So I was wondering how some people were turning in huge fuel economy figures. Well, I took a look and most of them are some form of 'by display' meaning a Scanguage. I have one too but they aren't accurate for recording MPG's and I've never been able to keep mine calibrated well enough to use it for this.
So I pose the question that the GL's figures are inflated due to this approach exagerating the top end of the numbers.
Seems to me the only accurate method is distance travelled/fuel used or 'by hand'.
Re: Anyone notice the high MPG people are by display?
Unfortunately, most odometers and gas-pump readouts aren't that accurate ether. This is why some folks trust other ways of calculation.
Some hybrids have a built-in MPG computer, others use Scanguages, and others use the miles traveled readouts on their GPS units. which are sometimes more accurate.
Re: Anyone notice the high MPG people are by display?
i know that my display reads a few miles higher than actual. all my MPG figures come from dividing miles driven by gallons used. that's about as accurate as i can get.
Re: Anyone notice the high MPG people are by display?
Thanks everyone. I, too, report miles/fuel not Scanguage (though it's a decent indicator - just not accurate). I think it likely that the overall economy is inflated by the 'display' false readings, especially given experience of over 13,000 miles so far.
Re: Anyone notice the high MPG people are by display?
All my figures are by gas pump and miles driven via the Odometer - the hand method. This is a proven method - my Dad was doing this long before the scan gauge or other tools appeared.
If you approach it from the standpoint that:
1> your odometer is accurate (why would it not be) and
2> the pump is accurate (weights and measures officials routinely check gasoline pumps for accuracy every year)
- then even if the pump shuts off early or late - in the long run it all evens out.
In addition to posting my results on this web site - I keep an Excel spreadsheet. In the spreadsheet I have a column that takes my last three fill ups and computes what I call my "rolling mpg". The peaks and valleys of individual fill ups are not as pronounced. With this calculation - it basically eliminates fill up variations from different pumps and locations. It also allows for a smoother trend line then individual fillups.
Re: Anyone notice the high MPG people are by display?
I don't have a scanguage (santa stiffed me yet again this year)--all done by hand calculation. I don't think any of the users regularly reporting their VGL's mpg report strictly scanguage numbers.
Just returned on a 2000+ mile trip in 8 days, and averaged slightly over 31 mpg with a ton of junk in the car and an average speed above 70. Love driving from NW CT to central IN while stopping only once for gas. Wife does not.