hoosierjtf Posted April 22, 2013 Report Share Posted April 22, 2013 My wife and I just got our Cmax last Tuesday and we averaged 42.3 for our first tank(I did the math). Can we expect an increase in MPG after an x number of miles? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 (edited) Welcome to the forum! That is a nice start and congratulations! In regards to your question, the engine break-in is a long process, that is, it's a lot of miles and it's not instantenous either. Based on my experience, it really starts at 3,000 and shows gradual improvement to 10,000 or 11,000 miles before leveling out. Take a read of my review of the CMax here: Jus another Cmax Review in which I graphed my engine over this span and the MPG improvements. However, that is not to say everyone is going to get this as engine loads/use vary driver by driver. Also in the review, you'll find some hints and tips on getting the most out of the CMax if you choose to drive it fuel efficiently - but theres nothing to stop you from driving it like a normal car either which other posters here have and still get great mileage. Thats the beauty about the CMax, its all up to you and no magic button to press :) Edited April 23, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adair Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Hi Hoosier! Just based on what the rest of us in the Midwest are seeing, coming off a long, hard winter, I'd say you should definitely see an improvement. In fact, there are some on this forum who would kill love to see the mileage you've seen on your first tank!!! If you have the time, read some of the mileage threads here, and learn some of the tips that the *old timers* (6 months or more of ownership) have learned, and you'll be MILES ahead of the game!! Welcome, and so glad you've found us!! :) (How close is Palmyra to Carmel? We'll be there this weekend!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierjtf Posted April 23, 2013 Author Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 I have been reading a lot on this forum since we got the car and have learned a ton. It is mainly my wife's DD and our family car on the weekends. The first few days I got to drive it I tried to keep it in EV as long as I could but that left the battery below 50% at all times. I took a few trips out yesterday trying the Eco cruise and even trying to keep the battery in the 60-80% range to see what effect that would have. It seems it burns more gas trying to keep the battery up. I am really trying to get 47+ on a tank. I know it is possible but the challenge will be trying to master the best MPG techniques then teaching them to my wife. Her commute is about 35 miles one way with 50% highway and 50% interstate. Her trip features a 5 mile downhill stretch to work and of course 5 mile uphill on the way home. She got 43.5 on the way home today which I thought was great considering the uphill climb. What should I tell her would be the best strategy on dealing with the hill? Right now I would think to EV assist or coasting on the way down and on the way up to just drive it like a normal car but try and keep the ICE bar around the second bar. Palmyra is 30 miles NW of Louisville, KY in Indiana. I am also considering on taking the CMax to Florida next month. What kind of mileage can I expect and at what speed it optimal. I am used to driving 75-80 on our annual family vacations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JAZ Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 What kind of mileage can I expect and at what speed it optimal. I am used to driving 75-80 on our annual family vacations.Ya wants the best mpgs, read the ever-expanding thread on "I Have Found the Illusive Sweet Spot". In my case, just using ECO Cruise from Michigan to Florida and almost no hypermiling with a full load, upper 30s is what I experienced. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jes_ma Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 I just picked up my C-Max Hybrid from a Ford Dealer in Massachusetts on April 29th. The car was on the show room floor with the battery disconnected which after reading the manual told me why windows and other items were not working properly without reprogramming. I had reset my lifetime mileage cause I didn't want all the demo rides on my first tank of gas. Well..... when I did that the average MPG went down to 8MPG and after about 80 miles driven (still first tank) I am showing 26MPG....trust me I am playing the leaves game with 85% Regen Average and EV driving as much as I can. Has anyone seen this behavior or is this common for the first tank of gas after a "Lifetime" reset? I drove a Honda FIT on this commute before and averaged 41MPG with my summer tires on and calculated after each fill up. Would drop to around 37 in winter with four winter tires. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BIG ROCCO Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 41 MPG on the Fit? Really? What's the EPA MPG rating on that car - low 30s? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowStorm Posted May 2, 2013 Report Share Posted May 2, 2013 41 MPG on the Fit? Really? What's the EPA MPG rating on that car - low 30s?We have over 150k miles on ours and the overall average the first couple of years was 36 (haven't checked recently). 41 is probably doable at the right speeds. I think I got near 40 on trips under good conditions. It's only 1.5 liters. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adair Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Jes-ma, do you men 85% brake score? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jes_ma Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Yes 85% brake score still learning terminology after three days of ownership. The Honda FIT was a manual transmission, lighter alloy wheels in summer, and aftermarket cold air intake. I wanted a larger more comfortable car with Cmax. So no one knows why it started at 8MPG after lifetime reset...up to 28.3MPG today at 180 miles. Just trying to determine if I need to take itin to dealer. