18 mpg tops for me. Lots of of stop and go city driving.
I rarely use 4th gear, let er rip!
But I have massively cut down on Launching the car from a stop. It becomes
such a habit you don't even realize that its not normal to have three blocks
between you and the car's you were just with at the stop light.
Not to mention its horrible for rear tire tread life.
I try to make the upshifts as smooth and commotion-less as possible.
Like if I had a passenger he wouldn't be able to tell the difference between siting in my BoxsterS and automatic SLK.
But launching the car was too much fun at first. That Miata I was nice but...
http://www.thephatphree.com/features.asp?StoryID=293&SectionID=11&LayoutType=1&StoryMonth=3&StoryYear=2005