jrherald420

i drive half and half (about 70-80miles a day) and i get about 22-24 mpg but i run 80 on the innerstate and 50-60 in town in stop and go traffic. my only mods are k&n cold air intake,flowmaster 40's, lowering springs and rear upper and lower control arms. when i added the k&nintake my mpg went up buy 2-3 mpg. and everybody says that cold air intakes are a waste of money..... thats not what my mpg tells me!

cliffyk

[/align][/align]There is no "optimal" speed for aerodynamic drag or fuel efficiency. Simply put, the faster you go the more power is required, and more power required = more fuel consumption. [/align][/align]The thinking that there is something magical about 55-65 has it origins in government's sellinga load of55 MPH crap during the gasoline shortages in the 70's, as though 55 was somemystical speed thatprovided "optimal" fuel economy--going 55 (or 65) does use less fuel than going 70 (or 80 or 110), but there's nothing optimal about it...[/align][/align]It istrue that for each vehicle, in each gear and under the existing environmental conditions, there is an optimal speed range at which that vehicle will achieve its highest efficiency--and,in high gear most cars sold in the US (if left stock)are engineeredto have maximum efficiency in the 55 to 65 range. This is achieved mostly through gearing,to ensurethat engine speed at 60 MPH (the EPA test speed 'til this year, see below) falls into the engine's most efficient reasonable RPM range.[/align][/align]The "optimisation" for 60 MPH isentirely because of the EPA mileage ratings test specifications (until 2008 the "highway" rating was based on "60 MPH free-flowing traffic") and manufacturer's desire to have the best CAFE compliance they can--absolutely not because there's anything magic about that speed range.[/align][/align]The new ratings system uses an additional 80 MPH test cycle, and one with AC on, that result's in lower (and more realistic) numbers. It will be interesting to see ifmanufacturers shift their"optimal" high speed target to reflect this change.[/align][/align]

Sxynerd

28.6 pre supercharger... Don't know what it is with the s/c yet. I imagine I wont find out what it truly is untill next year after the power shock goes away. lol

70 MACH I

HEADERS HELP! My car gets 27 mpg average commuting to work. I travel 45 miles on 2 lane averaging 60 mph in my 5 speed GT. My Corvette with the 6 speed averaged 28.5 last week. It has a lot to do withyour route, average speed, and how much stop and go you encounter. No lie, in 45 miles I stop only 5 times to the driveway of the High School I teach. My mileage will top out near 29 once the average temps reach 70. On a 500 mile trip to Connecticut last summer from VA, I averaged 32 MPG in the 'Vette, My wife in the Mustang behind me, 31 mpg!!! Who needs 4 cyl economy cars, I'll keep driving my V-8's, they sound so much better!

John

racemyski

Its too bad Congress doesn't have the political will to raise the fuel tax so that gas is $7-9 a gallon. I know I'm going to get flamed for this, but oil is a strategic commodity and we are running a MASSIVE current account deficit to finance our addiction for it. If you don't have a clue what a Current Account deficit is, I suggest you take your *** back to school and study basic Economics. We save almost nothing and spend more than our means allow.

It is not a "right" for Americans to have cheap gasoline. Even at $3.50/gal we still have it cheap compared to the rest of the world. We are a gluttonous, spoiled, stupid, and whiny nation. Don't question my patriotism, either. I served 4 years in the Navy on active duty.

Stop complaining about gas prices. We all bought mustangs because we love the cars, not their fuel efficiency or lack thereof.

jrherald420

You are right. but i think this thread was started to just compare mpg but i agree with most everything you said.

BADSEED

i have that same problem the only time i have driven slow is when i got my new clutch for 500 miles and my gears for about 100miles until my friend who installed them told me i could beat on the car again...gas wise i think my best is 20 with the car completely stock hopefully the gears and soon x-pipe and cat back will help out a tad bit more

claymac78

i live in the country. its hwy miles. lots of hills and small towns.
38 miles to work and 38 home. ive got a few spots where i just take the car out of gear and coast to stop signs, that helps i think, my rpm drop to around 900 then. i also live on a dirt road so i cant lower the car to get more mpg. (some people say that helps). my car has the stock rear end and the only mods are in my sig.

would a diablo tuner help? maybe give me another half?

anyways i wont get that again this week, ive been givin it hell to make up for last week.

thanks

mustangman03

i get about 17 in town and 27 on the interstate running at least 80 now on my drive back and forth to work 60 miles round trip with about 5 stops i get 25 with a little city driving.

jv101

dang, thats pretty good!