At 09:04 AM 9/27/2003 -0400, Chuck wrote:
>Drive with a lighter foot!
What Chuck said is very likely the answer UNLESS YOU have gotten better gas
mileage consistently with this car under the same driving conditions. If
you have, then something has changed.
Do a controlled test by taking a 150 mile drive on an open freeway with
careful gas tank fills before and after the trip. Pick a day with little,
if any, wind. Even a cross wind can cost gas mileage. For your car, even 70
mph may work the engine too hard to get those extremely high EPA numbers.
Note that I can easily get 27 mpg in my 2001 Mustang GT cruising at 70 mph
with only a tiny amount of around town driving to/from the freeway portion.
However, it will drop to 16 or even less if all the driving is stop and go
. . . and this is with a VERY light foot (a heavy foot around town would
cost me my license!!!).
I don't think even Honda can produce those high gas mileage numbers if you
are reving the engine much, using vtec, getting past half throttle, etc. Of
course, 36 mpg is rather good if you are also having lots of fun!
With my old Dodge carburated Dodge 360 Camper Van tow vehicle, towing at 65
plus vs 60 plus can cost about 1 mpg (10 to 9).
Dick
Dick Rasmussen
CM 85
85 Van Diemen FF
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