Watching my MPG it looks like Hypermiler status is based on lifetime MPG of a vehicle and the vehicle has to have logged more than 3k miles. I have a few challenges that will always make it difficult for me to achieve Hypermiler status.

• My first tanks were REALLY low. 100% on my own learning curve.
• 90% + Hwy driving
• 25K miles logged on the database make any changes in FE average slow.

I calculated that a fwd FEH driven 90% Hwy would reach Hypermiler at just under 32 MPG. I had a > 3000 mile stretch this summer around 34 MPG. Unfortunately due to the low starting FE and 20K miles I only move up a .1 in FE every 2-4 tanks.

It looks like one FEH user got around this in the DB by entering the same vehicle a second time (Same vechile name with a '>10k' behind the name). Although I have though about doing the same I feel it would probably corrupt some of the results.

How about 2 levels of Hypermilers. Vehicles get their Hypermiler status based on the last 3K miles traveled. Hypermiler Gold status would be for drivers that have meet the criteria for the lifetime mileage of the vehicle. The minimum mileage may have to be bumped up as well though to make it fair.

It would also be nice if the FE main number was based on the last 3k miles driven, possibly with lifetime FE listed in smaller numbers.

I keep getting asked what is my FE. I will tell them my last 3k number but it does not match my lifetime number on the site.

Confession time: I never expected to see an SUV owner obsess over FE. I wish everybody was like you !

One accepted approach you might consider is to give the feh to your SO, and start afresh with a new car

R2-E2, 2G Prius.
Highway/City/Husband/Wife MPG: 56.5, as of 12/2005, 26K miles

Jac Nasser, Ford President: "We are planning to launch a hybrid version of
this car [P2000] within this year [1998]. We will also make FCEV available in
2004."

The DB exists largely as an exhibit for those who want to know what hybrids REALLY do on the road. You started out lost in the woods, and that needs to be seen by all, as you concede.

HM status is a cute perk to motivate contributors to do a little bit better, but let's face it- its arbitrary and doesn't matter in the end. Xcel calculates his own HM stats on a different method, and weights recent performance. Who's correct? Who cares?

The only important factor is that YOU have improved, YOU know it, and YOU derive satisfaction from that in whichever way you do- more green in the wallet, more green on the Earth, neighborhood bragging rights, whatever. It's not a popularity contest, even if it is fun to have a little competition now and again.

As for answering those who want to know your mpg- they want to know what you get, not the lifetime history of the vehicle. Present tense. There's no conflict of conscience here- you get "oh, about 32, 33- low 30s- you know." That is your steady-state FE. They aren't necessarily interested in your learning curve- they want to know how the vehicle performs.

If it really bothers you, just add that "...it took me a little bit to learn the tricks of getting the most out of the hybrid- since then I get oh, about 32, 33..."

If full disclosure is necessary, then you add what your first tanks looked like. But then mention how you've gotten so much better that your lifetime is much much closer to what you get nowadays.

I started here in GH after having almost 25K on my HCH and a lmpg of about 48. Since then I have moved it up about 5 mpg, and I credit this site with the ideas on how to do that.

You can move the lmpg by .2 and .3 at a time, if you are really good.

-Charlie...