What about the luggage not fitting in the car?
#11
11-26-2018, 02:16 AM
Seriously though, it seems driving speed has the most to do with mileage. I try to keep at 55 mph on long trips and my 2002 Accord auto tranny gets 39 mpg doing that.
Don't drop your tools man.....if you don't need it the person you stop to help will.
Don't drop your tools man.....if you don't need it the person you stop to help will.
#13
01-03-2019, 12:13 AM
This isn't a hard thing to test. I suggest this.
1). With trunk loadout as it is, fill up your tank, set your trip meter to "zero" and drive normally, changing nothing of your driving habits. This is easiest done on a trip at a constant speed. If you normally drive 70 mph, drive 70 mph. When down to 3/4 a tank (never good to go lower), refuel.
When you refuel, take the odometer reading and divide by the number of gallons put into the tank. That gives you the average miles per gallon. Write down this value and note the conditions.
2). Refuel. Reset trip meter. Drive the return trip, only changing the cruising speed. Keep it at 55 mph. When fuel tank down to 3/4 a tank, refuel and calculate the new mileage.
3). Repeat test 1 with a much decreased trunk loadout. Take out everything if you want. At the end of the trip (done at 70 mph), calculate mileage. Note results.
4). Return trip. Refuel and reset trip meter. Keep cruising speed to 55 mph. End of trip refuel and calculate mileage. Note results.
5). Chart your results on graph paper and label each test. Compare.
*I already know what the answer is because I did this same test in 2006 with a Honda Civic and found, consistently, that at a cruising speed of 55 mph, my 2003 Honda Civic with gasoline 4 cylinder engine and automatic tranny, saw a 25% increase in mileage compared to the same car and conditions at 70 mph. That Civic got 50 miles per gallon at 55 mph but only 38 miles per gallon at 70 mph. Trunk weight had almost zero impact with the amount of tools I carried.
I find 55 mph about as low as I want to go on the interstate. I keep to the slow lane. I have found that at 55 mph I have a much more relaxed drive, I have much more reaction time, it's much easier to slow down if I need to pull off, and certainly, a crash at 55 mph is more survivable than a crash at 70 mph.
1). With trunk loadout as it is, fill up your tank, set your trip meter to "zero" and drive normally, changing nothing of your driving habits. This is easiest done on a trip at a constant speed. If you normally drive 70 mph, drive 70 mph. When down to 3/4 a tank (never good to go lower), refuel.
When you refuel, take the odometer reading and divide by the number of gallons put into the tank. That gives you the average miles per gallon. Write down this value and note the conditions.
2). Refuel. Reset trip meter. Drive the return trip, only changing the cruising speed. Keep it at 55 mph. When fuel tank down to 3/4 a tank, refuel and calculate the new mileage.
3). Repeat test 1 with a much decreased trunk loadout. Take out everything if you want. At the end of the trip (done at 70 mph), calculate mileage. Note results.
4). Return trip. Refuel and reset trip meter. Keep cruising speed to 55 mph. End of trip refuel and calculate mileage. Note results.
5). Chart your results on graph paper and label each test. Compare.
*I already know what the answer is because I did this same test in 2006 with a Honda Civic and found, consistently, that at a cruising speed of 55 mph, my 2003 Honda Civic with gasoline 4 cylinder engine and automatic tranny, saw a 25% increase in mileage compared to the same car and conditions at 70 mph. That Civic got 50 miles per gallon at 55 mph but only 38 miles per gallon at 70 mph. Trunk weight had almost zero impact with the amount of tools I carried.
I find 55 mph about as low as I want to go on the interstate. I keep to the slow lane. I have found that at 55 mph I have a much more relaxed drive, I have much more reaction time, it's much easier to slow down if I need to pull off, and certainly, a crash at 55 mph is more survivable than a crash at 70 mph.
Thread
Thread Starter
Forum
Replies
Last Post