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Woo hoo! Just completed my first tank since discovering hypermiling -- 41.057 MPG. My previous best tank with this car had been in the 37 MPG range.

N1JI

Hi N1JI:

___Besides the other 250 + members here cheering you on, it is great that you started hypermiling so early on your Scion’s lifetime. You blew through the EPA on the xB’s first tank and she isn’t even broken in yet! Imagine what she will be offering you after 10,000 + miles ;) It only gets better … except for the winter time temps. Don’t get discouraged when they hit as NJ is similar to Chicago. The Cold temps are a killer but even then, the EPA can be bested and you have a lot of time between now and then to hone your skills and learn your cars quirks to improve upon tank #1. A few tanks from now and that xB is going to start singing if you are still willing.

___Good Luck and congrats as you have a great start!

___Wayne

Hi Wayne,

I hope I didn't enter some information wrong when I added my car. It's not new -- I just passed the 36,000 mile mark today.

Thanks for the support. It's thanks to you and your guest spot on the Rachel Maddow show that I discovered hypermiling. And, of course, all the other members here whose posts I've been gobbling up for tips on how to get the most out of each gallon.

Regards,

N1JI

Good Job!!

Im sure you will be looking at high 40 mpg or better tanks before long. :)

Conga-Rats N1JI.

Out of curiosity, which hypermilling techniques did you use? I've been telling people at work that Hypermilling techniques aren't just for hybrids, but they don't seem to believe me.

Hi MoGryph,

I tried FAS a few times, but I don't think that made much of a difference... All of them combined weren't more than a mile or two total. Mostly I did this:

1 - Always drove at the speed limit or under (55 max on the interstate)
2 - Extreme light touch on the gas pedal, especially if there was no one behind me
3 - Coasted in neutral whenever I could
4 - Increased tire pressure from 29 PSI to 40 PSI

I'm hoping I can get even better results whenI get the hang of DWB. It seems like every time I try it I get stuck at a long red light.

I have a question for the experts here. Does FAS vs. coasting in neutral really make much of a difference with a non-hybrid? My car idles between 500 and 700 RPM when it's warmed up.

N1JI

Hi N1JI:
I have a question for the experts here. Does FAS vs. coasting in neutral really make much of a difference with a non-hybrid? My car idles between 500 and 700 RPM when it's warmed up.___Sure does. See the year round sig or follow the results back into the DBase for the tank results … We are speaking of Interstate travel or stop and crawl jams … Without FAS, NICE-On exclusively, I would probably lose 7.5 mpg’s of what is shown …

___You can see/test it on a SG-I or II in your Scion. Unfortunately or not, FAS is the answer … In the Accord, the results are worth ~ 20% higher FE over a 2 mile test distance (tested again and again) using a FAS vs. NICE-On.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

FAS is great when done safely. You have to know how the car acts in a FAS and be darn sure you can handle it.

Hi Psy:

___Great reply and you could not be more dead on.

___Thanks and Good Luck!

___Wayne

I second that Psy-

Always test out a car in a safe area, at a slower speed, when checking how it will handle running FAS. You don't want to be FAS down a long hill, and have a car pull in front of you out of nowhere, to find out that your breaks aren't going to work.

On the other hand, sometimes a car can surprise you- When I first tried FAS in my HCH-II, I thought it would be rediculous to do it. I turned to IGN-I, then to IGN-II, and had no power steering. I don't remember how the breaks responded. After a few seconds though, even though the engine didn't kick back in, I got full power steering back. I think this has something to do with my car's electric power steering or something like that, so I wouldn't expect it from other types of cars.

Hi MoGryph:

___It is indeed your EPS coming back on in the HCH-II … You actually have to be somewhat careful as the boost can cause you some moments in a corner when she livens back up ;)

___When I owned the Insight, I pulled the EPS fuse as I hated that over boosted feeling at slow speeds. Loved the feel of the road afterwards but the HCH-II is a bit different and a lot more advanced …

___Good Luck

___Wayne