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Post by ntrenn on Oct 11, 2012 7:36:48 GMT -6
So....I thought I might share some of my data I've collected over the past few years. The attached file is my fuel economy data as captured from the DIC at fillup and verified/cross checked to the pump reading. Over the last several years, my typical drive is 250 miles or more per trip and mostly highway. I-71 between Louisville, KY and Columbus, OH being one of the more common routes. A typical fillup is 13-15 gallons and I seldom short fill. I assigned seasons to the tanks - anything filled in Nov thru March 1 was considered winter. Anything filled between June 1 and Sept 1 was considered summer. The rest were Fall/Spring. Overall totals 91,594 miles, 3771 gallons, 24.29 mpg By year: 2007 - 23.96 mpg 2008 - 23.96 2009 - 23.94 2010 - 24.79 2011 - 24.87 2012 - 23.90 Each season has its fluke 27 mpg tank, but you can see how fast winter drops off while summer takes a little longer to drop off. Pretty much tells the story of when you can expect to get the best gas mileage.... imageshack.us/photo/my-images/853/auroraseasonalmileage.jpg/Attachments:
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scottydl
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Post by scottydl on Oct 11, 2012 8:46:45 GMT -6
Great data! That is obviously a lot more complete than many judgements made on MPG, that are only watched for 1-2 tanks.
Did you have commonalities in the brand/grade of gasoline used over that time frame?
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Post by nelson480 on Oct 11, 2012 8:59:16 GMT -6
I'm getting like 18 with my 03  Wonder why. She purrs like a kitten |
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Post by scottyaurorav8 on Oct 11, 2012 9:55:58 GMT -6
dont feel bad nelson, i'm at 18.6mpg on my average fuel economy. I do notice with my highway driving, I immediately set to cruise control and anywhere between 60mph to 70mph, ill see my instant around 27-33mpg....
But with my ****** paycheck and rising gas prices I watch my gas expendeture like a hawk. If I put $25 of regular in my tank, ill get roughly 6.5gallons of gas, which will last me 4 days it seems and allows me to drive approx. 200mi.
Its not the best on gas, but its not as bad as my friends charger that sees 15.5mpg lol
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scottydl
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Post by scottydl on Oct 11, 2012 10:21:19 GMT -6
I easily averaged 20mpg on my '99 Aurora when I had it, over 5+ years of ownership and around 55k miles driven during that time. That was about 50/50 city and highway driving. EASY on the accelerator, LONG slow stops, cruise control whenever possible, coasting whenever possible. Those methods really do make a substantial difference, no matter what car you drive. And with the Aurora, of course you've gotta go WOT every so often. It won't hurt the overall average too badly.  |
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Post by ntrenn on Oct 11, 2012 11:45:07 GMT -6
Scotty - I mark down the brand and grade that I put in. About 95% of the tanks are regular grade gas from the cheapest guy on the block. I really could not discern a difference. I ran a premium test for a while where all I did is fill with the highest octane I could get (usually 91) and it didn't seem to make a hill of beans of difference on the mileage side.
As far as under 20 - if you don't get the Aurora out on some flat long runs, sub 20 mpg is readily attainable with very little effort. Cold starts and short trips really kill the mileage. That's the bummer with short trips. When I have good mileage going on a tank, I treat myself to some WOT runs....
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Post by rorafan on Oct 11, 2012 12:05:50 GMT -6
That is awesome data! As far as under 20 - if you don't get the Aurora out on some flat long runs, sub 20 mpg is readily attainable... I'll second that. My daily commute (decent chunk of that being hwy) results in a pretty consistent 22.5 MPG in warmer weather. In-town driving knocks it down considerably - I have seen high teens once or twice when it was only driven in town. Have also seen a high of 27.2 MPG on a long trip at interstate speeds. |
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scottydl
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Post by scottydl on Oct 11, 2012 13:16:38 GMT -6
I ran a premium test for a while where all I did is fill with the highest octane I could get (usually 91) and it didn't seem to make a hill of beans of difference on the mileage side. I did the same test for 6 months straight on my '99 when I had it (there's a thread about it somewhere), and had the same results - no difference in mpg's or noticeable performance. I generally used 89-90 midgrade otherwise on mine, since it's close to the recommended 91 and there were a few stations in town where midgrade cost the same as regular 87. I didn't keep the same kind of data you did though... can't really argue with your numbers. |
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Post by shelbyracing on Oct 11, 2012 17:49:01 GMT -6
I average 19-21 Doing WOT it every time I go anywhere pretty much atleast once. Just not until my oil pressure has stabilized to a warm enough temp to stay consistent with pressure and flow. Also I know my block is pretty uniformly heated as well top to bottom. That way I don't rick anything expanding at a different rate which is bad news. Oil cooler helps keep them nearer the same temp too. Sorry to get off topic a bit just felt the need to explain, I do not beat on my car. I just keep her cleaned out.  Plus it's really fun. I always run premium btw. I did notice a difference feeling the timing retard the one time my tank was bone dry (ran out) and I put about 3 gallons of 87 in there to get me by a nice stranger had offered) at the rest area (he worked there mowing the grass so I know it was good fuel) I coasted to for 2 miles ;D very happy I made it when it said 2 miles next rest area (slight grade too). Anyway I thought something was wrong with my car when I gave it some throttle (not a whole lot either) it hit around 4-5k rpms and was running very strangely and I hadn't near the power I had previously. Drove it like that for about 15-20 miles found a station to put premium in and after a little while it was definitely running better. My wife even noticed  haha. Although I believe your computer will adjust to protect your motor anyway, I just like knowing my comp will tune as aggressively as it can. |
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Post by Marc on Oct 11, 2012 18:41:19 GMT -6
Back in September, I moved from a suburban to a rural area. I am doing much more driving now, but using very little more gas.
