Newbie with a 91 Suzuki Swift

[TommyP]

Today is a very exciting day. I will fill up my car for the first time since trying to become a hypermiler.

One week ago today I decided to become a hypermiler. One week ago tomorrow I sold my 1986 Mercedes 190e with automatic transmission and 23mpg and bought a 1991 Suzuki swift with standard transmission and EPA rated 41mpg.

The Swift cost me $950 from the seller. I'm about $1300 into it including tags and some needed work on the cooling system. I sold the mercedes for $350, so its still less than $1k I had to come up with.

The Swift's engine is in ok shape, but needs a lot of work. I'm losing a lot of mpg there.

Enough with the excuses. I think I'm running somewhere between 42-44 mpg which will put me over the EPA rating of 41. That, barely, qualifies me as a hypermiler. It is also saving me around $25/week on my work drive. I owe the bank $40/month for the car. So, I've got about $60/month of free money to bring this car back to good running order.

Any recommendations on a mpg gauge?
Any recommendations on driving in hilly terrain? (I'm in Oregon)

[kwj]

Welcome TommyP. Sounds like a good purchase. Please be sure to read the home page article "Beating the EPA, the Whys and how to Hypermile" as it has tons of great information. Don't try too much at once, just learn one technique at a time, and get good at it.

For the 91, a ScanGauge won't work. There are others on the market that perhaps others can chime in about. You could also use a vacuum gauge if other gauges won't help. Does your car have a tach? Those can help a lot also.

As to hills, while it costs you to go up, what goes up must come down, so you get back a lot of the energy you spend. Many folks here use the DWG technique for hills, and hopefully some of our Pennsylvania Hypermilers can give you some more pointers for hills.

We have one member, BailOut, that crests a mountain every day for his commute. He is a wizard at it.

[A024523]

Welcome! You're off to a great start and have a desirable ride for FE . I think what KWJ meant was DWL driving with load for the uphills. Then, coasting down the hills, either NICE-on coasting or FAS , whichever one your more comfortable with. You might also consider pulse and glide for the best results, because you'll get better FE than maintaining a steady speed. You don't have to have a scan guage to get results, I don't have one. Just follow the advice of the experts starting here http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510 . You'll probably beat my MPG before too long, with that Swift of your. Good luck!

[MT bucket]

TommyP! you got a good buy!
I have done a similiar thing, I bought semi accoustic, my plymouth colt for 900 clams and put about 500 into getting it ready for the road.
I am just beginning too, and already have some pretty good results. with all the good stuff we can learn here, I bet we will both be into the 50 plus range soon!
The only bad part of having an older car is no scan gauge. But something that will help is to find someone who is a master and have him give you a ride. look and feel what he is doing, then get into your own car and try to imitate what he did. you wont have the instant feedback the sg can give you but will have the knowledge of what it looks and feels like to drive this way to help guide your progress...

MT