[Merc6]

Yeah I like how I can drive from Cleveland to well beyond Breezewood with the needle still on full mark and a floating 400's estimating fuel range to go. Lately I couldn't trickle to save my life, it just wasn't hapeneing for me.

 

[2013LT]

560 miles on the tank, ~ 175 miles to empty. 700 miles seems out of reach but the gold badge should be in hand!!!

 

[Merc6]

Not impossible, you just have to control all undesirable behaviors for THAT ENTIRE TANK OF GAS. That's where I fall short every time. 3 hrs worth of 80 mph is usually on everyone of my tanks, those 8 hr drives get long and stuff closes up by the time I reach my destination.

 

[obermd]

Not impossible, you just have to control all undesirable behaviors for THAT ENTIRE TANK OF GAS.

It's the external undesirables that are hard to control. Your speed, how you accelerate/decelerate, and even how you react to other drivers are controllable. This is why in the introduction to the HyperCruzer thread that Gold will require some luck. If you get stuck behind a multi-car pile up (or the first snowstorm in Denver) you end up sitting for hours.

Long term hypermiling requires you adjust your driving habits and attitude to make the best of whatever conditions you find yourself in.

 

[Merc6]

The route I take kinda influences it but speed is the most of it. Being trapped behind a rolling roadblock doesn't make it any better as you tent to speed away the second you get a window. Sometimes the song and the speed control volume can get you to speed more. I try to avoid certain songs on an open freeway.

 

[2013LT]

The most important thing about hypermiling is planning your route carefully and leaving eeearly. Instead of taking the road that goes 80MPH the whole way take the 45MPH road and get 10-15 more MPG on the whole trip. I've done this and actually gained 1 maybe 2 extra trips to work and back just by changing routes. My MPG went from around 44 to 50+. I'm going to get the gold badge on a 12.8 gallon fill. I might try for 700 miles again on the next tank if I can fit 13.8 - 14 gallons in the tank.

 

[Merc6]

If the government opens, I'll try 2 more times next weekend then call it quits. It's going to snow soon and the winter gas usually comes to haunt us by or just after Halloween. Since my work schedule changed, I should be able to start out early. I used to work 8 hrs, take a nap then drive 8 hrs out of town.

 

[2013LT]

I'm going to purposely see if I can get 50+ MPG with winter gas + snow tires and rims Can't wait to see what happens!!!

 

[Merc6]

Only downfall is letting the car idle to melt the snow while you plow/shovel a path out.

 

[obermd]

Only downfall is letting the car idle to melt the snow while you plow/shovel a path out.

I want the car cold after I do this as I'm usually over heated. The only time I'll let my car idle is while I'm scraping windows, and even this is iffy with the Cruze because of how long it takes to warm up at idle.

 

[Blue Angel]

The only time I'll let my car idle is while I'm scraping windows, and even this is iffy with the Cruze because of how long it takes to warm up at idle.

I use a windshield cover to avoid scraping/scratching my window. I start it and drive it easy after about 10 seconds... Mobil1 5W-30 warmed by the oil pan heater flows quick.

 

[2013LT]

Hmm... I pretty much never idle. Like mentioned there really isn't much point. I didn't know these things had heat assist that rocks though.

 

[obermd]

Hmm... I pretty much never idle. Like mentioned there really isn't much point. I didn't know these things had heat assist that rocks though.

The diesels have heat assist. The rest of us just shiver.

 

[2013LT]

Oh .. So I was right!! (kinda).. in my initial thought anyway. My van has heat assist and I love it, but I don't hypermile my van.

 

[Merc6]

Yeah in 40 degree weather idle does nothing to the needle. One if these days I'll dig up my scan gauge II and see what temps are after a few mins. Takes me 12 mins of driving to get heat in 45-50 weather I wonder what it is in the winter.


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[2013LT]

Best way to get heat up is to keep it up one hear from where it should be.. But that is not beneficial to fuel economy. I can see this car taking ages to warm up though.

 

[Blue Angel]

I can see this car taking ages to warm up though.

You see clearly, grasshoppa! Hypermiling an Eco MT in the winter months does little to generate extra heat for occupant comfort. When it gets really cold out my car doesn't get up to temperature by the time I'm at work, but that's based on my colder-than-most climate. I wear long-johns in the winter...

If I get on the highway and go 60+ MPH it warms up reasonably quick.