MPG. Why are so many people obsessed with it?

[dps]

I know the mpg of every car I own. MPG = $, but I also own my GT350. I know what to expect on MPG and know what it costs at the pump. Each of my vehicles has a purpose and a cost of ownership. It isn't about being obsessed - it's about having the right expectations. I don't expect my GT350 to get 30mpg - I expect it to be an amazing ride. I expect my Suby to get 30+ and be very safe and predictable for my daughter .

Sponsored

 

[Hobohunter]

I don't think the op is talking about the s550 specifically - just people stressing so much about their mpg in general on daily driven vehicles. My dad is this way - constantly shifting into neutral going downhill thinking he is saving money (pennies probably)! I have learned to just laugh and move on

If he's driving a fuel-injected car then he is literally wasting his time doing this, the engine won't be injecting any fuel, and it would actually burn more fuel to switch to neutral to keep the engine at idle speed.

 

[sox3]

So here's a funny mileage story
In early 1980s we had a co worker that checked his mpg every week, always talking about it. We were working 6 and 7 day shifts so he filled up at end of every weekly shift. He purchased a new truck and started into checking the mileage as usual and telling us how well he was doing.

After a couple weeks his mileage was getting better and got to where he was averaging 25+ miles a galllon. He was so impressed with this trucks mileage its all he could talk about.. This went on for quite awhile. Then the mileage dropped to where it originally was ( and should be).

What he didn't know was we were adding fuel to the truck every day when we made rounds. We worked in a refinery and we blended the gasoline so it was a no Brainer.

He took the truck to the dealer complaining about the mileage drop and showed them his records of how well it was doing. They must have thought he was screwed up in his math.

I miss all those fun times.

 

[Jbraun2828]

So here's a funny mileage story
In early 1980s we had a co worker that checked his mpg every week, always talking about it. We were working 6 and 7 day shifts so he filled up at end of every weekly shift. He purchased a new truck and started into checking the mileage as usual and telling us how well he was doing.

After a couple weeks his mileage was getting better and got to where he was averaging 25+ miles a galllon. He was so impressed with this trucks mileage its all he could talk about.. This went on for quite awhile. Then the mileage dropped to where it originally was ( and should be).

What he didn't know was we were adding fuel to the truck every day when we made rounds. We worked in a refinery and we blended the gasoline so it was a no Brainer.

He took the truck to the dealer complaining about the mileage drop and showed them his records of how well it was doing. They must have thought he was screwed up in his math.

I miss all those fun times.

That’s awesome, totally something I would do

 

[Takeshi]

Y'll need to come visit me in California once! The land of the $1 gas tax for 91 only. It might make you care a little more .

 

[80FoxCoupe]

I know the mpg of every car I own. MPG = $, but I also own my GT350. I know what to expect on MPG and know what it costs at the pump. Each of my vehicles has a purpose and a cost of ownership. It isn't about being obsessed - it's about having the right expectations. I don't expect my GT350 to get 30mpg - I expect it to be an amazing ride. I expect my Suby to get 30+ and be very safe and predictable for my daughter .

I will check mine initially just to know, then never again. I have to drive it, have to put gas in it so it is what it is.

So here's a funny mileage story
In early 1980s we had a co worker that checked his mpg every week, always talking about it. We were working 6 and 7 day shifts so he filled up at end of every weekly shift. He purchased a new truck and started into checking the mileage as usual and telling us how well he was doing.

After a couple weeks his mileage was getting better and got to where he was averaging 25+ miles a galllon. He was so impressed with this trucks mileage its all he could talk about.. This went on for quite awhile. Then the mileage dropped to where it originally was ( and should be).

What he didn't know was we were adding fuel to the truck every day when we made rounds. We worked in a refinery and we blended the gasoline so it was a no Brainer.

He took the truck to the dealer complaining about the mileage drop and showed them his records of how well it was doing. They must have thought he was screwed up in his math.

I miss all those fun times.

Hahahahahahaa awesome!!!!

 

[ihasnostang]

ive tracked fillups for 40k miles on my beater and 10k on my mustang

 

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

I do find it somewhat funny when someone chooses the Ecoboost over a GT because of gas mileage. Combined ratings for the auto GT and Ecoboost, respectively, are 19 mpg and 25 mpg. If someone drives 10k miles per year, the GT will consume about 526 gal, while the Eco will consume about 400 gal. 126 gallons per year difference = 10.5 gal per month = $30 extra in fuel per month.

THIRTY DOLLARS PER MONTH! Most people waste more than that on frivolous stuff.

