MPG Pt.1

[TexasRed]

I'm guessing you don't get C-SPAN?

[Stewart G Griffin]

For the 5th "serving" we have 15.86; 276 miles even,  17.399 gallons, $70.27

i don't have any explaination for the declining figures.  Perhaps the temperature rising?

i think some carb and ignition tuning could really help things out but i don't have time to learn right now.

i'm not too disapointed though;  i have a decent running, dependable, rust-free truck which i got for $1500.  i could go buy a new Silverado for 29K and get 20 mpg, but it would take alot of driving just to break even (nevermind "saving") for the 27K spent to get 5mpg more.

2) about the home depot thing---i live about 4 miles away from the nearest which is close enough for me.  Pls see above rationale.

[lowbucktruck]

Wal-Mart, you'll never find a more

Classic!   

[Bitzer!]

I've had 1/4 tank of fuel in my truck for at least 6months. Uses very little, infact I probably have more evapourate than I use

[Lt.Del]

just filled up my tank on the 383 stroker 79 big 10.  First time since early May. 17.6 gals for $70.50.  Did i ever mention i love driving that truck?  I have to fix a few cancerous spots on it though.

[Stewart G Griffin]

Just for interesting's sake, the cavalier got 32.45;  400 miles even, 12.325 gallons,  $49.16

This is with the 2.2 4cyl which is, i believe 134? CID
3 spd auto, i believe the axle ratio is 3.18 or something;  The rpm at 65 is 2600ish.
Everything is stock.
This is a pre-air bag model and thus the weight is 2300lbs and some change.

Interestingly enough, i'm using royal purple synthetic 20W-50.  Why so thick?  Because i think i might have had a problem with low oil pressure, but that has since "vanished."

Future plans include swaping  in a 305 SBC while staying/keeping FWD when and if the current engine stops running. And yes, i have done some measuring and i think it will (just barely) fit.

i guess one of the points here is that you don't have to go with hondayota and co. if you want better mileage;  All j-bodys, despite what anyone says, are very dependable and fairly easy/cheap to maintain and are very durable.

[ccz145a]

I've had 1/4 tank of fuel in my truck for at least 6months. Uses very little, infact I probably have more evapourate than I use

I took my bed off about this time last year and painted everything with chassis saver, including the tanks. Each tank was half full. This was in the 100+ degree spell we had July thru early Sept, and by the time I was ready to crank it all the gas had evaporated.

[Bitzer!]

We dont see 100+. Lucky to get 70!!

[smitty77]

i guess one of the points here is that you don't have to go with hondayota and co. if you want better mileage;  All j-bodys, despite what anyone says, are very dependable and fairly easy/cheap to maintain and are very durable.

I mentioned somewhere here that my wife had a '96 Saturn with a 2.0 4cyl and 5 spd manual that routinely got 39 mpg on the highway on 87 octane.  We traded that in for the peppier 2.2 4-banger with DOHC, 5 spd, air conditioning, and power steering (yes, the first Saturn was a $#@% to park with no P/S, and hotter than heck with no A/C) and that managed a cool 36 mpg.

And all these hybrids that get "an amazing 36 mpg highway" - Please, just go get yerself a $12,000 4cyl with a stick and you can get the same mileage driving it like you stole it versus driving it like your grandma "to optimize fuel economy".

[Stewart G Griffin]

Right;  What i'm perplexed about is the new aveo (i think gm's smallest car) is rated at 34, meanwhile i just knocked down 32 with a 1990 cavalier.   Another perplexing thing is that the cobalt, which is larger than the aveo, is actually rated higher--36 vs. 34 than the smaller aveo?

So newer, as usual and with mpg, does not nessesarily mean better.i wonder why the current subcompacts are heavier than previous subcompacts?  Again, my cav is 2300ish vs. today's cobalt at 2800lbs?

To their credit, the new malibu is rated at 32.  And the malibu is much larger than any cavalier.

[eventhorizon66]

The Aveo gets worse highway fuel economy than the larger Cobalt for the same reason the Honda Fit gets worse highway fuel economy than the larger Honda Civic.  The engines are considerably less powerful in the Aveo and Fit and obviously under considerably more load on the highway than the larger engined Cobalt and Civic.  This is the same reason that under certain conditions a 350 will get better gas mileage than a 305 (or even a 4.3 V6) as we are discussing in this thread, which has turned into a big sythetic oil vs petroleum oil debate.  Also I'm sure you know that the EPA has revised their fuel efficiency test to better reflect the average maniac American driver, so more conservative drivers can actually average better than what the EPA predicts.  In other words, if you can get 32 out of a '90 cavalier you will likely get better than 34 out of an Aveo or 36 out of a Cobalt, if you use the same driving style.

[Lt.Del]

My wife bought her mom's Taurus 4 dr sedan for $1k.  Mother in law doesnt drive.  Father in law died.
That thing got me 30 mpg with three guys in it with A/C on. And she ain't underpowered. Not bad, huh?

 

[VileZambonie]

You were in a Ford!? Shame on you!

[zieg85]

Fords are all my company allows as lease cars.  I have had 3 Taurus and 1 Sable which I still have.  The deal my company gives on these cars when they are 2 years old with 70-80K on them I can't pass them up.  Good cars which have an excellent service plan that we are required to have done.  I drive them for 2 years, sell it and give someone a deal selling it for the same money.  Never got 30 but a pretty constant 26-27 with ours.  I got an 08 Escape I am not fond of but 26-27 with the V-6 is not bad.

[Lt.Del]

Never got 30 but a pretty constant 26-27 with ours.

Yeah, I was amazed.  But this is interstate driving from the river house.  I drove for mileage, so I am sure that made a little difference. Without three adults in it, or w/o AC on, I would have gotten even more.

You were in a Ford!? Shame on you!

Guilty as charged.  When you get a good deal on a car, gotta go 4 it. I still have my moostangs too.