Archives

xcel, you're famous :woot:

http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2007/01/king_of_the_hypermilers.html

Hi Sledge:

___Yes, I have to do some blog additions to the article over at Mother Jones to bring everything into context as they cut it up so bad I sound like a nut case … Or maybe I am a nut case and I haven’t figured it out just yet :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Yes, I have to do some blog additions to the article over at Mother Jones to bring everything into context as they cut it up so bad I sound like a nut case … Or maybe I am a nut case and I haven’t figured it out just yet :D...

Wayne would rather be Nutz than Lutz (http://www.usatoday.com/money/companies/regulation/2006-12-26-gmfueleconomy_x.htm). :D

Thanks Sledge I was just getting ready to complain about the glaring lack of "official" CMPG mention of the MJ article.
Or tell Guido the hit man to take care of this little problem (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/off-topic/t--wayne-gerdes-makes-news-in-major-magazine-2526.html) again.

Hi Sledge:

___Yes, I have to do some blog additions to the article over at Mother Jones to bring everything into context as they cut it up so bad I sound like a nut case … Or maybe I am a nut case and I haven’t figured it out just yet :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Its fine Wayne. Just as we know yeah. The author got a good read on you. LMAO!!!!!

psy :)

Great article about a great man!

Wayne showed me that my FEH could take alot harder turns than I would dreamed about making. My wife would kill him if she knew it was Wayne who showed me the light. Wayne missed a turn on the way to Sebring, and did a 360 my FEH had never seen before!

We all can thank Wayne for the tips and proven techniques that save us money and the environment.

GaryG

I enjoyed the article, Wayne. It was genuinely funny to read an "outsider's" reaction to serious hypermiling techniques.

One question: the writer quotes you saying, "If the epa would mandate fcds in every car, this country would save 20 percent on fuel overnight."

Of course, I instinctively agree with the idea. But I wonder if you happen to have empirical evidence for the 20% figure, or is it a WAG? :D

I'm aware of a study showing the effect of residential electricity smart meters ("FCD's for the home") on behaviour (consumption reduced by about 6%), but have never come across an equivalent study of FCD's in cars.

Darin

I've seen it in my friends Mustang GT. From like 17mpg to 21mpg once he was encouraged to start looking at it. And ironically he still has "FUN" with the car.

I dont know that a 20% across the board increase is possible if a mpg gauge of some sort was in every car. But it sure couldnt hurt.

I am really put off by the fact Honda didnt put on in my Civic. Not even buried in the Navi system. Im sure it cost them more to turn it off than keep it on like in the Accord w/Navi.

No FCD in a Civic is down right stupid on Hondas part IMO.

psy

A 20% increase in fuel economy is realistic for the typical driver that is going at least 10mph over the limit and previously did not pay attentions to things that rob gas.

I can also see a few twisted gas guzzlers that might get into the "how low can you go game", but they would probably be outnumbered.

Hi All:

___Bradlee Fons of the Milwaukee Hybrid Group called me about this article and its promotion on CleanMPG just the other day. I told him I do enough self-promotion as it is and said, “I did not feel very comfortable discussing an article written about myself”. I still do not enjoy this but let me at least analyze some of the article discussion in context to the weekend’s activities …

who at 6 feet 1 inch and 210 pounds looks too big to fit into this tin can two-seater. <-- I actually weigh 219 #’s as of this morning :( To many Holiday Cookies I guess ;)

He’s wearing Nike running sneakers, shorts, and a baseball cap over his thinning sandy hair that says “CleanMPG.com,” the name of the Website he established with his friend Tom Baleno in the spring of this year, dedicated to “increasing fuel economy, mileage, and lowering emissions of whatever automobile you own and drive.” <-- This sentence was pulled from the article.

Everyone runs for cover, and I jump into a Toyota Prius owned by one of Wayne's hypermiling buddies, Dave Bassage. Puddles and high winds are a hypermiler's nightmare. "Nature's putting on its own energy show," says Bassage, watching the blasts of lightning through his water-splattered windshield. "This pretty much screws Wayne."

