Huge MPG Discrepancy

[PapaJ]

OK, really need some help here:

 

When I drive the C-Max the car gets about 45 MPG, but when my wife is behind the wheel the milage drops into the low 30s! My goal is to have a happy wife AND 45 MPG -- any advice on this subject? ;)

[HannahWCU]

Don't let the wife drive the car.  

 

Oh sorry, you said you wanted a "Happy" wife!  :lol2:

 

Seriously though, the only way to do this is to give her driving tips for driving a Hybrid.  Like which screen to use to help with EV mode, how to accelerate for best mileage, how to achieve GREAT brake scores (I am betting with low 30 MPG they aren't that great), etc.

[fotomoto]

 My goal is to have a happy wife AND 45 MPG -- any advice on this subject? ;)

 

Yup, leave things alone.   BTDT with 28yrs experience.   :judge:

[Riddley]

Fuel cost savings can be a delicate subject in relationships. Some people feel strongly about it, others, not so much. Friction occurs when one person feels strongly about it and the other doesn't. There are so many other things spouses feel differently about that have a much larger impact on overall finances, that fuel cost savings should probably be considered among the least of your worries. Examples of things that have a bigger impact include how much to money to dedicate to college savings plans, how much to set aside for retirement, how much to spend on insurance, and how much to spend on such things as cable, internet and cell phones. etc.

 

One helpful device to use is to run the numbers on Fuel costs and compare the results to performing the same analysis for many of the other expenses in your life. Decide how much to worry about this based on the results of this analysis. This will help you place the right amount of attention and worry on each major expense.

In our home we spend over $100/month on cable and internet, and the bill for cell phones is well over $100/month. Using just these costs as a baseline, consider the following fuel savings analysis, which assumes driving 12,000 miles per year, spending $4.00 per gallon on gas, when one person achieves 35 MPG, and the other 45 MPG:

  ◾ 12,000 MI/Year / 35MPG = 343 GAL X $4.00/GAL = $1371 / Year
  ◾ 12,000 MI/Year / 45MPG = 266 GAL X $4.00/GAL = $1067 / Year
  ◾ Fuel Cost Difference / Year = $304
  ◾ Fuel Cost difference / Month = $25.36
  ◾ Fuel Cost difference / Week = $5.85
  ◾ Fuel Cost difference / Day = $0.83

 

Using these results, one might decide that the effort required for establishing new driving habits is justified by the savings. But it is also not hard to see the case for concluding that the effort (the arguments, the worry, etc.) is *not justified*.  

 

A rational person might conclude that they can save more money by making a slight alteration to their cell phone plan, Cable TV plan, or schedule for dining out. 

The rational thing to do, however, is do the math. Run the numbers, Establish a rational basis for the feelings and worries.

Edited August 1, 2013 by Riddley

[JohnnOhio]

All I can say is

 

HAPPY WIFE

 

HAPPY LIFE

[Jus-A-CMax]

OK, really need some help here:

 

When I drive the C-Max the car gets about 45 MPG, but when my wife is behind the wheel the milage drops into the low 30s! My goal is to have a happy wife AND 45 MPG -- any advice on this subject? ;)

 

What are you complaining about? I had my car at 62.9MPG, then the wife took and it came back at 62.0 :twister:  At 1/4 tank and at this level, that is a significant, huge drop and she still claimed she babied it. O'rely :sandman:

Edited August 1, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[Adair]

What are you complaining about? I had my car at 62.9MPG, then the wife took and it came back at 62.0 :twister:  At 1/4 tank and at this level, that is a significant, huge drop and she still claimed she babied it. O'rely :sandman:

You're just saying that because johnnohio stole your *Happy wife, Happy life* line. :woot:

[Laurel]

Having been married over 40 years and having just returned from a one week holiday with stinky mileage when hubby drives, do not say one word about mileage.  It is not worth it to even discuss it.

[SnowStorm]

Only 33 years here but agree with the consensus - drop the subject.  You've heard about "picking your battles"?  Guess what.  This one's not even on the list of choices!  Plus, look at the bright side.  If it wasn't a C-Max, it would be low 20s!

[Jus-A-CMax]

You're just saying that because johnnohio stole your *Happy wife, Happy life* line. :woot:

Had to get that out...but I feel much better now.... :dance:

[homestead]

Unless you had a pre-nuptal agreement stating minimum brake score and mpg you should drop it.

You could offer to drive your wife when she want to go somewhere.

[Jus-A-CMax]

You could offer to teach her how to drive FE...like backing off the pedal and going into EV. Or use the eco-cruise option as much as possible. By the way, my wifey has only driven Maxine 3 times only, its strictly my baby  :)

[Adair]

You could offer to teach her how to drive FE...like backing off the pedal and going into EV. Or use the eco-cruise option as much as possible. By the way, my wifey has only driven Maxine 3 times only, its strictly my baby  :)

Spouses are trainable. :lol2: My husband tries really hard when he drives my car and he's done a great job learning about hybrid driving. :hi5: Now he wants one for himself. 

[SnowStorm]

Spouses are trainable. :lol2: My husband tries really hard when he drives my car and he's done a great job learning about hybrid driving. :hi5: Now he wants one for himself. 

"Spouses"...?  Did you mean "Husbands are trainable"? :lol2:  Maybee Ford just needs to update the little message when you turn off the car to say:

Thanks For Driving A Hybrid...but...

YOU MILEAGE STINKS!

