Are "MPG-Heads" replacing "Piston Heads" ??

[ned23]

This summer I noticed an interesting thing around the office. Guys were bragging about their gas mileage instead of their horsepower. Guys getting 30 mpg were talking about tire pressure and fuel additives and how much it cost them to drive a few states away. They were lording it over the guys with SUVs paying $120 to fill-up, who were getting faced. Thoughts?

[5speed4]

I've been thinking that too. I know I'm always very proud of the gas mileage of my cars and I tend to beam about it when the subject comes up. The Vibe, in particular, is pride inducing. I'm getting 42-43 mpg on my daily commute. That's almost as good as a Toyota Prius for less than half the price of one (comparing used), plus it looks 10x better, can haul bigger stuff and you don't have the worry of $6000 worth of batteries needing replaced in a few years.Prior to this I had a 2003 Grand Am (manual, 4-cyl) and it got 37-38 mpg and I was proud of that.If gas prices keep going down, or even stay where they are for much longer, however, bragging on gas mileage will go back out of style.

[shemp]

Are you sure you're getting 42mpg in your Vibe? That seems impossible. What are your tricks used to accomplish that?

[lowincash]

it use to be cool to have big cars with big engines or driving gas guzzling suv's...but after these past few years of gas soaring sky high,i've noticed this too...not just at work in the office but pretty much everywhere i go lol...everyone is trying to downsize their vehicles after gas prices went sky high these couple years. it's now more about how many mpg your car gets instead of how many hp's are in your car. just looking at my street, couple years back half the cars parked outside were suv's and pick up trucks...now only about 4-5 that i see are still driving those gas guzzlers. my dad's one of those few suv's left...but he uses his ford explorer to carry heavy stuff for his work.i guess it use to be cool to have big cars...the bigger the better or the bigger the engine the better...we were too spoiled with cheap gas prices and reality hit when prices went up...after this year's record high gas prices, i'm a bit more prepared for future rising gas prices. and i'm very glad i got the vibe...even if gas prices stay low it's still a good car and i'm pretty sure gas prices will go up again...no doubt about that. i'm just trying to enjoy it while it lasts =D i don't car about high horsepowers cars anymore honestly. we are ruining the world by driving gas guzzlers lol

[northvibe]

I see it as a trend...but for me, I still brag about having a fast, well handling, good mpg car I dont drive it for mpg, I drive it for g-forces

[Wolfman213]

I used to brag that I had a 93 Z28 that was getting 24mpg lol. Granted that is actually good for that car plus having 100K miles on it. Very fast, decent handling, although the art of kicking the rear out and never losing control was just awesome, then once I started hitting 24 mpgs i was loving it

[shemp]

Quote, originally posted by Wolfman213 »I used to brag that I had a 93 Z28 that was getting 24mpg lol. ....Very fast, decent handling, although the art of kicking the rear out and never losing control was just awesomeI had one too. I ordered the first day you could order them, and when I got it, it was the only one around. it was also my first new car and I loved it... in fact I treated it like a Ferarri.... It rarely saw rain, never saw snow or a car-wash, etc. I still miss that car... the power was intoxicating. I took it to the race track a few times, smoked a 92 vette with it, and could slide that thing around silly.... (but only ever on a "closed course" so don't taddle on me to the moderators, you know who you are). I got good mileage too, that thing was just above idle on the highway in 6th gear. For me it was never about being cool, it was just so much fun to drive a car with that much power. It wasn't a very flashy car. It walked quietly but carried a big stick .

[shemp]

Quote, originally posted by northvibe »I dont drive it for mpg, I drive it for g-forces

[Wolfman213]

Quote, originally posted by shemp »For me it was never about being cool, it was just so much fun to drive a car with that much power. It wasn't a very flashy car. It walked quietly but carried a big stick . although mine was an auto , so it's stick wasn't as big hahaha

[PlatinumVibe08]

Quote, originally posted by shemp »Are you sure you're getting 42mpg in your Vibe? That seems impossible. What are your tricks used to accomplish that?It looks like 5speed4 has a commute that is down hill, with a tail wind, both ways. My low fuel light came on yesterday. I filled up at lunch today and could barely squeeze $18 worth of gas in my Vibe. Gas is so cheap now that I've been going out and starting my car just to let it idle for a while.

