REALLY!?! That's cool.

I can't wait to get my ScanGauge!

 

but just how close is "safe" distance is what im wondering.

 

Wow, do I feel sorry for you! 81 is worse than 80, and that's quite a statement!

 

I'll just take a guess, I'd say 8-10 car-lengths, but I could be way off. What distance is "safe" also is dependent on speed.

 

The Colorado driver's manual states:

1 car length for every 10 MPH traveled. So...
6 car lengths at 60 MPH

60 MPH = 316,800 Feet/hour = 5,280 Feet/minute = 88 Feet/second

An Honda Fit is 157.4 inches long (13' 1"). Let's say a 'car length' is 15 feet long.

6 car lengths = 90 feet. So at 60 MPH, 6 car lengths = 90/88 = 1.02 seconds

So a "Safe" distance at 60 MPH is 90 Feet, or 1.02 seconds.


So that kind guy who was 12" from my rear bumper on my morning commute today (even though I was in the far-right lane going the speed limit - 60) was only 1/88th of a second behind me. I wonder he was being 'safe'???

 

so even at 90 feet away you still get a 30% increase im gas mileage...hmm...i guess i gotta try it out now if i feel like driving slower than most would like to.

 

I'm sorry I may be a little bit out there by saying this, but I don't believe it. I just tested a tank and got 25 mpg. I had an AT all stock honda fit sport ( now has rims on it didn't during the test ). I do all all city driving sometimes lots of traffic some times no traffic. Regular stop lights on the way. It has been cold out. I know I don't have a valid test to compare because most of you guys seem to be in warm climates and do mostly highway driving. I don't know I just find it hard that even though I have all of these things going against me that people are getting 15-20+ mpg better than what I was getting.

Mabey I guess what are you guys doing that much different that is allowing you to get this massive amount of better gas mileage.

Not trying to piss any one off just kinda confused I guess.

 

I don't believe 57 either, but you can believe the methods used by a few on here that have the cleanmpg in their sign. I have seen nothing but 40+ for the last 1000miles. I have also posted all over the place on this form HOW ANYONE with a FIT like mine (manual Sprort) can too.

It's not a secret it's how you drive it.

Spend more time reading and less time disbelieving and you too can get 40+mpg assuming you really want to as opposed to some other goal.

 

yeah 57 is a pretty ridiculous number. but the claims of getting 40+ is completely doable. It just takes cruising at around 60-70 MPH for a while. Under city driving conditions getting around 30 would be considered high so where you're at right now is not to bad.

 

Sorry to revive this thread, but something came to me today that I remembered.

In Canada/Britain we have a METRIC version of the gallon. It is common that local newspapers will run car advertisements with MPG's that are way to high and make no sense.... here is the conversion.

1 U.S. gallon = 0.833 British Imperial gallon

So basically one "Metric" Gallon has more volume than the standard US fluid gallon by almost 20%

Yes I know, this is the dumbest thing ever and I fully agree. Having two versions of such a measurement when there are clearly metric options (like oh I don't know.. liters!!) available is almost purposely misleading.

However it brings up the question; Does Scangauge have a setting for this? If it does this might explain the crazy MPG readings.

 

No, it has been giving me proper US mpg readings for months and I didn't change anything.. I dont even think there is a setting for that. When I drive normally I get about 29 mpg average for an entire tank of just my daily city commute and when I hypermile that same commute for a whole tank I get about 31 average.

Now, I know you'll all just yell at me some more... but on Route 29 on my way back through VA I reset my current average to see what I could do on a hilly road. This road is contstant up and down hills with some small towns and traffic lights mixed in for about 90 miles. There was no traffic so I was able to coast up the hills and accelerate back to 65 down the hills. I ended up getting 51.2 MPG for that leg of the trip. The Tank average turned out to be 38.7 though because I had to go through some cities at the end there.

I know whats coming. "Moan, moan, 51 mpg is impossible because I've never seen it happen."

 

It's certainly possible to get great segments like that. I had a 17 mile rush hour segment yesterday that got me 47.4. Warm temps and less traffic could have made that over 50.

I haven't yet fully mastered coasting up hills yet.
I usually get up to just over 60 on the crest, then coast down, then hold 50 or so on the upside.

 

thats the milage i used to get in an 04 civic hybrid, i currently have an 09 fit and i can tell you i dont see that being very accurate.

 

This thread has been dead for almost 4 years...

 

Yes'suh! Zombies..back from the dead!

 

"Walking Dead" type Zombies... season's over!

 

Good find. There's been a lot of outrageous claims on MPG on the forum. How's your 09 doing?

I currently see 37-38 in my suburban/rural driving world. I've recently switched the OEM dun's for a set of 205/50/16 Conti DWS's and am loving them. Other than that, and a few frills, it's as I bought it.

Oh yea, welcome to the freakworld! - Enjoy the crowd!!

K_C_

 

I put 205-50-16" wheels and tires (Goodyear GT Authority) from wallyworld on my car.... The combo is heavier than my former tires and wheels but wheels have 1/2 less width and 4mm more offset... The tires have a much higher tread wear rating, are ultra high performance all season, stick like crazy in wet and cold and don't seem to have any kind of negative affect on fuel mileage... I think that the width and offset allowing the tires to not be sticking out beyond the fender wells and that most of my driving recently being at highway speeds is the reason for better mileage.. There is a tiny difference in diameter, with the new tires being the smaller, so that would be influencing the mileage to show as lower than it actually is... I got 10% off on the tires and installation since the old lady works 4 days a week at W-M and had read a thread from a guy that was pumped up about Goodyear GT tires or I might have gotten something else... It's nice to be able to pull into a busy road with 50 MPH speed limit and not have to hit 45 MPG in 2nd gear before the tires hook up..

 

New wheels and tires and a deal, sounds like Christmas. Road noise down, ride comfort up?

 

Yeah, I guess I'm over the hill... I like the comfortable ride and reduction in road noise... The way the thing stays planted when I push it hard through a tight left curve makes it difficult to remain upright in the seat and that makes it hard to keep the steering wheel pointed or make corrections if needed.... Keeping the seat back at 90 degrees and pushing on the wheel well with my left foot helps a lot but a racing harness and seat would be better.... What blows my mind is that these aren't soft racing tires yet they grab so well... Maybe It is in my head to a certain extent since I don't drive as fast as often lately. Damn I feel old.