An interesting observation on fuel economy

[Daox]

I'd say short trips are the ultimate killer, especially in a cold climate.

[Canoehead]

I agree with the cold starts - I watch my scan gauge and typically average 11L/100km for the first 5-10 minutes, and then the average slowly improves.

Fun fact: 59degrees Celcius is when the low temp light goes away. Operating temp tends to be between 89 and 92 degrees C.

[cyclopathic]

I agree with the cold starts - I watch my scan gauge and typically average 11L/100km for the first 5-10 minutes, and then the average slowly improves.

Fun fact: 59degrees Celcius is when the low temp light goes away. Operating temp tends to be between 89 and 92 degrees C.

Time to block radiator?

[Basic]

70+ mph is where I can just watch the mpgs drop like a rock. I'm betting they are Interstate travelers daily.

[DWB]

I'm not sure how accurate the Avg MPG reading on the dash is. My wife only gets about 40mpg, while on the same trip, same time of day, to the same area, I get just more than 50. She doesn't drive much faster than me, but her foot is a bit more heavy than mine - quicker starts, harder breaking, etc. Once my Subaru gives up, I'm in for a second one of these things.

[nickpon]

I'd say short trips are the ultimate killer, especially in a cold climate.

How short is short? It's cold where I am (and about to get colder). Most of my drives are 15-20 minutes. I only get about 350km per tank. Most of that has to do with me I think, but I wonder how much the weather is affecting it.

[Cobrajet]

I get around 44-46 in the colder, wetter weather, about 51-53 in the dry summer weather. This is with mild hypermiling, and it's 100% short trips...between 1/4 mile and 7 miles.

Cooler weather...and the concurrent switch to 'winter blend' gas...is the biggest mpg killer. Cool air is more dense, and thus requires more fuel for even combustion. This is why many turbo cars use an intercooler. The intercooler cools the hot air from the turbo that is coming into the intake, making it more dense, so that more fuel can be used to ignite it. More fuel plus denser air makes for more power. What the Mirage needs in the winter is a WARM air intake to heat the air as it enters the intake so that less fuel can be used to ignite it. This, of course, is what happens naturally in the summer.

The cold coupled with all the crap they put into gas in the winter (butane, etc), really makes my mpg take a dump.

[Daox]

How short is short? It's cold where I am (and about to get colder). Most of my drives are 15-20 minutes. I only get about 350km per tank. Most of that has to do with me I think, but I wonder how much the weather is affecting it.

Sort is subjective. But, until your engine is warmed up, your mileage is reduced. My daily commute is right around 15 minutes and in the dead of winter I never get fully up to temperature if I want to use heat (and I do). In summer, I'm up to temp WAY faster, about 1/4 of the way into my 7 mile drive.

If you pull out of your driveway and instantly get on a highway, you're going to warm up really fast. If you drive through the city, you're going to warm up more slowly. So, I relate a 'short' commute with respect to fuel economy back to how fast the engine actually warms up. To help warm up times I suggest a block heater and blocking some of your grill off. It really does help warm things up faster.

[wellswebdesign]

To help warm up times I suggest a block heater and blocking some of your grill off. It really does help warm things up faster.

The block heater is nice. It was 35 the other morning, I had the heater hooked up for 90 minutes. Scangauge showed a water temp of 89F when I turned the car on. Warm air blowing very quickly. Fairly easy install, I even made a video! http://mirageforum.com/forum/showthr...allation-video

[M-88]

Change all your halogens globes to LED and watch the power and fuel be saved.... I have entered four fuel log entries, and you can tell when I put new headlights and replaced all my globes.....

I have been debating switching my Focus to LED headlights. I can get hi/lo beam LED bulbs for $100 a set. I'm just not sure I can swallow that much for a set of headlight bulbs. But, I would be able to see better and it would reduce power consumption. Especially now that it is winter and I'm running with the headlights every night.

What style headlights does the Mirage use? Would be interesting to see the comparison in wattage / amperage from the halogen style to LED headlights.