[5speed4]

Quote, originally posted by shemp »Are you sure you're getting 42mpg in your Vibe? That seems impossible. What are your tricks used to accomplish that?Here is my thread on the subject:http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=35368For starters, it's a 5-spd manual (2005) which was rated at 30/36 back then (using the pre-2008 EPA ratings...which I always thought were under-rating rather than over-rating as they claim the reason for going to the new harsher 2008+ standards)Basically, I do have to hypermile it a bit, but nothing unsafe.Here is the list of things I do to get that:1) Tires all at 37 psi2) Skip-shift (e.g. 1-3-5 or 2-4-5 if starting down a hill).3) Short shift (basically never let the rpms go above 3000 and usually below 2500)4) No unnecessary idling: No warm ups, no drive-thrus, etc.5) Coast down hills in gear while your on the hill (uses no gas when the wheels drive the engine), then at the bottom of the hill, put it in neutral to coast as far as possible. (This is a big one for me as I have a big hill to ascend and descend in my commute).6) Common sense: coast to red lights and stop signs7) This is not my doing, but the highway roads I travel on are all 50-55 speed limit and I limit myself to 5 mph over if at all.8) As I mention in my other thread, I live at 7000 ft (Los Alamos, NM) which means 21% less wind resistance and that my engine is effectively 21% smaller.

[high revin]

Are you serious!

[high revin]

Quote, originally posted by 5speed4 »Here is my thread on the subject:http://forums.genvibe.com/zerothread?id=35368For starters, it's a 5-spd manual (2005) which was rated at 30/36 back then (using the pre-2008 EPA ratings...which I always thought were under-rating rather than over-rating as they claim the reason for going to the new harsher 2008+ standards)Basically, I do have to hypermile it a bit, but nothing unsafe.Here is the list of things I do to get that:1) Tires all at 37 psi2) Skip-shift (e.g. 1-3-5 or 2-4-5 if starting down a hill).3) Short shift (basically never let the rpms go above 3000 and usually below 2500)4) No unnecessary idling: No warm ups, no drive-thrus, etc.5) Coast down hills in gear while your on the hill (uses no gas when the wheels drive the engine), then at the bottom of the hill, put it in neutral to coast as far as possible. (This is a big one for me as I have a big hill to ascend and descend in my commute).6) Common sense: coast to red lights and stop signs7) This is not my doing, but the highway roads I travel on are all 50-55 speed limit and I limit myself to 5 mph over if at all.8) As I mention in my other thread, I live at 7000 ft (Los Alamos, NM) which means 21% less wind resistance and that my engine is effectively 21% smaller.This post has NERD alert written all over it!

[5speed4]

Your signature has "credit card debt" written all over it. Or maybe it's "mommy and daddy give me whatever I want or I'll pout."

[northvibe]

Quote, originally posted by 5speed4 »Your signature has "credit card debt" written all over it. Or maybe it's "mommy and daddy give me whatever I want or I'll pout."holy crap.... I think being called a "NERD" is a good thing...and I dont think it was to be taken in anyway but fun and jest. Coming out saying that though...little harsh and probably untrue as that car is pretty much all visual, which can be much cheaper than performance.... I love being called a nerd myself...

[ColonelPanic]

Quote, originally posted by high revin »This post has NERD alert written all over it!Well, some people find it more apealing to try to save fuel rather than having some gas guzzling hot rod that wastes fuel by spitting it out of the tailpipes in raw form! Get used to it -- MPG is becoming the new HP for many of us. It doesn't sound like much fun to drive efficiently, but it can be - it's a challange, a way to try to beat your previous high record... Whether your're doing it to save money or you are doing it out of respect for the environment and that you acknowledge we only have so much oil left, there's nothing wrong with trying to save fuel... We only have one planet, perhaps your kids would like a place to live when theh get old. *shrug*Of course, for every gallon us "nerds" manage to save, someone else goes out and burns 10 by not caring.

