35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
06-24-2008, 12:25 PM
#21
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Norman, OK
Posts: 592
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
This is what you do... turn off the "information center" and just enjoy the ride!!! At least that's what I have to do so I'm notlooking down every 10 mins to see how much money the oil companies are getting me for...
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06-24-2008, 01:05 PM
#22
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 1,454
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
ORIGINAL: Dragon Stang
The onboard computer can be every bit as precise, if not more, than manual paper calculation. The secret is as EXX mentioned in his post. You must let it do its work over thousands of miles.
It will not give you an accurate picture if you keep resetting the damn thing. Just leave it alone.
I haven't touched mine for over 8000 miles and during the wamer summer months I average a steady 23.2 gph and during the winter it drops to about 19 gph. That is better accuracy than can be done with pencil and paper as the computer has far more data aquisition abilities and can calculate forminor variables much better than a simple manual math calculation. BUT, you have to let it do its thing!
The onboard computer can be every bit as precise, if not more, than manual paper calculation. The secret is as EXX mentioned in his post. You must let it do its work over thousands of miles.
It will not give you an accurate picture if you keep resetting the damn thing. Just leave it alone.
I haven't touched mine for over 8000 miles and during the wamer summer months I average a steady 23.2 gph and during the winter it drops to about 19 gph. That is better accuracy than can be done with pencil and paper as the computer has far more data aquisition abilities and can calculate forminor variables much better than a simple manual math calculation. BUT, you have to let it do its thing!
06-24-2008, 01:55 PM
#24
6th Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: West Los Angeles
Posts: 5,390
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
Almost completely worthless!
How did you get up to 60? Roll down a hill in neutral? With the engine off?
Of course not, so the 35 figure is not comparable to any other mpg figure there is! Anyone own a Honda or Toyota with a mpg calculator? I'll bet those get 50+ mpg if you do the same reset while at speed.
Try doing a reset and watch the mpg go up as you move from a stop. Then stop at a light and watch it go way down with every second that passes. Then when you start moving again even if you drive it like grandma you'll still see the mpg get lower and lower.
Reset the calculator before starting your car and you'll get a true reading. I bet with a slow start and getting into cruise control at 60 mph you'll still get enviable mpg.
Of course if you want to fudge the numbers in the readout just reset it at the top of a mountain pass, where you won't touch the gas pedal for 15 minutes!
BTW, the computer in the car uses very precise methods to calculate the fuel being burned. The amount of gas you're getting at the pump may not be as accurate! Check out how much gasoline weighs based on temperature. It really varies and I'm not sure if I'm always getting the amount of gas the pump shows. I have used the exact same pump at my gas station when filling up and found the car's calculator to be very close.
But I certainly do want to commend you on trying to get better mpg while going long distances! It's getting tough on long drives, like my last week's drive to Vegas, looking ahead just 22 miles and knowing that I'll have used $4.62 in gasoline to get there!
Now if only we can get the suvs to slow down too! And stay to the right!
How did you get up to 60? Roll down a hill in neutral? With the engine off?
Of course not, so the 35 figure is not comparable to any other mpg figure there is! Anyone own a Honda or Toyota with a mpg calculator? I'll bet those get 50+ mpg if you do the same reset while at speed.
Try doing a reset and watch the mpg go up as you move from a stop. Then stop at a light and watch it go way down with every second that passes. Then when you start moving again even if you drive it like grandma you'll still see the mpg get lower and lower.
Reset the calculator before starting your car and you'll get a true reading. I bet with a slow start and getting into cruise control at 60 mph you'll still get enviable mpg.
Of course if you want to fudge the numbers in the readout just reset it at the top of a mountain pass, where you won't touch the gas pedal for 15 minutes!
BTW, the computer in the car uses very precise methods to calculate the fuel being burned. The amount of gas you're getting at the pump may not be as accurate! Check out how much gasoline weighs based on temperature. It really varies and I'm not sure if I'm always getting the amount of gas the pump shows. I have used the exact same pump at my gas station when filling up and found the car's calculator to be very close.
But I certainly do want to commend you on trying to get better mpg while going long distances! It's getting tough on long drives, like my last week's drive to Vegas, looking ahead just 22 miles and knowing that I'll have used $4.62 in gasoline to get there!
Now if only we can get the suvs to slow down too! And stay to the right!
06-24-2008, 02:25 PM
#25
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Kingston, TN
Posts: 734
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
ok i do the pen and paper method as i dont have the premium dash...and i have fun with my car ALL the time, basically 95% of my driving...i average about 20.5 MPG well a while back i went easy on it and didnt floor it or have fun with it AT ALL, and i was only able to avg 22.5 MPG, i think its worth it just to have more fun and get 20.5 but i cant get anything over 25MPG
06-24-2008, 02:41 PM
#26
1st Gear Member
Join Date: Aug 2005
Location: NorCal
Posts: 146
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
On a recent road trip with my 2007 Mustang GT vert I got 23.7 mpg. 90% highway, 10% city. On the road I drove 70 - 80+ mph. I tried driving in the slower right lane to get better gas mileage, but it was a PITA dodging ****** entering from on-ramps and big mother truckers. So I went with the flow in the faster left lane.
06-24-2008, 02:50 PM
#27
1st Gear Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Jan 2008
Location: Las Vegas, Nevada
Posts: 71
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
Alright well at least some of you figured out what i was talking about.
I do realize that the 34MPG rating is not the actual MPG i get on a full tank of gas. Trust me I completely understand that.
I only get the 34MPG rating when im driving on the highway, on no incline. All i was saying was that I found it impressive that this car can spin the tires all the way through first and second gears, go 0-60 in 5 seconds, and yet still when i need it to, save me some extra money. That is all
PS: I love my mustang!
I do realize that the 34MPG rating is not the actual MPG i get on a full tank of gas. Trust me I completely understand that.
I only get the 34MPG rating when im driving on the highway, on no incline. All i was saying was that I found it impressive that this car can spin the tires all the way through first and second gears, go 0-60 in 5 seconds, and yet still when i need it to, save me some extra money. That is all
PS: I love my mustang!
06-24-2008, 02:52 PM
#28
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: Tucson Arizona
Posts: 732
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
I got 54 mpg when I first reset mine driving on the 10 from Arizona to Cali. You have to let it run for a couple of tanks of gas to get an accurate reading.. After 2 tanks mine was down to 35mpg and slowly has dropped to 17 mpg after a couple thousand miles.
06-24-2008, 02:55 PM
#29
3rd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2008
Location: Kingston, TN
Posts: 734
RE: 35MPG on the highway? Am i insane?
ORIGINAL: BlackTwist
Alright well at least some of you figured out what i was talking about.
I do realize that the 34MPG rating is not the actual MPG i get on a full tank of gas. Trust me I completely understand that.
I only get the 34MPG rating when im driving on the highway, on a flat incline. All i was saying was that I found it impressive that this car can spin the tires all the way through first and second gears, go 0-60 in 5 seconds, and yet still when i need it to, save me some extra money. That is all
PS: I love my mustang!
Alright well at least some of you figured out what i was talking about.
I do realize that the 34MPG rating is not the actual MPG i get on a full tank of gas. Trust me I completely understand that.
I only get the 34MPG rating when im driving on the highway, on a flat incline. All i was saying was that I found it impressive that this car can spin the tires all the way through first and second gears, go 0-60 in 5 seconds, and yet still when i need it to, save me some extra money. That is all
PS: I love my mustang!
generally most roads are "flat" so saying you were on a "flat incline"? doesnt that mean its not flat, its inclined?