Itching for 50 mpg again...

[Loren]

Met my boss for lunch today in Clearwater, about a 23-mile round trip. Planned a good route where traffic wouldn't "push" me and I could chill getting there and back. Averaged 52 mpg on the way there, and 51.4 on the way back. Overall trip average was 51.0.

All I did today was keep a light foot on the throttle, coast as much as possible with very light pulsing to keep the speed up close to the limit, look way ahead and time the lights so that I could coast even more, and I turned the ignition off exactly twice at long lights. Oh, and, of course, I never went over 45. It was all in-city driving. If I could make myself drive that way on every trip, I'm sure I could pull off a 50 mpg tank!

Unfortunately, this tank is already blown. I've made two trips where I "drove angry". I was a little frustrated and traffic sucked, and I just didn't care... still managed to pull at least 32 mpg out of each of those trips, but my tank average is only about 38.5 now. Still... I'm only 1/4 way through it. I should be able to see over 40 on this tank.

I foresee another fuel economy run in my future. Wasting gas in the name of science! I have a set of uber-narrow 13" Tercel wheels/tires in the garage that should fit the Yaris. With those... I just wonder...