Gas mileage: WTF

[Dr. Jimbo]

Congrats Vinnie, you win the "Worst S Gas Mileage" award. Sorry to hear 'bout the rotor.

[Vezna31]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jimbo

Congrats Vinnie, you win the "Worst S Gas Mileage" award. Sorry to hear 'bout the rotor.

For some odd reason, I am proud of that.

[Pablo]

Ok, here's one for you meticulous record keepers out there. This question came up over dinner with friends and I didn't know the answer. Does the gas mileage change with the top up vs top down?

[TheSoundMan21]

Pablo I was thinking the same thing the other day. I cant tell cause I have gotten different mileage ever since I owned this car.

[Swingle1]

Good question. My guess is that everything else being equal, top down mileage would be lower-- due to drag associated with the added turbulence.
On the other hand, I only drive top up in inclement weather... so everything else is never equal.

[jagg]

Filled up last night guys.........11.0 gallons to 306 miles. Right on track with what I've always got for fuel economy with the S.
Half with top up, half with top down........this has been my average since I got my hands on this car. Maybe 30-50 miles of "highway" driving in this tank....the rest is twisties, or 'round townin' it.

jagg

[Pablo]

I think the difference would be small and would be very difficult to calculate. I guess one would have to drive the same piece of highway in similar traffic and weather conditions at the same speed etc, etc. I suppose the difference would be greater at faster speeds.

Maybe we need to talk to Mother's engineers and find out which way Stewie is more aerodynamic and creates less drag.

[Vezna31]

Top up is more aerodynamic so you're mileage should increase, but I don't know by how much.

[jagg]

Tonight's fillup report. 326mi. and 11.44 gal on fillup.
28.5 mpg by my cypherin'.

..........Have not been babying it....if anything, I've actually been stepping it up . The S has been driven a few times since November (purchased in Sept.), but I've recently adopted it back as my daily driver. This is my third week straight, and conditions are slowly improving in Yonderland. Still frosty in the AM (I'm scrapin' most mornings, and could be accused of premature S2aculation, considering the local topography)
....... I drive an interesting route daily, that begs to have it's corners straightened, with substantial elevation changes and odd weather trends.

Fuel economy improvment coincidence, or otherwise?
Maybe me 'n the stewie are forming a better driver/machine bond.........Further study is needed.

jagg

[Neil]

You know I havnt had a vehicle in a long time that does the mpg that the honda does, I think its a fandabidozze buggy, and the more I drive the more I like.
I probably go through a tank of gas every three weeks or so.......................so mpg does'nt really matter.

Neil

[Pablo]

Don't know how ya do it Jagg. Must be some kind of magic. I did a gas check on mine just the other day. I did about 80 miles on the 'ole interstate 495 which is flat as a pool table and straight as an arrow. No traffic to speak of, using cruise control at about 75 miles per hour. Result 23 MPG.

[bbcricketta]

jagg: something is not right. you have been to vtech on those 28+ mpg tanks? i laid off of vtec for a whole tank and got around 26 mpg. i have had a couple of tanks where i thought the mileage would be bad and it would be pretty good. and i've had tanks where i thought it would be good and it came out bad. worst i've had has been around 21. mostly around 23-25. i have heard stories of 31-32 on the road with cruise. i will check my records and advise further. my best is the 26. i am not good and broke in yet. i only have around 4500 on the odo.

[flipngo]

I think he might mean$3.96 in euros that works to about $6.29 us a gal.

[Java Junky]

'Know ah'm repeatin' maself . . . Ah sa-a-aid : I know ah'm repeatin' maself . . but I jump into local traffic n' I get 'roun' 20/21. I take'er out pointz west seekin' twisties n' I get 20/21. 'Took'er on a highway trip when Stewie wuz new, but I was smilin' so hard'att I couldn't see whut the pump said when I finally filled up.
'Prolly would'a been 20/21 anyway.

[philiam]

I drive for recreation and to let off a little steam. Lotsa down shiftin
Keeping the revs up in the curves. Get about 22 mpg.

[Java Junky]

'Always been meanin'ta ask Phil . . that body kit on yer red Stewie . . can that be installed in one night . . n' duzzitt cost more'n'a burger?
Those ain't the original wheelz n' tirez, are they?

[jagg]

jagg: something is not right. you have been to vtech on those 28+ mpg tanks?

yes....often. (but not alot once I've got her up to crusing speed)
Like I said, I'm not prone to babyin' the stewie.
I think the key to the route I take is momentum.....I'm using the cars exceptional handling vs. trying to overpower the curves and hills.
I'm generally hovering in 5th and 6th gear, at somewhere around 60mph, and I'm using very little brake. Just a quick tap to set the front end when necessary.
(this may not seem fast, but you've got to factor in the lack of straight road.....the posted speed limit does not exceed 45mph.)

Granted, I have ALOT of practice travelling this route with nearly every kinda car you can think of. Practice does make perfect. I could run it faster, but we're talking gas milage here!!!! Fuel ain't cheap.
As far as fun, fast, droptops......Stewie's the hands down winner in the fuel economy department.