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/525/Resize_of_Who_wants_to_run_a_FE_challenge_in_this.jpg
This was just one pic of the Monsoon that hit. Anyone who was at HF2006 can attest as to the down pour and the winds ferocity.

The speed limit is 55, and most of the traffic is zipping past at 75 or so, but Wayne hovers around 50 mph. He's riding the white line on the right side of the right-hand lane. <-- This Interstate is commonly referred to as the Tri-State Tollway or I-294 for those not familiar with the Chicago area Interstates. Speed limits are 45 minimum/55 maximum and is between 3 and 5 lanes wide. I like to RR while DWL at ~ 48 - 55 mph which is between the limits and 100% legal. Those driving 75 + do get pulled over once in a while as the IL. State Troopers appear to allow 19 over before they get excited.

I was full of anticipation, not because of where I was going, but because Wayne was going to drive me there. Driving with Wayne, I soon learned, was akin to riding a horse sitting in a saddle behind a great jockey—it’s exhilarating, yet terrifying. The analogy is not quite right because great jockeys, like most great car drivers, love speed, but Wayne, well, doesn’t. “Going 65 scares me,” he tells me later. Such high speeds also kill fuel efficiency. <-- This was pulled from the article unfortunately :(

"Buckle up tight, because this is the death turn," says Wayne. Death turn? We're moving at 50 mph. <-- The following is the turn in question and named by Mark B. (GreenAndBlue) when we were coming home in his 2005 Accord Hybrid after a Max FE segment run and Gliding for all she was worth …

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/500/The-Death-Turn.jpg

___What is not mentioned is that I am usually ICE off about 1/3 of a mile before we exit the Interstate at 60 mph so as to achieve an entry speed of 51 mph while in the Accord. This exit is really 2 lanes wide (maintenance lane and road with no discernable lane markings) and has an ~ 35’ elevation climb as you make your way through the 270 + degree turn. By the time I reach the bridge deck, I am at 25 mph. I need to be traveling at 25 mph to make it over the crest of the bridge and Glide down the back side for another 5/8 of a mile w/ a right and into a Mall’s Ring Road while ICE-Off. The key here is entry speed is 51 mph but by the time I hit max G’s at the turns apex, I am already down to less then 38 mph and by the bridge deck, I am down to 25 mph.

"I hit the turn at 50, 51," he says. "I should have hit it at 52." <-- The HCH-II does not have the Glide capability of the Accord and this is why I wish I would have entered even hotter as it cost me some FE by restarting early after the long glide :(

Wayne loves acronyms almost as much as he loves FE (that's fuel economy). d-fas is a "draft-assisted fas," which means fasing while you're tailgating an 18-wheeler to reduce air resistance. <-- Sort of ... The proper way to perform a D-FAS is to approach a target at a higher rate of speed, FAS while you are in a Distant and glide into a Close-in if possible. From there, you will naturally fall back as seconds tick by eventually gliding naked waiting for the opportune time to re-start, re-engage, and Pulse back up to a speed for whatever comes next. Rarely will you ever be able to D-FAS in a HS P&G behind the same target as you never want to chase a target that has moved over 3 + blocks ahead and you are far back of 2 blocks when you hit your lower target in most cases.

As we're driving out of the parking lot, Wayne comes to the top of a small hill and tells me he's doing a fas. "What?" I ask. "That's a forced auto stop," he says, which is putting the car in neutral, turning off the engine, and gliding. It's illegal in some states—with the engine off, you can lose your power brakes after a few pumps, and with older cars, you can lose your power steering—but it's a favorite driving tool of many hypermilers. <-- I think most here know what a FAS is and the loss of power steering in any non-EPS based automobile is evident the second the ICE shuts down.

