- #98 of 158
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Re: Cruise Control? [dgornstein]
by irishtiger
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May 01, 2008 (10:00 pm)
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Replying to: dgornstein (Jun 08, 2007 6:04 am)
A brilliant website regarding fuel economy and cruise control is http://www.fueleconomy.gov/. When left to our own devices, one tends to either accelerate and decelerate in an attempt to keep in the speed range, Using cruise control on the highway helps you maintain a constant speed and, in most cases, will save gas. The common and correct nostrum is that speeding kills one's gas mileage re:fuel economy, not to mention people at time. Australia has recently run a very effective, and somewhat humourous campaign to keep speeders at bay. Save gas, save lives, and drive oil companies crazy. Check the fuel economy website for tips in saving gas and money.
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- #99 of 158
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Getting more depressed about this
by confutatus
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May 04, 2008 (3:11 pm)
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Replying to: kerry8 (Apr 29, 2008 7:34 am)
I posted a while ago about my roughly 20 mpg in my '08 automatic XR during winter. Well, I've been keeping meticulous track and I have a total mpg of only 23 mpg since i got it in December! Even now, with great weather and including a decent mix of city and highway, the BEST tank I have gotten is 26.5 mpg. I know that is decent, but I was expecting at least 30 mpg in the warmer months. I have only about 3100 miles on the car now and when I called the dealer they seemed VERY uninterested in my concerns, though the window estimated 26 city and 31 highway. These recent numbers are even trying to pump gas slower and refilling about 1/2 tank... Any ideas on what i can do? Even in terms of getting the dealer/shop to take any time to look at it (my 6 month oil change coming up soon).
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- #100 of 158
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Re: Getting more depressed about this [confutatus]
by sharkbait3
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May 04, 2008 (4:19 pm)
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Replying to: confutatus (May 04, 2008 3:11 pm)
If the fuel you are using is the ethanol mix garbage. You are not going go get the best mpg or the best power you can when it comes to combustion. I found my matrix ran great on the good old gasoline. When the switch happened here to go to ethanol mix by legislature my mpg was affected by this. I am sure the numbers on the window are not counting for this ethanol mix fuel mileage. I can't find good old gasoline anymore it this state unless I want to fill up with airplane grade fuel.
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- #101 of 158
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Matrix 2009 touring edition 5 speed M
by dcamarce
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May 04, 2008 (5:58 pm)
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Just finished my free full tank of gas from the dealer, I calculated  30.2 mpg
That is 70% highway and 30% city, right now the mileage is 680K on odo
Will be improved as soon as the break in period been done. not bad for 2870lbs
vehicle with dual VVT engine!
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- #102 of 158
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Re: Getting more depressed about this [confutatus]
by nippononly
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May 05, 2008 (8:22 am)
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Replying to: confutatus (May 04, 2008 3:11 pm)
If you are refilling at half a tank, that may be part of your problem. When you are only putting in 6 or 7 gallons, your margin of error for calculation (based on when the pump decides it is time to cut off) is very high: a difference of 1/2 gallon will appear to reduce your mpg by several points.
Try not gassing up until the fuel light comes on. Run four or five tanks that way and THEN calculate your running average just for those five tanks. I bet you will see your numbers change quite a bit.
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- #103 of 158
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Re: Getting more depressed about this [confutatus]
by mrcranston
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May 05, 2008 (8:58 am)
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Replying to: confutatus (May 04, 2008 3:11 pm)
I also have a 08 automatic - but it is STD. I was getting really low miles too, thinking it was just cold weather gasoline. My father suggested I move up to mid-grade gas because I drive at a high altitude (I'm in Denver) and the weather can get pretty cold here. I've been getting much better mileage - used to average around 23mpg now I'm getting about 28. So even though I'm paying more, the better mileage will even out the cost. You might want to give that a try if you aren't already using mid-grade.
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- #104 of 158
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Re: Getting more depressed about this [mrcranston]
by stevedebi
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May 05, 2008 (9:37 am)
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Replying to: mrcranston (May 05, 2008 8:58 am)
"My father suggested I move up to mid-grade gas because I drive at a high altitude (I'm in Denver) and the weather can get pretty cold here."
One has to be careful about gas in that area. I'm not sure about Colorado, but in New Mexico, the standard unleaded has only 86 octane. I always used mid grade when I visited NM, because my owner's manual calls for a minimum of 87 octane.
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- #105 of 158
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by dudleyr
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May 06, 2008 (6:56 am)
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Actually you don't have to be that careful. Cars don't require as much octane at higher altitudes that is why they sell lower octane there.
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- #106 of 158
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Re: 03 matrix xrs [jtom]
by fallenangelny
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May 06, 2008 (6:23 pm)
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Replying to: jtom (Nov 17, 2006 12:53 am)
That sounds more realisticly and true.
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- #107 of 158
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Re: - [dudleyr]
by stevedebi
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May 07, 2008 (3:23 pm)
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Replying to: dudleyr (May 06, 2008 6:56 am)
"Actually you don't have to be that careful. Cars don't require as much octane at higher altitudes that is why they sell lower octane there."
It seems that Ford / Honda should have mentioned that in their gas recommendations pages.
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