Fuel mileage gets better

[dsonyay62]

We're at the 4000mile mark and our overall mileage is now hitting 30 MPG.
I've noticed it improving as we put more and more miles on the car. Although the exact driving scenario is not exactly the same every week, the routine is for the most part the same..
back and forth to work 5 days a week (nearly all on the interstate) and running a few errands etc on the weekends. We've gone from the low 28mpg range to 30.1on the latest fillup. The computer avg usually shows a couple tenths less.

 

[CX-SV]

I suspect the difference is driving conditions. 30mpg sounds similar to others for nearly all interstate.

 

[dsonyay62]

On all interstate.. like on a road trip I get about 35 to 36 mpg.
That's different than my weekly average. Yeah I drive to work on mostly interstate but I do log in-town miles on weekends and running around to places after work. My "all around" average has jumped from 28 to 30, not my "highway only" mileage.

I may not have clarified this very well in the original post.

 

[Gio26NJ]

Since her Civic lease was up the CX-5 is my wife's main means of transportation. She doesn't care about MPG and stuff and does not pay any attention to the MPG numbers at all. So I started keeping track of all tanks we filled up and kept track of mileage driven and MPG before next fill up (usually with around two bars left and reset the MPG after fill up)

The last 3 tanks were like this, all regular unleaded and same exact driving conditions commuting 5 days a week over uneven roads 2 bridges, 60% highway 40% suburban

Hess - 28.1 MPG
Shell - 27.5 MPG
Exxon - 29.9 MPG

Now I'm not sure if the brand of gasoline had anything to do with it but the Exxon got the highest MPG out of these three major gas stations. Has anyone else tried something like this yet? She's currently running on the Mobil tank and I will get back with the MPG for that as well.

 

[nopalito24]

I get 27.4 AVG but I do drive 74mi a day about 70% high way and most of that is bumper to bumper traffic.. how do I reset the MPG? haven't been able to figure it out..also my MPH avg. reading is always the same which does not make sense.

 

[mddriver]

Will be getting my second fill up today or tomorrow, so I can check the second tank milage, but my computer avg. mileage is at 29.1 and rising. That's probably 50-50 highway/suburbs, but only about 600 miles. I was down to 28.5 but a 60 mile highway round trip on Tuesday boosted it to 29.0. I can not be happier.

 

[WNJ]

I get 27.4 AVG but I do drive 74mi a day about 70% high way and most of that is bumper to bumper traffic.. how do I reset the MPG? haven't been able to figure it out..also my MPH avg. reading is always the same which does not make sense.

When on the average mpg or average speed on dashboard, press and hold down the 'INFO' button on steering wheel till you hear a beep and the display is reset.

 

[Sinnister]

I noticed that city driving (my daily commute) Im getting about 26 MPG. I recently did my first road trip and I was easily up around 34 MPG.

 

[IHeartGroceries]

Since her Civic lease was up the CX-5 is my wife's main means of transportation. She doesn't care about MPG and stuff and does not pay any attention to the MPG numbers at all. So I started keeping track of all tanks we filled up and kept track of mileage driven and MPG before next fill up (usually with around two bars left and reset the MPG after fill up)

The last 3 tanks were like this, all regular unleaded and same exact driving conditions commuting 5 days a week over uneven roads 2 bridges, 60% highway 40% suburban

Hess - 28.1 MPG
Shell - 27.5 MPG
Exxon - 29.9 MPG

Now I'm not sure if the brand of gasoline had anything to do with it but the Exxon got the highest MPG out of these three major gas stations. Has anyone else tried something like this yet? She's currently running on the Mobil tank and I will get back with the MPG for that as well.

Gas is gas. It is all refined to the same standards, largely varying on location. The only thing that makes Shell Shell or Exxon Exxon is the branded detergent injected at the point of wholesale.
In fact, nearly all of them conduct a wholesale exchange business, which means they simply allow the other to be a product "stockholder" on their distribution facility, store and distribute their branded additives out of each others distribution terminals.
Now, if you want to argue filling station storage or distribution after wholesale perhaps being partly responsible for grossly varying mileage differences, I might buy that.
But, between 28 and 30 MPG, I would guess it largely falls on driving habbits and conditions.

 

[Gio26NJ]

Thanks for the clarification , yeah that's why I said I wasn't sure if it had to do anything with the brand of gasoline but Exxon did get the highest MPG. Going for a fill up again Mobil got 29.5 MPG as well. Going to try one of the lesser known names here in the Northeast gas stations like Delta, Raceway, Wawa next and see what comes of it.

 

[Rich02818]

You might want to read this: http://www.toptiergas.com/

 

[IHeartGroceries]

You might want to read this: http://www.toptiergas.com/

Meh. That's a consortium. It is just marketeting.

Here's the deal:
Mom n pop filling stations, Wal-Mart, grocery stores, etc - they all get a "Genereric", ubranded detergent additive, which typically only meets the EPA mandates or regulations.
Depending on location, and other factors (RBOB, CBOB, Conventional, etc) the typical treat rate for unbranded gas is about 1/4 of a gallon additive for every 1,000 gallons of gas.

Shell puts about 4 times that amount (1 gal/mgal) of their branded additive into their gasolines, and even more into their premium gas (V-Power). They put more of their additive into their premium gasoline than does anybody else.

I DO recommend that you use branded gasolines. But, as far as which one, they are virtually the same. "Top Tier" simply means the gas gets more branded detergent additives. The most important thing overall is to buy from a filling station with lots of throughput. The longer fuels are stored, especially at filling stations, the more potential to become contaminated.

And as far as the benefit of extra detergent in a DI engine, that is pretty arguable as well. None of that detergent will ever see an intake valve, and they are formulated mostly to wash away deposits off of the valves.

By the way, I work for Shell Dowstream Distribution.

 

[Rich02818]

" "Top Tier" simply means the gas gets more branded detergent additives. "

Actually it means what it says on their website....which is quite a bit more specific than the statement above. If anyone wants any real info, try reading their site.

 

[IHeartGroceries]

I suspect I have no idea, being a Terminal Operator at a Shell distribution terminal, and having worked years prior as a contractor for a company who specializes in the maintenance and installation of additive systems that inject and blend ethanol, dyes and additives into petro fuels.
Yup. No idea at all.

 

[kardut]

FWIW, my husband was having problems with his '10 Camaro SS (auto tranny) stalling out. He was using premium gas as required by car. Took it in for service, and the mechanic told him to stick to the "yellow sign" gas stations (Shell, Sunoco). He's done so, and hasn't had a problem since...

 

[hollis]

getting 39.7MPG..... was at 40.2MPG but took a long hwy trip.... 50% 40MPH and 50% 65MPH HWYs

 

[Rich02818]

I suspect I have no idea, being a Terminal Operator at a Shell distribution terminal, and having worked years prior as a contractor for a company who specializes in the maintenance and installation of additive systems that inject and blend ethanol, dyes and additives into petro fuels.
Yup. No idea at all.

No offense intended. I'm truly interested if you have objective info about the specific standards and qualification tests specified by toptier. Does it prove to you that all branded additives "are virtually the same"? Or does your experience inform you that it's all simply lies (as implied by your "just marketing" statement)?