POLL: Does your car get better mileage during the winter or summer?

[Lifer]

Independent on your driving habits, or your climate (how you floor it, how cold or warm your region is, the accessories you use a/c heat)... which season does your car get better mileage?

This winter was bad for my car, 25 mpg, while this week I got 33 mpg... honda civic.
so it seems to do better when warmer.

sorry. NOT adding an option for spring or fall.. only the 2 extremes.

 

[pyonir]

How can i reply without including the Climate. You did. You said "better when warmer".

I get better milage in the winter, because i live in Arizona and don't have to use the heat and/or AC in the winter. The summer i have to use AC the whole time.

 

[Lifer]

Originally posted by: pyonir
How can i reply without including the Climate. You did. You said "better when warmer".

I get better milage in the winter, because i live in Arizona and don't have to use the heat and/or AC in the winter. The summer i have to use AC the whole time.

I mean just vote based on your car, climate, usage, etc.
I can't accomodate everyone's cars, driving habits, climate.

Feel free to state your climate in your reply though... as well as your HVAC usage, etc.

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Summer. In the winter, they run that oxygenated crap here in the pacific northwest. :disgust:

 

[ElFenix]

efficiency of a heat engine is directly related to how much it heats the air. since the internal temp of the engine is always about the same due to the thermostat controlling it, it should be more efficient in the winter, ceteris paribus

 

[jfall]

not to mention, when your spinning your tires, that is taking gas but you aren't getting far

 

[Marshallj]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
efficiency of a heat engine is directly related to how much it heats the air. since the internal temp of the engine is always about the same due to the thermostat controlling it, it should be more efficient in the winter, ceteris paribus

You'd think so, but there's always something that ruins the idea.

The oxygenated fuel that they dispense in the winter has a lower energy content than the unoxygenated fuel that they dispense the rest of the year. Therefore your car will get worse gas mileage.

 

[Anubis]

i have no idea. i dont pay attention to the mileage

 

[NikPreviousAcct]

Originally posted by: Marshallj

Originally posted by: ElFenix
efficiency of a heat engine is directly related to how much it heats the air. since the internal temp of the engine is always about the same due to the thermostat controlling it, it should be more efficient in the winter, ceteris paribus

You'd think so, but there's always something that ruins the idea.

The oxygenated fuel that they dispense in the winter has a lower energy content than the unoxygenated fuel that they dispense the rest of the year. Therefore your car will get worse gas mileage.

bingo

 

[MrDingleDangle]

<---lives in los angeles...there are no seasons...

 

[Squisher]

Also, fuel mileage of a not fully warmed up engine is poorer then when it's fully warmed. It takes longer to come up to temperature in the winter.

 

[Marshallj]

Originally posted by: Squisher
Also, fuel mileage of a not fully warmed up engine is poorer then when it's fully warmed. It takes longer to come up to temperature in the winter.

It only takes a few minutes for an engine to come up to temperature. Since the duration is so short, it would not affect highway gas mileage, since by the time you get going your car is about warmed up.

 

[Squisher]

Originally posted by: Marshallj

Originally posted by: Squisher
Also, fuel mileage of a not fully warmed up engine is poorer then when it's fully warmed. It takes longer to come up to temperature in the winter.

It only takes a few minutes for an engine to come up to temperature. Since the duration is so short, it would not affect highway gas mileage, since by the time you get going your car is about warmed up.

I drive 10 miles to work when it's -10F I'm sure my mileage suffers as opposed to when it is 95F. The time until my truck gets up to temp is easily double.

 

[StageLeft]

I seem to think winter since I don't use AC in the winter but I know that cars can get worse gas mileage as they're heating up and take longer to do so in the winter.

 

[Lifer]

Originally posted by: FFMCobalt

Originally posted by: Marshallj

Originally posted by: ElFenix
efficiency of a heat engine is directly related to how much it heats the air. since the internal temp of the engine is always about the same due to the thermostat controlling it, it should be more efficient in the winter, ceteris paribus

You'd think so, but there's always something that ruins the idea.

The oxygenated fuel that they dispense in the winter has a lower energy content than the unoxygenated fuel that they dispense the rest of the year. Therefore your car will get worse gas mileage.

bingo

Ahhh... so that's why it gets better in the summer.
Logically, I would think it's worse in the summer since I use the A/C.
But this past week of warm weather disproved that.

 

[Brutuskend]

Originally posted by: ElFenix
efficiency of a heat engine is directly related to how much it heats the air. since the internal temp of the engine is always about the same due to the thermostat controlling it, it should be more efficient in the winter, ceteris paribus

Also gas is sold by volume.

It expands in the summer = less fuel for the $$$

Always buy gas in the cooler part of the day.