Aerodynamic drag increases exponentially, so the resistance @ 85mph is alot higher than the resistance @ 75, which is alot higher than @ 65 and so on. Generally 55mph is accepted as the "optimal" speed for gas mileage, but that #'s been around since they instituted the 55 speed limit, so I guess you can take it with a grain of salt.

Doing things like keeping the top and windows up will help reduce drag.

Find the speed that you're most comfortable with. 55 may just be to slow for you. I try and keep it between 65-70 if I'm going for gas, otherwise I'll cruise @ 80 if I don't care.

 

I drove 800 miles at about 75 roughly and averaged 30mpg on the straight stuff until i hit chicago and milwaukee traffic with the top up and windows up and the A/C only on every once in awhile. the road was pretty much all flat

 

Seattle to Sacramento I-5 hardtop on and windows up. Over 330 miles per tank cruising 75mph - 85 mph. Even with a nice crusie at 140mph + in Nor Cal. Cool night with no traffic.

 

I remember reading somewhere that travelling at 100kmh (62mph) uses a lot more fuel than travelling at 90kmh (56mph).

Remember the fast you travel, the more air resistance. This is why the only cars that can top 300kmh have massive horsepower.

Just did a quick google search....
This seems to support the above statement.
http://www.eere.energy.gov/vehiclesandfuel...t_fotw222.shtml

Another intersting thing is that speed limits were actually introduced by the US government to reduce the country's massive fuel consumption during a fuel crisis.
Federal legislation could not enfoirce a 55mph speed limit, so instead they made this limit a condition of the federal contribution to highway funding. In other words, states had to impose the 55mph limit or the federal contribution to their road programme would dry up.

 

The worse the aero drag of the car (such as ours) the more proportionally slower you have to drive to get to the optimal speed.

Right around 40mph should do it. Won't be very safe at such a low speed of course.

I can get close to 29mpg by sticking to 75mph in Holland.

I normally get under 20mpg if I floor it on the Autobahn

///Robin

 

well did it. and finally broke my highest record of 326 miles on a full tank, 90% highway 10% city.. good stuff at 80-85mph.

 

The federal govt uses the highway funds all the time. They are sort of nazi-like in changing policy of states. I think they have changed Wisconsin laws about 5 times. The ones I remember the details of are 55 speed limit (down from 65 day/55 night, we are back to 65), 21 year old drinking laws (up from 19), .08 DWI (down from .10). All these policies where initiated by Republicans, who supposedly support strong state rights (this is fact not opinion). My personal opinion is some state should collect all federal money from that state, then send money to the federal govt minus all the unfunded policies, then the state could strong arm the federal govt (no flames, this is not workable, but a great thought).

If the people of Wisconsin where to decide these policies, WI would have an 19 year old drinking law and a .10 DWI law. From polls these opinions are 70 percent of our population and I agree, even though I don't drink and I am 40.


Back to main topic...

All my milage is with the top down. I have the 2.2 liter engine, this might actually get better milage than the 2.0, because it has more torque in the highway RPM range (I am just speculating).

I got 299 miles on a tank my first week. It was some time at 50 on scenic roads, some on back roads with lots of stop signs and driving 65-80 , and some at 75 mph highway. No revs over 5500 during one of those break in tanks.

I also averaged 29.4 on a highway trip to Chicago going through some slow-down traffic in Milwaukee and I was driving 75-80 in the open.

This car can get pretty good milage if you are not beating on it.

 

[QUOTE=HydnHood,Oct 3 2004, 08:56 AM]The federal govt uses the highway funds all the time. They are sort of nazi-like in changing policy of states. I think they have changed Wisconsin laws about 5 times. The ones I remember the details of are 55 speed limit (down from 65 day/55 night, we are back to 65), 21 year old drinking laws (up from 19), .08 DWI (down from .10). All these policies where initiated by Republicans, who supposedly support strong state rights (this is fact not opinion). My personal opinion is some state should collect all federal money from that state, then send money to the federal govt minus all the unfunded policies, then the state could strong arm the federal govt (no flames, this is not workable, but a great thought).

If the people of Wisconsin where to decide these policies, WI would have an 19 year old drinking law and a .10 DWI law. From polls these opinions are 70 percent of our population and I agree, even though I don't drink and I am 40.


Back to main topic...

All my milage is with the top down. I have the 2.2 liter engine, this might actually get better milage than the 2.0, because it has more torque in the highway RPM range (I am just speculating).

I got 299 miles on a tank my first week. It was some time at 50 on scenic roads, some on back roads with lots of stop signs and driving 65-80

 

my bad.