Rain,wind,and cold C-max's kryptonite

[grggwlkr]

High MPG's seem to be a fickle thing.  Yesterday driving home from work I was pleasantly surprised when I turned off the car, 50.9 mpg. Temps were in the low 70's calm winds. Today, the exact same trip, same speed, same P&G technique, temps mid 70's mpg was 42.9.  The only significant difference was a 20 mph head wind. I am bummed. I was 200 miles into the tank and has a tank avg of 46.6 mpg. Not anymore. 

Thanks for listening, I just needed to vent.

[Ryan McEachern]

I believe it. Constant headwind is an absolute killer on a bicycle, not surprising it sucks up the fuel too.

[RachelnLa]

Still, 42.9 is awesome. Just think, my Tahoe got 21 hwy. you minus 8. From that ...13?? That, my friend, sucks!

[Adair]

Still, 42.9 is awesome. Just think, my Tahoe got 21 hwy. you minus 8. From that ...13?? That, my friend, sucks!

Yeah Rachel, that was my jeep too......21 highway, tops. I love my C-MAX!

[asb]

In the ford flex I rented, I got 19 mpg.

 

I've noticed that wind kills my mpg. It's too bad.

[JohnnOhio]

I got 47.2 mpg coming home from work temp was 55. The very next day same trip temp was 45 and only got 42.1 mpg. My car is learning my destinations and is starting to use EV+ more now. Late spring is killing me but my mileage is getting better

[PWBarrett]

High speed is another form of MPG Kryptonite - we were just on the "Texas Autobahn" today coming back from San Antonio on Hwy 130.  Posted speed limit of 85.  Found that cruising at 90 gives an MPG of about 27.  But It seemed worth it at the time.

We got much better MPG when we got stuck in the traffic jam later on Hwy 35.

[VirginiaRick]

...Posted speed limit of 85.

 

Wow!  I was recently on I-10, going east from El Paso to San Antonio where the posted speed limit is 80 mph.  I thought to myself, "They can't possibly raise it any higher than this!" (Of course, the cops had somebody pulled over, who probably thought that whatever the speed limit is, I can do at least 10 mph over that.)

 

VR

[grggwlkr]

I wonder if heat get added to he list. I have not had the occasion to use the AC.  You guys that live in the heat, what does AC use do to FE.  Heater use kills it.

[donhak]

I would love to have the problem of it being too hot.  I am still dreaming of spring.  Since the official start of spring we have a one foot dump of snow, an all too short stint in the 40's, followed by six inches of snow this weekend.  This morning it was 10, and the snow is coming down again with another snow adisory.  I have a short commute to work of 5 1/2 miles, which in colder weather is too short to get the car running efficiently.  Add a deep snow fall, and I have had a couple days were I averaged only in the 25 mpg for gas mileage.  Since delivery in January my best tank is only 35.5 mpg, but that is still a lot better than the low 20's for my last car in winter, and I anticipated it with the January delivery.  Once the snow tires come off and the temperatures are higher, I anticipate a lot better mileage.  On the plus side, the C-Max handles deep snow great with power when needed to get through tough spots, a frequent complaint of some Prius owners.

[ScooterS]

High speed is another form of MPG Kryptonite - we were just on the "Texas Autobahn" today coming back from San Antonio on Hwy 130.  Posted speed limit of 85.  Found that cruising at 90 gives an MPG of about 27.  But It seemed worth it at the time.

We got much better MPG when we got stuck in the traffic jam later on Hwy 35.

I had the same experience on the same road.... A.K.A. "The BubbaBahn".  However, later in the tank and the next tank, the trip seemed to help "blow out the carbon" (or something like that) and break in the engine, increasing mileage slightly. 

 

For those not from the area, this is a new pice of tollway between the Austin and San Antonio areas. The road travels well during the day. However, there have been several major accidents with car or truck vs. ferrel hogs. ((Really!))

[Jus-A-CMax]

Adair and Rachel are right....watcha all complaining about....you got great mileage and if you're off by a few MPGs what does it matter - still kills the other gas guzzlers.

 

Case in point - this evening I just got back from Mammoth Mountain again. Driving there for 280+ miles with a strong headwind and freezing a$$ cold it got 37.8MPG (not my worse nor my best). This evening I got home and it was 53.3MPG with a tail wind and it was a snowing 29F when I left Mammoth. Average 45 MPG, pretty good - considering the load and conditions. It was a sandstorm all through the 395 and into the 14 and into Palmdale/Lancaster. Rain, cold, sleet, headwind, sand storms, snow - the CMax does it all with a smile.

 

Sometimes the MPG gods smile and shower you with ridiculous MPGs and the next instance - smite you with a cold strong headwind...and all you can do is enjoy the scenery and think that each gas guzzler SUV passes you by, you're on EV while the other guy is burning away his beer money  ;)

 

Oh today the route home was littered with CHP...holy crap, they were out in force and it's Monday, thank goodness I have a hybrid in FE mode  :shift:  &  :rockon:

Edited April 9, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[RachelnLa]

I been thinking about this whole mpg thing. In my Tahoe I never really paid attention to my mpg. It was a big truck that was comfy. I knew it would cost me in the tank if I did a lot of running around but that was okay.

 

Suddenly with the cmax it's 47, 47, 47 or we are complaining.i know, I know. Ford didn't deliver. The EPA tests are controlled. The wind the hills. The cold. YMMV.

 

It's fun and challenging to play the game of achieving the highest mpg possible. But let's face it. What product lives up to 100% for 100% of the time for 100% of the people? None.

 

It's a great car with lots of great features.