MPG frustration

[cadillackid]

Semi trucks do it with the "wing" over their cab to create a slope up to the trailer..

Bluebird Visions had a much more sloped hood.. partly for Visual over the hood but also for MPG's..
the Thomas Safe-T-Liner C-2's are sloped alot in the front.. im guessing that helped MPG's on those..

-Christopher

[Stu & Filo. T]

The UP? Are Da Yoopers still around??

[CaptSquid]

Not all Class VIII trucks have a wing on top - most don't. They DO have what's called an AERODYN.

[Hvbuzz]

I have a '95 mech dt466. 7spd spicer no overdrive. 4.10 gears and 11r 22.5 wheels and tires. My average has always been 7.5-8 mpg. My best tank was 10 mpg with about a 40-50mph tail wind for 300 miles. I have always hoped for better, but have learned to expect it. I do have a heavy foot and not able to keep it at 55-60mph. I usually drive a gps 67 mph.

[AlleyCat67]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

if I were you i'd go for the Pre-DEF even if it means you get a little older bus wit ha few miles... im not a fleet manager but i see what the DEF enabled pickup truck guys go through... in my opinion its still got a ways to go to be reliable..

plus its one more tank you have to keep full... from what i understand its not easy to disable or remove it without making the computer mad..

-Christopher

WHATEVER YOU DO STAY AWAY FROM DEF!!!! My first semi tractor had that, if the DEF tank went dry the engine would derate and you couldn't go over 5 MPH!!! I made sure my second truck DIDN'T have that crap. Sure the mileage wasn't as good as on the DEF truck but one less headache to deal with.

[Brad_SwiftFur]

If I was worried about whether a bus gets 8 or 10 MPG, I wouldn't drive a bus! I'd switch back to my Suburban (which averages somewhere around 16-20, depending on city/highway).

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

If I was worried about whether a bus gets 8 or 10 MPG, I wouldn't drive a bus! I'd switch back to my Suburban (which averages somewhere around 16-20, depending on city/highway).

THIS!!

when I need MPG I get the Smart-Car out..

-Christopher

[EastCoastCB]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

THIS!!

when I need MPG I get the Smart-Car out..

-Christopher

At a rated 33mpg, I shied away from buying a Smart, although I considered it.
I get a real world 30 average from my 3300 lb, awd, jacked up subaru wagon.

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by EastCoastCB

At a rated 33mpg, I shied away from buying a Smart, although I considered it.
I get a real world 30 average from my 3300 lb, awd, jacked up subaru wagon.
The Smart is more a statement of intent than an actual execution of economy, imo.

im not sure how they rate those because my Combined average is close to 40 and my road-trip avg at 65 MPH is 47 or so... Most everyone I talk to gets well better than the rated MPG... perhaps its my driving style? im not in a hurry to go anywhere fast so i dont floor it all the time... granted I got close to the same MPG when i had a Civic.. but the Civic had crappy A/C, crappy radio, and virtually Zero-Tech factor so i only kept that 6 months..


it wasnt a statement for me... I wanted something to park quick in the city.. plus it fits in One square in my garage so made it easy to get that and the Wrangler I had in the garage together with still room for mower, rakes, tools, etc...

-Christopher

[jazty]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

THIS!!

when I need MPG I get the Smart-Car out..

-Christopher

How many vehicles do you own, cadillackid?!?! Every time I log in I swear you're mentioning a new one!

I've always wanted to try out one of those smart cars. They look fun to drive.. Like a go-cart.

[prof.fate]

i know short trips are killers on MPG - so much of the fuel goes into getting things warmed up plus they run richer then.

I had a 79 towncar, 400 engine..when I commuted close to home i got 5mpg..on a trip I could get 20. Overall normal avg was about 12.

I know live in a semi-rural area and think that would be great for mileage - it's about 7 miles to get anyplace, mostly on 35-45mph roads.

How ever, having lived here for 17 years and having had many vehicles NONE get their EPA estimate...my subaru is probably the closest, but the silverado is 14-15mpg (according to the computer) and it's rated 15/21 so I was hoping for something in the middle there.

