my car's real gas mileage doesn't live up to specs...

[andylawcc]

from http://carpoint.msn.com/Vip/Engines/Toyota/celica/1996.asp
the gas mileage is supposed to be 29/34.
but in reality, I only get like 27. (I often take freeway as much as possible, and the way to school has 7 signal lights and 2 stop sign only, so its pretty much a nonstop trip)

I recently changed the oil and install the K&N air filter 3 weeks ago. I don't know what else I need to fix to save more gas....

 

[Thanatopsis]

You have to accelerate like a grandma to get the numbers the car companies quote as gas mileage...

 

[EagleKeeper]

Tire pressure, speed limit, anticipate stops by coasting and maybe higher octaine level.

You could try and find out how the car companies do their tests and under what conditions.

 

[vash]

There are lots of factors to getting those numbers, so if you're close, that's good enough. The government has standards on how to measure the rates, and those standards aren't very accurate.

vash

 

[Emulex]

remember a new car is not operating in "ideal" conditions. it needs to break in before you can expect those numbers. Type of tires, type of roads, etc. When they say 30mpg, they mean "flat surface, sea-level, perfect air-temp, using recommended fuel (93 octane if it says premium recommended), non oxygenated gas (california gas sucks), driving at 55mph with the windows rolled up, a/c off on cruise control

 

[andylawcc]

well, i know those numbers are extracted by theoretical mean (like no flooring the throttle and stuff that most ppl do)

but my racer friend (note: rAcer, not rIcer) went to Georgia last week and rented a Camry for his ride around town, he claimed he got 400 miles out of 13 gallon.... and I supposed he "get the most out of it" (to put it nicely) with his driving style.
400/13 = 30.
http://www.edmunds.com/used/1997/toyota/camry/4drlesedan/specs.html?id=lin0066
a camry gets like 23/32. so he's roughly 10 percent off the specs... while I am like 20 percent off.

 

[andylawcc]

Emulex... can you explain that a bit more, California's gas are all "oxygenated"?

 

[glow_bug]

oxengenated to reduce emissions. They add MTBE to the fuel. (Methyl Tert Butyl Ether). We require cleaner burning fuel because of the great colored air we have around here. The irony is that MTBE is polluting our water supply now.



I'm not sure how much this puts a dent into mileage though.

GB

 

[WhiteWonder]

i am used to bad air, in fact i want more bad air.

they need to give us californians real gas

 

[KrazymanJL]

i agree we need real gas

it would also probably lower the outrageous cost of gas

to eliminate MTBE

 

[iamwiz82]

i usually get about 28/37 which explains my driving habits without words.

 

[ElFenix]

if you run your AC it eats gas, if you have your windows down it eats gas, turning on your radio eats gas. when its warmer your mileage goes down because heat engines aren't near so efficient when taking in warmer air.

 

[spanky]

u can get 34mpg only is u drive downhill with the wind at ur back

 

[andylawcc]

hum... I took out all unnecessary weight already... still using stock 14' rims, took out the spare tire, rarely turn on AC, even thought of taking out the sunroof Wind deflector to reduce the drag-coefficent.