Driving for Fun or for Economy?

[pbanders]

Given the price of gas, I recently tried taking it really easy driving my Boxster ('03 w/Tip). Drove with the roof up (AC on), 5 mph or less above the speed limit, easy accel, cruise control as much as possible, avoid surface streets as much as possible, anticipate lights and kept rolling, etc.

I just put gas in it, 9.275 gal for 201.5 miles at $4.279 per gallon ($39.69), 21.7 mpg. Before I started driving this way, I drove fairly hard, usually 80+ on the freeway, a few hard (WOT) accelerations per drive, and I was getting about 19 mpg, so my mileage is up by about 1.7 mpg. If I'd driven 201.5 miles at 19 mpg, it would have come to 10.61 gallons, so I saved about 1.34 gallons, which works out to $5.71 - more than I thought, but still not a really huge savings.

Maybe I'll drive just a little harder....

[jmatta]

I drive my car for fun on the weekends...I don't drink Starbucks, so look at how much I save anyway!

I drive for entertainment/enjoyment and therapy! Some people play golf or see a shrink.

I think I come out way ahead of them!

(Similar tan lines though!)

[LoveBunny]

I don't even try to drive economically. If my car's computer is correct, I'm getting about 15 mpg. I do mostly city driving though consisting of a lot of very frequent starts and stops and a good bunch of sitting in traffic.

I don't go to starbucks much either and I hardly ever go out. Got to get my thrills somewhere.

[CJ_Boxster]

What i do to save gas and get alittle more power for about a week is disconnect the battery for about 10 minutes so the ECu has to relearn the prefered fuel map settings and it always selects the strongest map settings first then goes from there which in my case, living in sunny southern california with temps ranging from 63 to 100 degrees outside... seems to yeild the most mpg for me. Then after about a week's time the car eventually selects a slightly less agressive or powerful feul map setting and my mpg starts to drop.

[Rick V]

MPG, excuse me? When you testdrove your car before you bought it was MPG even a thought? If that is a concern buy a Prius. My wifes 97 gets 27mpg when she drives it, 24ish with me driving. My MB is mid 20's and I stopm the crap out of it every day, 70 mile round trip in the foothills. I know gass is outa sight but don't look at your car as a car, view it as your break from life, and just drive it like it was designed to be driven. And don't forget to smile.

[CJ_Boxster]

Originally Posted by Rick V

MPG, excuse me? When you testdrove your car before you bought it was MPG even a thought? If that is a concern buy a Prius. My wifes 97 gets 27mpg when she drives it, 24ish with me driving. My MB is mid 20's and I stopm the crap out of it every day, 70 mile round trip in the foothills. I know gass is outa sight but don't look at your car as a car, view it as your break from life, and just drive it like it was designed to be driven. And don't forget to smile.

Your on the higher end of the mpg when compaired to most of our boxster and to tell you the truth, while disconnecting my battery does give me more mpg, its merely a by product of my true intention of trying to have more HP, cause in my book HP + Handling / 2 Seats & a Rollcage, then carry the 2 = WHOOO HOOO!

[LoveBunny]

Originally Posted by Rick V

MPG, excuse me? When you testdrove your car before you bought it was MPG even a thought? If that is a concern buy a Prius. My wifes 97 gets 27mpg when she drives it, 24ish with me driving. My MB is mid 20's and I stopm the crap out of it every day, 70 mile round trip in the foothills. I know gass is outa sight but don't look at your car as a car, view it as your break from life, and just drive it like it was designed to be driven. And don't forget to smile.

I couldn't agree more. I honestly get more peeved about the price of parking than the price of gas. At least I have fun burning up the gas.