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November 6, 2005
The Secret to Getting Good Gas Mileage Is ...
... Driving the speed limit. It's really that simple.
You can talk about monitoring tire pressure, changing your oil regularly, or choosing your time of travel to coincide with downdrafts, but it really comes down to driving the speed limit.
Driving responsibly, in other words.
The picture of the fuel gauge you see here is from a 2006 Jetta 2.0T with six-speed manual that I'm currently test driving. On a trip that included about 75% highway miles and 25% city driving, I achieved a top mileage of 33.8 miles per gallon.
This is 1.8 miles per gallon over the EPA's highway rating for the car, which is such an acknowledged fantasy that AAA is agitating to have the govermment change their testing procedures.
Now the funny thing about driving the speed limit is that it is incredibly uncomfortable. You feel like you're barely moving. Or that you could get out and push the car faster.
On one road with a posted speed limit of 40 MPH, I set the cruise control to 45. I felt like I could have started reading a book. Or writing one.
On the other hand, just so no one thinks I was in full AARP mode the whole trip, while driving on the Capitol Beltway [495] and Route 270, I did drive for periods at 75 MPH, or ten miles an hour over the limit.
In both cases, while I enjoyed the high readout from the gas use-ometer, I did fear for my life at times from drivers who were infuriated I would drive so slow.
Posted by Frank at November 6, 2005 1:17 PM | Filed under 5th Wheel
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