My quest for 30mpg (Update: Booyah!)

[ChenZhen]

Well, removing the spare didn't seem like a big risk to me, since I've never had a flat. In fact, when I pulled the thing outta there the spare was flat so it wouldn't have done me any good regardless. I suppose if I'm going on a road trip, I'd bring one of my stockies along, but if I'm on my way to work and blow a tire, I'd probably call my buddy and have him bring me a wheel from my garage. Blowing a tire is a headache no matter how you cut it.

you should be way over 28.6 if your driving carefully!

my record FOR A FULL TANK is 37mpg on the v6 atx.

pulling weight really doesnt add up to too much, trust me on that one, between a car gutted to the hilt and crammed with all my lifes possesions was ~3mpg difference on pure hwy driving. I'm sure it'd be a sharp contrast if it was city.

remember things like making sure your wheels are in proper alignment will make a big difference, along with the condition of your wheel bearings. also may want to make sure your fuel filter is changed and your plugs/wires are in good shape.

Yea that's good advise. This coug has about 67K on it right now, plus the suspension mods I've made I'm sure we're not at full efficiency and there's a lot more I can tweak.

I just figured I'd start a thread for myself and others, so I'll update as I go.

[NorCalCoug]

Try driving 55mph on the freeway. Huge difference when you're under that 60mph magical drag barrier.

[Tygerr]

Removing the spare isn't going to save you much in terms of gas mileage.

You should easily be hitting 30mpg freeway without all that work, as long as you take it easy and do the speed limit.

[ChenZhen]

Originally Posted by Tygerr

Removing the spare isn't going to save you much in terms of gas mileage.

You should easily be hitting 30mpg freeway without all that work, as long as you take it easy and do the speed limit.

I should probably weigh it, but with the seat, sub box, spare, and the extra weight of the stock hood I'm probably a good 200lbs lighter than where I was a few years ago when nobody cared about gas prices. Now, I figure that, especially in the city when you have to get up to speed from a cold stop, that extra 200lbs would make a difference. Is it going to double my gas mileage? No. But every little bit helps, and I'm giving it a shot with the stuff that's really easy to put back in if I want to.

[Gorman]

i drove for a while with over inflated tires (not intentionally) ..it made the car wander on the freeway at higher speeds, understeer in the rain and twitchy round bends even when dry. I was glad to get the correct pressure in those fronts, i can tell ya. The best way to improve MPG is to be smooth and anticipate the traffic ahead. For the V6 guys, shift before the secondaries open..G.

[B3NN3TT]

Start an account at My Mile Marker. It's a pretty slick service to monitor your fuel economy. It records your fuel purchases, mileage, and and price, and graphs it all. You can submit your numbers online, or directly from the pump using SMS through Twitter.

I've been using it for about 10 months now. I am averaging 22.4 mpg since then, and my Saturn is averaging right about 30 mpg.

[Goldie]

similar to the site b3nn3tt posted, I've been using Portland Gas Prices - Find Cheap Gas Prices in Oregon (or insert your own city) since mid 2005. Since then, my average is 19-24 for everyday driving (rush hour 25 mile each way in stop/go freeway traffic rarely getting over 30 mph) and 26-28 on out of state trips (likely cruising around 75mph with some random stops).
Driving out to CF, I am "planning" on averaging around 28-30 - so as long as I don't get board and speed, think I should come close.

I also have been noting oil changes, sparkplugs and seafoam and have noticed zero difference for the tanks of gas following. Not to say new plugs and oil changes and whatnot don't improve efficiencies, but based on my records, there has not been any noticeable changes for the better - could have just been the tanks following those things had unusually slow traffic or other reasons to bring the mileage down - idk.

(for example, my tank prior to using seafoam averaged 21.3mpg. the one after was 19.29 and the next 19.08. So 550 miles after using seafoam, my mileage lost more than 2mpg.

[99CougTRX]

I've been getting 31.2 forever. I can't get over or under that mark. I live in the mountains and average 45-55mph everyday to work with pretty hilly terrarin. The Cougar has a V6 and a 5speed manual. Maybe the manual is why I'm getting so much, but i think the auto is rated the same.

[Joey]

as if you guys are kicking off about petrol prices! europe dream of what you lot pay... £1.15 per litre.

(one US gallon = 3.785411784 litres) (£1.15 = $2.28)

so for your perspective, i payed $8.63 a gallon today!! my girlfriend in sweden 2 or 3% less than me.

I cant get a straight up to date answer on what you pay though, but i know it cant be far from the $3 per gallon mark. obv i know canada are paying more.

i read somewhere that a dude got his cougar for better mpg, over here, the cougar touches the limit of what is acceptable.

rant over...

[SlowCat]

Yes, Americans are complaining over $4.00 a gallon gas prices.... $3.98 last time I filled up to be exact. I know europe has had much higher prices than us for a long time, most countries have higher gas prices. When I went to the bahamas about 8 years ago they were paying about what we are now, so I can't imagine what it costs now.

You have to remember americans are... how should I put this ... spoiled & whine when things don't go their way. But remember, compared to what we are accustomed to paying for gas, it is high. When I started driver gas was about $1 a gallon, that was only 5-6 years ago.

People in america have it easy in many ways & complain when things go down hill even a little. Here the edge od what is "acceptable" for far to many people are huge SUV's that are lucky to manage low teens for gas milage.

Personally I would love a small care like a Smart Roadster. Over here though, espcially 6-10 years ago, when cougars were being built they were on the small end.