I know on avg when I full the subaru the tank says 440 miles to empty..when I make longerish trips on the 40mph roads it will often tell me 510 miles to empty. I've seen 30mpg...but 24 is the normal it reads, 26 if i do a lot of 'good' driving on a tankful. EPA says 24/30.

I talked to a rural mail carrier, one that drives their own vehicle and it gets 3 to 5mpg (older explorer) because it's nothing but stop n go.

wind resistance is a big factor - I lifted a jeep years ago and saw the MPG drop 30%...airflow under the vehicle went to hell - and no bus has any consideration for that - go look under your car and you can see shields and such - they're their for aerodynamics, plus usually a chin spoiler of some kind too.

Plus the back of every bus is flat - creating a low pressure area that sucks the back of the vehicle. A tear drop shape is the most efficient, aerodynamically.

here's a good bit of truck MPG info from Goodyear - road rolling resistance, air temp, tire type, inflation, plus of course aerodynamics.

http://www.goodyeartrucktires.ca/pdf...tread_S9_V.pdf

Originally Posted by cadillackid

im not sure how they rate those because my Combined average is close to 40 and my road-trip avg at 65 MPH is 47 or so... Most everyone I talk to gets well better than the rated MPG... perhaps its my driving style? im not in a hurry to go anywhere fast so i dont floor it all the time... granted I got close to the same MPG when i had a Civic.. but the Civic had crappy A/C, crappy radio, and virtually Zero-Tech factor so i only kept that 6 months..


it wasnt a statement for me... I wanted something to park quick in the city.. plus it fits in One square in my garage so made it easy to get that and the Wrangler I had in the garage together with still room for mower, rakes, tools, etc...

-Christopher

[cadillackid]

Originally Posted by jazty

How many vehicles do you own, cadillackid?!?! Every time I log in I swear you're mentioning a new one!

I've always wanted to try out one of those smart cars. They look fun to drive.. Like a go-cart.

2 School busses, a Fiat 500, a Smart, and a Silverado Pickup currently..

I change my vehicles around all the time.. recently I had a Jeep wrangler, and a couple Hotrods.. and a civic a couple years ago I had a different school bus previously but I never really took to it.. perhaps more psychological than anything(long story).. then it got burned up in a fire last year which renewed my total interest and love in school busses... The Fiat will be gone soon I just dont dig it, and the smart is a lease which ends in the spring I think. not sure what I'll get for a runabout yet.. i kind of like driving a bus as a daily driver but im also a total City-Boy so parking in downtowns gets interesting in a bus...

the school busses will stick around for awhile.. ive always been really into them.. not as homes or campers but as busses... fun to drive.. probably no more than 2 busses though... they are a PITA to wash and wax!

now that you mention it.. I need to take a nice Bus ride this weekend! maybe I'll run the DEV up to Orlando and chill on I-drive tomorrow.

in my opinion the Smart is a blast to drive.. its rough, quirky, slow and everything people Love to Hate about a car... but it has the most advanced infotainment.. (actually android built in the dash).. has a kickass stereo, Navi, heated seats, and ICE COLD A/C... the tranny is wierd but I dont mind... I guess trannies dont bother me much since I have 2 AT545s in the busses and dont see what the big deal is.. I drive em everywhere..

the new 2016 body Smart supposedly fixes alot of the things people hated about them... real stick or real DCT auto, 20 more Horsepower and supposedly the same economy... I havent driven one yet more than a few miles to know... my current one i drive all across the country..

-Christopher

[jazty]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

The Fiat will be gone soon I just dont dig it, and the smart is a lease which ends in the spring I think.

You're not the first I've heard mention that they don't care for the Fiat 500. It's a shame, too, since it's such a neat looking car. I had a friend rent one recently and he truly disliked it.

Originally Posted by cadillackid

no more than 2 busses though... they are a PITA to wash and wax!

Washing and waxing a school bus?! Can't say I've ever gone down that road... probably never will. Isn't that what rain and the occasional river crossing are for?