Distances between places I go are much greater than where I left, but due to the fact that there is no stop & go traffic here, my 2001 is getting much better mileage.
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Post by scottyaurorav8 on Oct 11, 2012 18:52:04 GMT -6
20-21 MPG!!! man....what are you guys doing? my commute to work is 22miles each way, I'd say it's half and half as far as city and highway driving...I completely grandma it while city driving....and then as soon as I get on the highway I immediately put it in cruise control and my display still only shows 18.6avg. everyday all day! If I floor it, it will drop to 18.4 :/
Oh and BTW...I was puttiong 93 octane in my car and the gas mileage was the same. I read a thread that said you can use 87, so I tried that, and I have no power difference what so ever, and it runs exactly the same, so I have been continuing to use it since the price difference is helpful. Im guessing you guys are just lucky or have factory freaks b.c I know getting this close to 4000lb tank going, is what is killing me, even if I do feather it all the way to speed I want to stay at.....
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Post by nelson480 on Oct 11, 2012 19:57:15 GMT -6
My 99 attained 22mpg always, city or highway. Dont understand whats up with the 03, but she is DRINKING gas compared to the heavier 99
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Post by ntrenn on Oct 12, 2012 7:50:53 GMT -6
Nelson - you need to put a scanner on that 03. Granted the car is a little heavier than an Intrigue, but our LX5 Intrigue gets 21-22 driving to school and it's only a 4 mile trip. FWIW, the Intrigue scaled at 3500 lbs with 1/2 tank of gas, so it's not a whole lot lighter than a 3.5 Aurora...
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Post by wireless on Oct 12, 2012 9:35:48 GMT -6
20-21 MPG!!! man....what are you guys doing? my commute to work is 22miles each way, I'd say it's half and half as far as city and highway driving...I completely grandma it while city driving....and then as soon as I get on the highway I immediately put it in cruise control and my display still only shows 18.6avg. everyday all day! If I floor it, it will drop to 18.4 :/ Oh and BTW...I was puttiong 93 octane in my car and the gas mileage was the same. I read a thread that said you can use 87, so I tried that, and I have no power difference what so ever, and it runs exactly the same, so I have been continuing to use it since the price difference is helpful. Im guessing you guys are just lucky or have factory freaks b.c I know getting this close to 4000lb tank going, is what is killing me, even if I do feather it all the way to speed I want to stay at..... My '99 always got 24mpg. City it was around 18-20. I don't think we have factory freaks, I think you have an issue with your car lol. |
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Post by robaurora01 on Oct 12, 2012 11:47:03 GMT -6
This is why i wanted the v6 model once more. So far since 2000kms ive put on her my avg is 10L per 100km now i dont know what that is mpg but i know its real good for such a heavy car. Tomorrow im doing a good long highway run so will see what she does
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Post by ballenxj on Oct 13, 2012 21:36:07 GMT -6
Well, My Aurora has been getting 26 on the hiway lately which is down from 29 to 31, but I checked my around town mileage today and recorded 18.67 mpg. Bear in mind I had to make a real conscious effort to stay light on the gas pedal though. Also, I just changed my oil to synthetic. Still, 18.67 around town? I can live with that. Can't wait to see if the highway mileage has improved. -Bruce |
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Post by nelson480 on Oct 14, 2012 0:42:50 GMT -6
Just calculated. Light city mostly short highway 316 mi to 15 gallons 22mpg  DIC says 18.9.. what a dummy |
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Post by nelson480 on Oct 14, 2012 0:46:13 GMT -6
20-21 MPG!!! man....what are you guys doing? my commute to work is 22miles each way, I'd say it's half and half as far as city and highway driving...I completely grandma it while city driving....and then as soon as I get on the highway I immediately put it in cruise control and my display still only shows 18.6avg. everyday all day! If I floor it, it will drop to 18.4 :/ Oh and BTW...I was puttiong 93 octane in my car and the gas mileage was the same. I read a thread that said you can use 87, so I tried that, and I have no power difference what so ever, and it runs exactly the same, so I have been continuing to use it since the price difference is helpful. Im guessing you guys are just lucky or have factory freaks b.c I know getting this close to 4000lb tank going, is what is killing me, even if I do feather it all the way to speed I want to stay at..... Say what you want but i notice an immediate difference with lower octane. Mine has always had 93 and even 91 effects it.. |
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scottydl
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Post by scottydl on Oct 14, 2012 7:51:24 GMT -6
Keep in mind that no octane will give you an IMMEDIATE difference, at not a lasting one most likely. It takes the computer a few hundred miles to adjust to a new fuel grade, if you've been consistently using something else before that. You'd need to give it a couple tankfuls of "new" gas to really see what the difference may be.
