4th Gen Winter MPG Thread

I always try to pin down the "switch" to winter fuel formulations.

 

This year, I've had so many variables that it's tough to tell.

 

My last two tanks have been sub-20MPG, while my prior average had been in the 23 range.

 

It seems like I am almost mirroring my results from last year, though this year I have brand new tires and I just did the 30k service.

 

Here's my charts:

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/Screenshot2010-12-14at45546PM.png

 

^^ Global average with every fillup since purchase ^^

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/Screenshot2010-12-14at50840PM.png

 

^^ Winter 2010 ^^

 

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/ii287/bac52/Screenshot2010-12-14at50851PM.png

 

^^ Winter 2009 ^^

those are snazzy! My winter MPG has been sucking real bad this winter so far, deff in the sub-20 range

Awesome information. What are you using to keep track of this information? Excel?

 

Also - any idea why your MPG would spike so high in May and April? I do realize that winter gas has more additives than summer, but would this make a large amount of difference?

 

Also - I won't even post my MPG

I actually track fuel economy on Fuelly.com, since I can update at the pump on my Droid. Then, periodically, I download the data, and merge them in Excel so I can actively track economy. Soon, I'll do similar "book keeping" with my maintenance. Right now, it's just an envelope full of receipts. I'll streamline it one day. I just started doing the Excel backups, but I've been using Fuelly since before I got this car. I haven't missed a single tank.

 

My fuel economy spikes randomly in the summer because road trips are taken in my car. You can see where I've had "around town" trips, and when we've gone on progressively longer (full-tank) trips.

 

I have a graph tracking price per date, and one that graphs fuel economy to mileage, and another that correlates fuel economy to days between fuel ups.

Awesome information. What are you using to keep track of this information? Excel?

 

Also - any idea why your MPG would spike so high in May and April? I do realize that winter gas has more additives than summer, but would this make a large amount of difference?

 

 

Its mainly the Ethanol, it only has 2/3 the energy of normal gas. Winter blend is up to 10% ethanol if I recall.

Normal fuel out here can be up to 10% ethanol, no matter the time of year!

 

That's actually a source of my variation. Sometimes I fuel at stations that have ethanol and some that don't.

I use fuelly too.

 

How do you get those graphs to be images you can paste in a forum?

 

For the most part I've been holding steady at 25.5 mpg from June 2010-present

Graph data in excel and take a screenshot. Then upload to Photobucket.

24-25 mpg in warmer months, noticed a 2-3 mpg loss so far this year but could also blame the 5 minute warm up in the am thanks to the 15 degree mornings lately!

I'm hoping to see gains in fuel econ from my block heater. 4 hours of plug time means a ~3 min time to full warm.

MPGs? who cares! drive it like you stole it

anyone know of gas stations that sell 100% gasoline vs 10% ethanol or do all winter blends contain ethanol?

I usually fill up w/ Shell 93

anyone know of gas stations that sell 100% gasoline vs 10% ethanol or do all winter blends contain ethanol?

I usually fill up w/ Shell 93

 

From what I understand there are none anymore.

 

Legal requirement or something.

I've been getting between 17-19 mixed in the winter and about 26 when I'm on the freeway.

 

A famous French engineer named Carnot proved that engines run more efficient when it's colder out (assuming your engine operates at the same temperature). It proves true in winter, but the reason mpgs are usually worse is because we have to heat up everything to normal operating temperature.

I'm getting over 25mpg on the drive back from VT. Around town I get 22-23mpg very easy. I find that if I set the cruise at 68-72mph I can get good mpg. My DD to work is about 24 miles on the highway with about 3 miles on back roads, one way.

 

MPG depends on how heavy your right foot is.

On the way back from Portsmouth, NH - I got around 35-37 MPG @ 70MPH on cruise. Sometimes going downhill it would climb to ~45 MPG.

is 17-19 mpgs a bad thing? I just picked this car up 2 weeks ago so I'm not sure, but it seems that my numbers are low compared to everybody else.

 

My driving is about 50-60% highway (usually 10 miles or less) and 40-50% city driving.

 

I'd say I drive spirited, but not like a Prius owner or a race car driver

I don't think so. Not for winter, anyway.

 

The key is speed on the highway. Wind resistance increases with the square of relative wind speed. The contribution of speed is extremely significant.

 

I'm going to try and start cruising at 55/65mph as limits allow.

I'm going to try and start cruising at 55/65mph as limits allow.

 

 

Man good luck with that one....55/65, you must be some kind of a old grandma, Just joking....I'll be ducking behind the couch now.

 

I can do ok with the 68/72, I'm 56y/o. I can't handle 55, even back when it was the speed limit, I had a hard time going that slow.

 

Don't get me wrong, my engine see's red line or run's out of map more then it should...

 

Stage 2 is fun.

It's definitely hard to do, but I can give it a shot.

 

I'm more curious than anything. The cost difference is marginal. If I got 22.9MPG vs. the 19.9 I got on the last tank, I'll have saved $6.15. I don't eat at McDonalds, so it washes out.

9.9mpg in the city with an autostart every morning being run for about 10 minutes before school... Need I say more?

I hate 55 speed limits on highways. There's a TON of them here in MA. Even the 65 MPH speed limits are outdated. They should be 70-75 at least. But I digress, let's get back on topic.

 

I think cars now a days are tuned to get in that MPG sweet spot around 65. Anything too high above that it drops dramatically. I remember seeing a chart about that and the results were surprising.

I have been averaging about 19.5 MPG since I bought it on Saturday. I was hoping for a bit more since it is my daily driver. We traded in a 2008 Nissan Altima coupe that was getting around 25 - 30 mpg. One of my selling points to the wife was that gas mileage would not be that much different (25 highway rating). The actual mileage I am getting and the fact that we need to use premium offsets my sales pitch. I guess I will continue to drive on like an old lady