Ride: 06 Auto GT, CAI, Tune (currently running 91 octane), about 120 lbs of stuff in the car (subs and other knick-knack), and me 260lb fat ass.
Accomplishment 32.3 avg mpg
Recently I was able to muster 32.3 mpg out of my Stang (take that environmentalists that hate V-8s) and thought I’d share some fuel saving tips.
First off: How I got the 32.3. Nothing special here. I have a 32 highway mile commute to work. There is a 4 lane interstate and an old 2 lane highway I can use. The 2 lane is flat and straight while the interstate has a few small hills. I took the 2 lane after refueling and set the cruise on 55 mph and reset my fuel computer. That’s it. When I got home I was averaging 32.3 mpg.
I used to average between 23 and 24 mpg. I’ve adjusted my driving habits and now average between 25 and 26 mpg. I normally drive the interstate at 70 mph. Speed limit is 65. I have been able to get 27.5 mpg at 70 mph on the interstate. Below is how I do it
1. Cruise, Cruise, Cruise. I cannot stress enough how important this feature is. Use it whenever possible.
2. Slow down. Staying at the posted limit or slightly above it will help. Plus the cops do no seem to frown on 5mph over. Anything over 5 mph is a ticket waiting in my area.
3. Coast to stops. You know your regular commute. Anticipate your stops and kill the cruise well in advance so that you do not have to slam on the breaks at the last minute (wish my wife understood this) It will help you save gas by the engine not having to run as hard to last minute and it saves maintenance in brake repairs. Saves passengers from whiplash. (Once again I wish my wife understood this). Manual guys have the advantage here being able to clutch and save the engine even more rpms
4. Accelerate slowly. This is probably the hardest thing to do. If you need to feel your pony’s power, try accelerating fast to only 35-40 mph. Then use the resume feature on the cruise. This saves me a ton of fuel. I used to watch the fuel meter count down when I would accelerate under foot. Using the resume cruise keeps the meter steady. I even tried babying it up to speed but the resume would still net me better fuel gains.
5. Hills: If you know you need to slow down or stop over a small hill Tap the breaks before you even start up the hill and coast over it. Nothing seems to eat more fuel then the engine accelerating to go up a hill and then you have to brake at the peak or just over the hill.
6. Curves. Ok this one is fun. Keep Cruise on if at all possible and grip the steering wheel as hard as you can as you blast through the 40 mph curves at 70 mph. I’m surprised at how fast you can actually take the twisty’s, even if it feels like the car is going to keep going straight. What I’ve noticed is the Stang feels hairy when you first start a curve but once you’re in it, it feels like it belongs there. Suspension gurus probably have a fix for this.
7. Illegal but will probably help. Roll through stops if you can. Saves by not having to accelerate from a dead stop. Be very careful if you try this technique. I don’t do it nor recommend it.
8. Stay in one lane on highways. Constantly going from lane to lane on the highway can start wasting fuel. It takes more driving time and energy to go the same distance then if you were just driving straight.
9. Get up early for work. It’s cooler in the morning so try to do your driving then. You will have more power so it takes less fuel to maintain your speed while driving.
10. Get a CAI and tune. It can cost you more fuel if you drive it hard, but I think it will save you fuel because less engine RPM is needed to make the power to cruise at whatever speed you are driving at. I don’t know if this is true or not but get a CAI and tune anyways.
Reflection. Fuel prices suck, and it sucks that some of us have to alter our driving to deal with them. It takes an enormous amount of self control to practice some of these techniques. I cannot tell you how many times I’m cussing the fuel prices when I let a Chrysler anything, or any car go around me because I have the cruise set. You know the ones. They think they are cool because they just passed a Mustang GT. Funny though, because you’ll never see them at the track. Of course I cannot talk. I haven’t been there lately either.
The satisfaction I have is that there are not many V8 cars that do break 25 mpg, but it is possible in ours. I don’t think anyone would dispute that they would rather be driving their Stang at $4.00 a gallon gas while achieving 25+mpg vs. an economy car the may get 30 mpg.
If anyone is interested in the thread, let’s hear your feedback. What are you doing to save fuel? Do you even have to worry about it (if you don’t I can send you my bill too)? How do you deal with A-holes that pass you? How totally wrong am I with some of my driving techniques (I know speeding and rolling through stop signs is wrong). Basically above is what I’m doing to deal with the fuel prices and still enjoy my car.