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Post by ballenxj on Oct 14, 2012 8:26:08 GMT -6
20-21 MPG!!! man....what are you guys doing? my commute to work is 22miles each way, I'd say it's half and half as far as city and highway driving...I completely grandma it while city driving....and then as soon as I get on the highway I immediately put it in cruise control and my display still only shows 18.6avg. everyday all day! If I floor it, it will drop to 18.4 :/ Hi Nelson, I don't trust the computer to give me an accurate mpg reading. I do it the old fashioned way of calculating miles driven & dividing them by the gallons of fuel used. Way more accurate IMO.  Secondly, I have noted that just playing with the gas pedal, ie nailing it will greatly effect overall economy. Every stab on the pedal uses substantially more fuel, and even if you only did it once & played nice with the rest of the tank, the overall economy suffers. -Bruce |
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Post by shelbyracing on Oct 14, 2012 10:04:01 GMT -6
Keep in mind that no octane will give you an IMMEDIATE difference, at not a lasting one most likely. It takes the computer a few hundred miles to adjust to a new fuel grade, if you've been consistently using something else before that. You'd need to give it a couple tankfuls of "new" gas to really see what the difference may be. Yes but also think about it. If it takes a couple hundred miles to adjust to the fuel then you put a lower octane in the computer has to do it's job and adjust timing to prevent pre-ignition. That is when you notice an immediate difference. However if you are constantly running 87 then put 93 in it would take it longer to adjust. There is an immediate difference between the two fuels therefore if your car has sort of tuned itself for 93 and you put 87 in there the car has to adjust for it immediately when the knock sensor picks up on it or destroy the engine. |
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Post by Paulaurora on Oct 14, 2012 10:12:53 GMT -6
i always use 91 and get 26 to 27 mpg if i drive 50% city and 50% highway than get about 23
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Post by ntrenn on Oct 14, 2012 10:20:29 GMT -6
Are you guys remembering to reset the DIC at every fillup? Of all the tanks I've tracked, the most difference I have seen between the DIC method and the pencil-paper method is about 0.3 gallons on a complete fill. You usually give that back or gain it back on the next fill as the car takes varying amounts of fuel depending on it's attitude when fueling.
It's almost like these computers count fuel to the atom......
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Post by shelbyracing on Oct 14, 2012 10:25:59 GMT -6
Are you guys remembering to reset the DIC at every fillup? Of all the tanks I've tracked, the most difference I have seen between the DIC method and the pencil-paper method is about 0.3 gallons on a complete fill. You usually give that back or gain it back on the next fill as the car takes varying amounts of fuel depending on it's attitude when fueling. It's almost like these computers count fuel to the atom...... I was on my way to Ohio one time and my fuel gauge was broke so I relied on DIC. Well I figured too it was probably off a little and I was about 15 miles from my destination, same story as earlier with the rest area..., anyway DIC said 19.6 gallons and car died. |
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Post by robaurora01 on Oct 14, 2012 19:06:01 GMT -6
lol well thats your fault ya should of filled up before hand instead of 100% relying on it and pushing its limits
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Post by shelbyracing on Oct 14, 2012 19:43:12 GMT -6
I was curious anyway lol. I almost made it like 480 miles without stopping for gas, it was the first time it ever ran out too. I was in good spirits about it like no big deal, but my Wife...she was unhappy and I had planned to take the very next exit to fill up again.
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scottydl
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Post by scottydl on Oct 14, 2012 19:51:00 GMT -6
I had planned to take the very next exit to fill up again. Sounds like Murphy showed up right on schedule!  |
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Post by shelbyracing on Oct 21, 2012 11:35:36 GMT -6
From an article I was reading. A little food for thought research
From Smart USA's how-to on increasing the ForTwo's gas mileage: "The engine in your Smart ForTwo requires premium fuel for maximum fuel economy and performance." "Fuel economy using premium is approx. 3 mpg better than regular fuel."
Has compression ratio of 10.1-1
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Post by Marc on Oct 22, 2012 9:54:34 GMT -6
I measured my 2001's mileage today. Because the area in which I live now has no stop & go traffic as opposed to where I left, mileage has gone from about 11 to 20 mpg.
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Post by aloha1286 on Oct 23, 2012 7:28:19 GMT -6
Thank you for that detail report. I always wonder what my actual fuel mileage was for my Aurora.
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haha.
