Honda Car Forum

Hey guys,

I just purchased a 2003 Honda Accord LX Sedan Automatic and moved to
Colorado Springs.

Loaded down with all of my personal belongings, I got 32mpg during the
770 mile drive from Dallas. This was fine with me.

During the first few weeks that I was here, my driving was evenly split
between city, small highway (55mph) and mountain driving. I averaged
24mpg.

Determined to do better, I committed to keep the TAC under 3,000 for
the entire volume of gas in the newly-filled tank. I just filled it up
last night and did the calculation. 22mpg.

My eyes are crossing...

Almost all of my driving for this past tank has been city driving. I
have not been an A/C fiend, and I shift into Neutral and coast downhill
rather than let the engine do it. I take my time getting places and I
don't jackrabbit starts or stops.

What am I doing wrong? Or does Colorado just suck? Is my expectation
of 25mpg city driving unreasonable?

Drewaffe wrote:

> What am I doing wrong? Or does Colorado just suck? Is my expectation
> of 25mpg city driving unreasonable?
>

Yes it is, especially considering your altitude and mountainous terrain.

EPA estimates on the V-6 Accord are 21 city, 30 highway. In your
driving conditions, anything over the EPA city number is a good result
for city driving.

John

Drewaffe wrote:
<SNIP> I shift into Neutral and coast downhill
> rather than let the engine do it.
----------------------------

It's illegal to shift into neutral when going downhill, in some
juristictions. It's for a couple of good reasons. Don't do it.

'Curly'

On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 10:39:33 -0600, "'Curly Q. Links'"
<motsco_@_interbaun.com> wrote:

>
>
>Drewaffe wrote:
><SNIP> I shift into Neutral and coast downhill
>> rather than let the engine do it.
>----------------------------
>
>It's illegal to shift into neutral when going downhill, in some
>juristictions. It's for a couple of good reasons. Don't do it.

And prey tell what ARE those reasons.

>
>'Curly'

oh yeah, because you can easily ram into someones ass. :P

Wow, altitude and mountainous terrain affects gas mileage? very
interesting. Who says you don't learn something new everyday?

Thanks for the info

"John Horner" <jthorner@yahoo.com> wrote
> Drewaffe wrote:
>
> > What am I doing wrong? Or does Colorado just suck? Is my expectation
> > of 25mpg city driving unreasonable?
> >
>
> Yes it is, especially considering your altitude and mountainous terrain.

The altitude should not affect mileage. (Empirical evidence of this is my 91
Civic: Got 40 mpg at sea level for several months. Still getting 40 mpg at a
mile high altitude, late spring through fall.)

Driving in mountainous terrain may be the problem.

The car is two years old, though. It is about due for a tuneup. Have you had
one done recently? Check your owner's manual. It may specify new

fuel filter
air filter
plugs

at a minimum.

> EPA estimates on the V-6 Accord are 21 city, 30 highway.

Waiving the right to remain silent, flobert <nomail@here.NOT> said:

> On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 10:39:33 -0600, "'Curly Q. Links'"
><motsco_@_interbaun.com> wrote:
>
>>
>>
>>Drewaffe wrote:
>><SNIP> I shift into Neutral and coast downhill
>>> rather than let the engine do it.
>>----------------------------
>>
>>It's illegal to shift into neutral when going downhill, in some
>>juristictions. It's for a couple of good reasons. Don't do it.
>
> And prey tell what ARE those reasons.

Much of the speed reduction when going downhill is achieved by taking
your foot off the gas and letting the engine do the "brake" work. By
putting the transmisison in neutral, you have to rely entirely on
your braking system, risking rapid overheating of the brakes.
Overheated brakes work very poorly, leaving you open to destruction.

--
Larry J. - Remove spamtrap in ALLCAPS to e-mail

The United States is the greatest country in the world..!
Twenty-five million illegal aliens can't be wrong.

I only know that the regular unlead gas is 86 instead of 87 in Utah and
Colorado. I do not know that affects the gas mileage, also.


"John Horner" <jthorner@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:CI2Ne.21739$Rp5.9601@trnddc03...
> Drewaffe wrote:
>
> > What am I doing wrong? Or does Colorado just suck? Is my expectation
> > of 25mpg city driving unreasonable?
> >
>
> Yes it is, especially considering your altitude and mountainous terrain.
>
> EPA estimates on the V-6 Accord are 21 city, 30 highway. In your
> driving conditions, anything over the EPA city number is a good result
> for city driving.
>
> John

See, among others,

http://www.valvoline.com/carcare/art...401go&cccid=3&
scccid=3 .

http://www.idavette.net/hib/fuel/

The lower octane gas in the Rocky Mountain states is appropriate for the
altitude.

I doubt the lower octane affects fuel mileage.

"Guy" <guysidkso@lycos.com> wrote
> I only know that the regular unlead gas is 86 instead of 87 in Utah and
> Colorado. I do not know that affects the gas mileage, also.
>
>
> "John Horner" <jthorner@yahoo.com> wrote
> > Drewaffe wrote:
> >
> > > What am I doing wrong? Or does Colorado just suck? Is my expectation
> > > of 25mpg city driving unreasonable?
> > >
> >
> > Yes it is, especially considering your altitude and mountainous terrain.
> >
> > EPA estimates on the V-6 Accord are 21 city, 30 highway. In your
> > driving conditions, anything over the EPA city number is a good result
> > for city driving.
> >
> > John
>
>

"Elle" <elle_navorski@nospam.earthlink.net> wrote in message
news:f%7Ne.8993$RS.544@newsread3.news.pas.earthlin k.net...
> The lower octane gas in the Rocky Mountain states is appropriate for the
> altitude.

I hadn't considered that. The altitude has the same effect as not opening
the throttle all the way, so lower octane works fine.

Mike