So first off, a lot of you had some stellar recommendations as regards My previous heavy mileage daily suggestion thread.. And thanks for that. I am glad I asked. Just wanted to share an example of the typical trip I take maybe 4 times a month, if not more.
So yes, you all contributed to a healthy discussion as regards a high mileage mpg, and fast forward a week later, I had a 500 mile trip come up.
I was offered choice of three small SUVs by AVIS:
- Mazda CX5
- Mitsubishi something
- Kia something
Looking around the lot, and not wanting a small SUV / crossover, and eyeing a Charger / 300, I requested a sedan instead and they obliged and grabbed me a Taurus Limited from the Budget lot next door. LOL. I really would have loved it if they gave me an Avalon. Would have paid extra as well.
Well, I requested a large sedan and they gave me a large sedan - Taurus - big car, FWD and off I went.
Before I post the pic summarizing the trip here are some details:
West Houston, TX - South Mid Land, TX
- most of the freeway is 75 mph with occasional bump to 80 (once) and a few times to 65. It started off at 65 as I left town and quickly reached 70 and then 75.
I stopped / detoured 5 times
1) Missed exit / Got lost in San Antonio - quick detour - filled up the tank and emptied my bladder and got right back on the on-ramp. Lost maybe 2-3 minutes.
2) Stopped for Coffee - small detour (less than 2 miles). about 4 mins.
3) Took a detour for dinner (4 miles) and another slower route (2 extra miles) to the Hotel - “wasted” about 10 mins. Wasted, since, there were better options right in front of the hotel.
4) Cleaning the windshield off for bugs - small detour - quick stop at gas station. Spent 2 mins cleaning off headlights - windshield.
5) Early morning detour for coffee - despite having mobile - ordered 12 mins ago, they still made me wait 3 more minutes - wasted about 4minutes.
All these detours meant I had to take off the freeway, and drive for a few minutes at 35-45 mph and maybe encounter a couple stop signs, each detour.
While Google claimed it would take about 7 hours, the car performed like a champ and sustained speeds of 90-95 over 20 plus minute intervals regularly. I managed it in little less than 6 hours. and would have been shaved off another 30 mins if I was equipped to not take a break.
There were occasional slow downs with retards not willing to move over or a few times, maps urging me of a speed-trap ahead.
I averaged 80 mph.
Mpg - read by car 21.1. did not verify at pump.
Ride: better than fine.
Road Noise: Better than what I expected. I had some e-book playing in the back ground. or some tunes at slightly higher volume.
Handling: Okay - I’ll be honest putting the pedal down at 70 mph to overtake, I could feel torque steer. ALL my cars are RWD. whether its the family bus, or the super-lux 7 series or the hyper-fast-do-stupid-shit-6 speed SS or my current daily Grand Marquis.
Also around San Angelo, I came across a whole lot of 65 - 70 mph long sweeping bends with changing elevation and although the car took it fine, For some reason, I feel I have done “better” in my 2010 Grand Marquis.
Also, I had some heavy braking events, thanks to people who would basically decide to not move out of the lane or cut you off at last moment. There was a slight shudder in the last 100 miles as I slowed down.
21 mpg occasional is not bad. But If I had a Diesel car (Passat TDi / E250 blutec), this would have been closer to 35 if not higher. Also had it been my personal car and not rental, I might have taken it easy on speeds and possibly managed close to 40 mpg. I drove my TDi passat 75k miles over 2.5 years and never hot below 40 mpg - verified at pump (thanks diesel gate). Occasionally hit 50 and when i tried, I once did 950 miles on one tank - 55 mpg.
Now, I really really wanna try a rental spec Avalon.