View Full Version : Simple Little Experiment in Gas Mileage
Driving to Atlanta yesterday, I kept it slightly above the speed limit, driving an average of 75 mph. My mileage was still better than in-town driving. I got 31 where usually around town I average 26.
Fo an 85 mile stretch of I-20 between Columbia SC and Florence SC this afternoon, I set the cruise control on 55 mph just to see what I'd get. I filled up again in Florence, checked my mileage - I figured I may get 35 or so. I got 45.5 mpg!
The only problem was that I was constantly nearly run off the road. One trucker whipped around me like he was in a sports car and laid on the horn. Hey fugger, quit bitching about the price of fuel when you're driving that rig like a maniac!
For that entire 85 mile stretch, I didn't pass a single car.
Granted, my car is 3 months old and pretty high on the efficiency scale, but I expect any heap would dramatically improve on MPG is folks would just slow it down a little.
olevetonahill
4/6/2008, 07:23 PM
Driving to Atlanta yesterday, I kept it slightly above the speed limit, driving an average of 75 mph. My mileage was still better than in-town driving. I got 31 where usually around town I average 26.
Fo an 85 mile stretch of I-20 between Columbia SC and Florence SC this afternoon, I set the cruise control on 55 mph just to see what I'd get. I filled up again in Florence, checked my mileage - I figured I may get 35 or so. I got 45.5 mpg!
The only problem was that I was constantly nearly run off the road. One trucker whipped around me like he was in a sports car and laid on the horn. Hey fugger, quit bitching about the price of fuel when you're driving that rig like a maniac!
For that entire 85 mile stretch, I didn't pass a single car.
Granted, my car is 3 months old and pretty high on the efficiency scale, but I expect any heap would dramatically improve on MPG is folks would just slow it down a little.
85 Miles arnt enough to be very ackrit
just sayin
Sooner_Havok
4/6/2008, 07:31 PM
I tried something like that from Oklahoma city to Joplin once. My Mustang averages about 24 MPG in the city. We got gas right before the turnpike, and headed off at 80 MPH. Got to Joplin, and figured the gas milage, 32! Not bad for a Mustang. On the way back, we decided to do the speed limit, 70, all the way. Get back, and figure the MPG, 28 MPG. Still not bad for a Mustang, but I got four MPG better going faster.
True, and it was all highway miles. But my 31 at 75 mph was all highway too.
IronSooner
4/6/2008, 07:49 PM
Repeat and draft behind a semi. I can get 40-50mpg doing that on the interstate. Just gotta find one going the right speed.
And to be fair, I wasn't running the AC at all on this trip. If the Mustang had the AC on it would affect the MPG.
I also noticed, at a constant speed of 55, my mileage varied when I was going up a slight incline or over a bridge. My car has a fancy gauge that tells you what your MPG is at that moment, based on gas usage.
50 of the 60 miles I drive every day to work and back are highway miles. This slight change will make a difference. The way I figure it, if I'm getting 38 instead of 26, I'm getting 144 more miles to a tank with a 12 gallon fill up. That's 2.5 trips more I get between fill ups. 150 miles, or 3.94 gallons I'm saving by driving slower. Filling up once a week, my saving weekly is $13.79 at $3.50 per gallon. It amounts to $717 a year. Which, if I'm knocked off the road at 5:30 a.m. by a worn out, driving all night trucker going 80, that $717 savings don't mean jack. But, we gotta start somewhere.
Since they won't let us drill in ANWAR and off the coast of FL.
Newbomb Turk
4/6/2008, 07:54 PM
85 Miles arnt enough to be very ackrit
just sayin
agree. Gotta figure in wind and stuff too.
Repeat and draft behind a semi. I can get 40-50mpg doing that on the interstate. Just gotta find one going the right speed.
Excellent point. I didn't think of that. Instead of getting p#ssed at the honking trucker, I should have tailgated his arse.
olevetonahill
4/6/2008, 07:56 PM
Cars are Much more efficient today at higher speeds ,
I wonder how many miles a Gallon the "Olevet Juice " would Get ya
I swear that stuff I drank the other Night would Have Launched the Space Shuttle !:eek:
Based on your posts, it was definitely rated higher than 93 Octane.
It may be a challenge to produce it for under four bucks a gallon, though.
Sooner_Havok
4/6/2008, 07:59 PM
And to be fair, I wasn't running the AC at all on this trip. If the Mustang had the AC on it would affect the MPG.
I don't rememberis the AC was on or not, but I would imagine if it was, it would have been on during both legs, or only the first one. (As the return was at night.)
they won't let us drill in ANWAR and off the coast of FL.
Who is this "they"? The Cubans are letting the Chinese drill out there.
"They" is our government entities. But, the oil companies woud rape - er, reape the profits anyway. At this point, should we really expect Exxon Mobil and Texaco-Chevron to hep a brutha out in a time of need?
