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Hi, everybody. I've finally joined the forum after being a "stealth" reader for a few months. I began reading your informative posts since I ordered my HCHII back in early March. It's been an exciting and fun process and you all have helped alot. Fortunately for me when I did a Google search back then your site popped up along with GreenHybrid. I haven't done much posting yet because I am still getting my hyper-legs warmed up. I've posted my first three tanks and each one is getting better.
I just increased my psi to 44 (sidewall max, that's what I'm comfortable with for now) and have been trying as many of your techniques as possible. I drive on a two lane state road for 99 percent of my travel. Traffic is the thing that usually limits what I feel I can do while respecting other drivers.
I look forward to discussing techniques, trials, tribulations and triumphs with you all.
Thanks for creating a great website!:)

Welcome to CleanMPG!

Also thank you for all the kind words.

I did not always hypermile, but over time got curious and tried some things.

Welcome to CleanMPG. Sounds like you have started on the right foot with you HCH II. Keep up the good work. As far as traffic speed goes, there are always options.

Often people like to say "I keep up with the flow of trafic" but if you look on a highway traffic is going different speeds. I recomend going 5 mph slower than the slowest car ;) But thats just me.

Hi HyChi:

___You are doing great so far (I snuck a peek at your tanks ;)). That last 600 + miler must have been enjoyable given gas prices what they are today. A few more like that and a hypermiler you shall be!

___What did you own before the HCH-II and what made you make the switch? How do you like your HCH-II so far, what techniques have you employed, and which do you like best (most comfortable with).

___On a similar note, one of our senior HCH-II owning members (Tarabell) is placing the finishing touches on an excellent HCH-II article. I think you will enjoy the read once it’s up in another week or so!

___Finally, Welcome to CleanMPG :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I think you will enjoy the read once it’s up in another week or so!

Ha...Wayne is ever the optimist. :D I'm not even a hypermiler -- why he thought I could say anything useful I'll never know.

Anyway, glad to see another HCH-II owner and welcome to the site!

SO, what was I driving before? I had been driving a 1997 Honda CRV since Jan '98. I loved that car because of it's flexibility and AWD. Here in hill and snow country it was a real plus. Of course, I was able to get around with all of my previous cars with FWD and most of the time I will not need to be out "playing in the snow". I tried everything to get my mpg up from 22/23 mpg with that car, but it wasn't until I started reading the posts here that I was able to get it up to 25. (Still, that's about a 10% increase.) I was used to my manual Mazda MX-6 which I was able to get 30mpg by coasting down hills, etc. Man, that car could glide! (I once actually filled the radial tires to the sidewall max at one point because they always appeared flat. I thought that was what they were supposed to be inflated to!) The original version of the CRV was way underpowered, noisy, and the interior was basic. Even the CD player was an option. The 06 Civic is a luxury car in comparison!:)
I've been bumping up the tire pressure, it's now at 44psi. I drive with load to a limit of 10 mph below the posted speed, let up on the gas as soon as I reach the crest, and glide down the other side. I definitely DWB. It's amazing how with the traffic lights around here that if I let other drivers get a good lead on me that they are the ones most likely to have to stop while I catch up to them and glide on through. During rains I try to find the driest path. After increasing the tire pressure to 44psi yesterday moring my displayed tank mpg reached a new high, 53.9, before I had to climb a mountain. I rolled into the garage at 53.7. That's after 350 miles. :D
I'm looking forward to Tarabell's post. I remember one of her posts that detailed her progress on her daily commute. The attention to detail was great and I learned alot! Thanks, Tarabell, for helping to blaze the trail!

Sounds like you're doing great! You, tarabell, and the other HCHII people make these cars sound awfully appealing!

Hi HyChi:

___Thank you for the details of your previous automobiles as well as the transition to increasing FE from them. It sounds like you have most of the basics down and are ready to do some damage to the EPA estimates post haste! With that, your HCH-II is one of the best tools on the planet for getting from Point A to point B and there are a number of us non-hybrid drivers here that drool every time a hybrid pilot like yourself punches out a great segment or tank. Tim and I included ;) Congratulations on your purchase and I look forward to adding you to the list in the not to distant future!

___WRT Tarabell, you saw the same thing I did! She sure can write a great post! I cannot wait to see what she finally comes up with :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne