Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel efficienc
#1
01-04-2006, 07:56 AM
Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel efficienc
While attempting to merge two cross-posted threads I accidentally deleted them! (Whoops!) I still have their posts cached, though, so here they are. Sorry about the problems.
Originally Posted by jsal
Hi. I am a brand new Civic Hybrid '06 owner. Just got the car 2 days ago actually, and still on my first tank of gas
I'd like to learn as much as possible about maximizing my fuel efficiency, so I plan to do a lot of reading.
But first off, I'd like a few poeple to chime in to let me know what I should expect in terms of any sort of 'break-in period': Will my mpg continue to rise for some time? or is it at it's best right away? what are your experiences?
thanks
I'd like to learn as much as possible about maximizing my fuel efficiency, so I plan to do a lot of reading.
But first off, I'd like a few poeple to chime in to let me know what I should expect in terms of any sort of 'break-in period': Will my mpg continue to rise for some time? or is it at it's best right away? what are your experiences?
thanks
Originally Posted by livvie
As in all cars, mpg will go up as the car is broken in. You probably can achieve near peak now, depending on your driving style but it will get easier to achive over time. I would say the car becomes fully broken in at around 10K. The manual has a much shorter period. I believe it's 1K.
Originally Posted by kenny
I think it is hard to tell.
We frequently hear that the MPG goes up after the hybrid is broken in.
But I wonder if it is the driver that is breaking in as s/he learns how to get better MPG over time.
Maybe it's kind of like "dog training".
It is as much the owner who gets trained.
I got my first hybrid in 2004, the HCH1.
Now I know how to get good MPG and I just bought the 06 HCH2 so I may be a good test case for this - although I think the car may be different and I may need to learn new techniques to optimize MPG with it.
Unfortunately I don't even have one tank of data yet and my car has the bug in the MPG gauge that everyone is talking about, so I don't really know how I'm doing yet.
We frequently hear that the MPG goes up after the hybrid is broken in.
But I wonder if it is the driver that is breaking in as s/he learns how to get better MPG over time.
Maybe it's kind of like "dog training".
It is as much the owner who gets trained.
I got my first hybrid in 2004, the HCH1.
Now I know how to get good MPG and I just bought the 06 HCH2 so I may be a good test case for this - although I think the car may be different and I may need to learn new techniques to optimize MPG with it.
Unfortunately I don't even have one tank of data yet and my car has the bug in the MPG gauge that everyone is talking about, so I don't really know how I'm doing yet.
Originally Posted by tbaleno
Its also not just the car that needs breaking in. You will find that you learn to drive it better over time. Expect a 5 to ten mpg increase around 5000 miles. Also, the first step would be to pump your tires up to max sidewall pressure. On my tires its 51lbs vs the 32lbs the factory puts in. The ride will be harsher but your FE will jump.
Originally Posted by jsal
what is the bug in the MPG gauge?
Yes, as much as possible I would like to learn HOW to drive to maximize my mpg. That's where the reading will come in I hope.
But on my third day of driving, the best mpg I have seen is 42.4. It's very early to worry yet and I want to be patient, but I just needed to ask about the break-in.
If you haver anything to add, please chime in with your experiences.
Yes, as much as possible I would like to learn HOW to drive to maximize my mpg. That's where the reading will come in I hope.
But on my third day of driving, the best mpg I have seen is 42.4. It's very early to worry yet and I want to be patient, but I just needed to ask about the break-in.
If you haver anything to add, please chime in with your experiences.
#2
01-04-2006, 08:11 AM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel efficienc
THe Bug:
At multiples of 63 miles the trip meters zero themselves - sort of.
(It just starts averaging from a new point, but the miles-driven-since- zeroing-trip meter read-out does not actually go to zero.)
Hypothetical example:
So, lets say you are doing great for the first 62 miles and get 55 MPG.
Then you park the car for the night, with 62 miles on the Trip meter.
The next morning (cold) you get into the car and drive off.
At first you MPG reads 55 MPG at 62 miles.
About a mile later it plumets to 20 or so.
What happened is it "zeroed" at 63 miles, so it is averaging since mile 63 not since mile zero.
It is reported to do this at multiples of 63 too, 126, 189 etc.
This is my unerstanding of what I have read.
Here is what I have seen in MY car so far:
Since learning of the problem I zeroed Trip meter A yesterday.
This morning in the middle of my commute I hit the 63 mile mark.
(My MPG was 57 MPG at 62 miles.)
At 63 miles my MPG jumped up to 60 - which makes sense considering the bug since I was going 50 MPH with a warmed up engine on a flat road.
Then the MPG jumped up and down a lot with every slight incline. (Much moreso than it would have if it was really averaging together 66 or so miles.)
When I got to work 10 miles later my TRIP A MPG meter read 67 MPG - Certainly too good to be true (unless I had zeroed the trip meter after the engine was warmed up on the freeway). (Which is exactly what the faulty gauge is doing - except it does not actually zero the "miles driven" portion - it just begins averaging from a new starting point.
This is hard to describe, and I am not 100% sure I even understand it yet.
Make sense?
At multiples of 63 miles the trip meters zero themselves - sort of.
