19k mile report - Fuel

So, I wanted to chime in and let everyone know my fuel consumption/usage..because, everyone is entitled to my information :)

I frequent trips from San Diego to Nipomo, 300 mile trip..actually 280. I don't drive with such a loaded truck, so my trips are with similar weight. I pump gas before I leave and pump as soon as I arrive and do the math. I usually leave about the same time at night to avoid most traffic. My trip times are pretty consistent..that is, until I started to drive at a different speed.

My usual trips were 75 mph, cruise, 18.2 mpg.

My recent trip:

Cruise 70, 20.4 mpg
Cruise 65 24.65 mpg
Gas costs 3.39 for 87 oct
You can chart this in excel which could basically tell you that:
65 vs 75 mph will take you 37 more minutes, but will save you 14.62. 27%

You know.. i never thought that I'd get over 20 mpg. But I was patient and went 65. There were some times where the turkey traffic went slow, but since I was going 65, i only had to slow to 55 here and there..because everyone was passing me up... its funny how you see them pass you up..then when it slows down you catch back up to them.

I hope that this information was useful to some.

See what your truck can do. Do the same trip at those three different speeds. I think I'll just drive a little slower and listen to the ipod or what not.

Also, many of us may travel an average of 30 miles or less each way. Did you ever consider that for a trip of 30 miles the travel time difference between 65 mph and 75 mph is only 4 more minutes? Which means that on a 15 mile trip, the travel time difference is only 2 minutes? Heck.. you can have a quickie in that amount of time.

Its not that much time...but you can save more gas if you just drive slower ;)

I use my motorcycle when I have the need for speed.

I have always found when the rpm's are slightly below 2,000rpm's I get the best
gas milage. My last two hwy trips on interstate at 65-67 gave me 23.mpg

I have over 30,000 miles now and intown continues to be the problem.
13-14 depending on how bad traffic is.

We love our Ridgeline and it will be 3 years old April 27, 2008

My usual trips were 75 mph, cruise, 18.2 mpg.

My recent trip:

Cruise 70, 20.4 mpg
Cruise 65 24.65 mpg
Gas costs 3.39 for 87 oct
You can chart this in excel which could basically tell you that:
65 vs 75 mph will take you 37 more minutes, but will save you 14.62. 27%.

I have always been able to get these numbers... glad to see i am not the only one...

Thanks for the info namster, i will have to try this myself.

your time saving, vs fuel saving logic does not apply to everyone.

I have a 30 minute portion of my 1+ hour morning commute where I set the cruise control @ 85 mph. If I was to se it at say 75, or 65, I would cost myself 5 and 10 mins respectively. theose 5-10 minutes in the morning would put me behind the traffic, and end up costing me 10-20 minutes for the last 30 mins of my commute.

If I did not hustle on my 150 mile day round trip commute I would be stuck in even more traffic not moving, and burning more fuel than I already do($600+ per month).

Did you ever consider that for a trip of 30 miles the travel time difference between 65 mph and 75 mph is only 4 more minutes? Which means that on a 15 mile trip, the travel time difference is only 2 minutes? Heck.. you can have a quickie in that amount of time.
That translates to good quality time on the ROC my friend... :D



I have a 30 minute portion of my 1+ hour morning commute where I set the cruise control @ 85 mph. If I was to se it at say 75, or 65, I would cost myself 5 and 10 mins respectively. theose 5-10 minutes in the morning would put me behind the traffic, and end up costing me 10-20 minutes for the last 30 mins of my commute.
Or you could leave 5 to 10 minutes earlier in the morning so you could set that cruise at 65... :p

brich,

leaving the house @ 6:00 a.m, not to return until 5:30 p.m. if I am lucky is early enough thank you. Good idea though.

Also the speed limit on the first 30 mins of my ride is on an interstate where the speed limit is 65 mph. If I was driving that slow I would be the one getting flipped off as I was passed, not the other way around. :)

That 5-10 minutes earlier logic doesn't always work with traffic patterns.

