I Think This Car Likes Me

[ScubaDadMiami]

My dealer is over an hour away.  So, my maiden repositioning voyage gave me a chance to test out Highway Fuel Economy on my new C-MAX.  For my first trip I was getting 44.5 MPG at about  60 MPH, and this was on a windy day.

 

Today, I had to run about thirty miles or so, for an appointment.  I decided to go there on the highway, and come back in city driving.  The pics are not so great.  So, I'll summarize:

 

On highway, average speed of just below 60 MPH, 47.8 MPG!  In city driving conditions, average speed of about 35-40 MPH, 48.0 MPG!  This is on a car with less than 300 miles on it!!!  :yahoo:  :rockon: Oh, and by the way, we were having gusty winds all day today, and I am confident that I could have gotten better city MPG due to rush hour starting and an accident or two that blocked traffic along the way.

 

I think this car likes me.  :)

[Jus-A-CMax]

There you go...another "special CMax" is on the way to a 600 Mile Club. Cya there and get there soon, your beer is getting cold (that Riddley is buyin for everyone :drool: )

[CAcreeks]

Glad to hear. Maybe the wind was always at your back? I really don't understand how Consumer Reports got only 37 mpg. Even with a lead foot it seems impossible. Seems like you are getting about 45 highway 48 city. What's your tire pressure?

[ScubaDadMiami]

Funny, I was in an auto parts store the other day, and I looked at tire gauges.  Alas, I didn't buy one.  I should have done that.  I will start getting around to these leftover car items list.

 

Any suggestions for a good but not expensive gauge that will fit in the holder in the glove box?

[Testdriver]

I'm getting good mileage out of the gate too (42 MPG). It does make me wonder about some of these reviews that made it sound like you had to really hypermile just to scratch 40 MPG. Maybe it's a job #1 vs #2 issue??

 

The 2 really obvious issues affecting mileage are cold weather and speed. Terrain too, but that generally "evens out" in the long run. As long as I keep it below 70 MPH and it's 60+ degrees out, I can get 40+ MPGs on even short trips pretty easily.

[Edsel]

I think they were just driving "normal" which is what most people would expect to be able to do.  When Ford was test driving my car for the GPS issue they put 18.2 miles on it and averaged 29.6 MPG.

 

Glad to hear. Maybe the wind was always at your back? I really don't understand how Consumer Reports got only 37 mpg. Even with a lead foot it seems impossible. Seems like you are getting about 45 highway 48 city. What's your tire pressure?

[Recumpence]

There has got to be a difference between cars because my wife does absolutely nothing special when she drives and she sees a minimum of 48mpg. The majority of her trips average 52 to 56mpg. I am a good hyper miler, she is not, but she still sees very high mileage.

 

Matt

[Adair]

There has got to be a difference between cars because my wife does absolutely nothing special when she drives and she sees a minimum of 48mpg. The majority of her trips average 52 to 56mpg. I am a good hyper miler, she is not, but she still sees very high mileage.

 

Matt

Well thank goodness she doesn't mess with your tank average :hysterical:  :hysterical:

[ScubaDadMiami]

Yeah, part of me wants to let friends drive to test mine out, but the other part thinks about what that will do to my Lifetime Average!  :hysterical:

[Adair]

I hear ya!! I took mine in yesterday morning for the upgrade with a 3/4 tank @ 44mpg and picked it up with less than 3/4 and 38.7mpg!!!!Dang!!

 

The good news is, in 24 hours I'm back up to 41.7!

 

(Now you see why my dealership technician calls me MPG obsessed!!!) :doh:

[zhackwyatt]

There has got to be a difference between cars because my wife does absolutely nothing special when she drives and she sees a minimum of 48mpg. The majority of her trips average 52 to 56mpg. I am a good hyper miler, she is not, but she still sees very high mileage.

 

Matt

The best way to find out is to have people compare other C-Max's against their own.  For example, if I drove Matt's car on my normal commute route and got stellar MPG and he drove mine and got low 40s, then definitely there is something fishy with the car.  If he got stellar mileage in my car and I got low 40s in his, then there is something fishy with me.

 

Of course this would be hard to orchestrate and Matt probably won't volunteer to drive to Phoenix.  :worship:

[nsteblay]

I use to think that driving style was important to get the mileage.  I am not so sure.  21 mile commute home from work tonight.  Had to work late so the traffic was light.  Drove 70 - 75 MPG, stayed in left lane (mostly freeway), passed a couple of luxury cars (felt good :) ), got home, 45.8 MPG.  Didn't go light on the gas pedal, no P&G, just drove to get home fast.  

 

I was only getting 35 MPG in the cold of winter (very cold in MN).  Temperature and summer grade fuel has to be the big difference makers.  

[Adair]

Only those of us who live in Northern states can appreciate this Nsteblay! I'm seeing similar results, even with freeway driving at freeway speeds! It's an awesome car!