 

[FreePenguin]

I do find it somewhat funny when someone chooses the Ecoboost over a GT because of gas mileage. Combined ratings for the auto GT and Ecoboost, respectively, are 19 mpg and 25 mpg. If someone drives 10k miles per year, the GT will consume about 526 gal, while the Eco will consume about 400 gal. 126 gallons per year difference = 10.5 gal per month = $30 extra in fuel per month.

THIRTY DOLLARS PER MONTH! Most people waste more than that on frivolous stuff.

I guess. But someone like me gets 32+ all day because I’m on highway all day

 

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

I guess. But someone like me gets 32+ all day because I’m on highway all day

The numbers I used were combined ratings. The GT obviously would be better than 19 mpg as well on the highway. I get upper 20s easily in my A10 GT, and on flat stretches I get well into the 30s according to my trip computer.

i.e., 10k miles, based on EPA ratings: GT at 25 mpg uses 400 gal of fuel, Eco at 32 mpg would use 312.5 gal. A difference of only 87.5 gal per year = 7.3 gal per month = ~$20-22 per month. Less than the cost of a 1/2 tank of fuel. Even if you drove 20k miles per year, you'd save a whopping $42 per month.

That's assuming the same fuel type and a little under $3/gal.

 

[ice445]

I only calculated my daily after doing major work to ensure all was well. With the GT, I just fill it up. I don't even look at the numbers lol

 

[FreePenguin]

The numbers I used were combined ratings. The GT obviously would be better than 19 mpg as well on the highway. I get upper 20s easily in my A10 GT, and on flat stretches I get well into the 30s according to my trip computer.

i.e., 10k miles, based on EPA ratings: GT at 25 mpg uses 400 gal of fuel, Eco at 32 mpg would use 312.5 gal. A difference of only 87.5 gal per year = 7.3 gal per month = ~$20-22 per month. Less than the cost of a 1/2 tank of fuel. Even if you drove 20k miles per year, you'd save a whopping $42 per month.

That's assuming the same fuel type and a little under $3/gal.

I a broke bitch. Lol

 

[Idaho2018GTPremium]

I a broke bitch. Lol

I've been there!

 

[Norm Peterson]

Anyway or anyways for those who put an s on it LOL ( another thing I dont get) just curious of all of your thoughts, why do you track MPG if you do.

I think the only time I ever bothered to actually track mpg was when the car I was driving struggled to get much over 14 mpg and I had a 55 mile commute (each way). 18.1 gallon gas tank. If the mpg dipped below 13 or if I used that car more than a few miles for anything else, I wasn't going to get two round trip commutes so I'd be filling up two days in a row.

Otherwise, a rough idea of mpg is enough. Then, a fuel stop at (say) 250 miles @ 20-ish mpg x $2.79/gallon means two twenties will cover it.


Norm

 

[ctandc72]

I think the focus on MPG is just something certain people do. People are different. Most all of us posting on this website are car people. We modify, work on, clean, some even obsess - like I said car people are different.

There are other people (a lot more than you might think) that see a car / truck simply as a way to get from point A to point B. I've met people who really don't like to drive, and if it wasn't for where they live versus where they work (not wanting to live in a city) they would gladly take public transportation.

My '19 GT is my DD. I have '12 F150 for hauling needs (tractor and some other equipment) but my GT gets driven 12 months a year. I have roughly 13K on it. I can't remember the last time I checked gas mileage. I remember being surprised how good the MPG was on the first road trip I took the GT on...other than that....

Some people do get caught up with the cost of gas versus MPG. I remember when the gas prices SPIKED several years back...hell it might have been more like 10 years ago. People were trading in used full size SUVs (GM Tahoe and Suburbans by the ton) and buying smaller SUVs. It was happening so much around here, the trade in values for these big SUVs dropped like a ROCK. A couple of buddies (one worked in a car dealership) ended up buying maybe 5-6 of these things. They would offer more than the trade in value. They only bought low mile, nicely kept versions. They sold them maybe a year later - for a very tidy profit.

I still remember a neighbor who traded in a PAID OFF Tahoe (perfectly maintained, decent miles) for a new Honda Pilot. They were telling me how much money they were saving on gas. They didn't even THINK about the added monthly payment - and even the MPG difference wasn't as big as you'd think.

On this vein, was out in the GT with my wife the other day running around. Saw a new Chevy Volt or whatever the new / newish Chevy Electric car is. The license plate was personlized (0 MPG).

Hell I know people (mainly co-workers) who have bought electric vehicles. Their money - their choice - what should I care? It's only when they start mentioning "saving the environment" and "reducing use of fossil fuels" that I say anything. None of them mention their EV anymore. Turns out that most of them didn't realize that the VAST majority of the electricity used to charge their EVs (in our area) is from coal / NG fired power plants. When I pointed out that - you could tell they have never thought about it.

To each their own.

Sponsored