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I'm here because I bought a scangauge from one of the people here, and because I want better MPG. I usually drive an 04 Hyundai Elantra, and sometimes my wife's 07 Toyota Matrix. I'm also posting to test my new sig.

The Matrix usually gets 28-30 and the Elantra gets anywhere from 22 to 28 (usually 26).
I've taken the Elantra to 35 on a highway cruise down FLorida way. Both cars MPGs seemed to drop since we got the 10% ethanol mix.

Since I got a scangauge, the Elantra's been averaging 26+ but only if I get onto a long stretch of 50mph+ road. If I were to drive the mile.5 to the grocery store I'd get a 20MPG average. And that's with simple tricks like mild DWB and DWL. I don't do the more complicated things, certainly no ICE-off. I've recently started P&G although there doesn't seem to be much scope -- either the car slows too quickly or ... well, no "or", it slows too quickly.

Welcome to CleanMPG! You have a great tool and a good car to work with. I'm sure Right Lane Cruiser can guide you to get MUCH better mileage that what you are getting now.
What part of the country or what type of climate do you drive in?
How many psi of air are in your tires? These are two of the first questions that need to be answered.

Look at the link in my signature and it will guide you to many of the great articles here.

South Carolina, and currently in 40 degree weather (expected to get under 30 tonight!).

I'm at the pressure in the car's doorpost panel, 30psi, and I know I should pump it up. These are Michelins whose sidewall says 45psi. I figure I can take it to 35 and see what happens.

Welcome to CleanMPG! I am originally from SC -- what part are you from? I grew up in Spartanburg.

Looks like you have the AT Elantra? I've got a 5spd 2yrs older than your model and get great mileage out of it but I've never driven the automatic transmission version. Get those tire pressures up closer to sidewall, accelerate gently, and do what you can to stay in higher gears/torque converter lockup. When stopped, at the very least put the car in Neutral -- it uses marginally less fuel when idling in N than in D. When you get more comfortable with it you should turn the car off at long stops. When everything is warmed up to operating temperature it takes less than 10s of idling fuel to restart the car. If you have downhills that are not steep enough to cause you to accelerate to illegal/unsafe speeds, coasting in N (with the engine running!) can give you a very nice boost in mileage. That ScanGauge will show you this.

Good luck and be sure to ask plenty of questions -- we love to help people squeeze more distance out of their fuel. :)

RLS, I live in Charleston but I'm "not from 'round here" as y'all say (I'm learning to type like y'all, though :-) )

Yes, it's the AT Elantra. I've been laying off the gas pedal for about 2 years now (the jump in MPG when I started REALLY helped drive home the point). After I got the SG, I noticed that neutralling at reds takes the GPH* from 0.26~ to 0.20, which is nice. I coast in neutral sometimes but am afraid of damaging the transmission when re-engaging at speed. I turn off (ACC position) at stops, too, and my thumb rule is, when I hear the relay click I've saved enough fuel to compensate for the restart.

As for downhills... the Ravenel bridge is part of my commute. Coming off it today, just a quarter mile coast boosted my MPG from ~26 to ~33.


(* GPH=gallons per hour. "There's a gauge for that".)

Nice! You won't damage your transmission on re-engagement but you may find that you have to give it a little gas as you do at higher speeds (only if you find it a little harsh when the transmission "grabs").