Edited August 1, 2013 by SnowStorm

[spyburn]

IMHO, spouses are NOT trainable.  If, and ONLY IF, she asks for advice on how to drive it to get better mileage, share your experience and things that work for you.  If her eyes start to glaze over as you discuss drag coeficients, stop speaking immediately and offer chocolate.

[slampro]

IMHO, spouses are NOT trainable.  If, and ONLY IF, she asks for advice on how to drive it to get better mileage, share your experience and things that work for you.  If her eyes start to glaze over as you discuss drag coeficients, stop speaking immediately and offer chocolate.

I have been with my wife for 20 years. We have an 08 Escape hybrid. It was not until the time we got it, that I actually discovered that my wife has a lead foot. In all of our other cars we really had no way to monitor FE, outside of hand calculations. Well, neither of us are going to do that.

 

The FEH gas mileage is rated at 34city, 31 hi way. When I drive it, I can get from 35-40 in town. When she drives it she gets 25-30. At one point early on she asked how I do it. I showed her the hybrid driving screens on the nav. I then tried to explain some techniques. She replied "I just want to get where I'm going" She doesn't touch any buttons(outside of using navigation). She is not interested in the technology. She doesn't even try to get better mileage. I have come to terms with that.

 

Now that we are getting the C max, :airquote: we have agreed. Since she doesn't use and doesn't want to use the technology in the Escape, she would be lost in the C max. It will primarily be my car, and me driving. I guess the fact that we are trading in the F150 helped my case.  

 

I would say, as Spyburn and others have, if she asks, fine. Show her some tips(start off simple). Otherwise, just let it be. Rest easy knowing that if it was any other car, she'd be getting low 20's or even teens mpg. At least with the C max, it will save gas whether she wants to or not.

[SnowStorm]

You could offer to drive your wife when she want to go somewhere.

May or may not work.  After my wife takes the car in for it's first oil change I get an email from our salesman that ends; "... let her drive sometimes. Please!"  Seems she had mentioned how much I liked to hog the drivers seat! :shift:

[Jus-A-CMax]

IMHO, spouses are NOT trainable.  If, and ONLY IF, she asks for advice on how to drive it to get better mileage, share your experience and things that work for you.  If her eyes start to glaze over as you discuss drag coeficients, stop speaking immediately and offer chocolate.

 

Sounds like Dr Gray's new upcoming book.... "Men are from Mars, Women are from Death Star"  ;)

[Altazi]

If Momma ain't happy, ain' nobody happy.  ;)

[HannahWCU]

After 20 years of marriage, I have two little phrases that every man (or woman) needs to use for a lasting relationship:

 

"Yes Dear"

 

"I'm Sorry"

[BIG ROCCO]

I have tried to drive economically, most of the time, for a long time...even when I drove a 300HP Northstar equipped Cadillac (I've had 4 - Ioved those cars!).  What I mean is: I occasionally would go on a binge and give in to my preference to drive like nut, flooring the pedal every chance I got, but most of the time, I tried to keep my speed and acceleration down, and used the AC sparingly.  My wife has never been focused on or interested in fuel economy - she always liked to accelerate quickly, drive fast, let the engine idle for long periods, with the AC on, and put the AC on MAX cooling and fan speed any time the temp or humidity was the least bit elevated.  Her most recent car was a 2004 Grand Prix GTP with the supercharged 3.8L V-6, but even with the way she drove it, we got what I thought was decent gas mileage - 20+ MPG around town and 25+ MPG on the highway.  When I bought my 2012 Buick Lacrosse with e-assist (mild hybrid), my wife suddenly took an interest in MPG...I average about ~35 MPG in all around suburban driving, with ~ 50% highway miles.  When my wife's GP was T-boned and totalled, she wanted to go with a hybrid, she got the C-Max, and now that her car is a hybrid, she is the one most focused on MPG.  At a little over 1,300 miles total, she is getting ~45 MPG in all around suburban driving.  So, now I'm the one wasting money and driving a "gas hog".  Seriously, though, I love driving my Lacrosse, am more than happy with the MPG, and nothing has ever gone wrong with it, so it's not been back to the dealer in the 1 3/4 years and 25,000 miles I've had it.

[Laurel]

You could offer to teach her how to drive FE...like backing off the pedal and going into EV. Or use the eco-cruise option as much as possible. By the way, my wifey has only driven Maxine 3 times only, its strictly my baby  :)

Hum-m-m offers to teach the wife sounds like waving a red flag at a bull to me.  I know smoke will come out my ears with those kind of offers over the years from my husband.  Somehow it always comes out sounding patronizing and then the fight is on LOL.

[Jus-A-CMax]

Hum-m-m offers to teach the wife sounds like waving a red flag at a bull to me.  I know smoke will come out my ears with those kind of offers over the years from my husband.  Somehow it always comes out sounding patronizing and then the fight is on LOL.

 

You are right....

 

 

Day 2, it hit me... :drop:

Edited August 1, 2013 by Jus-A-CMax

[C-Maxgo]

:lol:     :lol2:     :hi5:    You guys are hilarious!  

 

My husband and I have made our mpg into a little game.  We try to outdo each other all the time.  I drive most of the time  :shift:  and he loves  :love_shower:  it because he doesn't have to drive.  But when he drives he gives me some stiff competition.  

[Bill-N]

... Establish a rational basis for the feelings and worries.

 

Now there's an oxymoron if I ever heard one.   :)