I can leave work at 5:15, and I will get home at 6:15-6:20. I can leave work at 5:45 and get home at 6:20-6:25. I can leave work at 6:00 and get home at 6:25-6:30. All of this is without varying my driving habits - it is strictly traffic patterns. Even the weather doesn't make more than the 5 minutes of difference I listed.

your time saving, vs fuel saving logic does not apply to everyone.

I have a 30 minute portion of my 1+ hour morning commute where I set the cruise control @ 85 mph. If I was to se it at say 75, or 65, I would cost myself 5 and 10 mins respectively. theose 5-10 minutes in the morning would put me behind the traffic, and end up costing me 10-20 minutes for the last 30 mins of my commute.

If I did not hustle on my 150 mile day round trip commute I would be stuck in even more traffic not moving, and burning more fuel than I already do($600+ per month).

.. to each their own. You do what you need to do. I wish everyone safe travels :)

brich,

leaving the house @ 6:00 a.m, not to return until 5:30 p.m. if I am lucky is early enough thank you. Good idea though. I hear ya... I leave between 6 and 6:15am myself in hopes that I get to work by 7. And I'm only going 25 or so miles away... :(

Also the speed limit on the first 30 mins of my ride is on an interstate where the speed limit is 65 mph. If I was driving that slow I would be the one getting flipped off as I was passed, not the other way around. :)Nice... I only wish my commute allowed me to see the speed limit. Although bird sightings are almost a daily event... :p

That 5-10 minutes earlier logic doesn't always work with traffic patterns.
Same logic as going 85 to get 5-10 minutes ahead of the traffic. I work a 7am to 4pm shift to try and avoid the heaviest of the commute. But it seems a lot of people are using THAT same logic. The part I don't get is why does it take me 35 minutes to get to work on a Friday morning yet the same ride home that night takes me and hour and a half? Seems like only half the people go to work in the morning and 3 times as many come home? I still can't figure this one out... :D

I don't go to work. :D ... 5yrs. 2 months now.

And I still get lousy mileage except on long trips at constant speeds, 70 - 75mph.

I still drive like there's no tomorrow and I'm going to be late for work. :(
Thats the reason for my poor mileage.

Old habits - hard to break. :o

brich,

leaving the house @ 6:00 a.m, not to return until 5:30 p.m. if I am lucky is early enough thank you. Good idea though.

Also the speed limit on the first 30 mins of my ride is on an interstate where the speed limit is 65 mph. If I was driving that slow I would be the one getting flipped off as I was passed, not the other way around. :)

6:00 am? I've been at work for 10 minutes already! and for 9 years I worked a ten hour shift so I didn't get home till after 5:00 pm. also.
I would get up 10 minutes earlier if it saved me $162/month ($600 x 27%) :eek:

I do not think there would be any savings by leaving 10 mins earlier just to drive 10-20 mph slower.

I get 19 mpg with the cruise set between 80-85 mph, and that is good enough mileage for me.

Also I have alot more money than time, so that 10 mins a day is almost an hour wasted per week, not worth it.

I know I save much more time than that since I am the one actually doing the commute, as I have been for the past few years. As an example for every minute I leave the house late, or do not make up on the first stretch of the commute, puts me almost 5 minutes behind when I get into the heavy traffic areas closer to Chicago in the mornings. I still wouldnt trade a short commute for living where I do. A small sacrifice to live in a quiet area.


Finally I like driving fast, 55, or even 65 is too slow on open country interstates.

I do not think there would be any savings by leaving 10 mins earlier just to drive 10-20 mph slower.

I get 19 mpg with the cruise set between 80-85 mph, and that is good enough mileage for me.

Also I have alot more money than time, so that 10 mins a day is almost an hour wasted per week, not worth it.

I know I save much more time than that since I am the one actually doing the commute, as I have been for the past few years. As an example for every minute I leave the house late, or do not make up on the first stretch of the commute, puts me almost 5 minutes behind when I get into the heavy traffic areas closer to Chicago in the mornings. I still wouldnt trade a short commute for living where I do. A small sacrifice to live in a quiet area.


Finally I like driving fast, 55, or even 65 is too slow on open country interstates.

Was just my opinion. I respect your decision to sleep in. Just please remember to drive safe!

I am a creature of habit, I leave the same time everyday for work and tend to match my driving with the conditions I am faced with.