Whoa! Did I really just get 50 MPG?
07-08-2009, 04:35 PM
#1
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 28
Whoa! Did I really just get 50 MPG?
I drove 225 miles yesterday on 4.5 gallons of gas in my totally stock 2006 xA with 51,000 miles on it (automatic trans). I bought it used two months ago.
I filled the tank before I left and reset the trip odo to zero. When I arrived, I filled the tank again and was shocked to see the pump stop at 4.5 gallons. The trip odo was at 225. I tried to keep pumping, but indeed the tank was full.
The drive was on backroads with a 55 MPH limit. I set the cruise control at 59. Sometimes I had to slow down going through small towns, but rarely did I top 60 MPH. The tach was showing 2500 RPM most of the trip.
A month ago I made the same trip but look a different route. I used the main interstate, which is 75 MPH. I set the cruise around 70. On that trip, I got 42 MPG.
Either way, I am impressed. Anyone else ever get 50 MPG? I tend to average 38 in mixed driving. As soon as I get a headwind or crosswind, the mileage can go down to 35 really fast. Maybe I had a tailwind yesterday, though I'm not sure. Fifty MPG is hard for me to believe, but I think I'm doing the math right.
I filled the tank before I left and reset the trip odo to zero. When I arrived, I filled the tank again and was shocked to see the pump stop at 4.5 gallons. The trip odo was at 225. I tried to keep pumping, but indeed the tank was full.
The drive was on backroads with a 55 MPH limit. I set the cruise control at 59. Sometimes I had to slow down going through small towns, but rarely did I top 60 MPH. The tach was showing 2500 RPM most of the trip.
A month ago I made the same trip but look a different route. I used the main interstate, which is 75 MPH. I set the cruise around 70. On that trip, I got 42 MPG.
Either way, I am impressed. Anyone else ever get 50 MPG? I tend to average 38 in mixed driving. As soon as I get a headwind or crosswind, the mileage can go down to 35 really fast. Maybe I had a tailwind yesterday, though I'm not sure. Fifty MPG is hard for me to believe, but I think I'm doing the math right.
07-09-2009, 03:19 AM
#3
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Tysons Corner, VA (NOVA)
Posts: 308
I got 49mpg with a 5mph tail wind on a 250mile trip.
Maybe you did indeed have a tailwind...I did this with a manual (3500 at 70mph but I was going about 66mph)
I think the gas you use helps a lot too. Shell or BP and my MPG goes up at least 1 or 2 mpg easy...
Maybe you did indeed have a tailwind...I did this with a manual (3500 at 70mph but I was going about 66mph)
I think the gas you use helps a lot too. Shell or BP and my MPG goes up at least 1 or 2 mpg easy...
07-16-2009, 03:44 AM
#4
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Scikotics
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Satsuma, Louisiana
Posts: 343
The biggest difference I have noticed in the last 90K miles/5years is the type of fuel you buy matters, ALOT!!
Lowest priced gas in Walker is at the busiest station in town, sometimes have two tankers refilling storage tanks, and old or water contamination not an issue here. This cheapo gas will not provide the MPG -or- performance like the CircleK down the street.
I definitly get 40mpg at 70mph with CircleK and only 32/34MPG with the discount brand for same trip/speed. The performance is also very weak and sluggish, noticably, and also have erratic idle performance..
Hope everyone is putting quality gas in their cars, the price difference is nothing compared to what you get for the cheap price paid for cheap gas...
Lowest priced gas in Walker is at the busiest station in town, sometimes have two tankers refilling storage tanks, and old or water contamination not an issue here. This cheapo gas will not provide the MPG -or- performance like the CircleK down the street.
I definitly get 40mpg at 70mph with CircleK and only 32/34MPG with the discount brand for same trip/speed. The performance is also very weak and sluggish, noticably, and also have erratic idle performance..
Hope everyone is putting quality gas in their cars, the price difference is nothing compared to what you get for the cheap price paid for cheap gas...
07-20-2009, 05:50 PM
#7
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Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: Omaha
Posts: 3
mileage
Speed matters big time to small, low horsepower cars like the xA. I came up with this formula which I think is pretty close for my manual xA . MPG = 44 mpg at 45 mph. Minus 2 mpg for every 5 mph over 45. This puts it at 36 MPG at 65, which is right inline with most of my highway experience, and what the car was rated at as well. The highest I ever calculated was 42 mpg. This was averaged over 500 miles, so it should be acurate. This was over scenic byways and backroads, and included some traffic and hills, but speeds were very slow, and almost never broke 55 mph.
As for 50 mpg, I guess the automatic has a taller overdrive gear, throw in a tailwind and don't run into any traffic, and I guess it's possible...
As for 50 mpg, I guess the automatic has a taller overdrive gear, throw in a tailwind and don't run into any traffic, and I guess it's possible...
07-21-2009, 06:22 PM
#8
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Scikotics
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Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: Satsuma, Louisiana
Posts: 343
Yep, sounds about right for "at least 10% Ethenol" gas!!
