skip to content

my new experience

Created November 28, 2004, at 2:07 pm by Anonymous

I have had my civic hybrid 2 weeks and 1 day. It has me a little confused. I got up to 61 mpg on the hwy at 60 mph. I travel 61 miles one way to work. It doesn't seem to be consistent on the same road at the same speed. I almost always use crusie control. The car doesn't seem to know when it needs more power because it still tells you to shift up. I'm not disppointed at all. I just need my own adjustment period to understand it. Filling the gas tank once a week as opposed to 3 times is fantastic. The car dealer didn't even understand the car. I've learned more about it by reading the discussions on this site then he knew. I would like to know the tax benefits offered in NYS and Federally if anyone knows out there.

Anonymous

7 years ago

You get a $2,000 Federal tax deduction if you put the car in service in calendar year 2004. I don't know about any NY deductions (I live in CA and I don't get one for my HCH).

I can't speak to the shifting thing since I have an automatic.

Anonymous

7 years ago

The Fed deduction is still not firm as the HCH has not been "certified accoeding to others on this site. History suggests that it will be sometime in Jan 2005. Either way I will take the deduction with the expectation that it will be certified. Pete

Anonymous

7 years ago

As far as the shifting thing and mileage thing goes, you have to consider the weather. Specifically, the condition of the air that the car is driving through.

The car's computer is designed to calculate the best mix of air and fuel based on several different sources of information. The car's speed, the rpm's of the engine, what gear the car is in, and the position of the gas pedal (throttle) are some of the sources of information it uses, but it does measure air density coming into the engine. On a cold day, the air will be denser, so your car will adjust the amount of fuel to mix properly with the air. Just the same, on a warm day, the air is less dense, so your car will need a different amount of fuel in the engine to make it run properly.

Another thing to consider is whether there is dust/debris in the air, and whether the air is moist (water vapor in the air will cause the computer to add a lot more gas into the mixture to keep the engine running properly).

So, just because you are driving over the same road everyday, at the same speed, doesn't mean that the air coming into your engine is the same everyday. :)

I hope this answers your question, and several other ppls questions about this same issue.

BTW: Some cars' computers can monitor driving conditions over time. Engines are tuned at the factory for absolute optimum conditions (the perfect air density, the perfect fuel mixture, etc). Since no one drives in optimum or perfect driving conditions for the engine, these "adaptive computers" will de-tune the engine to suit the wide variety of driving conditions ppl drive in over a long period of time.

If you take into consideration that all mechanical components wear over time (yes, even you ppl who change your oil every 3,000 miles), you may begin to understand why cars in general lose mpg as they age. :D

Anonymous

7 years ago

don't forget elevation changes too. i had a work drive that saw maybe a 1000 foot drop over 54 miles going TO work. i got awsum mileage going into work! of course heading home uphill didn't get as nice a mileage. i typically averaged 43 MPG on that ride of mostly freeway stop & go.

now i traverse from the foothills across a valley floor into small foothills on the far side. a 10 mile trip. mostly stop & go. i get 40 MPG on this trip now. ~ but i jump on the gas a lot too now.

see ya

Anonymous

7 years ago

Thanks for replying to my questions. I have another though. Are you going to follow the manual and change your oil 10k or less than that?

Anonymous

7 years ago

i never follow the manual on any car i ever owned...

see ya

Post a new comment

The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.