Wayne finally makes the turn. It's not the death turn of the previous night; it's a mini-death turn. "Because you guys are in the cab, and I've got milk in the back," Wayne explains, "I can't take the corner very fast." <-- This is a 45 mph limited roadway and I had a bag of breakfast groceries in the bed of the truck so I could not take any corner(s) like I normally would or the eggs, milk and bread would have become a mixture of French Toast without ever having left the truck :D Normally I can enter the subdivision at 32 - 34 mph but in this case, I had to enter at less then 20 thus causing a bit of a backup :(

Wayne and I go in to the supermarket to get milk, and when we return, Hobbit has the hood of the Ranger up, and to make a point, he puts his hand on the engine block. It’s about as warm as the morning air. The reason it isn’t hot is that Wayne’s only had the engine on for a minute or so during the two-mile drive here. Then Hobbit reaches inside the hubcap and feels the brake discs on the front tires. For most of us, they’d be hot from braking after even such a short commute, but Wayne’s discs are no warmer than the morning air. <-- This paragraph was pulled from the article :(

Linda Weidemann, of Fitchburg, Wisconsin, the organizer of the MPG Challenge at the Hybridfest, says that people make the mistake of seeing hypermiling as an all-or-nothing endeavor. “It’s not,” she says. “It’s like a grocery list. You can pick and choose the things you need.” Before we met, Wayne told me that with one lesson, he could improve my mpg by roughly 20 percent. <-- This paragraph was pulled from the article. Look to the last portion of this post for an answer to this MetroMPG.

"guys in Prius’ were bragging about 44 mpg, and I was doing better in a Corolla." <-- I believe this was an infamous Prius I/II driver arguing his superiority over everybody in fact ;)

We're at two car lengths.... Wayne takes a call from some friends in another car.... One car length.... I thump an imaginary brake pedal with my foot, just like my mother used to do while riding with me. <-- When we all left for HF 2006 from my home, I wanted to drive for maximum FE the whole route. I received I believe maybe 2 calls from Terry and his wife Cathy in their HCH-II and maybe one or two from Hobbit and Chuck (Delta Flyer) in Hobbits Prius II to get it moving or we were going to miss the Ice Cream Social. Dennis and I were already up to 95.x mpg about 15 miles out when we started receiving the calls to punch it up and forget about FE. The only choice I had while running 65 + was to pull into a Close in. The following pic was taken during our 15 - 20 minutes while flirting with that close in as well as the exact time Dennis had written that paragraph …

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/525/drafting.jpg

___This pic was taken on that warm afternoon drive with minimal traffic on I-94 Northbound into Milwaukee and I pulled a lousy 93.0 from her so you can see speed kills FE!!! I can pull higher FE then this driving through a Monsoon and 15 + mph headwinds on the way to New York for the Tour De Sol in 40 and 50 degree temps! I don’t recall receiving less then a 100 mpg segment in those kinds of temps over that kind of distance in an Insight and the following is what she allowed for that much faster trip then I wanted to drive :(

My drive to Madison while in Chuck’s Insight:
http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/525/Illinois_to_HF2006_Insight_FCD.jpg
Illinois to HF2006 in Chuck's Insight - FCD

___A poor result at best. I should have just let Terry, Cathy, Chuck, and Hobbit go on ahead and met them 30 minutes later as that would have been the better thing to do for all our sakes.

___And the HF 2006 FE Challenge results as seen from Billy’s Insight after the FE Challenge:

http://www.cleanmpg.com/photos/data/506/Honda_Insight-150_0_mpg.jpg

___Finally, the two most important activities of the weekend … MetroMPG, the first was when I let Dennis drive my Accord back to the O’Hare on Sunday morning. I was guiding him the entire way and he nailed down a 51.2 mpg segment over 30 miles from my drive to the O’Hare Departure terminal using only 3 FAS’ and DWL while between the limits and RR. I guided him using the Accord’s NAVI based TC and the iFCD as to when to accel and back off. This is where the 20% figure comes from while using an iFCD but he nailed down not just 20% greater then the EPA combined, he nailed down 76% > then the EPA combined with just one behind the wheel lesson not employing nearly the toolbox of tricks I would have been and being perfectly legal the entire drive. And then the crescendo … Truly the most important aspect of the entire weekend was that Dennis purchased a brand new Prius II just a few weeks after arriving home in New York.

