Welcome to CleanMPG Primer

[Dave S]

hello, my name is Dave and I drive a 2003 chevy silverado 1500 ext cab w/ a 4.3 v-6 motor. this puppy weighs 6200 lbs.(ouch) I drive 60 mi high way and 15 mi city every day. I drive at 55 mph, & hate using my brakes, I replaced the air filter with an nk oil filter, I've taken out the back seat, pumped the tires to 45 psi, taken out the spare tire ( i carry a can of fix a flat ), I add marvel mystery oil to the gas, and I've taken off the tail gate. I get around 20 -22 mpg but that is just a guess because I never put more than 10 gal in at a time. HELP there is nothing more I can take off the truck to make it lighter. Any Ideas to increase my mph ?

[DieselCar21]

Great article on hypermilling and tips to strengthen fuel economy standards. I would add that sometimes people tend to correlate warming up their car during the winter as having to let the car idle in place for a while (depending on how cold the temps are), but as long as the engine and transmission and every other working part underneath the hood is in tip-top shape, the car's ready to go as soon as you start it up.

While the car may seem to drive a little wonky as the car shifts gears at first, the car will warm up just as fast as letting it sit idle for a while in the garage or driveway.

Overall, though, that's a great article with tons of information and charts.

[solcar]

Hi everyone,

I've been away for a while. I don't drive very much at all right now, and one reason for that is that I am retired. I hope to replace my '87 Chevy Nova with a car that basically is nonexistent in the USA now, and that will mostly be my focus here at CleanMPG.

I hope to discuss much smaller cars, especially how I would like to see hybrid vehicles made. That will probably include what I see wrong with the way hybrids are generally designed now.

Best Regards

[EdwinTheMagnificent]

I had an 87 Nova. As plain and simple as you could get. A/C,radio,5MT. 42 MPG highway was easy, even at the high speeds I did at that time. How did you keep yours from turning to rust ? Mine was pretty sad after eight years.

[dmovieman]

Hello all -

I have been reading around on this site for a couple years because I was considering getting a Prius. I ended up getting a 2008 Prius and have loved it. I have put 37000 miles on it in the 19 months I have had it. I usually average about 47 MPG according to the car, but recent tests to determine the actual averaged out at the display reporting about 1.5 MPG better than actual. My best tank so far is 57.6, but I am trying to implement the techniques on this site in hopes that I could achieve 70. I find hills (I live in Georgia) and rude drivers to be the most difficult parts of getting that MPG higher. The majority of my weekend drives are interstate and I would love to figure out how to get the Highway MPG higher, but I find highway driving pretty stressful with people whipping around me even when I am just going the speed limit or 5 under. I aim to learn more and get better and I truly appreciate all of the useful information out on this site which can help me achieve better FE.

[chevyguy]

Hello everyone,

I have been a member for almost 5 minutes. Looking forward to reading the articles and learning some stuff. I have a 2008 Chevy Avalanche that I have been modifying for more mpg and power. My wife thinks I'm a little crazy for messing with my truck, being 60 years old. I guess it is my blood. To all, good luck on your projects!

chevyguy

[TAZ23340]

hello everyone, I have been a member for a few weeks and I am really enjoying reading the articles and comments on this site. I have started analysing my gas mileage on our two family cars and I can honestly say I need all the help I can get with the crappy mileage I am getting.
I loved the F150 challenge and would like to see the new Ram do the same or similar exercise, maybe even doing the truck challenge in the city?
I own a 2006 mazda 6 wagon and am getting about 18L/100km (what we use in canada) or 13mpg in the city, stop and go mostly, this winter. since reading this site I have done the following, upped the tire pressure to 40 (max on sidewall of winter tires i have), changed from using regular fuel with ethanol to supreme with no ethanol, coasting when getting to a light or stop, lightly accelerating (ie pissing off most cars behind me), lowering top speed to 80km/50m/hr and turning off car when i can (not always possible but a few times a week could make a difference) and so far ive gone from 350 km for 60 litres to 440-450 for 60/62 litres. so there is an improvement.
my questions are as follows, im in bumper to bumper all week and every weekend i pull my trailer up to the country house with the snowblower or lawnmowever and tools as doing renos up there, ive been thinking about changing the car to a truck because i see trucks getting better gas mileage than me, would i be better off with two vehicles (small car for week, truck for weekend) i.e will cost of insurance and registration be offset by gas savings, or getting one awd 5 pass car that can tow up to 2000lbs? too bad the feh doesnt tow more than 1000lbs.

thanks for any help and keep doing reviews they are very interesting.
kevin from montreal canada.

[xcel]

Hi TAZ:

Welcome to CleanMPG.

After your post last night, I quoted portions and sent it to some savvy RAM PR folks in Auburn Hills to see if they were interested in such a project. Sometimes these types of events happen and at other times, they are discarded from with the inbox.

In bumper to bumper, you should consider creating and closing the gaps you create in an anti-wave frequency so as to keep your vehicle moving as well as those behind you. You will easily double or triple your in-city mileage doing that. Look for an 18-wheeler that is hanging back in heavy traffic and mimic him or her. They will show you how this works.

2 vehicles for one owner will usually never pay for themselves with the cost of insurance, yearly registration, depreciation and maintenance added. If you are a two car family however, you have some options for a work "truck" and a fuel efficient family car. If one however, consider the most fuel efficient truck you can with the new 13 RAM 1500 being on top of a very short list.

Good Luck

Wayne

[TAZ23340]

hi Wayne,

thanks for the insight, will try that.
what the wife and i have been talking about and doing is keeping our 2006 corolla A/T and selling the mazda. I started driving her car today since she is never in stop and go whereas i am daily. I would be happy with 23MPG/10L/100KM to be honest, anything else is gravy to me.

as for a pickup, at first, to save a monthly payment, I would buy a used pickup like an f150 6 cyl or silverado 6 cyl 4*4 6.5/8 ft bed to just use on weekends on the highway. If I can get any pickup that can fit 5 and get 23mpg highway driving 50 mph id be happy.

[tstaton]

hello, everyone, tstaton (Ted) here from Athens GA. Drove 2002 Honda Insight from new to 192,000 miles when it was shredded at the airport by a runaway plane. My Insight was parked and no one in it (Thank the Lord!). The plane was a giant one with a large, Russian-built radial engine. My friend was cranking it for the first time ever when the plane jumped its restraints and went down the way until it found my car and shredded it to pieces. So off to look for something to replace it. Chose new Nissan Leaf - one of the first from the Tennessee plant. Love it- love it. Retired so time not a problem - new project - solar generators to recharge totally off grid. Glad to be on forum.
Ted