roccobladr

what is the best way to drive for maximum efficiency?

with gas prices like this i have been trying different techniques out and im not sure which works best.

in my 2.4 auto:
ive noticed with my new exhaust, it gets me better mpg if i give it a little more gas than just tapping the bottom edge of the pedal like i used to. im still only hovering around 20 mpg.
im running 87 octane.

so what is the most efficient way to drive? (especially in an auto)

Dustin

Bicycle.

bluesoul

When you can, avoid revving the engine. Leave red lights slower, beating the pack will generally only prove you have more gas to burn than the others. Common sense but that's all fuel conservation is. Knock a couple MPH off your usual driving speed (I go 57-61 in a 55 as opposed to 64-69).

Of course if you're doing a lot of city driving that's gonna cut into your MPG.

Turn off the A/C and open a window or two. Basically, if something seems like it'll increase your MPG, it probably will.

YSUsteven

When I am trying to save gas, I use the gas pedal to make the automatic shift where I want it to. This was I can keep the RPMs under 2500 while still keeping up with city traffic.

I am getting 25mpg city, I believe the sticker said 24mpg.

Toronto SS

^^^ I agree keep the revs down

mkulrey13

iTrader: (39)

Use A/C >45+MPH and windows <45MPH. I use cruise when ever. DRIVE THE SPEEDLIMIT. commensence there but i have started to for the last week with this method and i have shot up to 41MPG. i was watching a show and got these tips too :P

Fallen33

I'm getting 28 MPG right now. Just drive like a grandma. That easy.

redSSBalt

You shouldn't be using 87 ocatne on the 2.4 either. The 2.0 and the 2.4 both require that you use Premium gasoline due to higher compression.

joeworkstoohard

actually i get better mileage with 87, but the car has ZERO ***** then.

SmOKe JeNsOn

lmao I get the shitest gas mileage. Damn lead foot. yes low RPM's 5th gear doing 60.
gas= 3.40 a gallon now raised 20 cents in one week bastards!!

Zivnuska

I can get 28-30 mpg in my 06 SS/SC Stage II if I work at it (not in winter). That is in suburban driving using short shifts, skip shifts, timing lights, low revs and conserving momentum. It can be done and I do it regularly.

On the other side, I also enjoy the blast to 7,000 rpms, heel and toe, and strong acceleration but then the mileage heads toward 25.

nomoreavril

i read a book on this, b ut i dont remember much about it, other than try to avoid idling as much as possible. like when you are coming to a stop light, try to keep a very slow roll going. and avoid taking off fast. its what truck drivers do

celicacobalt

i get 26 mpg just driving aggressivley as normal but that could be my tune...

an0malous

truckers do it because they have massive amounts of weight to get rolling.
and they burn a TON overcoming the initial friction and gravity when stopped.
half the reason they do it is to avoid slowing down traffic behind them, cuz it takes forever to get a big heavy rig moving.


I imagine it may help some with a car too....but likely very very little.
basically just go really easy any time you are accelerating.
especially from a stop.

D4u2s0t

the 2.0 has lower compression than the 2.2 actually.

but things like coasting to traffic lights, taking off slowly, cruising at a steady speed, keeping the rpm's down, that's a great start to get better mileage. i don't drive slow, on the highway i cruise around 75-80mph, and on highway drives i get just under 40mpg.

braineater

the funny thing is now that gas has jumped so much people are asking me what kind of gas milage i am getting, i tell them that i get very good milage for what my car is but if they are looking for good mpg they need a stock ls or lt, not a ss/sc

D4u2s0t

i get much better mileage now than when it was stock actually.

braineater

me too actually, but if you are JUST going for gas milage then the SS/SC isnt what yhou should buy.

redSSBalt

Yes, it might. It does have F/I though and that makes it need higher octane. The 2.4 has the highest compression of the three different motors.

denn454

iTrader: (1)

Its a long read, but read this. http://www.motherjones.com/news/feat...permilers.html

Thats REALLY taking it to the extreme, but use some of the things that guy does.

I get 40mpg consistantly driving about 60% highway, the rest is in town. I can get 50 if I'm on the highway with no traffic (I don't like be too much of an ass by going slow on the roads). my best advice is to drive smart, and use anything you can to your advantage. if your going down a hill, put the car in neutral and let it coast as far as you can. if your climbing a hill don't speed up whatever you do, keep the throttle constant and accept whatever speed you get within reason. don't use cruise control on roads with hills because it will burn too much fuel climbing a hill trying to mantain your speed. If you loose 5mph, who cares? pick it back up at the top of the hill. if your doing down a hill let it coast, if you pick up 5mpg, who cares? let it bleed off later. I drive about 5 under if there is traffic, if i'm on an open road i'll try to get as close to 50 as I can, thats where my car is most efficient.

I'm sure i'll have someone here try to argue with me over this again, but I do shut the engine off if I have a long ways to coast (yes its illegal, even being in neutral is illegal in some states. so is my tint, so is me speeding sometimes, so is me not always using my blinker, etc. etc.) you still have power brakes, but you will lose power steering, just be smart about it. (and it won't show up on the DIC, FYI)

as far as you running 87, you are fine. the compression of the 2.4 isn't very high, and if your keeping your foot out of it your not going to hurt a thing. I'm sure someone will disagree with me on this one too, but I've driven a 72 GS with a 455, 12.5:1 compression on 87 before. It would ping at full throttle, anything less than 100 octane wasn't really good but driving around town on 87 was fine. and your mild little 2.4 with a computer that will compensate for any adverse effects from the fuel will be just fine, even if you were to run the **** out of it. take it easy and you'll have no problems on 87. you might even try 85, it will burn more efficiently at lower power levels.

redSSBalt

I think that the lack of oxygen due to the altitude in Colorado is starting to get to you!

The manufactures recommend the octanes that they do for certain reasons. They don't recommend something just for the heck of it! No one has said that you can't run 87 octane, you can run it yes. Don't plan on your motor lasting like it should, you will definetly kill it prematurely!!!

monkeiboy

Anything over 75mph on the interstate will eat into your MPG. Once you get above 80 your only going to get 29mpg with the cruise on.
Knock the cruise down to 65 and stay in the right lane, I tried that once and was getting close to 40 mpg for awhile.

Slow starts and stops, Let your car coast when coming into a stop light rather than driving all the way up to it and braking to stop (which also saves brake pads Yay!), Unplug your battery for about 30 and let the computer reset, then don't do anything but easy, fuel efficient driving. Your computer will learn your habits and start helping you pinch fuel.

chevysalesman614

push your foot to the floor all the time, and suck out the gas from a civics tank.

rcmpayne

get hp tunes and set rpm to max at 2500RPM....lol

YSUsteven

That would be a great idea, IF you never have to merge onto a highway.

Wait, you don't need HP tuners to do that. you just press on the gas lightly. Duh.