What are your tricks?

[natethegreat38]

Originally Posted by Mikeb Yaris

My "Tricks"

1) Look for every opportunity to take your foot off the accelerator (DFCO)

2) Tires @ max pressure (44psi)

3) Drive Speed Limit or slightly under

4) Shut off engine at construction zone lights (long lights)

5) Put AT in N at short lights (idle w/o load)

6) Back off accelerator while attempting to maintain constant speed (attempting "Hang Time" w/o scangauge)

7) Cycle AC off and on - on for the shortest period of time necessary to be comfortable

8) Avoid drive throughs like the plague

Currently averaging just under 42 mpg - high tank 43, low (first tank 38).

One thing I observed - driving for best mileage is very difficult on roads you aren't familiar with. We took a trip this past weekend through missouri hills and I was in a constant state of mpg panic! I was trying to DWL, but I think I failed. Yielded 41. I had hoped for much higher considering the amount of highway miles on this trip! :(

I asked this before the hack - when do you cross over from "cautious driver" into "hyper-miler"?

I'm not one to tell people what to do, but you may want to re-consider inflating your tires to the max pressure; sure you'll get better MPG, but you will wear your tires prematurely down the center of the tread and will have to replace them much sooner than normal. By having to purchase tires sooner, you will be eliminating all the savings that you have accumulated. Just my $0.02

[Mikeb Yaris]

Just calclulated it again...must have hit the wrong button cause I actually got 43 this weekend....I'm better than I thought! lol

[Mikeb Yaris]

"I'm not one to tell people what to do, but you may want to re-consider inflating your tires to the max pressure; sure you'll get better MPG, but you will wear your tires prematurely down the center of the tread and will have to replace them much sooner than normal."

I've seen that argued for folks who go over max on the sidewall. Understand I am still within the limit set by the tire manufacturer. I think it was on cleanmpg that I read a big argument on this topic, so, as a non-expert, I'll only say that from my perspective it is yet arguable either way. I'll watch it, since the tires are obviously brand new, and report if I see any excessive / uneven wear.

[natethegreat38]

Yeah, please keep me informed! :)

I work for Yokohama Tire and see this time after time. With good intentions of getting the good gas mileage, people over-inflate their tires to the max pressure listed on the sidewall and wear the tires out early, then call to complain that the tires wore out early. I would be interested to know if your tires yield a different result.

[Mikeb Yaris]

It should be easy enough to spot, I would think. I pay pretty close attention to tire wear and my wife is a real tire wear hawk - insisting that I replace tires much earlier than I would on my own. I do a little over 1,000 miles per month, so it may take a few, but uneven wear on brand new tires should be a no-brainer.

[Mikeb Yaris]

P.S. Of course, my own experience won't prove anything to anybody but me! lol Results not typical and mileage may vary yaknow.

[natethegreat38]

haha!

[Sodium Duck]

Since you're in the tire business --

If a person does run at the max sidewall rating, would you still honor some kind of warranty? Technically, nothing wrong was done by the consumer. If you don't want them to run it at 44psi, then reprint your tires with say 35psi on the side.

[natethegreat38]

Originally Posted by Sodium Duck

Since you're in the tire business --

If a person does run at the max sidewall rating, would you still honor some kind of warranty? Technically, nothing wrong was done by the consumer. If you don't want them to run it at 44psi, then reprint your tires with say 35psi on the side.

Sodium,
This is a valid question that we get often. Proper air pressure has already been calculated and is provided by the vehicle manufacturer on the door placard. This calculated pressure takes into consideration vehicle weight, and load capacities of the tire.

The max inflation pressure on the sidewall of the tire is there as reference if you are planning on completely loading your vehicle with passengers and cargo.

Technically the person is doing something wrong: they are not keeping the tires properly inflated- and "properly inflated" will vary; if you are a sales rep and work out of your car and you have it full of product, then you would be properly inflated if you put max inflation. If you drive your car to school, work, etc... and usually keep just a few belongings in the car then you would be properly inflated if you inflate to door placard.

