I had a 92 honda civic 5 sp., dx, 4dr, w/200,000 miles on it. I got ~34mpg around town, 40mpg hwy, and 44mpg in the mountains, descent power (I usually out accelerated most cars off the line, and cruised the hwys at 75mph), low to no emissions and had fun driving thru the mountains. I’m sailing off to Mexico this December so I decided to get the
car stretched and upgraded for a bit more comfort and space, so I just bought a 93 Honda accord lx wagon (5 spd). A definite “chick magnet”,… that is if they have 2 or more kids. The power doesn’t seem significantly different. Hwy mileage is now at 30/31mpg frwy (I can hardly wait to see my 'round town mileage.
Ques.1 How can I get better
mileage? Taller thinner tires? New exotic plugs? I realize the engine had a midlife weight gain and grew to 2.2 ltrs. from 1.5.
Ques.2 Why did I get such great mileage at 6,000 feet +? Was it thinner air so the computer adj. the fuel, or was it going up and down the mountains? If it’s the thinner air can I reduce the air intake?
Ques. 3 Who are all these idiots buying a v8, 300 hp. gas hog? I enjoyed that as a teen but outgrew that esp. w/ gas at $3.00/gal. and rising. Most people never use the power (unless you are trying to pass them). Suckers??? Trying to be macha? Good CONNEDsumers?
It’s precisely because of posts like this that I bailed on CT other than checking in for comic relief on occasion.
The newer Hondas and Toyotas are all bigger, more powerful and heavier, and the gas mileage is worse.
Logical advice for a person who drives 75 mph through the mountains is to SLOW DOWN and you will get much better mileage.
Nervous and jumpy drivers get worse mileage from the same car as steady and easy-going drivers do.
In general the key things to watch, in additon to your driving.
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Make sure the car is in top running condition. A mechanic can quickly determine if the plugs are firing corectly, fuel mixture is optimal, and so on.
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Inflate your tires to 4 lbs over the recommended pressure that’s in the manual or on the door post. Make sure the wheels are aligned properly…
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Make sure your air filter is not clogged with dirt. If you drive in rural Mexico, you will have to change it several times a year.
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Take all extraneous junk out of your car except what is essential.
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If you have a roof rack, take it off when you don’t need it.
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DO NOT buy any advertised gizmos that promise better mileage. THEY DON’T WORK!!
Your driving style and speed are the most important factors in getting good mileage when all it said and done.
???
Mature people often have signs on their desks reading: “Are you helping with the solution or are you part of the problem?” Really smart people have this message PRINTED ON BOTH SIDES! OP would do well to heed the message.
Got it. Thanks.
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Just keep everything in good repair. Keep up on regular maintence. But if your getting 30 MPG you’re doing better than most. The car was rated at 20 MPG city and 26 highway.
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No idea
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Perhaps they realize there’s more to life than getting great gas mileage and can easily afford to buy gasoline. My car has about 400 HP. I get about 19-23 MPG which is perfectly acceptable to me.
My ex-300 HP Lincoln Mark VIII got 27 MPG at a minimum on the highway at 75 MPH with the A/C running and a full load in the car; including one trip coming back from CO in which my wife insisted on bringing a 150 pounds of decorative rock crammed into the trunk. On occasions it would even get 30 and 19 around town was normal.
Since that car has now been wrecked it’s recent replacement Mark VIII was driven back from another state and got 28 MPG all the way.
None of those numbers signify gas guzzler to me and quite likely will meet or possibly exceed the numbers on this Honda wagon.
Of course the Mark pales in comparison to this 92 Honda which has quote: “low to no emissions”. Nice trick if you can do it. The only way I’ve been able to obtain “no emissions” is by cramming rags into the tailpipes but that puts a crimp into the 300 HP figure.
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You’re getting worse mileage because the Accord is bigger.
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I don’t know. Maybe you drive slower in the mountains?
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They want or need the power.
Ques.1 How can I get better
mileage? Taller thinner tires? New exotic plugs? I realize the engine had a midlife weight gain and grew to 2.2 ltrs. from 1.5.
On the highway, get in the habit of leaving home a few minutes earlier so you can get there by cruising 65 or 70 instead of 75.
In town, cure yourself of “driver’s myopia”, train yourself to look as far ahead as possible. See that light that just turned red a half mile ahead? So why aren’t you coasting? The less you use your brakes, the better your gas mileage will be. Avoid high peak speeds, this makes your car fight more air resistance and makes you use your brakes more. If you get good at it, your gas mileage may even go “upside down” that is your city gas mileage will be higher than your highway mileage. Yes, it can be done!
Ques.2 Why did I get such great mileage at 6,000 feet +? Was it thinner air so the computer adj. the fuel, or was it going up and down the mountains? If it’s the thinner air can I reduce the air intake?
A large part of the power your engine makes is used to push air out of your way as you drive. Air weighs more than a lot of people think. At sea level, a cubic yard of air weighs about two pounds. At 6000 ft, it weighs only about 1.5 pounds. Your engine has to do less work and in addition, the thinner air effectively gives you a smaller engine which is operating closer to its efficiency sweet spot.
Also, the ups and downs of mountain roads forces you to “pulse and glide”, which is a driving technique used to set gas mileage records.
Question 3 is a political statement disquised as a question so I will waste no time answering it.
That is CT’s loss. I learned a lot from reading your posts and will miss them.
Ed B.