MPG Happy Talk

[terryb]

Started a 1000mi drive to FL today. Got up to 42 running at 70, but only 38 at 62. My guess is the shutter aero is kicking in higher than I'd expected. Else I'm confused?

[fusionTX]

Started a 1000mi drive to FL today. Got up to 42 running at 70, but only 38 at 62. My guess is the shutter aero is kicking in higher than I'd expected. Else I'm confused?

Where in Fl are you headed? That's pretty good MPGs. Keep us posted.

[acdii]

Started a 1000mi drive to FL today. Got up to 42 running at 70, but only 38 at 62. My guess is the shutter aero is kicking in higher than I'd expected. Else I'm confused?

Wow thats really good at 70! Usually its the other way around.

[acdii]

I think having the car sit on the dealers lot with the 2013 sticker on the window skeered it! I got 39.3 MPG this morning. Yesterday it was about 37.5 combined. At least 4 MPG better than it has been. Still not as high as it should be, but still better than it was!

[KingJL]

I couldn't agree more. Drafting is just plain stupid in my mind. it goes against everything you are taught in defensive driving. A few pennies saved Is not worth risking my life or that of my loved ones.

Have you ever seen what happens when a truck "throws a tread" (happens frequently) and someone is drafting? It aint pretty... And 2 seconds does not help! That pretty front end of the FFH aint going to be pretty no more!

Note: The poor grammer is intentional.

Edited February 28, 2013 by KingJL

[JSKershaw]

So I haven't had this car for a week yet. And today the temperature was a bit milder than it has been lately (1*C or 34*F). I had the heater on at the start, but then turned it off because it was getting too warm. I drove about 63KM (39M) to work this morning and got 5.1L/100km (46MPG). I'm really starting to get the hang of driving this car. After seeing that number this morning once I shut the car off I knew I won't have any issues achieving the EPA numbers. One thing I'm not sure about achieving is the EnerGuide ratings here in Canada. The estimates here are 4.0L/100km city (59MPG) and 4.1/100km Hwy (57MPG). Anyways we will see once Spring is here.

[hybridbear]

So I haven't had this car for a week yet. And today the temperature was a bit milder than it has been lately (1*C or 34*F). I had the heater on at the start, but then turned it off because it was getting too warm. I drove about 63KM (39M) to work this morning and got 5.1L/100km (46MPG). I'm really starting to get the hang of driving this car. After seeing that number this morning once I shut the car off I knew I won't have any issues achieving the EPA numbers. One thing I'm not sure about achieving is the EnerGuide ratings here in Canada. The estimates here are 4.0L/100km city (59MPG) and 4.1/100km Hwy (57MPG). Anyways we will see once Spring is here.

 

Looking at your signature yours sure took a long time to arrive. Why did it take until February for delivery of a car that was built in October?

 

Glad you're getting such good mileage up north in Canada (even though you are actually south of Minneapolis lol)

[JSKershaw]

Looking at your signature yours sure took a long time to arrive. Why did it take until February for delivery of a car that was built in October?

 

Glad you're getting such good mileage up north in Canada (even though you are actually south of Minneapolis lol)

My car was on Vacation in Mexico for 3.5 months! LOL

 

On a serious note, it was stuck in TBD land, and still to this day we don't know why my car was held up since Oct. Speculation is that it had something to do with the stop ship problem to sort out the 1.6L engine recall. Mine was placed in the back of the pack. To this day, I think there's still some people stuck in TBD hell back on the Blue Oval Forums. I see that some people think that earlier builds have issues with mileage. Clearly that can't be the reason since mine was built in October and achieving decent fuel economy. My window sticker shows that my Hybrid was #181 off the assembly line. Kinda glad I wasn't #1... lol

[hybridbear]

My car was on Vacation in Mexico for 3.5 months! LOL

 

On a serious note, it was stuck in TBD land, and still to this day we don't know why my car was held up since Oct. Speculation is that it had something to do with the stop ship problem to sort out the 1.6L engine recall. Mine was placed in the back of the pack. To this day, I think there's still some people stuck in TBD hell back on the Blue Oval Forums. I see that some people think that earlier builds have issues with mileage. Clearly that can't be the reason since mine was built in October and achieving decent fuel economy. My window sticker shows that my Hybrid was #181 off the assembly line. Kinda glad I wasn't #1... lol

 

I believe all the users on here with mileage issues (Fynack, acdii & nmadole) to name a few all have cars that were built the same week. I don't recall exactly when their cars were built, but I believe they were built in late October or early November. We test drove the first FFH in MN back in October and got 46.5 MPG in about 100 miles of driving. That car was built 9/27/12 according to ETIS

[acdii]

last week of October, Mine is 11-1-12, Nick is 10-31-12.

[terryb]

Total distance Houston to Tampa 1008 miles. Mileage showing 39.4 speeds generally running =/> 65.