< Message edited by TheRebel -- 5/9/2008 9:04:56 AM >
How do you deal with A-holes that pass you? This doesn't happen very often to me... What are you doing to save fuel? Nothing Do you even have to worry about it? Nope
I didn't buy this car for fuel economy, I piss away a ton of cash every month on all kinds off stuff so mounting gas prices aren't really noticed.
Posts: 16
Joined: 11/29/2007 From: MIlwaukee, WI Status: offline
More suggestions, lose weight and drive a manual tranny...
Cold air does give you more power, but the extra drag due to higher density air is more of a detriment to your gas mileage, than the benefit the extra power provides. Below 55 mph aerodynamics aren't much of a factor, above 55 mph aerodynamics become a much larger factor.
Yes I'm a mechanical engineer, and yes I design vehicles for a living.
The satisfaction I have is that there are not many V8 cars that do break 25 mpg, but it is possible in ours. I don’t think anyone would dispute that they would rather be driving their Stang at $4.00 a gallon gas while achieving 25+mpg vs. an economy car the may get 30 mpg.
If you drove a Focus like you're driving your Mustang, then you'd probably get about 40 mpg! It just goes to show you that the tried and true tricks such as slowing down on the highway and driving smoothly can save a lot of gas.
If anyone is interested in the thread, let’s hear your feedback. What are you doing to save fuel?
I've been driving my C5 more, especially long trips. Combined gas mileage is a little better than the Mustang. Highway mileage might be as much as 15% higher than the Mustang. (Stock to stock it's probably closer to 10%, but my GT has gears, though, which means -2 mpg on the highway for the 'stang.)
How do you deal with A-holes that pass you?
If I feel like driving the speed limit, then I get in the right lane and let the faster traffic pass. It's no big deal. You just have to learn not to care.
How totally wrong am I with some of my driving techniques...
Not wrong at all. Most of it is tried and true. Reducing the amount of unnecessary cargo also works.
< Message edited by wmtheflash -- 5/9/2008 12:47:55 PM >
on long trips i normally stick to the speed limit. ive been getting about 28 mpg, hand calculated not on the dash computer, the dash says im gettin 31. i just hit the cruise at 65. accel smoothly and dont floor it.
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13.4 -white 07 gt- sold black 03 evo VIII not gone down track yet.
Flash, a guy at work has a previous gen Z06. He said he gets better milage than me to. I just wish the tree huggers would see that these cars are not as bad on fuel milage as they would like us to believe.
Flash, a guy at work has a previous gen Z06. He said he gets better milage than me to. I just wish the tree huggers would see that these cars are not as bad on fuel milage as they would like us to believe.
Exactly, they confuse V8 cars with trucks and SUVs. I have a friend with an older V8 Lincoln and he gets mid-20's on the highway. He told me he can get as much as 27 mpg. I think it has 300 hp, too.
Not to say that all V8 cars get respectable gas mileage! I'm pretty sure the GT500 and new Challenger will probably use about 15% more gas than a Mustang GT.
< Message edited by wmtheflash -- 5/10/2008 6:53:25 PM >
Posts: 4140
Joined: 4/6/2005 From: West Los Angeles Status: offline
the 32.3mpg figure sounds way too optimistic for an auto V-8. If you have a tune and mods then I doubt the car's computer mpg readout is accurate, especially if you have non OEM rims. Plus all that extra weight... I'm doubtful.
Of course going only 55 on cruise control, with no stopping will probably get you the best MPG there is. How many rpms does the V-8 do at 55?
I am able to get mileage figures similar to what the original poster claims with no problems. I don't care about people passing me. Their problem. I've also compared the figures I get by hand with what the computer gets and they are virtually the same.
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2005 Mustang GT, sonic blue, manual trans. WMS intake, ARH LTHs w catted x-pipe, CMCV deletes, Aluminum DS, LCAs, Autometer Sport comp gauges, MGW shifter, Polyuerethane engine mounts, 4.10s, UDPs.
I have a tune but no CAI. I can usually get about 28 MPG on the way to work if I set the cruise control to about 75 and this is the computer reading. This is close to what I calcualte, miles driven/gal used. I now also don't care about people passing me;however, once in a while I will let loose for a few seconds.
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Fuel Milage Help.............Maybe - 
RE: Fuel Milage Help.............Maybe - 
