Howdy - I have a 2008 Scion xD named Bob.

[Atheria]

I am always looking for ways to get better gas mileage, especially as my commute is 22 miles each way and as a homeowner, I can't move closer to work.

Peace,
Atheria

[theholycow]

Welcome. Is it manual or automatic?

[Atheria]

Bob is my first automatic transmission car. I still tend to grab the shifter and have to be careful. LOL

Atheria

Originally Posted by theholycow

Welcome. Is it manual or automatic?

[IndyFetch]

I had to drive an automatic last week when I borrowed a buddy's truck to haul some cabinets. I only drive an auto about once a year or so. I was very proud of the fact I didn't stomp on a "phantom" clutch pedal in the truck. I ALWAYS do that.

[FrugalFloyd]

Welcome! I'm able to coax 32-39 mpg out of my wife's 2006 AT Hyundai Elantra on 16 mpg drives to the college, Costco, etc. Driving it on the Interstate at 55 mph gets me 32-35 mpg. Taking the adjacent frontage road at 40 mph gets 35-39 mpg.

Plan a route that minimizes stops, and allows you to keep speeds down. Keeping your AT in torque converter lockup, and conserving momentum, will yield the best mpg results.

[Atheria]

I'm not sure what "torque converter lockup" means/is....?

I love my car. I actually get pretty good mileage and sometimes amazing mileage (if I actually drive 55 for a long period of time I've gotten over 40 mpg) but I'm always looking for more. I'm greedy. :-) Although my commute is far, at least quite a bit of it is freeway and side streets where there's not as much traffic and the speed limit is 40-45 without stops. With the winter gas I'm averaging 34 city/hwy combined and with summer gas I get around 36-37. Now, compare this to my mpg in Los Angeles' horrid stop and stop traffic and mostly street commuting. I only got 22 mpg. I sooooo don't miss L.A. for many reasons. :-)

Check out my post on the general board about this guy I met years ago who put a hole in his engine (to increase oxygen/air flow I'm assuming) that caused his already small Yaris engine to not have hardly any power but upped his mpg to around 50+.

Thanks everyone,
Atheria

Originally Posted by SentraSE-R

Welcome! I'm able to coax 32-39 mpg out of my wife's 2006 AT Hyundai Elantra on 16 mpg drives to the college, Costco, etc. Driving it on the Interstate at 55 mph gets me 32-35 mpg. Taking the adjacent frontage road at 40 mph gets 35-39 mpg.

Plan a route that minimizes stops, and allows you to keep speeds down. Keeping your AT in torque converter lockup, and conserving momentum, will yield the best mpg results.

[FrugalFloyd]

Automatic transmissions are very inefficient while getting cars up to cruising speed. At some point, usually in the mid to high 30 mph range, they lock their torque converters. At this time, the engine and transmission are their most efficient. If an AT car has a 3.50:1 final drive ratio, and a top gear 0.7 overdrive ratio, the engine will spin 3.5 X 0.7, or 2.45 times for every turn of the tires/wheels.

At all other times, ATs spin their engines a lot more often to turn the tires/wheels, netting far worse gas mileage. When you're accelerating, or stomping on the gas to pass someone, the TC slips, the transmission uses lower gears, and your fuel economy sinks like a gangster with concrete shoes.

[JanGeo]

If it is anything like the tC it locks up at about 35-40 mph but at the mileage you are getting I would say PUMP UP THE TIRE PRESSURE!!

[FrugalFloyd]

Hey Jan,

Look at this. Playing around in the local industrial park this morning.

[theholycow]