And believe me, it is MORE than that, and the energy content of ethenol is some % lower than gasoling, ethenol is replacing "at least 10%" of the gas you burn..... cheap gas stations all have the ethenol. You buy 10% less gasoline energy and lose. Price difference averages to like 5cents/gallon more for the quality fuel. Driving habits DO matter.. Getting up to speed over 45 at a rate out of F&F will (Sorry) waste fuel, but all that considered I know my xA will get 40mpg @ 70mpg IF the quality fuel is used....
if Im in a bind for $ then I only get .... 33pmg!!
And believe me, it is MORE than that, and the energy content of ethenol is some % lower than gasoling, ethenol is replacing "at least 10%" of the gas you burn..... cheap gas stations all have the ethenol. You buy 10% less gasoline energy and lose. Price difference averages to like 5cents/gallon more for the quality fuel. Driving habits DO matter.. Getting up to speed over 45 at a rate out of F&F will (Sorry) waste fuel, but all that considered I know my xA will get 40mpg @ 70mpg IF the quality fuel is used....
if Im in a bind for $ then I only get .... 33pmg!!
07-22-2009, 09:16 PM
#9
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Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2009
Posts: 28
Interesting about gas quality. At home, I almost always fill up at the same place. Wind seems to be the biggest factor in my mileage.
On the way home from the trip mentioned above, I got only 36 MPG. I was fighting a headwind, so evidently whatever helped me on the way there worked against me on the way home. But that's still an average of 43 MPG, so I am not complaining.
Next month I'll be driving 300 miles in the opposite direction, then 300 miles home. I'm not holding my breath for another 50 MPG, but I will be curious to see how this trip compares.
On the way home from the trip mentioned above, I got only 36 MPG. I was fighting a headwind, so evidently whatever helped me on the way there worked against me on the way home. But that's still an average of 43 MPG, so I am not complaining.
Next month I'll be driving 300 miles in the opposite direction, then 300 miles home. I'm not holding my breath for another 50 MPG, but I will be curious to see how this trip compares.
07-24-2009, 02:17 AM
#10
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Join Date: Dec 2007
Location: Tysons Corner, VA (NOVA)
Posts: 308
I find the best way to get good MPG and performance for me is to get chevron gas (87) fill up...drive around till I get 1/4 tank then fill up with sunoco (right next to the chevron haha) and then BAM my car feels peppier by atleast 10%. After about 10 of these swaps I get a bottle of techron when filling up with chevron (more techron the better) and then back to sunoco/chevron/sunoco. But then when I keep using sunoco or keep using chevron my MPG goes down about 3 or 4 depending on weather etc...
So yes, I am positive gas is an BIG issue. There are no cheap brands where I live but the sunoco is 1 cent cheaper than the chevron lol...
So yes, I am positive gas is an BIG issue. There are no cheap brands where I live but the sunoco is 1 cent cheaper than the chevron lol...
01-20-2010, 11:57 PM
#13
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Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 102
Interesting about gas quality. At home, I almost always fill up at the same place. Wind seems to be the biggest factor in my mileage.
On the way home from the trip mentioned above, I got only 36 MPG. I was fighting a headwind, so evidently whatever helped me on the way there worked against me on the way home. But that's still an average of 43 MPG, so I am not complaining.
Next month I'll be driving 300 miles in the opposite direction, then 300 miles home. I'm not holding my breath for another 50 MPG, but I will be curious to see how this trip compares.
On the way home from the trip mentioned above, I got only 36 MPG. I was fighting a headwind, so evidently whatever helped me on the way there worked against me on the way home. But that's still an average of 43 MPG, so I am not complaining.
Next month I'll be driving 300 miles in the opposite direction, then 300 miles home. I'm not holding my breath for another 50 MPG, but I will be curious to see how this trip compares.
Far as gas goes, the brand of gas should not have much if any effect on mileage. The difference between the most expensive Shell and the cheapest Arco is a minute amount of detergents. Certainly not a 20% difference as quoted earlier in the thread. Cheap E10 should give within 98% of the mileage of pure gasoline or so. After logging about 65 tanks of gas I measured the same difference.
What others may have noticed is the change between winter and summer gas blends. Winter will net 5-10% less mileage because of greater alcohol content. All gas stations do not necessarily switch from one to the other at the same time.
01-21-2010, 12:14 AM
#14
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Join Date: Feb 2006
Location: Tiverton, RI
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You are doing great at 50mpg keep note of how much you use your brakes and the less you use them the higher your mileage will be and if you use your engine to slow down it will save you even more gas. If you get into a head wind situation then head for the country roads with lots of trees to block the wind. A few of us with 2006 xB's get up to 50mpg and sometimes above and yeah the gas matters a bit too. I find that Stop and Shop gas give lower mileage than Hess so I tend to stick with Hess. Sunoco will be my next test on a long trip since I was giving a gas gift card for them.
01-24-2010, 01:58 AM
#17
