[dfiore]

I have a 2000, in which I have already replaced the engine and transmission (see other posts). The window sticker, when mine came out said 56mpg average. The newer ones all say 66mpg. Yes, it's a manual shift. The best I've ever gotten, babying it and trying all the tricks, is 67.7mpg over 1 tank. Is there anything physically, that makes a difference? I hear about all these people getting 75mpg, and I've NEVER been able to squeeze that out unless I am driving no more than 55mph on a flat road with no wind. Here in Florida, I think the mileage actually drops in the afternoon summer heat. I think I get better mileage when it's colder outside. Prob just the humidity. LOL! So my question is, is there anything besides the IMA, ECU, engine and transmission that could affect this? I think I've replaced everything in it, but I wanted to eliminate everything else. Air's off weight's down. Air pressure's up.

 

[Infidel]

When I'm in lean-burn, on a flat road and no wind, I can maintain around 56-58mph @ 85-95mpg on the FCD. I only drive faster than 60 on downhill segments, in which I hold 100-105mpg untill I drop back to my 56-60mph cruise speed. My car gets hit with a 25mpg drop/increase when I leave/enter lean-burn. Is yours different?

In in Phx, Az, however, and it's quite common for us to have < 10% humidity. Could that be your issue? I believe wetter air is more dense, which would kill FE.

My three tanks since I've bought the car were: 70.6mpg, 71.5mpg, and 75.6mpg. (which includes my wife driving around 5% of the time, trashing my FE) In the last week, I've been averaging around 80mpg during my daily commute (90miles/day).

 

[dfiore]

humidity

Must be the humidity, then. Also, it seems that everyone in Florida is either too old to drive or think they're in a stock car race. LOL! I'm sure that doesn't help.

 

[Jackmpg]

Older & Newer Differences

Well, I had a '00 5 spd for quite a while. I don't believe it drived any different than the newer ones. In '00 they advertised 10 hp of assist, now it's 14. Other than changing the computers for better battery management the changes have not been major, like a little more elaborate PCV valve in place of the little plastic elbow we're all used to seeing. Infidel, your a hypermiler, to be sure. Took me quite a while before I could get that kind of mpg. Life time for the '00 was 72.1. Dan, your right too, could be local driving habits. People in Tampa (and surrounding areas) drive like assholes. Either flat out or creeping along, not conducive for getting good mpg. Cops don't seem to care. Try the 50/100 test, flat road, little traffic, drive your best at 50 mph. Should be able to maintain aprox 100 mpg. My Insight's, while stock, could do this. The turbo, MIMA and other mods just took it higher. It would be interesting to see what your result is. Hope this helps, Jack

 

[Billy]

Hi Difiore; Every 2000 Insight sold in the US, I believe, said 70 mpg Hwy, in great big numbers. There was also a city rating that was 58 or 56? Do you still have the original sticker? I am sure it says 70 hwy.................

 

[dfiore]

big numbers

mine said 56 average, but I bought it with 23k miles. Jack I can get really good 75-100+ if I just drive 50, but I gots to gets my service calls run!

 

[originalbadbob]

When I bought my car, it had 32000 miles on it with 54.7 lmpg. It had the Sumitomo tires, K&N air filter, Mobil 1 oil and you could tell it was well taken care of. In the last year, I have put 30000 more miles on it and increased the lmpg to 71.4. I put a warm air intake on, the Re92 tires on and I rarely drive consistently over 55 on my commute. If I do much over that, the mileage drops significantly.
I drive 100 miles per day, if I don't do anything but my commute. If I run errands or do small runs, my mileage is significantly less.

You don't say what kind of driving you do as in how far, stop and go etc, but I lived in WPB for a while, and I don't think I could do what you are doing for mileage, because of traffic. Do you have the stock Bridgestone tires? Have you hooked an OBD reader to see what your intake temp, engine load and coolant temp are? Under normal conditions on the highway my coolant temp is 194-199. Intake temp is best from 90-115 or so. I have seen it higher on occasion, but it doesn't seem to help the economy. It does seem that humidity increases the mileage a little, as right after a rain in the summer and the road is drying out, my mileage seems to go up. I don't have a way to get hard data on that, but it sure seems that way.

You almost need to get out on the road, when there is little enough traffic so you can maintain 55 for an hour and then do the return trip. You will need to keep the windows up and drive it like a video game. If you've already done all that, then maybe it is an alignment problem, or maybe something that is making the background charge run high, or a brake dragging or something.

Hope that rambling reply helps.
robert

 

[Dougie]

Are you driving around town or on the highway? I find that starts and stops completely destroy the average, but that if you can get out on the highway you can go even 60 or 65 and get upwards of 70 MPG.

Other things to check on an older car are the air filter, obviously, and the plugs and wires. My Miata needs a new set of wires every couple of years or it starts to miss. I use premium gas in the Insight on the theory that it allows the computer to advance the spark all the way--which is extremely debateable.

Mostly just driving on the highway and being EXTREMELY gentle with the gas pedal is my method...

 

[dfiore]

You've obviously never been to Florida

I've done all the tricks. In Florida, you're either behind people that are older than dirt, or you're holding up traffic at 80mph. It's Florida. One trick I've learned is that I took off the front most intake tube that runs across the front. I'm prob going to get MIMA and Jack's exhaust. It'll just take time due to lack of $$$. I'm nearing 247k miles and it runs like new.

Long live the Who-mobile!

 

[Packrat]

Thats sooo true about florida..... its sad i know.... either your getting yelled at by a old person to slow down or your holding up traffic 80. The old people never seem to leave their small area neighborhoods however. Thats why at freeway speeds there 80 is to slow... But then again i might be wrong because my dad is 45 and hes already yelling everytime a person goes 27 in a 25 down our street. But on the freeway hes yelling at everyone to move over at 80 mph. Maybe thats just my dad being hypocritical again.... My overall family in general is two-faced and hypocritical. My girlfriend has already gotten used to it. They HATE her and want me to leave her because she doesn't drive a hummer or Ferrarri (a sign of wealth and success in my family and my parents friends for some very screwed up reason) Sorry getting a little off subject but oh well... Lets just sum it up by saying. "I was teased and laughed at for buying a insight when they are the ones getting scammed by the gas companies/car dealerships and yelling at me for drinking bottled water because they say its so expensive."

 

[Insightful Trekker]

Off topic.

Please post Insight related subjects.

Yes :!: off-topic humor is encouraged and personal comments aren't taboo, but the main gist of a post needs to have some relation to the Insight.

Locking.