Raptor2k

Don't blow up the forums plzthx

valpac

iTrader: (2)

Just completed the same experiment myself, with very similar results. Since owning the car and driving in all kinds of Atlanta traffic, 16.2 mpg is what I average. I wanted to know if my car was actually capable of hitting 18 mpg city.

My LONG, BORING experiment yielded 17.8 MPG city. Shifted below 3750 RPM and tried to keep top speed RPMS low as well.

Also, my last run to Florida I tried to get 24 MPG. 6th gear below 4000 RPM yielded 22.8 MPG.

So what did I learn? The car IS as advertised. And MPG is more a function of driving style than engine efficiency.

But mostly, trying to save a few bucks by driving like an old lady is brutal. If I wanted to be bored driving and save money on gas, I would own something else.

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

Actually - driving like a nanny to save gas can be savagely counterproductive . It as well known that the Renesis will carbon up with such treatment & could end costing you a new motor .

New Yorker

I think you can drive it thoughtfully to save gas, as long as you redline it a couple of times a day, too.

valpac

iTrader: (2)

Has been true even before the Renesis. The 12A and 13B also like the rpms to stay healthy.

And no, a couple of quick, short redlines a day are probably not sufficient. Sustained higher RPM driving is the ticket.

Silver_Surfer

Wonder if starting off in second keeping thr revs low would help any?

Brettus

iTrader: (2)

another reason why the rotary will never be main stream .

valpac

iTrader: (2)

^ thats good.

swoope

iTrader: (5)

it is about excessive moderation.

beers

New Yorker

That's not what the FAQ says…

"1. Occasional Aggressive driving is good – First off its fun, second, it helps prevent carbon buildup in the engine and intake system. Make sure you rev to at least 7500rpm to make sure all the intake valves open. You don’t need to redline every start, but once a day is fun and good for the car."

CarAndDriver

Don't turn on the engine.

l008com

Hit the clutch, kill the motor, and coast down hills on the highways. Too bad they don't make a hybrid. Yes I said hybrid. You know hybrid doesn't have to mean lawnmower motor + electric golf card motor. It can mean rotary plus electric motor. It would mean more power off the line compared to current models, when driven hard. Or much higher city milage when driven mellow. I don't think anyone has ever made a standard hybrid before though? You' need an extra gear in the gearbox for engine breaking/charging. Once you get used to it, it would probably be pretty slick.

Hidef1080

Eish

I also do a lot of shifting at low revs. Get good mileage. Are there people who drive like hooligans on a daily basis? I drive nice and steady most of the time. For me, a great drive is the one where you listen to Aral by Catherine Lara while cruising way below the speed limit with your windows open. My mileage is 520km/full tank and it is fairly consistent.

CarAndDriver

Thread revival.

SPHINX144

Hyper-miling and shifting before 3000rpms does make a difference in my case. When I maximize the cars kinetic energy by reducing braking and when I don't go to hard on the accelerator, I have been able to average around 18mpg (+or-2) in the city alone.
I maintain a log of the fuel that goes into the tank and the miles traveled when the needle hits the point where it was previous to refueling.
In F1 they have a kinetic energy recovery system that uses a super capacitor or the flywheel to store the energy and then use it later it on. of course, this doesn't improve fuel economy but it does give you an extra boost proportional to the stored energy. some manufacturers are already working on this for use in road vehicles.

tmak26b

Prius/Insight and other hybrids have regen braking

SPHINX144

but that's a fully electric system, I meant on the grounds of using a flywheel based system that can be incorporated more easily in an internal combustion vehicle.

HiFlite999

iTrader: (2)

I have 4 very effective techniques to reduce fuel consumption of my 8:

1) I chose to live in a smaller house, close to work, shopping, etc. instead of getting a McMansion in Suburbia.
2) When the weather is good, I ride a bicycle (saving health club membership fees as well).
3) When I'm not working weird hours, I take the bus.
4) When I need to drive for "business", shopping, heavy city traffic, or 10+ hour driving days, I take my '99 Solara, which has an automatic, a killer XM/Pioneer GPS stereo, is deathly quiet, goes in a straight line without effort and gets 30+ mpg.

The batmobile comes out of the garage when I want to have fun driving or when I'm going someplace fun, like theater, beach, shooting movies, or on dates with women lithe and graceful enough to get into the passenger seat wearing heels and a miniskirt. As a result, I use the car for what it's good at doing very well and don't suffer the frustrations of struggling with its shortcomings. (A side effect is that I also enjoy the "beater" more, 'cause I'm not forcing it to be something it's not either.)

With my advancing age and deteriorating finances, this will likely be my last fly ride; I intend to enjoy every mile of it without compromise.

Pico

iTrader: (2)

Excellent question.. Throttle position can play into fuel consumption no matter what gear.

newguy

does swapping the cat for a test pipe yield any mpg gain? also does the accessport when leaned out for power (Im assuming it leans for hp) gain mpg? Not that I overly care I knew what it was when I bought it and the pros outwieghed the cons to me.

newguy

hybrid 8 mean more wieght which is anti-8 imo