Friend purchases a brand new, 2006 Toyota Prius II for $18,155 + tax! (http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/general/t-friend-purchases-a-brand-new-2006-toyota-prius-ii-for-18155-tax-1615.html)

___That about does it for now. I just got off night shift and I think I will clean up and head out to a movie for the next few hours. I can correct any BS in this thread in short order as well as post a similar post into the PC thread discussing the same. I see we have some unbelievers I need to help guide back into the light :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne

This is where the 20% figure comes from while using an iFCD but he nailed down not just 20% greater then the EPA combined, he nailed down 76% > then the EPA combined with just one behind the wheel lesson

Thanks for clarifying.

When I read the article reference, I wondered if you perhaps knew of some study that quantified the effect of adding FCD's to cars without doing anything in terms of coaching the drivers.

Because, if such a study existed, it would make for very useful tool to use in pushing legislators in exactly that direction, if one was inclined to push for such things.

The only study of that sort that I know of is by Toyota, who reported on the effects of adding a "green" eco idiot light (not a numeric FCD) as standard equipment on all their JDM cars with automatic transmissions:

Toyota says that the Eco Drive Indicator can improve fuel efficiency by approximately 4%. Source (http://www.greencarcongress.com/2006/09/toyota_introduc.html#more)

Please allow me to clarify something.

I do not remember ever comparing Wayne to any member of the rock band KISS.

What I said was that he's really cute and it would rock to kiss him.
Later on, I did compare him to a member of a music band, but I said "Heart." :D

Wayne, the next time you feel like heading out to a movie or dinner, give me a call. I'd love to throw back a couple with a celebrity. :Banane35:

Hi Tony:

___I think your wife would get all jealous and stuff ;)

___MetroMPG, without the Insight’s i and aFCD as well as the Prius II’s Consumption and Energy screen MFD, the numbers those vehicles have achieved would be nowhere near what we all have seen in the past 2 years. I highly doubt an Insight would have ever pulled a 110 mpg tank let alone a 160 + one without one. I doubt a Prius II would have ever punched out a 112 mpg one either! I do not know of an independent study but I can tell you I would be down maybe 30 - 40% from where I am today without those instruments. Just looking back at my mileage logs from the pre-Insight days shows huge improvements that came about only after I was locked, loaded and FCD equipped :D I do not have an independent study unfortunately but I do know the difference between driving blind vs. fully instrumented and it is worth a lot more then 20% …

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I will comment more on this thread later, but a thread like this is very active in Prius Chat. Tony, Msantos, myself are answering the hypermiling skeptics (a minority of the thread responders).

P.S. - Wayne let me know if some of my facts were off....

Hi Chuck:

___I just had a look see and you are doing very well over there.

___Good Luck and thanks!

___Wayne

I know this is an old thread but am really curious about the fact that Wayne's Accord is automatic. Have you made any mods to the car? When you fas, do you restart simply with the ignition key? When coasting in neutral doesn't it hurt the AT when you put it back into gear?

I'll second that question....

The wife's Odyssey is automatic, so what is the stress on the transmission and starter doing a FAS cycle. As I see it, it requires 4 steps:

1) Shift to N - Tranny work.
2) Turn the car to ACC and coast - (does this stress anything... battery?)
3) Turn the car on to pluse-up - Starter work, battery work.
4) Shift into D - Tranny work.

So transmission work (step 1, 4) starter work (step 3), and battery work (step 2, 3). Early wear, or nominal.

11011011

Wayne has mentioned in earlier posts that he has over 85K miles on his Accord and, if IRCC, he has never replaced a starter, had no transmission problems, and has only replaced 1 12V battery. I think I remember hearing that he estimated 15K+ starts with the starter as well. The thing to keep in mind with a starter is that prolonged cranking is the most damaging thing you can do to a starter because of the heat it generates. I'm guessing his starter and tranny will outlast his car.

