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First trip that I got 70.5MPG YIPPEE!!!

2K views 14 replies 8 participants last post by  00SilverDan 
#1 ·
Hello all.
I bought my 2001 CVT Insight July 10th, 2007.
I have been getting around 60 to 67MPG on my trips to work which is about 40 miles to work. 80 round trip.
Well, I got 70.5 last Wednesday on the way to work. I WAS SCREAMING! I mean how can you not be excited about that!!!!!!
I try everyday to have a goal to get over 65mpg.
Some days I make it somedays I dont.
I actually took a photo of it with my cellphone just so that when my coworkers dont believe me. I just show them the photo. It is funny to see the look on thier face when they start to do the math on how much $$ they are spending on gas and what thier MPG is....

My husband has a 2001 5-spd Insight. I know that I will never beat his MPG.
But I love trying everyday. It is like our competion against each other.

So, I am always looking for tips on driving my Insight. I live in the Midwest and winter is approaching on us quickly.
What can I expect??? Will I have to change my driving habits from Summer to Winter?? If anyone has any tips on enhancing my driving I would appreciate it.
Thanks so much.

ingsmyls
2001 CVT Silver Insight
 
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#2 ·
That is an awesome result! Enjoy it now, because as the weather turns cooler your mileage will start to drop. About all you can do is just keep trying as hard as possible. I'd say you probably have most of the techniques under good control already...
 
#3 ·
Over 70 is definitely a rush

(well, in a CVT anyway) Congrats on breaking 70. We bought our '03 CVT in June, with expectations of about 55mpg, but it's been much better. I commute 47 miles each way, 85% highway. MPG has been increasing, but
everyone says to expect a hit when the weather turns cold.

It's nice to see CVT mileage getting some attention. Clearly a driver who
works at it can get very respectable mileage.
 
#4 ·
... got 70.5 last Wednesday ... I mean how can you not be excited about that!!!!!!
... It is funny to see the look on thier face when they start to do the math on how much $$ they are spending on gas and what their MPG is...
... Winter is approaching ... What can I expect???"
These days, when the vast majority are NOT getting 70+ MPG on a daily basis, it is a nice feeling but you should note that it is considered bad form as well as bad for office morale if you were to snicker too loudly when your office associates are over in the corner cursing you and your high mileage Insight. :)

As for Winter driving, expect your MPG to go DOWN, not by a whole lot but it will go down and depending on how cold it gets and/or if the vehicles are garaged or not, consider installing what is known as a "block heater." Use a timer to have it come on about an hour before you expect to use the car. It'll warm that little engine block up and overall, improve your Winter MPG ratings.

Hope this helps some

Fred / Proud Owner of "The Silver Bullet"

 
#6 ·
Ditto here. Very depressing. Block heater is problematic because my condo has carports with lights only, no power circuits. But I did better this summer than last so I'm curious to see how much of that carries over to this winter.
 
#8 ·
"ut you should note that it is considered bad form as well as bad for office morale"
Oh shut up, is what I get now. But hey, it wasn't me who brought up the subject of gas prices/etc. I just make a comment like, "last time I filled up was 28 days ago, over 800 miles and not empty yet." That's always good for a "shut the heck up".
 
#10 ·
Re: Block Heater

... My husband bought us both block heaters this Summer. He will be putting them in our car this Fall. Thanks for the tips.
If I might suggest as well, get what is known as a "Rose Timer" or the like as well and set it/them to come on about an hour or so before you plan to use the car ... and for the heck of it, in the deep Winter,, try it once or twice without the block heater so you can appreciate the difference.

Fred / Proud Owner of "The Silver Bullet"
 
#12 ·
Does blocking the radiator like I see on some "trucker's" front grill's help any? You know, on those big rig diesel truck's, you see those canvas flaps that they have across the front of there grill, to reduce the amount of cooling in the winter. Has anyone done something like that to the Insight and does it help much?
 
#13 ·
Does blocking the radiator like I see on some "trucker's" front grill's help any?
... Has anyone done something like that to the Insight and does it help much?
It's my understanding that the answer is YES to your questions. There have been quite a few discussions here in the past regarding this, including a template design figures for this very purpose ... but go with caution. I say this as were you to check the radiator "fins" on a typical American built car against those in your Insight, you'll see how almost "paper like" thin those radiator fins are in an Insight; i.e., it won't take much to bend, twist or damage them.

Hope this helps some.

Fred / Proud Owner of "The Silver Bullet"
 
#14 ·
Some have used the radiator block and liked it. It is not clear exactly how the radiator blck works. In theory there should be evry little flow of engine coolant through the radiator until the engine gets up to heat, so the radiator block should make little difference. It has been suggested that the radiator block actually prevents cooling airflow over the aluminum and magnesium castings of the engine. That seems to make sense and would explain how it works, but if that is the case an engine blanket would be even more effective and would still allow the radiator to do its job when needed.
 
#15 ·
Congrats on 70+! I have been obsessively plotting my commute mileage every day, so I have seen my mileage plummeting on foggy, rainy, and cool days vs. the really hot days of August. (76.1 average in August, 70.1 average in September :( )

Thanks for posting thoughts about the block heater - hadn't occurred to me, even though I had read about people blocking the front of the radiator with cardboard, etc.
 
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