(It just starts averaging from a new point, but the miles-driven-since- zeroing-trip meter read-out does not actually go to zero.)
Hypothetical example:
So, lets say you are doing great for the first 62 miles and get 55 MPG.
Then you park the car for the night, with 62 miles on the Trip meter.
The next morning (cold) you get into the car and drive off.
At first you MPG reads 55 MPG at 62 miles.
About a mile later it plumets to 20 or so.
What happened is it "zeroed" at 63 miles, so it is averaging since mile 63 not since mile zero.
It is reported to do this at multiples of 63 too, 126, 189 etc.
This is my unerstanding of what I have read.
Here is what I have seen in MY car so far:
Since learning of the problem I zeroed Trip meter A yesterday.
This morning in the middle of my commute I hit the 63 mile mark.
(My MPG was 57 MPG at 62 miles.)
At 63 miles my MPG jumped up to 60 - which makes sense considering the bug since I was going 50 MPH with a warmed up engine on a flat road.
Then the MPG jumped up and down a lot with every slight incline. (Much moreso than it would have if it was really averaging together 66 or so miles.)
When I got to work 10 miles later my TRIP A MPG meter read 67 MPG - Certainly too good to be true (unless I had zeroed the trip meter after the engine was warmed up on the freeway). (Which is exactly what the faulty gauge is doing - except it does not actually zero the "miles driven" portion - it just begins averaging from a new starting point.
This is hard to describe, and I am not 100% sure I even understand it yet.
Make sense?
Last edited by kenny; 01-04-2006 at 08:19 AM.
#3
01-04-2006, 10:55 AM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel efficienc
jsal,
The break in period will have a lot to do with the tires initially. I just replaced mine and noticed a profound "tugging" for the first 500, even 1000 miles. After 1K, they seem to be rolling nicely.
Short answer is if the 06 follows the same pattern as the HCH I, expect a lower inital MPG that will increase over time as the tires/car break in (and your driving style becomes more refined).
I noticed unexplained jumps in MPG at around 1K, 3K and 10K, that could be attributed to break in. Several other owners I know had the same thing happen. Remember that environment will play a huge role in your initial MPG. If it's cold out, or raining, or snowing, etc. you'll be low just because of that, regardless of the car. You'll get a true measure at around 3K miles in some good (70-80 degree) dry weather. I guess I'm saying don't read too much into your MPG for a bit. Takes time for the car and your driving style to all adjust.
The break in period will have a lot to do with the tires initially. I just replaced mine and noticed a profound "tugging" for the first 500, even 1000 miles. After 1K, they seem to be rolling nicely.
Short answer is if the 06 follows the same pattern as the HCH I, expect a lower inital MPG that will increase over time as the tires/car break in (and your driving style becomes more refined).
I noticed unexplained jumps in MPG at around 1K, 3K and 10K, that could be attributed to break in. Several other owners I know had the same thing happen. Remember that environment will play a huge role in your initial MPG. If it's cold out, or raining, or snowing, etc. you'll be low just because of that, regardless of the car. You'll get a true measure at around 3K miles in some good (70-80 degree) dry weather. I guess I'm saying don't read too much into your MPG for a bit. Takes time for the car and your driving style to all adjust.
#4
01-04-2006, 01:16 PM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel efficienc
When you said 'dry' weather I know you were talking about rain ... but it made me think about humidity ... does this factor in at all with MPG, or is it one enviromental que that makes no difference?
#5
01-05-2006, 04:54 PM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel efficienc
I noticed an improvement in MPG around 5 months with 05' at 3500 miles. While not altering my driving habits or commute about a 10% increase in MPG. I believe it's due a break-in finishing, whether or not there are multiple ones who knows? Notice my mileage chart.
#6
01-05-2006, 05:09 PM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel effic
Originally Posted by yojimbo
I noticed an improvement in MPG around 5 months with 05' at 3500 miles. While not altering my driving habits or commute about a 10% increase in MPG. I believe it's due a break-in finishing, whether or not there are multiple ones who knows? Notice my mileage chart.
#8
01-05-2006, 05:40 PM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel effic
Originally Posted by yojimbo
I didn't start keeping track of mileage the first 2000 of driving but was averaging around 35 mpg before offically keeping record.
#9
01-05-2006, 06:06 PM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel effic
I guess when I started I though about putting my current mileage but thought it easier to just start from scratch or zero. Sorry for the mixup.
Originally Posted by NASAgineer
Got it. I was confused because the GHDB says "This member began contributing at 0 mi and has driven 1,700 mi over 4 tanks since". I guess it always says that when you create a new log, even if you didn't start at zero. You can use the 'continue from X miles' option, but if you do that you also have to specify starting MPG, which doesn't make sense to me (what if you bought the car used and you have no idea what the lifetime MPG was?).
#10
01-05-2006, 06:23 PM
Re: Default Honda Civic Hybrid '06 - is there a break-in period for higher fuel efficienc
I initialy didnt' have my starting milage but then one tank I accidently reset trip a which I was using for my tank mileage so I didn't know how far I went on that tank and had to hand calculate all my trips to total up my mileage (yeah I know I'm obsessed). Now that I entered it I know exactly what my odometer was the last time I entered a tank.
