MPG observations after long trip

[ramrat1]

I just took a very long trip (3770 miles) and had some interesting observations in mpg. (mpg was from full tanks driving at those speeds). MPG were from display not calculated.

Driving regularly with distance of 5 miles on cold engines around where I live I usually get 27/28 mpg to a full tank.

On the trip via full tanks:

in ca going 75mph using 87 octane - got 37mpg

up in ID and WY using 85 octane going around 45-50 mph I got 44 mpg and 65mph I got 41/43mpg. Talked to a local person driving a Chrysler PT Cruiser (he asked me first what I was getting and got really mad) he mentioned only getting 22mpg max

in MT using 87 octane driving around 40-45mph i got 41mpg and 65mph i got around 39/40 mpg.

Back in ca 87 octane 37mpg going 68 mph with strong head wind ( i also got 43+ mpg for full tank but that was coming down from a Shasta on the long decent for many miles...).

I wasn't trying to hyper-mile just driving normally. Interesting i got such good mpg with 85 octane (Idaho and Wyoming).

[Resolve]

Well considering the speeds and the fact that the octane isn't that much different then what you were using then that was average I would say not a big difference. A higher octane rating isn't going to give you alot more MPG yes some depending on driving and difference in octanes but usaully only a couple of MPGs if that and if a bigger difference in ratings. Higher octane will help with detonation (why used in higher compression/forced induction vehicles to help prevent pre-detonation), and can burn cleaner than lower octanes.

[JDMJim]

yea, i did the trip to Vegas and back for United in my xB1 loaded down. needed gas every 220-250miles. after filling up in Salina on I-70 in Utah, We went all the way to Mesquite on a half tank. figure that one out

[CXTKRS1]

I never knew their were places in the US with less than 87 octane.

[mcbrew]

Interesting i got such good mpg with 85 octane (Idaho and Wyoming).

Not surprising. Generally, the higher the octane, the lower the BTU content of the gas. Not by much... but you SHOULD get lower fuel economy with higher octane gas. Since our engines are not high compression, there is really no reason to run high octane. The high octane is just to prevent pre-detonation in engine with high compression. In other words, the gas doesn't want to ignite as readily as low octane gas.

Other than that, your numbers look pretty normal. Driving like I don't care usually yields around 35-37 MPG. Most of that is highway, but a little city driving, too. Out on the highway, it mainly depends on speed. If you keep it to 60 or slower, you'll be over 40 MPG for sure.

[ramrat1]

Was sure nice to see 40+ mpg for sure. I knew the car was capable of getting it but have not seen it with my trips before. I will have to try driving slower here locally to see what i can get.

Some of it I attributed to possibly the engine still breaking in as i had 4.5k when i started the trip and now over 7.5k afterward.

[ramrat1]

One thing I forgot to mention. I kept an eye out for Scions and there were very few in on my trip

I saw a total of:
3 TC's
1 Xb newer style 1 xb older style
1 Xd - red with large dent in front bumper

In the bay area ca i see them all over the place but not so on my trip.

[TexXBox]

yea, i did the trip to Vegas and back for United in my xB1 loaded down. needed gas every 220-250miles. after filling up in Salina on I-70 in Utah, We went all the way to Mesquite on a half tank. figure that one out

If you are referring to Mesquite Tx. then it is almost entirely down hill from Utah. And if you had any kind of tail wind then you would have been almost putting gas back in the tank. :)

[JDMJim]

i thought my gas gauge was stuck...lol