Tank on EmptyTank on Empty
 

2007-Zx5-Ses: Goes For Broke & Wins!

January 25, 2013 about Ford Focus

Naturally around the Holidays, which are great Budget-Busters, every day extending the fill-up was a bonus.

I drive an average 27 miles each way for work. Because my route crosses directions of the rest of the area's typical commutes, so I am usually ALWAYS doing 40% City/bumper-to-bumper and 60% highway @ 70+ mph. Cold weather & denser air work directly against hyper-mileage driving.

Once the light goes on I can usually expect a 12-gallon fill-up. which with the published capacity, I tend to figure I have more than 2-gallons left, and can manage a gallon for each leg of my commute.

Making sure I get to at least 42 mph to get the Torque-converter Lock-up to engage and keep the revs. down. (Yes, we opted for the auto for the sake of universal usability and occasional wrist & ankle injury tendencies.)

Maximizing the TC-Lk-up and coasting (I used to do Engine-Off Coasting, but my battery is at the end-of-life & it IS Winter) Looking far ahead and gauging the time to coast & time to tip-in to the throttle lightly is crucial.

My previous car was a Ford Festiva, so frugality is almost an art-form to me. An Automatic used to be an anchor, and my 4-spd version is like carrying another person along and not bothering to use top-gear. Newer cars can get better mileage with a 6-spd auto than a 6-spd manual, but just for the "Average Driver" vs. someone who's been driving manual transmissions (on 50cc mini-bikes & motorcycles, then plenty of other rides) for the past 40 years...)

But, combining the techniques of strategic driving, I managed to eek-out 105 miles AFTER the light came on... 2 days of commuting, plus lunch runs, and driving like an egg was under the gas-pedal, "paid"-off!

I am aiming for 125 after the light this Summer (as long as my wife isn't in the car, she doesn't like to go below 1/8th of a tank).

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Story replies

April 2, 2013 by Adrian

When driving, avoid doing jckbrabait starts because this method consumes twice as much fuel as compared to gradual starts. Reducing the load of your car by removing excess weight will lighten your vehicle and reduce drag, which will save fuel consumption.

April 2, 2013 by Adrian

When driving, avoid doing jckbrabait starts because this method consumes twice as much fuel as compared to gradual starts. Reducing the load of your car by removing excess weight will lighten your vehicle and reduce drag, which will save fuel consumption.

January 22, 2015 by Stanley

This is a neat sumrmay. Thanks for sharing!

September 27, 2015 by Oponk

This intshgi's just the way to kick life into this debate.

December 22, 2016 by Cornelia

Good post. I learn something totally new and chnlienglag on websites I stumbleupon on a daily basis. It’s always helpful to read content from other authors and practice something from their sites.