gas mileage wtf?

d10 · #1 10-24-2006, 12:45 AM

For most of the last year I could get maybe 300 miles on a tank of gas if I was taking it easy, usually something like 280-290. After gas got cheap again I've been getting always >320, sometimes up to 350. Whats up with that? Anyone else getting the same thing? Have I just been getting bad gas up until now?

Golden_Rhino · #2 10-24-2006, 12:47 AM

I have that too this time of year. I don't uses the AC or the heating, so I use less gas. Does this apply to you??

mattw · #3 10-24-2006, 12:52 AM

i saw in the news that oil companies are required to add additives during the summer months to reduce pollution but it also lowers mpg. the required additive, per the news, was stopped about last month.

d10 · #4 10-24-2006, 12:57 AM

I use AC pretty much always, I live in Alabama. Even now I use AC except early morning before the sun is up. I know there are additives and weird stuff that changes between winter/summer but I've been getting bad gas since January, I only started getting decent mileage a few weeks ago, so I thought that was a bit strange. Im sure the additives of some kind are the cause, but I didn't know why I've been getting weak gas for so long.

Golden_Rhino · #5 10-24-2006, 12:57 AM

[ QUOTE ]
i saw in the news that oil companies are required to add additives during the summer months to reduce pollution but it also lowers mpg. the required additive, per the news, was stopped about last month.

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds a little urban legend to me. If they can cut down on pollution with an additive, why wouldn't they do it year round??

AZK · #6 10-24-2006, 01:01 AM

not an urban legend. Have you seen the summer smog in cities like denver, it's a fact.

mattw · #7 10-24-2006, 01:01 AM

rhino,

good question. prolly has something to do with physics. ask katie couric. [img]/images/graemlins/smile.gif[/img]

DG_Knight · #8 10-24-2006, 01:40 AM

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
i saw in the news that oil companies are required to add additives during the summer months to reduce pollution but it also lowers mpg. the required additive, per the news, was stopped about last month.

[/ QUOTE ]

That sounds a little urban legend to me. If they can cut down on pollution with an additive, why wouldn't they do it year round??

[/ QUOTE ]

I interned at Marathon Petroleum over the summer. As far as I know, additives are included year-round in both unleaded gasoline and diesel fuel. It is the Reid vapor pressure (RVP) which is lowered during the summer months in select government-mandated areas to supposedly lower the amount of unburned fumes being released into the air.

JRussell · #9 10-24-2006, 10:42 AM

[ QUOTE ]
I use AC pretty much always, I live in Alabama. Even now I use AC except early morning before the sun is up. I know there are additives and weird stuff that changes between winter/summer but I've been getting bad gas since January, I only started getting decent mileage a few weeks ago, so I thought that was a bit strange. Im sure the additives of some kind are the cause, but I didn't know why I've been getting weak gas for so long.

[/ QUOTE ]

Any chance your driving style changed with the increased fuel prices this year? Maybe the better mileage is due to you subconsciously trying to conserve gas when you drive?

d10 · #10 10-24-2006, 10:51 AM

No, a lot of the trips have been highway with cruise control on for the entire tank. Also I don't really pay attention to gas prices.