While I don't give a hoot about in-car infotainment and electronics (give me a working stereo with FM and auxiliary-in and I'm happy), I sure do like small to medium sized cars that have a good feel for the road. I've driven few cars that feel better than our '98 2.2l Subaru Legacy AWD while ripping around dirt roads. I always feel like a rally car racer. That car still gets me 28mpg on the highway, too. I'm gonna keep it running at least another 100,000km...

I'd like to add that my dislike of in-car electronics isn't due to being a Luddite, or anything. Technology is my money maker 8 hours a day. I just like to have tech-simple havens where I largely disappear from it. When I'm out working on our property I either leave my phone behind or put it in silent mode (it's still a good clock ). When I'm in the car I want to listen to the radio or a podcast and otherwise stay disconnected. I also prefer good 'ol fashioned map books to GPS. All off-topic, I know.. I just feel chatty today!

[cadillackid]

ha!! tech IS my money maker and always been my dream Life.. literally im one of the lucky ones to be Living that career / "Job" that is play for me.. I get to test cool hardware, write software that people actually use in the real world, the office is merely a tax formality not a place to work... alot of my Home automation / car hacking/ computer-building, etc that I have done ever since the 80s.. has come to be an integral part in the success of my money-maker Product... not always directly but often indirectly...

the Fiat 500 isnt a Bad car... I think alot of it is expectation.. when I drive the smart I expect a slow econobox feel... when I drive the fiat and double clutch it down to second, nail it.. and wait.. yeah that is probably one gripe.. plus when I got it the dealer told me Navi was an easy added thing.. then it turns out that wasnt the case.. the bluetooth is a 3rd party (sold and installed as a factory option but built by Blue N me) .. that has never gotten a software update so it works poorly with any newer phone (hello im the guy waiting in line to get the newest smartphone every year)... the radio sounds Ok until you roll the windows down..(thats the only way to cruise in nice weather.. windows down tunes up).. However it looks fun, I love the retro styling.. (the A/C is mediocre).. and it handles fantastic...the MPG isnt bad... my combined is 36.(5 speed stick) it corners better than some cars 3X its price... so really the lesson learned is that I shouldve gotten the Abarth with twice the HP(and a turbo), and new for 2016+ it has U-connect Bluetooth and real Navi as well as they offer a fantasticly booming stereo.. so its been updated since i got mine..

I like my School Bus to look good... the latest one will soon be Red. and I'll have chrome wheels (or simulators) on it.. so its gotta look good..

dont you know clean vehicles run better and get better MPG? so those of you getting crappy MPG in the skoolie, get out there with the bucket and hose!

-Christopher

[bread519]

Originally Posted by Brad_SwiftFur

If I was worried about whether a bus gets 8 or 10 MPG, I wouldn't drive a bus! I'd switch back to my Suburban (which averages somewhere around 16-20, depending on city/highway).

Well I don't drive my bus around like a truck, I drive it like a vacation vehicle 4-6000 miles a year. And while the difference in the price of fuel between 8-12 mpg is minimal and doesn't affect me much, I'd like to know that the bus I specifically chose based off of reviews of it performing a certain way IS performing the way it should. If I wanted to get good fuel mileage I'd drive my Toyota Sunrader.

[bread519]

Originally Posted by cadillackid

2 School busses, a Fiat 500, a Smart, and a Silverado Pickup currently..

I change my vehicles around all the time.. recently I had a Jeep wrangler, and a couple Hotrods.. and a civic a couple years ago I had a different school bus previously but I never really took to it.. perhaps more psychological than anything(long story).. then it got burned up in a fire last year which renewed my total interest and love in school busses... The Fiat will be gone soon I just dont dig it, and the smart is a lease which ends in the spring I think. not sure what I'll get for a runabout yet.. i kind of like driving a bus as a daily driver but im also a total City-Boy so parking in downtowns gets interesting in a bus...

the school busses will stick around for awhile.. ive always been really into them.. not as homes or campers but as busses... fun to drive.. probably no more than 2 busses though... they are a PITA to wash and wax!

now that you mention it.. I need to take a nice Bus ride this weekend! maybe I'll run the DEV up to Orlando and chill on I-drive tomorrow.

