MPG. Why are so many people obsessed with it?

[FreePenguin]

Funny thing about the gas/suv thing. People will drive that Honda Pilot, and second gas plummets again, they go trade for the biggest largest SUV/Monster truck they can buy, then gas crunch happens and they trade off.

don't really understand that. just because gas drops, don't mean you have to go buy the largest tank you can buy.

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[Sivi70980]

I don't pay attention to fuel prices at all, It's inevitable. I do go to the same pump (and will wait for it) at the same station on the same day every week no matter what my fuel level looks like. It's usually just under half a tank. I clear the trip meter every fill and see the 21-22 average mpg at that point.

When I go to a parking lot (no matter what I'm driving) I park in the first available spot and walk. If I'm buying groceries and items are on sale at another store, I still buy them at my normal store. I also refuse to pay delivery fees for a meal like pizza, I'll go pick it up or actually prefer to make my own.

I waste money on some things and save it on others but saving money is usually not even in the thinking behind doing what I do. Is delivery for food expensive? Of course, but I mainly just don't want any other hands on something I'm about to eat.

I did math out the MPG before I bought my car because I did come from a turbo 4 that got great millage. I still got gas in that thing at the same pump every week and it was usually sitting just over half a tank. MPG math has always been hilarious to me because as it was pointed out in earlier posts, the cost difference really is negligible. I hate that it's at the forefront of many political and other things. I will say I do appreciate new tech and although I don't have kids, I'm not apposed to leaving the world better for the next person when I'm gone.

 

[bryyce62]

I personally monitor fuel mileage as a measure of automobile health. If the mileage rarely varies, I feel confident that the drivetrain is in satisfactory condition. A change in MPG can be an early indicator of a mechanical issue.

 

[Helltime]

I like to know what my range is, and a drastic change in MPGs is a good indicator you have a problem.
Back in highschool I had a 85 Mustang GT, no matter how I drove that car I always got 13mpg, when it suddenly dropped to 10mpg I started investigating, found out my mechanical fuel pump was leaking (no other symptoms were present). I replaced it and I was back up to 13mpg every tank again. I have also caught O2 sensors going bad this way too before a CEL came on.

 

[Ruby_Ruby19]

Personally I think to some people MPG matters a lot. If someone isn't a brand loyalist, or they live where price of premium fuels are very high - then going after a performance vehicle that gets better MPG may make all the difference.

My Hellcat got 21-20mpg on the highway - which I can tell you, you may not think about mpg until you see the difference. My old C5, and LSX cars, and Fox Body cars sucked gas like a crack whore. It was nice to take a 350 mile plus road trip and not have to stop a half a dozen times.

MPG doesn't make my decisions on which vehicle but it's nice to have if you can. Hell, my 10 speed car gets decent fuel mileage and I love it.

 

[LSchicago]

I don't care about MPG, the more it uses, the more I put in. I will never care about fuel economy or prices enough to drive a Prius. Not even if it was free.

 

[Reddirocket27]

I don't care about MPG, the more it uses, the more I put in. I will never care about fuel economy or prices enough to drive a Prius. Not even if it was free.

Does anyone want to tell him about electric cars?

 

[LSchicago]

Does anyone want to tell him about electric cars?

Why would I want an electric car? Until they can fix the whole range/time to charge/charge anywhere thing I won't buy an EV.

 

[Jeezer]

I admittedly did not read the whole thread, but checking your MPG or keeping up with it has a lot of benefits. I have discovered problems with my cars by calculating my MPG and noticing it was lower than usual. It also is nice to manage your right foot when you are strapped for cash, and I see no reason not to keep track of it. It's like a game for some people. Hyper-miling or whatever you want to call it. I haven't had my GT very long and I don't really care about MPG a lot, but it is nice getting 26mpg on the drive to work in the stang when my 2019 civic was only seeing like 32 mpg.

 

[Steve68Cougar]

I keep track of mileage on most of my vehicles. I keep track at least long enough to know the difference between what the mileage indicator is and what actual mileage is. My 08 Bullitt reads high by 1 mpg, our F250 is high by 1 mpg and my '09 Focus reads high by 2mpg. I don't know what the '18 is yet, but it appears to read high, too. Keeping track of mileage and driving for good mileage has actually made a difference for me. I drove to a job that was 170 miles per day for several years, part of which was during the time where gas was over $4.00/gallon. Depending on how I drove, I could vary the mileage from 29mpg up to 43mpg. When you average 45k+ miles per year just from work, it adds up. The best mileage my Bullitt has gotten was 32 and the worst was 7. The worst mileage came from a couple of days at Mohawk Track Experience at Gingerman Raceway. It was worth every penny.

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