I see two problems with that approach, at least with my car.

1. My owner's manual says:

An example of “recreational towing” is
towing your vehicle behind a motorhome.
The transaxle is not designed for towing
this vehicle on all 4 wheels.

It then refers you to the section where it shows you to tow with the front wheels off the ground, or if towed backwards, with the front wheels on dollies. If true, this means I should probably NOT coast along in neutral, even if the engine is still on, much less shutting it down altogether. This would make it that much more difficult to approach the superior numbers others are getting with their manual transmissions. What do you think? Is the Accord's transmission designed to tow with all four wheels down?

2. (This one is a hypermiler's worst nightmare, regardless of #1). When I shut down the ICE to the ACC position and coast along (say, coming up to a light), I CANNOT restart the engine until I turn the key completely back to OFF and shift back into park. Unless there's some secret I don't know about...

Hi Mazda3Mike:

___No mods other then the guy behind the wheel ;) And of course some 0W-20 and 60 #’s in the Michelin’s. Everyone’s comments are good. The original 12V is still in the garage and exceeds the OEM specs on the battery test process that Honda dealerships now own and use. It was the longer FAS’ at night with the headlights on that told me I had better look for an alternative …

___Yes, I restart with the key but rev match immediately upon re-ignition.

___I am fortunate to have an automatic transmission that Honda designed from a manual or manumatic tranny and thus can be flat towed at speed for shorter distances. YMMV however as I am as gentle on her as you would handle a new born baby …

___Mazda/Ford auto’s that I have driven are not the best of the lot to be able to swing around like some of the others including Honda’s. I wish I had better news for you in this regard but that can be a huge problem for those with the wrong vehicle … Best to leave FAS’ing to the Manuals and CVT’s when it comes to this activity.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Dan:

___Auto FAS’ing is completed just as you have posted with a few additional steps …
Let off the accelerator As you shift into N.

When idle has settled out < 1,000 RPM, turn the key back to IG-I which shuts down the vehicle.

After the appropriate amount of time (< 1.5 seconds for the MDX which should match your Oddy) key back to IG-II to reboot the system and begin recording distance and fuel consumption.

After an extended glide, re-ignite the ICE by turning the key to IG-III.

As revs come up on re-ignition, immediate place her back into D to match the speed of the vehicle to the RPM of the ICE. 50 mph is about 1,500 RPM in the Accord and that is where her -i RPM peaks.___As always, be careful.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Hi Mazda3Mike:

___No mods other then the guy behind the wheel ;) And of course some 0W-20 and 60 #’s in the Michelin’s. Everyone’s comments are good. The original 12V is still in the garage and exceeds the OEM specs on the battery test process that Honda dealerships now own and use. It was the longer FAS’ at night with the headlights on that told me I had better look for an alternative …

___Yes, I restart with the key but rev match immediately upon re-ignition.

___I am fortunate to have an automatic transmission that Honda designed from a manual or manumatic tranny and thus can be flat towed at speed for shorter distances. YMMV however as I am as gentle on her as you would handle a new born baby …

___Mazda/Ford auto’s that I have driven are not the best of the lot to be able to swing around like some of the others including Honda’s. I wish I had better news for you in this regard but that can be a huge problem for those with the wrong vehicle … Best to leave FAS’ing to the Manuals and CVT’s when it comes to this activity.

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I guess that's both good news and bad. Good that you can get great numbers with a car that's pretty much stock, bad that my car doesn't support some of these techniques. Personally, I've made few mods to my car as well.

I have 36 lbs in the tires (manual recommends 32, max on the sidewalls says 44). I'm a little concerned about pumping them up too high, not sure how these tires--Goodyear Eagle RS-A--would perform in the wet with that much air. With 32 they don't stick especially well, and if I put 44 in them...well...probably not a good idea. When I replace them I'll get different tires.

I put Mobil 1 5W-20 oil in, this is the recommended weight. Summertime temps in this area (Baltimore-Washington) regularly reach 90-95, and a few times go even higher. Do you think 0W-20 would be safe? Also, the ATF is Mercon V, which is already semi-synthetic. Would a full-synthetic make any difference?