Sooner_Havok
4/6/2008, 08:20 PM
they'll help you out. Look at it this way. You get better gas mileage when your load is lighter right? Well, the Oil companies know this, and are raising their prices so high that you have to pawn everything you own to buy a tank of gas. If you have nothing left but you and your car, then you loose all that potential extra weight you could be lugging around in your car. They are crusaders of fuel efficiency and should be praised as such.
They are helping every "brutha" out, global warming is a real problem, and they are doing what they can to force us to drive less and to use less fuel when we do drive.
:D :D :D
olevetonahill
4/6/2008, 08:20 PM
Based on your posts, it was definitely rated higher than 93 Octane.
It may be a challenge to produce it for under four bucks a gallon, though.
Ive heard from 3 diferant peoples that they Called me the Other Nite. I dont remember :eek:
I know Im gonna keep Making it , But I aint gonna drink it Like that No Mo.
Its strickley Fer sippin From Now On . I proved to Me that I can Make some smoove Stout stuff .:cool:
Got some Cookin right Now !
olevetonahill
4/6/2008, 08:22 PM
they'll help you out. Look at it this way. You get better gas mileage when your load is lighter right? Well, the Oil companies know this, and are raising their prices so high that you have to pawn everything you own to buy a tank of gas. If you have nothing left but you and your car, then you loose all that potential extra weight you could be lugging around in your car. They are crusaders of fuel efficiency and should be praised as such.
They are helping every "brutha" out, global warming is a real problem, and they are doing what they can to force us to drive less and to use less fuel when we do drive.
:D :D :D
I heard Mike Richs Bank thingie Is settin up a Loan desk Next to the Pumps !
Ive heard from 3 diferant peoples that they Called me the Other Nite. I dont remember :eek:
I know Im gonna keep Making it , But I aint gonna drink it Like that No Mo.
Its strickley Fer sippin From Now On . I proved to Me that I can Make some smoove Stout stuff .:cool:
Got some Cookin right Now !
Well, then, fake it. Because Friday night was one for the ages. :D
Repeat and draft behind a semi. I can get 40-50mpg doing that on the interstate. Just gotta find one going the right speed.
You're going to be in a world of hurt if he blows a tire.
olevetonahill
4/6/2008, 08:34 PM
Well, then, fake it. Because Friday night was one for the ages. :D
Ill sip the Olevet juice and have My Natty :D
olevetonahill
4/6/2008, 08:35 PM
You're going to be in a world of hurt if he blows a tire.
Ya ask TD2K :eek:
Ya ask TD2K :eek:
100psi, steel belted, and when they go, they really go :eek:
We have 1/8" thick aluminum fenders on our trailers and they are bolted down with over a dozen 1/2" bolts. When a tire blows, it can blow that fender sky high.
It's like a grenade going off.
Mythbusters put a small car next to one and it got airborn when the tired exploded.
When you're passing a semi, it's good to do it quick and don't f*** around.
olevetonahill
4/6/2008, 08:48 PM
Thats My point
TD2K was Hit By a flyin POT
Went across the Medium and Damn near Got Kilt !
If a Semi Is Passin Me ? I back off and let em Go . If Im Passin I give it hell till Im around em .
Jerk - I figured that wasn't you who blew by me and basically told me to get f#cked for going 55.
I cringe every time I get passed by an 18 wheeler. If those center of the wheel things come off, they can kill a poor sumbitch.
Here I even made a diagram using my truck. And to be honest, I don't care if anyone drafts behind me. It's their risk.
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3073/trucksafetyqr6.jpg
Jerk - I figured that wasn't you who blew by me and basically told me to get f#cked for going 55.
I cringe every time I get passed by an 18 wheeler. If those center of the wheel things come off, they can kill a poor sumbitch.
No, wasn't me.
I go up the turnpike, usually once a day. I use to do 2 trips to Tulsa, but it's changing to one trip to Oolegah (north of Owasso) and several trips inside okc afterwards.
Way back, about 25 years ago, I had a chunk of tire take out my windshield in my '78 Toyota Celica. I couldn't see a damn thing, and it scared the bejeezus out of me until I figured out what happened.
SoonerInKCMO
4/6/2008, 09:23 PM
I averaged 49.8 over three weeks in a rental Prius.
:pop:
Turd_Ferguson
4/6/2008, 09:46 PM
You're going to be in a world of hurt if he blows a tire.or if he yanks on the chicken stick. I had one do that to me once, and I **** my drawers.:D
You're going to be in a world of hurt if he blows a tire.
I doubt he could even get his lips around it.
sooneron
4/7/2008, 09:27 AM
Here I even made a diagram using my truck. And to be honest, I don't care if anyone drafts behind me. It's their risk.
http://img229.imageshack.us/img229/3073/trucksafetyqr6.jpg
I'm no drag coeff... expert, but I am not sure if your vee-hickle is the best for drafting anyway. I would think you'd want a box trailer type rig for the maximum amount of draft.
sooneron
4/7/2008, 09:31 AM
And my experiment with gas mileage is going to be the purchase of a hybrid in the next 7-8 months.
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