Adding my last tank, averaging 39.5 MPG over 739 miles (that’s an extended tank; I used up a gift card that I had in there) this tank has moved me up another tenth of a mile for my lifetime average to 34.2. That’s 126.57% of EPA MPG lifetime. I also filled up for a nice price, $2.25 via finding the cheapest gas station and using a fuel discount card.
I’m leaving tomorrow for Hybridfest, somewhere on the trip I’ll hit 50,000 miles.
I answer the titular question on the Examiner, read it here:
Being low on fuel, I did a quick check, and found a station that was selling for $2.69. With my 3 cents off fuel card, that was $2.66, good enough for me!
I can add another 40+ MPG tank to my stats, with a 40.1 tank over 554.5 miles. If you’re wondering how come I’m getting gas again so quickly, this tank included normal driving plus two trips to Metro Airport, two trips to Rochester, and a trip to Greenfield village. Lots of driving to be sure! This tank was 138% of EPA, lifetime is now up to 126.31% of EPA.
My current tank is at 41.8; had I checked before I keyed Liberator off, I would’ve taken a picture of it, as I did with the last tank.
Summer is nice, though looking back I seem to have only about 11 more tanks before I’m back to the hum-drum of cold or cooler weather and my MPGs go back into decline. Ugh.
I don’t want to sound like a shill, especially since I haven’t sold out yet, but I’ve been utilizing the offers made by Speedway. I’ve got their credit card which for well over a year gave me a discount on price per gallon as well as 40 Speedway points per dollar spent there. I’m also a member of their rewards program, so when I buy drinks there, every 6th one is free, plus I redeem all those accumulating speedway points for gasoline gift cards for free gas. So, all in all, it’s not a bad program, since I have to buy gasoline somewhere, and I do use a credit card, may as well reduce the costs and get free gas as often as possible. However, their discount via credit card has come to an end, but they’ve introduced a new program, that using their fuel gift card, they give you 3 cents off at the pump. Which hey, it’s better then a sharp stick in the face.
So, doing some quick research, I’ve noticed gas prices are heading in the wrong direction again, and I was low, so I did the search and found a station that was at a far friendly $2.23 a bit further out from my local station at $2.37. I stopped there, redeemed my points for a $50 fuel card, then filled up at $2.20 a gallon. Not bad really. The fun part was my MPG on the way home. Today was a very nice day, though a bit too windy for perfect driving conditions, but regardless, my Ford Escape Hybrid shined. Here’s a pic taken in my garage at the end of the day; remember EPA MPG for my vehicle is 29 MPG!
That’s the difference just a few degrees in temperatures can make to a skilled hypermiler!
It seems gas prices really have restabilized, around 2 bucks a gallon both nationally and here in Michigan. While discussion of what happened is really old news, that it’s actually stayed there instead of creeping back up is worth noting.
Occasionally someone mentions to me, “Are you sorry you got your hybrid now that gas is cheap again?” After I stop pointing and laughing consider this, I answer “No, I’m not. I’m as happy as a large truck owner or a poor student that gas prices are cheap again.” I further elaborate on how spending $20 a month for fuel is so very nice, and the less it costs to fill up, the happier I am. And it’s very true.
Adding my last tank (368 miles at a cost of $22.50) I looked back at the pain the pumps did cause, and boy did it. My most expensive fillup was $65 to go 638.8 miles. Today that same distance would cost me $33 and some change.
So, am I happy gas prices are down? Absolutely. I hope they go down further.
I started the day by sleeping in. As I learned the hard way last year, you’re better off sleeping in and getting a later start then to leave ASAP and nearly fall asleep on the road. I packed up and went to the gas station to fill up, in previous years, I’ve always almostbeen able to make it from Warren MI to Madison WI on a single tank, so I want to get as far as possible. Filled up at $4.10, averaging 38.7 MPG on the tank. Then I went back home, as I’d remembered that I’d forgotten my Hybridfest envelope, and once home, realized I forgot my dry erase board. Using the Nav system away I went. However, it seems my nav system and I need to have a chat. I selected avoid toll roads, and fastest route. It took me out of my way through Lansing and Kalamazoo, then on toll roads. Hmmm…
There isn’t really that much to say about my drive out. However, there seems to be some sort of phenomenon that by Paw Paw/Benton Harbor area, I get sleepy, it happened both times. For the most part, I just followed the Nav system, had the cruise control set at 60 MPH, and drove. I ended up stopping in every state, MI for lunch, IN for a rest stop, IL to change CD’s and rest, and then in WI when I got there. Despite leaving later, I managed good times, this year is the first year I didn’t get snared in a traffic jam, I went around Chicago without problems, and made it into Madison just after 6 PM. The time change helped though. 450ish miles, 100% expressway, air conditioner on the entire trip, and I still had 20 MTE (Miles to Empty).
