2015 GT Fuel Mileage
03-10-2017, 08:22 AM
#72
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 15
The videos I referenced showed GT Mustangs own electronic displays returning at or very near 30 mpg. These guys were obviously driving in a very conservative manner and they were getting the fuel economy. If they continued driving that way, why wouldn't you think the car would continue to offer up that kind of economy? The mileage that MPGomatic reported was after a 40+ miles drive, not just a "let's reset the meter while coasting downhill" kind of thing. This isn't about sample sizes. It's just an observation that, "driven properly under favorable conditions," the car is very much capable of offering pretty darned good gas mileage. The fact that most folks either aren't capable of, or willing to exercise the discipline to drive the car that way, doesn't negate the fact. I'm not blaming them for that. The sound and feel of the V8 make it really hard not to play with it from time to time, but that's going to kill the overall average. It's not the car, it's the driver!
Steve R.
Steve R.
03-10-2017, 03:01 PM
#73
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Texas
Posts: 129
Never, ever believe the mileage numbers shown on the screen! All car manufacturer programs purposely inflate the values calculated by the ECM. Do the math yourself - fill up the tank w/o topping it, note the mileage, drive it until it is at least 1/2 empty and fill it up again w/o topping. Note the # of gallons and the mileage again to determine distance driven between fill-ups and then divide the first value by the second one. I guarantee you that the result will be less than what's shown on the screen!
As I've said before, no one, including me, is saying that near 30 mpg fuel economy is going to be a regular happening with the GT. But to say, as many are here, that it's a total impossibility isn't exactly right either. I've read a lot of conversations on this forum, on this subject. A lot of the guys are honest enough to admit they're lead footed with the car, so they're not going to get great mileage. They're ok with that. Some admit that they do mostly stop and go city driving and/or rarely drive more than 5 to 10 miles at a time. That's an economy killer regardless of what you're driving. Then there area those who are fortunate to live in areas that are more conducive to getting a little better fuel economy from time to time and aren't interesting in drag racing the car every time they come off a stop sign. Those folks just might push the 30 mpg barrier from time to time.
Last edited by Intrepid175; 03-10-2017 at 07:56 PM.
03-11-2017, 08:57 AM
#74
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Tennessee
Posts: 15
Oh, I fully agree. One thing I've always done is keep a mileage log on my cars. I buy the car and put a small spiral bound notepad in the glove box and record date, place, trip mileage, gallons to fill, and record the mpg. The last two cars I've owned had the computer mileage readouts. With them I add the computers mpg calculations in parenthesis just for comparison. Both cars computer always averaged between one and two mpg more than my calculations. Assuming the Mustang is similar, and that's all any of us are really doing here is assuming, then the Mustangs in the videos were getting something between 27 and 29 mpg which is still pretty darned good for a GT.
As I've said before, no one, including me, is saying that near 30 mpg fuel economy is going to be a regular happening with the GT. But to say, as many are here, that it's a total impossibility isn't exactly right either. I've read a lot of conversations on this forum, on this subject. A lot of the guys are honest enough to admit they're lead footed with the car, so they're not going to get great mileage. They're ok with that. Some admit that they do mostly stop and go city driving and/or rarely drive more than 5 to 10 miles at a time. That's an economy killer regardless of what you're driving. Then there area those who are fortunate to live in areas that are more conducive to getting a little better fuel economy from time to time and aren't interesting in drag racing the car every time they come off a stop sign. Those folks just might push the 30 mpg barrier from time to time.
As I've said before, no one, including me, is saying that near 30 mpg fuel economy is going to be a regular happening with the GT. But to say, as many are here, that it's a total impossibility isn't exactly right either. I've read a lot of conversations on this forum, on this subject. A lot of the guys are honest enough to admit they're lead footed with the car, so they're not going to get great mileage. They're ok with that. Some admit that they do mostly stop and go city driving and/or rarely drive more than 5 to 10 miles at a time. That's an economy killer regardless of what you're driving. Then there area those who are fortunate to live in areas that are more conducive to getting a little better fuel economy from time to time and aren't interesting in drag racing the car every time they come off a stop sign. Those folks just might push the 30 mpg barrier from time to time.
03-11-2017, 08:00 PM
#75
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Texas
Posts: 129
I don't think anyone was complaining about the fuel economy. Everyone knows what they're getting into with the GT. It's just that, as you yourself admitted, sometimes the car might surprise you.
03-13-2017, 08:14 PM
#77
EXTREME Moderation
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: BLAM-O
Posts: 7,895
The videos I referenced showed GT Mustangs own electronic displays returning at or very near 30 mpg. These guys were obviously driving in a very conservative manner and they were getting the fuel economy. If they continued driving that way, why wouldn't you think the car would continue to offer up that kind of economy? The mileage that MPGomatic reported was after a 40+ miles drive, not just a "let's reset the meter while coasting downhill" kind of thing. This isn't about sample sizes. It's just an observation that, "driven properly under favorable conditions," the car is very much capable of offering pretty darned good gas mileage. The fact that most folks either aren't capable of, or willing to exercise the discipline to drive the car that way, doesn't negate the fact. I'm not blaming them for that. The sound and feel of the V8 make it really hard not to play with it from time to time, but that's going to kill the overall average. It's not the car, it's the driver!
Steve R.
Steve R.
40 miles isnt much, its easy to go downhill for hundreds of miles if you're in the right geography.
03-14-2017, 05:03 PM
#79
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Texas
Posts: 129
Well, some folks were simply saying that anyone can reset the mileage meter while coasting down hill and get it to say 30 mpg. That's true. The video I referenced certainly didn't do that. They guy does a lot of fuel economy runs and he uses a 40+ mile loop to do his testing. He admits the first half of it is "generally" down hill but he's also climbing back up that hill for the return trip and was still showing a hair over 30 mpg. If he continued doing that, do you think the numbers would somehow drop off for no reason? I find it interesting how many folks simply can't consider that it might be possible. One claims the "reset while coasting" excuse so I point out a guy who drove for over 40 miles and still got the mileage and of course, now there are others who pop up to poo-poo that. Whatever guys.
