According to my ScanGauge 2, I averaged 44.6 mpg on my drive to work today. I think this is the best I have ever done on the route. I did leave home a little late, so maybe traffic patterns were a little different than usual. I know there were a few places where I was able to drive a little slower, because I didn’t have someone riding my butt. I just took it very easy. I accelerated a little slower than usual, and coasted longer to stops. I think I also managed to catch a couple lights nicely so that I didn’t have to stop completely. Maybe the small aero modifications to the front of my car have helped a little too. The warmer temperatures have been helping my gas mileage. It was kind of discouraging over the winter to see my gas mileage fall from 40 mpg to about 32 mpg. 32 mpg is still great gas mileage for a 2000 Honda Civic. Way better than the EPA estimates. But 32mpg kind of sucks when you have gotten used to getting 40 mpg. But the 44.6 mpg this morning was great. I don’t expect to get that on the way home. I can be getting great mileage all the way home. But then the hill up to my house which has a 300 foot climb, usually causes my gas mileage to drop by 2 mpg or so.
Just got home from work. I was averaging 41 mpg when I got to the bottom of our hill. By the time I got into my garage, my gas mileage had dropped to 38.9 mpg. As I said, that 300 foot climb drops my gas mileage by about 2 mpg. It’s funny. The drive is 13.5 miles, and that .5 mile climb is killer!