Meeting up with my friends, Eric and the rest, we went out to dinner at an Itailian place Beneveduto’s or somesuch. Not bad, a bit overpriced IMHO, but not bad. The highlight was riding about in a Lexus that Toyota let Eric use for the weekend. Niiice car.
I ran out to get half a tank of gas for the rest of hybridfest, at $4.09, then called up my GM contact, and took the TaHy (Tahoe Hybrid) out for a quick spin, to re-acclimate to the TaHy’s behaviors, then it was off to bed. Tomorrow was going to be a busy day…
I just added the tank of driving before Hybridfest, and the tank driving down and at Hybridfest to the fuel databases, and I know have a lifetime fuel economy average of over 125% of the EPA’s MPG!
When it became my goal last year, I figured it would be pretty easy, and is a great milestone marker. In fact, a certain fuel economy websiteuses that as a division between their hypermiler status’. Unfortunately, this didn’t turn out to be the case, as I managed to get to 124.78% before winter hit, and my lifetime Fuel Economy dropped for a while, down to 124.38% neighborhood before it started to go back up. One of the problems is that after three years and 40,000 miles, tanks at 500 miles don’t move that lifetime Fuel Economy that much. It took until now to get it back, so here I am, at 125.11%, and I’ll be rising for the next few months as well. Generally until September or so, then it starts to drop a bit. So, here’s to holding onto it!
I know I haven’t said too much about Hybridfest or any of that, hold on, it’ll be coming. Promise.
I’ve been eyeing fuel prices, as my MTE (Miles to Empty) was low, and I ended up getting both the 50 and 25 MTE Low Fuel warning from the system today during my commute. As mentioned, I’ve watching gas prices drop, $4.15, $4.11, then $4.03 yesterday.
Today? $4.19. Dangnabit! After teaching my fencing class, driving out to my parents for dinner, I now didn’t even have enough MTE to get home. I used their computer to check, and was in luck, the cheapest gas station was on the corner by them, at $4.09. So I reluctantly filled up.
3 years ago, the same fillup came with a price tag of $14. Today? $52.35. *Sigh* I don’t know how I would be getting by if I still had that old Explorer, or how people with those over sized trucks afford it and I can almost get gas only once a month; my last fill up was June 19.
According to my spreadsheet, going the equivalant miles in a conventional Ford Escape rather then my Hybrid variety, I would’ve spent an additional $4,585 in fuel costs, and $7,497 with my old Explorer to go the distance.
Unfortunately I’m just shy of one of my goals, I’m at 124.92% of the EPA, I was hoping to get that 125%!
http://www.wlextv.com/global/story.asp?s=8608767
Is this a harbringer that soon gasoline will become a universal currency? I can just see it now, in the future we make all of our transactions with vials of gasoline and an eyedropper to make “change”.
I can see it now, how behemoth SUV’s and Trucks triple in value when they have a full tank, and Tanker trucks have military escorts. Such is the world of rare and precious fuel!
Well, I’m a bit surprised. Gas prices surged here overnight. It was $3.93 on Wednesday when I was out (though I didn’t get gas, I still had 300 MTE [Miles to Empty]), and then on Friday it was $4.25.
Why? No one seems to really know other then something nebulous to do with the Stock Market. Well, that’s just dandy isn’t it? A 32 cent price jump overnight because. Seems to me that pre-Katrina a 32 cent price jump would’ve met with disasterous outcry. Now, it’s a shake of the head.
Even with my frugal hybrid, I’m being worried about the cost of longer trips, like my upcoming trip/vacation to Hybridfest, it costs more every year to go just on gas money.
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