My wife drives an Odyssey, maybe I can try FASing in it. Then again, the tranny has been the subject of a class action lawsuit and two warranty extensions for the fragile automatic, maybe I shouldn't press my luck. :rolleyes:

At any rate, I did get a SGII and along with tips on this site, it helped boost my mileage from ~28-30 overall to ~34-36. I really can't complain. :) But I DO want to hit 40 at least once!!

Thanks for the info, and for this great site!!

FYI. pumping up the tires could improve wet traction. I recommend you try it for yourself to make sure, but I know for me my tires are deathtraps at recommended pressure. When I increased it to max sidewall everything got better. Snow is still pretty bad though, and was at low pressures as well.

I now run mine about 10psi over max sidewall without any problems. Though If I were you I would just increase yours a little bit as the comfort of my ride is as if I had wooden wheels on my car.

Its a shame about the AT in the Mazada. And don't FAS the Oddy.

You can pump those tires up. I have made it practice to run max side wall for years. I like to play with psi and see if I can find some magic spot for good road noise, handling and mpg. But all ways find max side wall to be the good starting place, when all said and done. My EL400's have a max sidewall of 44 psi. Ive been running them between 50 and 53 psi with no issues. We recently went thru two weeks of spring rains and storms. I had one hydroplaning issue. A few inches of standing water will make cars float at speed. Not the tires fault at all.

I would think one could get low 40 mpg tanks out of your car pretty easy.

Have Fun
psy

Yeah, it is a shame about my tranny. Makes me jealous of all you manual guys (and gals).

Ok, I need to fill up tomorrow, and when I get home from work I'll pump them up to 40. I didn't notice any difference in ride or handling going from 32 to 36. You'll notice I'm going a little at a time, just to be cautious. If that seems ok I'll try 44. Beyond the max and I'd be nervous, but we'll see. ;) 10 psi over max? Oy!

BTW, this tank's going to be a record number of miles for me, should hit 460. The low fuel light came on at 441, which usually means about 12 gallons. If I hit 40 it'll be banana time! :Banane27:

Not that I explicitly recommend it, but I've worked my way up to 51/49psi in the Integritys on my Prius. Those tires are wearing great despite being known for poor wear and handling is quite secure in the corners. I mean, a Prius is not a go-kart but I don't have a problem throwing it around when necessary ;) .

One concern with overinflation is excessive wear in the center of the tread pattern. http://autos.msn.com/advice/article.aspx?contentid=9453 My stock Goodyears aren't exactly known for their longevity either but they do handle great. Seeing as I'm probably going to need to replace them this fall anyway (with about 35k on them) I might as well "pump it up" and go for it!

Problems with excessive wear in the center of the tread went out with bias-ply tires. Your steel belted radials will hold their shape just fine unless something happens to a belt. And from an engineer's point of view more pressure within reason is likely to help more than hurt.

The original reason Prius owners started inflating their tires greater than Toyota's recommendation was not fuel economy, but to improve tread wear. These Goodyear Integrity tires have a history of rounding off at the edges, reducing their useful life to a pitifully short duration. The higher pressure just ensures that the tire keeps the shape that its designers intended.

I've overinflated the tires on my Insight for about 10,000 miles without any obvious uneven wear.

My wife drives an Odyssey, maybe I can try FASing in it. Then again, the tranny has been the subject of a class action lawsuit and two warranty extensions for the fragile automatic, maybe I shouldn't press my luck. :rolleyes:

At any rate, I did get a SGII and along with tips on this site, it helped boost my mileage from ~28-30 overall to ~34-36. I really can't complain. :) But I DO want to hit 40 at least once!!

Oh, you'll get to 40. Just wait... :)

Our '04 Oddy has a new transmission under warranty. One day, it just decided to not do Reverse. At all. I'd take it easy with that one. Also, the steering is terrible without power. Feels like a 5-ton dump truck.

