Yanks: Car Gas mileage Ratings!!

[Bravo]

Does everyone notice that a car with an EPA gas mileage rating of 28 mpg usually gets 22 mpg? That sticker on the window when you buy the car is virtually never accurate?

Last night I read an article in Car and Driver that explains why.

The Highway mileage for each car is based on operating the vehicle at 48 mph. Yes that's no mis-print...forty eight MPH on the highway is the speed that our wonderful and realistic government uses in rating a car's gas mileage.

What do these people do all day? Sit around and smoke dope?

[DaveE]

They had something on tv about this recently. I think they said over 90% of all vehicles are rated wrong. I know mine is off my about 4mpg.

Who the hell drives 48 on the highway?

[Rockford35]

There's been much debate about this in Canada. The public is pissed about being duped over "real vs actual" mileages.

There's been talk of creating a governing body that tests mileage independently and lists those actual "real" mileages as the only mileage for cars for sale in Canada.

However, the mileage listed on vehicles is what allows auto-makers to get around the gas guzzler emissions control, where they must have X amount of vehicles with an average of X miles per gallon. If your average car is listed at 4-5 MPG MORE than it actually gets, that Ford F-150 listed at 18mpg that actually gets 12-14mpg lists as "best fuel economy in it's class" or "We have 15 vehicles getting 18+mpg."

It should also be noted that some companies are better than others. Domestics are the worst, which makes sense. But there are great differences between the imports as well. If I recall correctly, the best were Volkswagon and Toyota, followed closely by Honda and Mazda. Acura and Infinity were up there too and far back was Hyundai and BMW. Then farther back from that were most of the domestics, and Mercedes, which I found puzzling.

Take that for what it's worth. But, on paper, if you have 15 cars getting 20+MPG, it sure makes your company look "green".

It's really frustrating, however.

R35

[Bravo]

Although I am rarely a proponent of 'more government' - I think having a government board do Actual testing under realistic conditions and publishing the results would be outstanding.

Our deficit is huge now and heartily recommend that Canada take the lead on this - and post the results on the Internet...

[Rockford35]

I use this from time to time to figure out how much my boss and other colleagues are using in gas in a year and then give them the gears for driving an empty GMC Sierra 4x4 to work everyday.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/

It's actually pretty accurate, and allows you to customize the fuel costs and miles/year that you would drive...

R35

[Bravo]

I like that because it can show you what consumers are reporting in their vehicles under real conditions..

[DaveE]

That's closer but I'd still have to slow down to get what they're saying for highway miles. May have to give the speed limits a try one of these days.

[longiron]

Originally Posted by DaveE

Who the hell drives 48 on the highway?

I think my mom does.

[Farquod]

I've said this before: all my vehicles (Plymouth Voyager, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Infiniti G35 coupe) all get 20 mpg. Computer chips don't fudge.

My daughter's Honda Accord does a little bit better, maybe 24 mpg all around.

I'm looking for my Mr. Fusion adapter....

[Silver]

All I know is that in actual terms, I get 8L/100 km minimum. I get at least 500km on a tank that is about 40 litres.

I think, if my math is right, this is somewhere in the vicinity of 30mpg. I'm often wary of the new car ratings that say that a car with twice the horsepower of my 94 Civic gets the same or better mileage. At least now I know why.

[Rockford35]

Originally Posted by Farquod

I've said this before: all my vehicles (Plymouth Voyager, Jeep Grand Cherokee, and Infiniti G35 coupe) all get 20 mpg. Computer chips don't fudge.

My daughter's Honda Accord does a little bit better, maybe 24 mpg all around.

I'm looking for my Mr. Fusion adapter....

Yes, they don't fudge at 45MPH, yet the layperson drives 20-25% faster than that....

If your daughter is getting 24mpg, she's either driving too fast, or her car is carburated...i have two friends with 'Ludes, both getting better than 30MPG...

I get 525km/55L in my Mazda 3. That works out to about 9.5km/L. It's rated at 9.2 city and 6.7 HWY, of which I do about 70% and 30%. So how can I be exceeding the city tolerances when 30% of my driving is highway?

30% difference is unacceptable. Especially in a car rated at 42MPG.

R35

[Farquod]

Originally Posted by Rockford35

If your daughter is getting 24mpg, she's either driving too fast, or her car is carburated...

It's an '04 EX coupe, and I'm pretty sure it's fuel injected. She doesn't get it 'till she turns 17 next year (I found a deal too good to pass up) so SWMBT is driving it instead of the van, since the mileage is better.

So it's mom who has a lead foot. And believe me, she does.

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by Farquod

It's an '04 EX coupe, and I'm pretty sure it's fuel injected. She doesn't get it 'till she turns 17 next year (I found a deal too good to pass up) so SWMBT is driving it instead of the van, since the mileage is better.

So it's mom who has a lead foot. And believe me, she does.

Oh lucky you with a teenager behind the wheel.

You know it's funny but after they leave for college you worry less. Not that there in any less danger but you just have no idea what they're doing so it's not as bad.

[Farquod]

Originally Posted by DaveE

...but you just have no idea what they're doing...

Oh yeah we do. Denial is a wunnerful thing, tho, ain't it?

I figure we've done the best we can. Natural selection has to take over sometime....

[DaveE]

Originally Posted by Farquod

Oh yeah we do. Denial is a wunnerful thing, tho, ain't it?

I figure we've done the best we can. Natural selection has to take over sometime....

That's exactly my position. Up until the moment they left I did everything I could to protect, guide etc. but now it's time for them to figure things out.

Not I wouldn't be there if needed of course but it's not like they're gonna ask anyway.