the more efficient engine results in higher revs, and so forth. Thus not getting the highest mileage possible from that engine.

    Or it could be that the mind set of, "OK, I've got an economy car now and I can drive it any way I want and get great mileage."

    EXAMPLE: The guy at work, that got the Civic a while back, says he gets 30 MPG. Can't say how he drives all the time, but when he leaves work, he doesn't appear to have economy in mind! ;)

    ruking, you have a gift of just "APPLYING" driving techniques that result in great mileage. Apparently I do also, as we both normally get way better than EPA ratings. It took me many years to "Learn" and "apply" them. Now it is a way of life and done without really thinking about it. :)

    Kip
  • shhessyshhessy Member Posts: 16
    Just got me a second refill and calculated mileage on my new 2009 Civic VP auto. I got 30.1 mpg driving 95% city and 5% highway. I am not disappointed. Hope it will improve, especially given current harsh driving conditions in stop and go traffic, snow, cold, etc. I am an experienced driver and used to routinely get 30 mpg city/40 highway on my old 1997 Civic, hope this one will be better. I never drive above 55 mph, rarely use conditioner (except heating) and do a lot of coasting, i.e., try not to use braking/fast acceleration. Switching to auto from manual is easy, and I like the new transmission. :D
  • rkamathrkamath Member Posts: 8
    Bought a brand new '09 Civic LX Coupe about 2 weeks ago. Just completed 2 re-fills and my mileage is coming to ~24.5 MPG. This is no-where close to the advertised mileage. I am an experienced driver and have been driving the car keeping revs within 3000 RPM (other than sudden accelerations/ decelerations at freeway exits). My driving mix has been about 70% freeway and 30% surface roads. Couple of Qs. that I would really appreciate answers for:

    1. Will the mileage improve after the break-in period? (hope it does substantially :) )
    2. I have done almost all the driving the last 10 days or so in Chicago where it has been brutally cold. This is my first experience with such cold weather. Does temperature dips play such a huge part in mileage? The temperature has hovered around 20F with a couple of days when it went to as low as -18F.

    Thanks
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    A quick question to you... how long do you warm up the car on those cold days?
  • rkamathrkamath Member Posts: 8
    About 5 days I must have warmed it for about 15~20 mins as I scraped the ice off and/ or used the remote ignition feature that I got added to my car. The rest of the days, it was a cold start and I started driving within 5 mins of starting the car
  • thegraduatethegraduate Member Posts: 9,731
    Remember for every minute your car is warming up, you are getting zero MPG! Your mileage would likely be much higher if you weren't warming it up. :shades:
  • kipkkipk Member Posts: 1,576
    rkamath,

    Typically, how long is your commute or trip when starting with a cold engine?

    Kip
  • sebring95sebring95 Member Posts: 3,241
    What did you drive previously and what was the mpg? Mileage will improve with break-in but driving style will affect mpg more than anything.
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