[NibCrom]

I would trade my Vibe for a Corvette in a heartbeat if I could afford it.

[ned23]

Quote, originally posted by NibCrom »I would trade my Vibe for a Corvette in a heartbeat if I could afford it.I've heard that GM is even talking about a future plug-in hybrid or electric 'vette to compete with the Tesla.

[NUBlackshirts]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »Of course, for every gallon us "nerds" manage to save, someone else goes out and burns 10 by not caring. That would be me....but only for short periods of time. I'm not apologizing to anyone for being a muscle car freak. I can't wait to go home for the holidays and get my Trans Am out of storage for a week. Alas, it will all be too soon when I come back to my Vibe GT...not that it's a slouch either. Just not the visceral thrill of stomping the pedal of a V8!

[NibCrom]

Quote, originally posted by ned23 »I've heard that GM is even talking about a future plug-in hybrid or electric 'vette to compete with the Tesla.

[high revin]

I guess there will always be tree huggers out there that could car less about performance and driving there cars hard at times and enjoying them to there fullest, witch can be done in a Vibe if set up right!but Thats why there drivers not hot rods! still fun lil cars and yes good on fuel but caring about a 3 mpg loss and coasting down hills to save gas plzzz, lol are you kidding love to see some of these people take a ride in a really fun pin you in the seat till you cant get out accelerating car and trust me that memory you will never forget and then your hooked like a junkie wanting more. Thats why we build fun muscle cars and hot rods, and drive these gas sippers everyday!

[high revin]

5 speed quick note be sure too know who your speaking of and too when rambling. 38 year old business owner with a very profitable business not a teen ager that has his mom iron his underwear for him! ring a bell!

[hskater26]

i work at CVS and when i ring out customers who complain about gas prices (obviously before seeing how its pretty low now) i loved saying well i get about 70mpg on my motorcycle so it doesn't bother me much.......although now with the ducati i only get like 40-45 haha

[shemp]

Quote, originally posted by hskater26 »...i get about 70mpg on my motorcycle so it doesn't bother me much.......although now with the ducati i only get like 40-45 hahaYea, I get about 45mpg on mine too.... IMHO it's the funnest way to be green you'll find!

[Tubaryan12]

Quote, originally posted by high revin »I guess there will always be tree huggers out there that could car less about performance and driving there cars hard at times and enjoying them to there fullest, witch can be done in a Vibe if set up right!but Thats why there drivers not hot rods! still fun lil cars and yes good on fuel but caring about a 3 mpg loss and coasting down hills to save gas plzzz, lol are you kidding love to see some of these people take a ride in a really fun pin you in the seat till you cant get out accelerating car and trust me that memory you will never forget and then your hooked like a junkie wanting more. Thats why we build fun muscle cars and hot rods, and drive these gas sippers everyday! some folks run sprints while others run marathonssome play golf while others play footballThe quest for the 50 mpg vibe takes the same amount of nerdiness as the quest for a 4 second zero to 60. One just makes more noise while doing it. In fact, I bet the guy trying to go fast has more toys with digital displays than the guy trying to get better gas mileage. On a side note: it is true that hotter babes will always gravitate around the fast, shiny car. As far as I'm concerned, that's the ONLY reason to go fast.btw...the last time I was in a car and pinned to my seat, I couldn't wait to get the hell out of it....thinking about having to have the jaws of life cut me out of that thing was just not a pretty thought. To each his own.

[ColonelPanic]

[BoostFrenzy]

i'm a fuel conserving piston head, corvette!

[djb383]

I like getting 50 mpg AND running deep into the 10's.http://img509.imageshack.us/my...l.jpg

[Lysander]

Nope, HP/TQ still rules the 'car guy' world.