Ultimately, Yokohama honors the warranty depending on an inspection done at an authorized retailer. If you took your tires to one of our dealers and they see uneven wear of any kind (under-inflated, over-inflated, alignment, etc...), they know that it will not be covered under warranty. Now, keep in mind that I am only talking about a drastic difference between tread depths. If you take your tire in for inspection and there is only 1/32" difference between the center of the tread and the rest of the tread, then that's really no big deal. If there is like 3/32" or more, then we have a problem...

[aca72]

Try this: Remove your junk from the trunk. If you are daring enough, remove the spare tire.

[Woody_Woodchuck]

I have a Scan Gauge and it definitely has helped me to increase mileage. My commute has lots of hills and long slopes. The slopes are long but not steep enough to turn the car off and the hills are too short and steep to make it worth while. Also lots of traffic in the area so I can not fall more than 10 mph below the posted limit or I back up traffic and feel it is unsafe. Made it harder for me to find what is working for max mileage. I’m now getting 44 MPG US tanks and lifetime average (3,100 miles) is 43.15 MPG US.

- Tires to 40 psi – I think the ride really sucks at 44+ psi
- No extra crap in the car (I do still have the jack and spare!)
- Gentle accelerations
- DFCO or coasting to lights, stop signs and turns
- Anticipate stops and turns
- Gain momentum on down hill stretches
- Lose momentum on the up hill stretches
- Lots of distance between the car in front
- Speed depends on traffic flow; keep from 10 over to 10 under the limit

I tried DFCO on the short, steep hills and I now accelerate on the downhill and decelerate on the up hills. Pulse and Glide using gravity! On the long highway slopes I’m finding the speed I need to be at when starting up to make it to the top w/out going more than 10 MPH below the speed limit. Example: On one slope if I am at 62 mph I can make the 1.5 mile slope getting a constant 40 mpg (scangauge) and be at 55 mph by the top. If I start at 60 or 59 mph I will be going less than 55 mph and feel I have to accelerate (getting 30 – 32 mpg readings) to be at a safe speed, therefore getting worse overall mileage.

I found that on my 45 mph speed limit back road section I get better mileage going 50 mph average than I do at 40 or 45 mph.

On the long slight downhill highway slopes I accelerate gently to the needed speed for the next hill. This may take all of the mile or two downhill or only a short portion of it. Experimentation helped me find out which worked better.

I do expect there are techniques to get me better mileage on my commute. I am still experimenting. Voodoo22 is going down with his PALTRY 50 MPG TANKS!!!

[Mikeb Yaris]

Here's an interesting (I think) observation...

Driving becomes second nature and driving habits truly ARE habits! In two days of my bet with the wife, I have caught myself using DFCO, accelerating very slowly and popping the AT into N at trafic lights. I am having to make a conscious EFFORT to drive "normal"!

[TheUnGroomed]

Originally Posted by Mikeb Yaris

Here's an interesting (I think) observation...

Driving becomes second nature and driving habits truly ARE habits! In two days of my bet with the wife, I have caught myself using DFCO, accelerating very slowly and popping the AT into N at trafic lights. I am having to make a conscious EFFORT to drive "normal"!

Are you saying that you have caught yourself saving gas, and you have to put effort into not saving gas?

[Mikeb Yaris]

Originally Posted by TheUnGroomed

Are you saying that you have caught yourself saving gas, and you have to put effort into not saving gas?

Bizarre, isn't it?

[Bob_VT]

My yaris seems to get better mpg on mid-grade gas.

Try it out for at least 2 or 3 tankfulls and I think you will find that out...... at least I did. I figure it is worth the extra 80-90 cents per tank.

[AznGouki]

Spare tire delete on first day. I'm gonna have to check my tire pressure to see if I'm good. I don't have AC on my car, but keep my fan on 1 and heat max(most of the time). I'm sure mpg is not affect by very much at all.

[Sodium Duck]

Some people have pulled out their rear seats. Weighs in around 100 pounds, if that interests you Azn.

[Mikeb Yaris]

Originally Posted by Sodium Duck

Some people have pulled out their rear seats. Weighs in around 100 pounds, if that interests you Azn.

In that case, I'm going on a diet and not allowing my wife to ride with me!