Do you really mean 4th and not 5th? And, if indeed 4th, wouldn't shifting into 5th improve your gas mileage even more?

 

I have been told by many car techs that I know, never to use an overdrive gear unless traveling 55+ MPH. Would it be ok to use 5th gear at 50 MPH? One tech is the guy who replaced the transmission in my S2000, so he is very knowledgeable.

 

Why never? Does it harm the transmission to use overdrive gears at lower speeds?

 

They have told me yes, it puts more stress on the transmission. More stress = more heat and thus premature wear. Although, 50 MPH is rather close to 55, it may be safe. And from what I can remember the Honda manual says to use the highest gear you can without the engine cutting off. I don't have access to my car at my current location, can someone confirm this???

By the way, I have finaly got used to the Fits gear ratios. Being used to my S2000, it was not easy. Now that I'm completely used to it, I will test my 0-60 MPH time using a GTech meter. I'm hoping to get 8.0 seconds or quicker. I'll post my results soon.

 

Bunch of baloney! I have 212,000 miles on my Integra. I bought it new in 1990 (so it has had my drivng pattern for 16 years) and it is geared about the same as the Fit. I am in 5th gear at 35 mph if I am just cruising along. If I am accelerating or going up a hill I may shift at 45, but I am always in 5th before 50 unless I really need power to pass or accelerate.

 

I have always shifted into the highest gear for the situation. If I am just cruising along, I will be in 5th at as low as 30-35mph. Granted, a downshift or two would be necessary for any acceleration, but if you are just coasting, it shouldn't stress the transmission any more than having it in a lower gear.

 

Dunno guys, and I'm skipping a lot of post... other than this very last tank, almost down to the 3/4 mark. and off by quite a bit.. bit over 5000 on the car, just changed the oil yesterday, but my milage at 3/4 fill averages 351-381 on 3/4 tank. I'm usually on the gas unless i'm on a photography search. or garage saling laugh.

 

Talon - you seem to be getting soooo much higher mileage than most here - around 40-ish??? Can you give more info on your car - any modifications? tire pressure?

Most people seem to get 33-35 mpg or so...but to find people with 24-26 and other with 40+ - trying to find out what some are doing right and others are doing wrong..it looks like i'm in the 33/34 range now with around 400 miles on the car...want to improve that if possible....

 

I tend to get on the gas. The straights what there are of them I tend ot really get on the gas. (Ok I have a lead foot., snicker) lots of the roads here are back roads, rough, bumpy etc.. some highway, freeway... ran a couple of tanks at 10 lbs lower tire pressure. put it back in....(not cause the milage changed but cause I didn't like the ride) it's not totally empty cause I tend to haul stuff like cat food, furniture, etc around in it. I run a/c probably part time.. and usually only when it gets over 90 (never ran ac on previous cars so I tend to open windows and stuff rather than think about it) I live just west of mt rainer so I've been running up there a lot taking photos and stuff plus it's cooler usually 5k up the hill laugh.
The car is a sport M/T

 

yeh I don't do fast starts...I know my rpms even at 70/75 (when I went to yakima) the rpms usually didn't get above 2500

 

Ok filled last night.. 7.5 gallons, 291.5 miles (knew I was getting crap miles due to oil needing to be changed grin) still 38.8 per. Will also see how it goes with the octane, filled at Cenex rather than arco or chevron yesterday and their regular was 89 rather than 87.

BTW fm2n, I should smack you for making me spit tea at my monitor.. the vid is WAY too funny.

 

If I start driving like a grandma.. Ok maybe not the grandma's I know drive 4x4 and go stump jumping.. laugh. I'm not saying I never have it over 3k on the tach. just normally its not there, and I power through curves, stand on the gas sometimes etc...yep I use cruise in LONG open roads cause it keeps me off the pedal. well somewhat.. there IS a reason I have the sticker on the ass end of I'm not speedng, I'm Qualifying. laugh

 

I've been keeping track of my gas mileage since I got the Fit. With the amount of driving I do, I desperately needed a hi-miler like this. I'm at just about 3800 miles on my odometer, so it's still not where Honda considers it truly broken-in (for fuel efficiency).

This last tank was about 60% highway, 40% city. A/C was on about 80% of the time since it's been so hot this summer.

Total Miles: 349.5
Gallons Used: 8.327
--------------------
= 41.972 MPG

My worst tank was 28.28 MPG. Everything else has been mid to high 30's. This was my best ever. I really did not believe others who have reported even 45+ mpg on road trips, but now I do. I'll be doing a 6-hour road trip this coming Labor Day weekend. It'll be a great chance to test my pure highway mileage.

By the way, I have a Blue Sport Fit with m/t.

 

Base model 5 speed:
1st tank, 37.8 mpg
2nd tank, 39.6 mpg
3rd tank, 38.2 mpg
80% Highway, 80% AC on
Broken in now so I'm revin it higher, probably be downhill from here.

 

Well my overall average continues to climb. My last fill was #11 and I got 38.8 combined city/highway with my lifetime average bumping up to 36.1. Figure 5 days a week I'm almost 100% highway to and from work. Weekends see a almost complete oposite of my work week driving. I have 3500 miles on the car now and my average continues to climb. I couldn't be happier.

 

i get 34.5 on last weekend and this tank is half full and 220 miles so far......

is geting better!!!!!

 

First tank of gas: 35.3 mpg or 6.68 L/100 km (mostly city). I'm pleased.

 

33-35 mpg, with a manual
I do a lot of highway driving, but I also rev it up a lot and blip downshift.

 

Ok I had an intresting experience today in my Fit Sport MT. I filled up at gas station and immediately got onto the interstate. I was able to use cruise control and ran about 78mph. I noticed some distance into my trip the gas gauge was not moving much at all. I stopped after 94mi to get some food, and the needle had just got to the "F" (normally when full it sits a bit above the F). I was blown away as I have never gotten that far with the needle moving that little. I decided to top off the tank and check the milage, I only put in 1.7 gallons! That equals ~55mpg! After getting food and thinking about how surely impossible that was, I stopped back at the station again thinking maybe I hadnt topped off the tank enough. I managed to squeeze in another .3 gallons but it stopped 3x and I had to 'force it'. That still equates to ~47mpg. Very surprised at this.

On my trip back I got 38mpg but there was quite a bit of city/backroads driving involved.

 

Sport M/T - entire mpg history since May 29th...

The 44 mpg I don't understand. Going from 5,000 ft to 9,000 ft through numerous switchbacks and back down again. Didn't expect it to be good at all.

256.40 8.49 30 city
291.20 8.07 36 hwy
286.00 9.29 31 city
72.30 3.82 19 city
274.30 7.05 39 hwy
322.30 8.30 39 hwy
278.20 7.74 36 hwy
356.00 8.16 44 hwy
365.40 9.77 37 hwy
254.70 6.73 38 hwy
286.20 7.33 39 hwy
165.20 5.00 33 mixed

3208.20 89.73 36