As I said before, further study is needed. If I tweak my driving style a little more, I may be able to close in on 30mpg.

jagg

[Dr. Jimbo]

Hey Java & phil, I think I know why we get in the low 20's. It all boils down to weight. The less the toal vehicle weight (car, luggage, passenger, beer bellies, etc.) the better the mileage. Does that settle the gas mileage discrepency argument?
Maybe jagg only weighs 25 lbs.

[Java Junky]

Doc, ahm thinkin' the snow'z mostly melted n' eez in'a throes a VTEC agi'n ta beat the band . . . r' possibly it'z 'cause the wind whistlin' through'izz earz'z made'im deef.
(Truth be told, methinkz brother Jagg'z installed one'a them magnetic flux-crapazator thingies which'izz warpin' time as'ee seez'itt. Well, that're'eez inta Mamie Yokumz special "go'da-meetin'" batch'a kickapoo-joy-juice agi'n, in which case we should all settle up with brother Jagg'z soon'z possible.)

Jagg . . this run whu'cha be estimatin' yer mileage on . . . wouldn't per chance be comin' down off'a the mountain when yer doon'itt . . . would'itt?
83 glorious turns n' 30 mpg . . wait! That'z the signpost up ahead! We're now enterin' the Twilight Zone!
Ya missed it by 3 days bro.
Java

[Java Junky]

It is with great regret that I'm obliged to inform y'all that I wuz wrong.
(Yeah, I kin hear the communal "Again????" from here)
'Took a highway ride to see my buddy Tony today, n' over a tank'a fuel, Stewie n' me managed 26/27 mpg.
'S'not too shabby.
Tony seemed taken with the silverstone color. 'Think a certain fellow-guido may be keepin'eez'a eyes'a open for one hisownself. Though, I'd'a figgered'im fer red, y'know?
Stewie'z jus' such'a bewitchin' li'l thing.
Java

[yello 5.0]

Just bought the 2001 S, got 30.2 hwy and 26.1 city!

[Vezna31]

Originally Posted by Java Junky

It is with great regret that I'm obliged to inform y'all that I wuz wrong.
(Yeah, I kin hear the communal "Again????" from here)
'Took a highway ride to see my buddy Tony today, n' over a tank'a fuel, Stewie n' me managed 26/27 mpg.
'S'not too shabby.
Tony seemed taken with the silverstone color. 'Think a certain fellow-guido may be keepin'eez'a eyes'a open for one hisownself.
Stewie'z jus' such'a bewitchin' li'l thing, y'know?
Java

See...once again I am proof that spa yellow is the fastest color with my record of 85 miles on a full tank.

[jagg]

It is with great regret that I'm obliged to inform y'all that I wuz wrong.
(Yeah, I kin hear the communal "Again????" from here)
'Took a highway ride to see my buddy Tony today, n' over a tank'a fuel, Stewie n' me managed 26/27 mpg.
'S'not too shabby.
Tony seemed taken with the silverstone color. 'Think a certain fellow-guido may be keepin'eez'a eyes'a open for one hisownself. Though, I'd'a figgered'im fer red, y'know?
Stewie'z jus' such'a bewitchin' li'l thing, y'know?
Java

I think your stewie partial to the cool mountain air Goomba, and thus the boost in economy.
Yellow 5.0 posting 30mpg.........Nice. Vez is posting 7mpg.....Very Nice.
jagg

[philiam]

This is not a group to worry about mileage. I'm tickled to
get 20+ the way I drive. Want mileage? Slow down(yeah right).
Factoring out hills, your pushing air. Drive a steady 55 and you
should do over 30mpg no problem. My 88 Civic averages 35, as much
as 42 on the road.

On tuther hand, the motor home does 10 on a good day. At $4.15
a gal. for diesel it stays home a lot. My old gasser got 5 to 7 on
flat land. We took an 8,000 mile trip a while back with it. Wouldn't
do it now.

[Scooter]

Gas makes a difference, too. I got 28s even with vtech, and suddenly this winter it went down to 25s at my best with coasting and driving cheaply... However, oxygenated gas hit about the same time as my mileage crunch so I'm waiting to see how it goes after regular gas comes back this spring...

[Java Junky]

That'z a real good point Scoot. 'S'worth figurin' inta the equation.

"Tuther" Phil? 'Mind if'n I borry that from time-ta-time?

[v01dy]

Just got through my first tank of gas. After 3 days of commuting, ran to the mountains at 80mph for some spirited driving. Made 25+mpg.

[mike_s_0802]

Well i am on my sixth tank of gas and i have owned my S for about 1 month. i was kinda short on the pocket on week and i had to fill it up with mid grade boy was that a big mistake. no my service engine light comes on when i start it cause of the O2 sensors.
To top it off the idoit that i bought it from put a ACT stage 3, 4 puck unsprung clutch in the damn thing and it is a daily driver. No wonder he just put a new tranny in it before i got it. Now my clutch is goin out and i am in need of a good agrassive street clutch and flywheel kit.