Playing with the toys all the way and loved the ACC and lane keeping. Kept getting warnings for hands on wheel whether they were both on the wheel or not????

 

Saw a near miss when a tank truck merged from right and dove across six lanes to far left to make divergence right in front (less than 300ft) of guy running left lane with flat hauler with two cars on it. Much tail wagging ensued, but no collision. I expect rude phrases were uttered.

Edited February 28, 2013 by terryb

[acdii]

Light steerer you are. :) Mine yells at me too if I relax my hands on the wheel.

[JSKershaw]

last week of October, Mine is 11-1-12, Nick is 10-31-12.

Well if that's the case I missed it by just over a week! Lucky me I guess...

[acdii]

Here is some happy news!!!

 

I discovered that if I keep the battery at 75% or higher and stay on ICE, I get much better gas mileage than if I use EV+ICE. Drawback is I need to stay at or above 60 MPH and doing that in traffic has been quite difficult. This is a 10 MPG improvement and what I was expecting to see when I bought the car. Now I dont know for a fact if blocking the grills with Lexan has anything to do with this, but the car is maintaining 181* now, and warms up quicker. I do know that it made ZERO difference when driven the P&G way.

[JSKershaw]

This should almost prove that your thermostat should be changed now that the temp of the engine seems to be stable now that the grill is covered.

 

Good to see that things are starting to look positive for you.

[elle]

So glad you are starting to get some satisfaction from this car. It's such a nice car in all other respects-- it's such a shame when there is a problem that prevents full enjoyment of it.

[acdii]

Poor thing is all dirty and crusty now from the snow. :( I can't wait until Spring when I can give it a good washing, clay bar and the first 2 coats of Zaino and watch it glisten. I got the Husky mats in yesterday, and going to get the windows tinted this spring, get the rear spoiler ordered, that will be 2 that will need painting. I bought one for my 2010 last year and have yet to take it out of the box and get painted, and since my father in law owns a body shop, you would think I would have done it by now!

[hybridbear]

Poor thing is all dirty and crusty now from the snow. :( I can't wait until Spring when I can give it a good washing, clay bar and the first 2 coats of Zaino and watch it glisten. I got the Husky mats in yesterday, and going to get the windows tinted this spring, get the rear spoiler ordered, that will be 2 that will need painting. I bought one for my 2010 last year and have yet to take it out of the box and get painted, and since my father in law owns a body shop, you would think I would have done it by now!

 

What is clay bar? I've heard it mentioned here and there but don't have much experience with it...

 

I waxed our car back in December when we first got it with Meguiar's Gold Class Carnauba Plus Paste Wax. I researched the carnauba versus synthetic waxes and decided to go with this wax which is a "hybrid" of synthetic and carnauba for my hybrid lol

 

Once the warm weather comes I'm going to wax the car again and touch up a few stone chip spots that are appearing on the front of the car. And I'd like to learn more about clay bar too.

 

Thanks

[jeff_h]

What is clay bar? I've heard it mentioned here and there but don't have much experience with it...

 

I didn't realize how badly my wife's 2010 Edge needed a clay bar until I viewed the below video and then ran my hand across the just-washed hood and felt how it was like fine sandpaper... after the claying, the hood was smooth as a baby's butt.

 

ps - I ordered some from their web site for whatever price was on there, then a few days later saw that it was on the shelf at Walmart (among several other Maguiars products) for about 5 bucks cheaper for the same package.

 

Edited March 6, 2013 by jeff_h

[acdii]

The meguires is what I use too. For touch ups, but for my initial clay I use a mixture of Dawn and water in a spray bottle to remove all wax and oil, then hit it with the polish. Once that is done, every so often I just run over it with the Meguires and bar. Silky smooth finish.

[hybridbear]

Thanks, I'll compare prices on clay bar and do that this spring before waxing again.

[acdii]

Slightly better today, used a little more EV, but kept the pack above 50%. Took my usual route which is 4.5 miles shorter. Had two fast lights that didn't let me get a full regen :(

 

[jeff_h]

Slightly better today, used a little more EV, but kept the pack above 50%. Took my usual route which is 4.5 miles shorter. Had two fast lights that didn't let me get a full regen :(

 

What was the temp outside? Does your car stay in a garage at night so it might be slightly warmer than the outside, or outside where it's then starting out stone cold?

[hybridbear]

Had two fast lights that didn't let me get a full regen :(

 

I hate when that happens!! :banghead: lol

[acdii]

What was the temp outside? Does your car stay in a garage at night so it might be slightly warmer than the outside, or outside where it's then starting out stone cold?

25*, and it is in a garage, but the engine temps are still stone cold. When I start the car it shows in the 30's. My garage is only a weather protector, one door is left partially open so cats can get in and out(my mother does this!) so its just as cold inside as it is outside. Next week it should be in the 40's so should be interesting to see where the temps go, or if they stay the same.