Just joined this forum today. I commute in a '96 LX 5-spd 4dr, purchased new 15.5 years ago. As the car and I get older, my cruising speed during my 21-mile commute is often 5-10 miles per hour safely below the speed limit. In spite of that, I cannot push the mpg to the 40 mpg that the TV commercials often tout for those fancy new small cars, foreign and domestic. However hard I try, I've only achieved a max of a measly 37.1 miles to the gallon, while more often getting only 36.1 mpg. Gonna try to find a downhill-both ways commuting route. :-)

 

Go to GasSavers.org - Fuel Efficiency, Save Gas and Gas Mileage Forum to find out how to increase your mpg's.

I have personally found that the biggest factors in improving MPG's, assuming of course that your car is properly maintained is:

1) Driving with an easy foot
2) Air up your tires to the maximum sidewall pressure rating of your tire.

I use 42 psig for tire pressure in both my Honda Accords. Not only will your MPG's increase but your tires will last a lot longer.

There are other tips to increase MPG's but I don't believe there is significant gains.

 

Hey, thanks for the tip on the max sidewall pressure rating. I always wondered about that max pressure vs. the recommended pressure in the car's door jamb. I occasionally hold the clutch down on long downhills where the car actually accelerates with the clutch disengaged. Feels safe to me, but likely not safe for reasons I don't know about yet.