Why am I getting better gas milage after moving to a new city?

[BigToque]

I used to live in Winnipeg, MB and I was getting 25MPG.

I now live in Kelowna, BC and I am getting 32MPG.

I was thinking it might be because Kelowna was at a lower elevation than Winnipeg, but I just checked and that's not the case.

Then I was thinking it could be because I'm in the mountains that I'm constantly going down hills, but thought that might be offset by needing to go back up those same hills.

Why would I be getting better milage?

 

[Capt Caveman]

Formulation of the gas?

 

[imported_LoKe]

Traffic?

 

[Lithium381]

longer distance? more long runs/less stop'n'go?

 

[compnovice]

Did you become SmallToque recently?

 

[Mermaidman]

You're always driving downhill.

 

[Fingolfin269]

Better roads/less friction? I have no idea.

 

[Pepsi90919]

it rains all the time?

 

[FoBoT]

uh, maybe you switched from metric to non-metric gas

 

[MegaVovaN]

Hills vs No hills?

 

[Cogman]

Originally posted by: Fingolfin269
Better roads/less friction? I have no idea.

Actually, you get better gas millage with higher friction (least amount of slippage).

Flat planes give best over all gas millage (since you always have to go back up the hill). If the area is less windy then the first that will also give you better millage. As others said, less stop and go traffic with longer distances will give you better millage. Lower average speeds will affect gas millage as well.

 

[brownboi512]

colder air maybe? the colder air allows for better compression in the pistons using the same amount of gas, so you get more bang for the buck. just a theory.

 

[Howard]

Not necessarily for better compression, but colder air is more oxygen-dense. Then again, to burn the extra oxygen you need extra fuel.

 

[lupi]

It's because of the mirrors.

 

[Casawi]

There are many tings that affect gas mileage, dood !

 

[darkswordsman17]

That's a pretty significant increase, over 25%, so there has to be something. When you moved did you maybe take a bunch of stuff out of the vehicle that you had been lugging around before? Maybe traffic flows significantly better and you have less stops? Is there any speed difference (an increase or decrease could be using different gearing of the transmission). Did you maybe get a tune-up recently, or even just check your tires air pressure?

 

[soydios]

Driving style affects it significantly. During the summer in high school, when I didn't commute on the freeway, my average MPG was 75% of normal. Of course, I was still burning a lot less fuel overall, but still.

 

[Jeff7]

Now your engine is cold with solution.


Realistically though, it's probably the traffic patterns or your driving speed.

 

[Gunslinger08]

Your old neighbor can't steal your gas anymore.

 

[Tiamat]

Originally posted by: joshsquall
Your old neighbor can't steal your gas anymore.

FTW!

 

[Squisher]

I think your vehicle was carboned up and during your long drive you probably burnt something off that was keeping your car from running efficiently.