On my last set of Firestones, I kept them inflated to 36 over their lifetime. I never let them get low. Car recommends 32. They wore on the edges and still had tread in the middle. I'm running my new Michelins at max sidewall (plus a bit... ;) ) and traction is better than when they were at 32.

On my last set of Firestones, I kept them inflated to 36 over their lifetime. I never let them get low. Car recommends 32. They wore on the edges and still had tread in the middle. I'm running my new Michelins at max sidewall (plus a bit... ;) ) and traction is better than when they were at 32.I'll second that. The Oddy went through tires like they were made of bubble gum. The set we replaced were at 35psi and heavily side worn.

I've got the bridgestones up to 45psi and it's a dream. Here's my Oddy tire thread.

11011011

Hi Mazda3Mike:

___About all I can say is look around to see the results. There is no center tread wear, there is even tread wear, better traction, better handling, shorter stopping distances and most important of all, lower fuel consumption and emissions. The NVH may be a show stopper for some but the press doesn’t have a clue what they are speaking about. Tom and I were speaking with a lead designer for Michelin at one of the Autoshows earlier this year and he thought there would be uneven treadwear at 60 + too. The proof is in the millions of miles traveled at higher then MAX sidewall here amongst our membership as well as enough online documentation to help convince others of this little secret. I bet it is a “Big Oil” conspiracy ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

Oh, you'll get to 40. Just wait... :)

Our '04 Oddy has a new transmission under warranty. One day, it just decided to not do Reverse. At all. I'd take it easy with that one. Also, the steering is terrible without power. Feels like a 5-ton dump truck.

On my last set of Firestones, I kept them inflated to 36 over their lifetime. I never let them get low. Car recommends 32. They wore on the edges and still had tread in the middle. I'm running my new Michelins at max sidewall (plus a bit... ;) ) and traction is better than when they were at 32.

Well, today I hit 40! In the tires, that is. :p However, I DID fill up the tank this morning...461 miles (record), 12.431 gallons, 37.1 mpg (also a record)! :Banane05:

I hear you on the Oddy. Mine's an '01 w/ 60k on it. So far so good, knock wood...it's the wife's car, I don't much like driving it so I don't.

I'll second that. The Oddy went through tires like they were made of bubble gum. The set we replaced were at 35psi and heavily side worn.

I've got the bridgestones up to 45psi and it's a dream. Here's my Oddy tire thread.

11011011

The first (OEM) set of tires were Firestones, absolute junk. Worst tires I've ever driven on. The sucked in the rain and handled badly. Thankfully ;) they wore out after 25k. I replaced them w/ Michelin Harmonys, which are about the best tires I've ever bought (considering the vehicle). This was about 3 years ago. Tires now have over 35k and barely look worn. Anyway, I pumped up the pressure from 35 (recommended) to 40 today. I doubt it will help much though, most of the miles are short distance hops.

Hi Mazda3Mike:

___About all I can say is look around to see the results. There is no center tread wear, there is even tread wear, better traction, better handling, shorter stopping distances and most important of all, lower fuel consumption and emissions. The NVH may be a show stopper for some but the press doesn’t have a clue what they are speaking about. Tom and I were speaking with a lead designer for Michelin at one of the Autoshows earlier this year and he thought there would be uneven treadwear at 60 + too. The proof is in the millions of miles traveled at higher then MAX sidewall here amongst our membership as well as enough online documentation to help convince others of this little secret. I bet it is a “Big Oil” conspiracy ;)

___Good Luck

___Wayne

I see what you mean. I've been doing a lot of reading since I joined, and I haven't seen anyone mention unusual tire wear, so yes, I'm giving it a shot! When I went from 32 psi to 36 I couldn't feel any difference in ride or handling. Today I upped the ante to 40. Probably after this tank if all goes well I'll go to 44, which is the max on the sidewall. Beyond that...well, I won't rule out anything yet... ;)

Hi Mazda3Mike:

___You are teaching yourself very well indeed :D

___Good Luck

___Wayne