09vGT wrote:CharlesinGA wrote:Without sounding like I'm rude, I think it would be much better to post a list of several fillups and mileage at a time rather than posting one here, one there, scattered throughout the thread. It would be much easier for other readers of the thread to get some idea of what you are doing if a whole bunch of fillups are easily found and compared in one post.
I actually find this more annoying. I don't like going back and checking a persons previous post to see if they updated it especially if the thread is several pages long. I guess its just a matter of personal preference.

My actual thinking was fewer posts. Occasionally post the most recent 5 or ten fill ups, and show if this average of the fill ups is improving over your previous average. This gives the reader current information, which varies with weather conditions, and other factors. and keeps the reader from having to backtrack in the thread.
I realized the Vibe was not easy to fill consistently and early on was experiencing wild swings in mileage calculated from one fill up. This seems to be more stable recently, possibly I'm getting a feel for filling the tank, but the spreadsheet is the ultimate method to keep track of mileage and why it varies (different brands of gas, ethanol or not, busy station with fast moving inventory, or small station with slow moving inventory, etc)
I track the average by a mean (mathematical average) which proves to be higher, and median (individual averages arrayed from high to low, and picking the one in the middle) which is a lower number.
My mean average is 32.124 mpg and my median is 31.747 mpg
66 fill ups in the past year (bought it on 19 Sept 2011) and total cost of gas so far is $2,159.73 and right at 20,000 miles driven.
This is largely road driving. I live in the country and rarely get into city traffic for more than one or two miles and a few traffic lights. Its either 50-60 mph on state and county roads, or 70-75 mph on the interstate. I'd say that less than 20% of my driving is below 45 mph.
Long term averages are much more useful info to the reader than mileage from one or two fill ups.
Charles