People are starting to lie about MPG.

EPA estimates for the Cadillac Escalade are 13 city, 17 highway. 26 mpg? Nuh-uh.

 

I Went From an Honest 17 MPG to an Honest 47MPG

I used to get 17 MPG when I drove my 2005 Acura MDX at 68 MPH on my mostly highway 70 mile RT daily commute. Same trip during the past 3 weeks with my 2005 Prius TRAC car with 2,000 miles on ODO = 47 MPG. On a recent late night fill-up, I dropped my MPH to 65 and my MPG jumpped to 53 MPG.

 

I think the reason for this is that our friends and relatives are trying to make themselves feel a little better about what they are currently driving, usually, quoting the unrealistic manufacturer's numbers and then adding a couple for "effect". Its also a way of subtly telling us Hybrid owners that "they aren't THAT great."

I've noticed that also. My friends and relatives fuel mileage claims have almost doubled since our Hybridness.

My dad claims his Lincoln Towncar easily gets 27 mpg on a tank. So with that, I asked for his keys, got inside, and checked the trip A mpg average.......17. And that was after a 375 mile drive to see us. He said it "went down" when he came off the highway to my house.

My co-workers Avalanche all of a sudden gets 30 mpg....

 

I lie about my mileage all the time. I say "oh 65 - 70 mpg"

After their jaws drop, I say "are you kidding me . . . 65, 70 - yea right. It's more like 50 - 52"

Then I watch their jaw drop again.

 

After a long drive I will usually stop on my way home to fill up with gas. This results in an increase in MPG up to 85+. So I tell people I get between 50 & 85+ MPG.

 

Of course I love you.

The check is in the mail.

I get 25mpg in my SUV.

 

Yep, even the Ram Quad Cab Hemi drivers are suddenly experiencing nothing short of miracles with their fuel economy. I even heard a similar line last week from a Chevy Silverado 1500 owner while gassing up. He had an LT 4x4.

My first response was "bull s***!"

I used to own a 2000 GMC Sierra SLT 4x4 with Vortec 5.3, and in summer city driving I could expect no better than 10-13 MPG. That's with an Imperial gallon too, not U.S. gallon. In winter down to 4-7 MPG.

On the highway at the speed limit, my Sierra routinely got 16-18 MPG. If I drove Hwy #502 in Ontario between Dryden and Fort Frances, with a posted 80 km/h speed limit, I did better. Once, and only once, I got 23 MPG.

A co-worker rented a Chevy Silverado early this Spring and I helped him move from one house to another here in Winnipeg. It was an LT and I quickly figured out how to use the steering wheel buttons and Driver Information Center to recall fuel economy: 13 MPG.

When that idiot at the gas station told me what miraculous fuel economy he was getting, I asked him if he minded proving it. I quickly reached for his steering wheel buttons and recalled his fuel economy: 14 MPG. Yeah nice try bozo, sell me the Brooklyn Bridge too while you're at it.

You know folks are REALLY getting nailed by their fillup costs when they start lying about their fuel economy.

 

Yeah, I hear that too. I have a friend who *seems* to be excited for me that I'm getting a Prius. She just got a 2005 base model manual Tacoma. When I was mentioning the mpg and mentioning 500, 600 miles per tank, she was quick to announce that she was already getting 450 miles per tank in her truck.

Of course, when you consider that a fuel tank for a Tacoma holds ~20 gallons...heck, my 9-year old car with a 10-gallon fuel tank gets better mileage than that (avg 250-260 miles per tank x 2 = 500-520 miles travelled on 20 gallons of gas compared to her 450).

 

Consumer Reports reported 21 mpg with a Tacoma when doing only highway driving, and it seems it has a 21.1 gallon tank, so it's possible to get somewhat close to 450 miles per tank... so at least she's probably not lying. And in her defense, range is very important for alot of people too... me, for example. That person who gets 250 miles per tank has to refill twice as often as someone getting 500 miles per tank, and I know I really hate having to get gas.

This is one of the advantages of Volkswagen's TDIs... they have very large tanks yet they get identical highway mileage as the hybrids, so on TDIClub.com many posters report 700-1000 miles per tank (though the latter requires certain fuel and certain additives, and filling to the brim). The HAH also has a large 17.1-gallon tank to give it great range, even though its mileage is on par with some non-hybrids.

 

Do they have an MFD that HONESTLY shows their claimed MPG over a course of a full tank?

Thought so.

edit: I wish the Toyota offered an "EXTENDED RANGE" gas tank (Maybe 18-20 gallons instead of 11.9), but weight would be a problem.

 

One of the disadvantages of VW's TDI's is that they have much higher emissions than a hybrid vehicle, and are restricted in certain states last time I checked (CA for example) because they don't meet or exceed emissions standards (yet). I'm not sure what other states restrict TDI's.

 

When I got my Prius, my uncle who swears by all Toyota vehicles, claims he gets 40-45 miles per gallon in his Corolla.
He can't understand why people are paying so much more for the Prius when you get similar gas mileage in a Corolla.

 

I remember a radio spot from the '70s where a car manufacturer was stressing the miles per tank rather than miles per gallon.

 

But that's off-topic; I was just talking about their range. Anyway their emissions are a direct result of the fuel they use, and U.S. diesel sucks. I'm sure a TDI in Europe emits much less pollution than here, but in 2006 we'll finally get low-sulfur diesel and maybe the restrictions on the cars will be removed then.

 

Our Avalanche (which is the chevy version of the escalade ext) gets between 14 & 17 mpg. That's a combo of city & freeway. To say the least, it does not get driven on a regular basis. Mostly when we are buying anything from home depot, or stuff that is too big for the prius to carry...

The savings in gas between our Avalanche & the Prius is covering the cost of owning the prius.

We met a guy years ago - another Avalanche owner who was compairing milage with us. His was getting 7 mpg combined... And his commute was at least 30 miles each way. :blink:

 

Some are actually believe they are getting much higher MPG... based on a single spot-check once. Real on-going averages reveal their error.

Others happen to only drive a certain way, which just happens to be the most efficient for that vehicle... like high-speed cruising. That doesn't provide a true picture of what the vehicle would get overall either.

And yes, some just outright lie. That's why my response is always:

SHOW ME THE DATA!

They never do.

Not having any proof immediately discredits their claims.

 

my neighbours Avalanche was burning $450 a month, do I have to tell you about the look on his face when I told him I burnt $627 for the whole year? It lasted another 2 months and it was gone. He's way down now using a little Chev SUV. Now I don't blame him at all for getting it as there is 5 in the family and he needs the room. Say's the same thing I say, if I need a truck I'll go rent one. I've rented one, once, in almost 1 3/4 years of Prius ownership. When I sold my Tundra V8 4X4 it was using 60-65$ every 2 weeks. That at the lower gas cost of that era.