in my opinion the Smart is a blast to drive.. its rough, quirky, slow and everything people Love to Hate about a car... but it has the most advanced infotainment.. (actually android built in the dash).. has a kickass stereo, Navi, heated seats, and ICE COLD A/C... the tranny is wierd but I dont mind... I guess trannies dont bother me much since I have 2 AT545s in the busses and dont see what the big deal is.. I drive em everywhere..

the new 2016 body Smart supposedly fixes alot of the things people hated about them... real stick or real DCT auto, 20 more Horsepower and supposedly the same economy... I havent driven one yet more than a few miles to know... my current one i drive all across the country..

-Christopher

I do enjoy taking the bus out for a joy cruise now and then, but primary vehicle would be interesting haha. They are fun to drive though. I used to drive a Toyota Motorhome as my primary vehicle. It was some of the most fun times of my life

[bread519]

While we are taking about the primary vehicles, I love my 08 Corolla 5 speed. 1500 pound towing capacity and 38 MPG always

[EastCoastCB]

The worst part of the Fiat is that my subie wagon gets 3 mpg more!
Compared to Rabbits and Geo's these modern "economy" cars are a total joke.

[cadillackid]

I swear the Old Chevette I had with an Iron duke in it got Better Mileage than alot of these new cars.. but then I didnt have anything resembling luxury or a good radio.. it did have fuel injection.. when I got it the A/C busted but I fixed that up (even as a tween I was an A/C king lolol...)..

I believe alot of the safety and emissions equipment actually lowers MPG... granted the new engines do better for the heavier vehicles like pickups.. my old Chevy C-10 'custom deluxe' (what was deluxe I have no Idea..) I think it was an 80.. got like 12 or 13 and stock put out like 250 Horsies.. maybe less.. my 15 Silverado V-6 gets in the low-mid 20s on the highway and has 290 HP or something like that... and its 4x4.. the C-10 was 4 x 1 (no Posi No power nothin.. only reason it had A/C was cause i added it)..

the 88 Clubwagon I had briefly with a 460 in it got like 10-12 MPG.. that was a badass Van i wish the crap roomate I had didnt steal it and ruin it.. it was one of those vans that looked like ford cut the back off another van and wleded it to a regular sized one.. those were wierd..

now the one thing I'll mention about MPG in old vs new is the fact in the 70s through mid 80s we were not driving near as fast... speed limits were 50-60 everywhere and any more than 5 over and the fuzz was on you... fuzz busters helped but they were stil ltough... now id say on the interstate most are running 75-80.. that makes a BIG difference in any car.. even a honda civic, fiat.. and as ive experimented and posted here huge difference a school bus too!

as for why drive a school bus as a daily driver or nearly so? well its already been mentioned in a post or 2 back... someone drove a camer as a daily driver and it was some of the most fun times in their life...

for me a few MPG's lost is well worth the smile it puts on my and my friends faces when the bus is out.. when im behind the wheel it just feels right.. to know my life, the childhood abuse, the social ineptness, the failure at relationships, the being bullied, the mental stresses related to...... if something as simple as Climbing behind the wheel of a school bus and bouncing down the road in an air seat Makes me smile with a big ole grin every time then its well worth a little diesel fuel...

-Christopher

crap maybe I shouldnt have drank a double crown before I started posting tonight. (dont worry the bus is put away)

[prof.fate]

yeah, people drive a lot faster today than in the past.

I remember carbureted cars that got 50mpg..some honda civics - BUT they were a lot smaller/lighter than today's cars.

I parked my 14 outback next to a expedition..it's only maybe 6" wider and slightly taller. the inside of my suby is way bigger than the last ford edge.

So while I think of a subaru as a small car, and it's got a 4cyl engine so I'm thinking it should get 40 on the highway..it's not a small car anymore.

I had a vw bug..that is a small car. my arm touches the door and my passenger's arm.

This has been my daily driver for the past 2 weeks... a 2015 International 72 seat, wolfington body.

It's the best bus - because I don't have to pay for it, or the fuel, or the maintenance!

Still waiting to get permission to do donuts in it though...