2000 Honda S2K

[Java Junky]

Mike, if yer sufferin' from that ever-popular ailment "Fundz'relow" less than 91 octane is not an option.
But you may be beginnin' ta realize that.
Java

[coolness]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jimbo

I think of myself as an offensive driver and not a defensive driver. And when I say offensive, I don't mean a$$hole, I mean look for the slots, use turn signals and move forward without collateral damage. Not like some of the ricers that just cut through traffic. I'm more of a carver. Way too many people on their cell phones on the freeway in California, you have to treat them like a slolam course.

Wow, that's exactly how I see it. Just a more difficult slolam; on account the cones are moving.

[TheSoundMan21]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jimbo

I think of myself as an offensive driver and not a defensive driver. And when I say offensive, I don't mean a$$hole, I mean look for the slots, use turn signals and move forward without collateral damage. Not like some of the ricers that just cut through traffic. I'm more of a carver. Way too many people on their cell phones on the freeway in California, you have to treat them like a slolam course.

Originally Posted by coolness

Wow, that's exactly how I see it. Just a more difficult slolam; on account the cones are moving.

Thats exactly how I tend to drive. Course there are the rare moments where Ill turn speed racer and might make someone mad. But the other 99% of the time its to fun.

[philiam]

"Tuther" Phil? 'Mind if'n I borry that from time-ta-time?[/quote]

Makes me no never mind.

[js1]

For my commute to work I drive in 4th or 5th on a boulevard and I go between 40 and 50 and I average about 18mpg.

On the local freeways, mixed with my commute I usually get between 22 and 24mpg.

When I go on a trip, usually Sac or L.A. I go between 70 and 90 and I have always gotten just under 30 at 28 or 29mpg.

In out TSX we get sililar numbers, in town where we get about 22 average, mixed we get 27mpg and on the open road we get up to 32mpg...

[VideoGuy]

I've filled up a couple of times since getting my car, and my calculations show that I got about 20 mpg for the first tank (driving a little more aggressively), and about 22 mpg for the second (still having fun but trying to see if I could do a little better on the mpg). That's all in mixed city/highway driving.

All in all, I don't think 20 to 22 is too bad for a car that practically BEGS you drive fast and aggressively. I agree with the person who said that if we wanted high gas mileage, we would have bought a Prius!

[TheSoundMan21]

Originally Posted by VideoGuy

I've filled up a couple of times since getting my car, and my calculations show that I got about 20 mpg for the first tank (driving a little more aggressively), and about 22 mpg for the second (still having fun but trying to see if I could do a little better on the mpg). That's all in mixed city/highway driving.

All in all, I don't think 20 to 22 is too bad for a car that practically BEGS you drive fast and aggressively. I agree with the person who said that if we wanted high gas mileage, we would have bought a Prius!

heck 24-25mpg is about my average. You must be hitting vtec like crazy

[Ualreadykno]

just did 300 miles divided by 11.2 gallons= 27.27 miles. Did absolutely NO vtech with cruise control set @ 65 and 3500 rpm. Kinda boring but I pick and choose my fill ups as far as for commute or for play. Ill post the "Play" miles from a tank full using more vtech shortly.

Did I mention I STILL looked good going slow?!

[J'sS2K]

It's not fun driving around in the S2000 and trying to save gas at the same time. The car lives at 4,500RPM and above!

[mgm]

I'm impressed with the gas mileage. I've had my car for 1 year.

Lowest I've gotten is 22 (in the winter months) and the highest on a trip last summer was 31.

But normal driving hitting vtech on occassion getting 27-28.

[Java Junky]

Okay, jus' posted a 300+ mile trip.
I'm convinced that the gastank is odd-shaped resultin' in the level droppin' at diff'rent rates dependin' on the section'a the tank that the level izzatt.
Second recorded time that this has happened: goin' up to Conn. I used up (accordin' to the iddy-biddy blocks in'a gas gauge) exactly half the gauge. Comin' back (complete with damn-near a half'a @*#&in' hour on the TappanZee while 5 'r 6 lanes were funneled down ta 2) if I used a third of the gauge I used alot.
As both legz'a this particular journey covered the same geography, up n' back, that would seem a liddle odd, would it not?
So, as this has happened, n' a duplicate trip produced the same resultz, I can only conclude that the shape'a Stewie'z tank is smaller at the top n' wider'z it gets towards the bottom.
Anybody got a tank flick?
Java

[2002S2KDJS]

Originally Posted by Dr. Jimbo

I don't get it. I see posts of 25 to 30 mpg. I have a K&N FIPK and people report better gas mileage. I got 20+ mpg last tank. Sometimes I get 22 to 23. I've gotten 25 to 26 on long freeway trips. I don't drive that hard. On a tank that I hit vtech a lot, i'll get 20 to 21. If I'm conservative, 22 to 23. How do you get 25+ consistently? 65 miles per hour with cruise control on? I use Shell V-Power (V for Vtech) and change my oil regularly with Mobil 1 synthetic. Any other suggestions than driving my S like a little old lady?

I recently drove from Connecticut, where I bought the car, to South jersey... 3 1/2 hour ride. I managed pulling, with the top down, 28.4 mpgs. I had to cruise set to 72 and drove aggressively about 7-8 times on the way (power downshift to teach lessons)