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jus-A-CMax Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Yes 85% brake score still learning terminology after three days of ownership. The Honda FIT was a manual transmission, lighter alloy wheels in summer, and aftermarket cold air intake. I wanted a larger more comfortable car with Cmax. So no one knows why it started at 8MPG after lifetime reset...up to 28.3MPG today at 180 miles. Just trying to determine if I need to take itin to dealer. JohnIts probably still fluid, kinda like when I reset my TRIP1 when I refuel - the 1st quarter tank is so volatile, one squirt here and it drops 3 MPGs, or I 1/4 mile EV is goes up the same but then it starts stabilizing as more data comes in. Remember, the gallons used is the bottom denominator and any changes, even minor will drastically change the Avg MPG and Lifetime MPG. Keep an eye on your TRIP readout after you turn off the engine, it should never be 8 MPG or that low. My 2c. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adair Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 I reset after each fill up. My average MPGs bounce all over the place for the first 100 or so miles. The slightest acceleration will drop it like a stone, then as I settle into EV it climbs again. Keep an eye on it for the first few tanks. Getting the brake score up will help with regen. You should see steady improvement. What is your typical drive like? Short trips are a killer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jes_ma Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Thank you for the responses very helpful! So message is wait for more tankfuls to see what happens. The trip readout is showing about 43MPG thanks for the tip makes me feel a little better. My trip is about 15 miles 40% city and 60% highway with ECO Cruise set at 60. This is the same commute with the Honda FIT reported numbers. Does anyone know the method Ford uses to calculate these different MPGs? I use the "Empower" screen and the method of calculation escapes me with the low reading I am getting after resetting the Lifetime. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fotomoto Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 You have five MPG displays which can be confusing or overwhelming at first. The main MPG meter can be reset at any time from any of the display modes (except "My View") by pushing and holding the left OK button. Trip 1 & 2 can only be reset while on those screens, lifetime can only be reset by digging deeper into the settings menu (generally not reset), and finally Trip Summary which is displayed after you power off and is automatically reset. These are all independent of each other so resetting one won't reset the others. When first reset, meters will swing wildly in either direction much like when you first let go of a ball and chain pendulum. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SnowStorm Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Per fotomoto's excellent summary, my guess is that you reset the lifetime number but not the "main MPG meter" normally seen on the left screen. If your trip is at 43 mpg, your car should be fine. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wab Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 Yes 85% brake score still learning terminology after three days of ownership. The Honda FIT was a manual transmission, lighter alloy wheels in summer, and aftermarket cold air intake. I wanted a larger more comfortable car with Cmax. So no one knows why it started at 8MPG after lifetime reset...up to 28.3MPG today at 180 miles. Just trying to determine if I need to take itin to dealer. John The quickest way for you to improve your MPG is to work on your brake score, 85% is NOT good. You need to be in the 95 to 100% range. No More:Tailgating on your commute.No More:Bumping the bumper on the ground at every red light/stop sign. Learn to focus your eyes a little farther down the road, that way you'll be able to anticipate stop and traffic slow downs...NO MORE panic stops. "So no one knows why it started at 8MPG after lifetime reset..."The last few cars we've had have MPG meters, they all show 6 to 9 MPG pulling away from the pump, 2 or 3 revolutions of the tires.I used to watch the MPG meter climb from 9 to 16.7 between the pump and the first red light(FYI: ALL lights are RED :rant2: in Ft. Worth)then start dropping back to 13.2 before the light changed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jes_ma Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 You have all been very helpful! At 170 miles the Average MPG number in the Empower display is up to 32.4. Still getting use to the "Touch" to achieve higher numbers, I start slowing down so early that when my vehicle stops sometimes it does not even give me a score. Definitely not a tailgater in the slow lane or slamming on brakes at Red Lights. John Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
homestead Posted May 3, 2013 Report Share Posted May 3, 2013 You have five MPG displays which can be confusing or overwhelming at first. The main MPG meter can be reset at any time from any of the display modes (except "My View") by pushing and holding the left OK button. Trip 1 & 2 can only be reset while on those screens, lifetime can only be reset by digging deeper into the settings menu (generally not reset), and finally Trip Summary which is displayed after you power off and is automatically reset. These are all independent of each other so resetting one won't reset the others. When first reset, meters will swing wildly in either direction much like when you first let go of a ball and chain pendulum. Is the lifetime screen updated with the results of the last drive cycle at the end of the drive or at the beginning of the next drive? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hoosierjtf Posted May 5, 2013 Author Report Share Posted May 5, 2013 Update: 2nd tank was 39.5, and went 505 miles, she is averaging 44 on the 3rd tank so far, it has been warmer this week Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.