Summer gas?

rflagg · 04-05-2005, 12:05 PM

So, I'm sure I asked this around the same time last year - but spring fever is getting to me, and my car! So, I'll ask again.

When does the summer fuel usually start? Looking at my records, I see my tanks didn't start doing better until end of April/beginning of May, but I just fueled up yesterday and have been riding at 56+MPG. Granted the weather has been great, and should continue to be, but before this tank I was still getting 50-51MPG and it was in the 50's, now it's in the high 60s low 70s. Perhaps I just got lucky and found a 'good' tank of gas? Any ideas, anyone? Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining here!

-m.

DaveinOlyWA · 04-05-2005, 12:15 PM

since the freezing point of summer gas is so high, it will depend on what area you are in. rumours has it that is this area, its april 15 and my climate is similiar to yours in the winter. not as hot however in the summer.

but you will certainly see a large jump in mileage. also keep in mind that the temp differences play a huge part so the spring weather you are getting now will reduce warmup times and make a huge impact on your mileage especially if you have shorter trips in the 10 min range.

in the summer, my car would be fully warmed up in about 2-3 minutes. in the winter it was more like 5-10 depending on the temp. so the shorter the trip the more the mileage will be affected.

also keep in mind that some areas have "spring" gas... but i would have to assume that that is in the extreme climate areas only.

Blue · 04-05-2005, 12:34 PM

rflagg - where do you get your gas? I also live in the Springfield area, and have not yet noticed the summertime mileage (~56 MPG). Although, most of my driving is early morning or after dark when the temps are still a bit chilly (35-40 F this morning).

DaveinOlyWA · 04-05-2005, 12:37 PM

those chilly temps will make your warm up times much longer. you would best tell if you had the summer gas only on longer trips of at least 30 mins or more.

**Tideland Prius** · 04-05-2005, 12:43 PM

Well I had a nice 3.8L/100km (62mpg) tank on the last 30kms. 9kms from fuel station to home on Sat, then 21kms yesterday (on separate journeys). I don't expect it to last since the car's in for servicing today and my dad took the Prius

DaveinOlyWA · 04-05-2005, 12:47 PM

wow!!

that kind of milage in trips of that duration are excellent!

**Tideland Prius** · 04-05-2005, 12:53 PM

=) I'll update when the car returns home tonight and see how much it dropped lol

Blue · 04-05-2005, 12:56 PM

Quote:

those chilly temps will make your warm up times much longer. you would best tell if you had the summer gas only on longer trips of at least 30 mins or more.

That's essentially what I was implying, which makes me wonder what time of day rflagg drives. My commute is ~50 miles each way, so I doubt that trip distance is much of a factor.

rflagg · 04-05-2005, 01:36 PM

Blue,

This recent tank I got from my least favorite gas station to visit near my workplace, just north of Dulles Airport. And I leave at 7am in the morning, when the snowflake still shines (37 degrees) and head home at 5:30pm when the temps are in the 60s recently.

-m.

DaveinOlyWA · 04-05-2005, 02:15 PM

actually lets speculate on economy.

if when its cold out, it takes 10 mins to warm up and we get say 25 mpg. travelling 60 mph (used for easy math purposes) then we got 10 miles using .4 gallons

then we go another 50 miles at 50 mpg so its 1 gall.

so we used 1.4 gallons to go 60 miles = 42.9 mpg

so then lets take the same trip when its warmer and it takes 5 mins to warm up (in the summer my car usually took less than 3 mins at city street speeds)

so we go 5 miles at 25 mpg which makes .2 gallons then we go 55 miles at 50 mpg = 1.1 for total of 1.3 gallons = 46.2 mpg.

so that is a 3.3 mpg difference using same gas formula of 25/50 mpg. now we all know that in real cold weather it can take at least 10 mins to warm the car up and in warm weather it takes less than 5 mins. so you will see that temp makes all the difference in the world. if you dont believe me, ask Jayman or John or any of those other eskimo types.

04-05-2005, 12:05 PM	#1
rflagg Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 946 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Summer gas? So, I'm sure I asked this around the same time last year - but spring fever is getting to me, and my car! So, I'll ask again. When does the summer fuel usually start? Looking at my records, I see my tanks didn't start doing better until end of April/beginning of May, but I just fueled up yesterday and have been riding at 56+MPG. Granted the weather has been great, and should continue to be, but before this tank I was still getting 50-51MPG and it was in the 50's, now it's in the high 60s low 70s. Perhaps I just got lucky and found a 'good' tank of gas? Any ideas, anyone? Don't get me wrong, I'm not complaining here! -m. __________________ lifetime MPG: 51.8 total miles: 41469 (2/28/04-12/08/05).

04-05-2005, 12:15 PM	#2
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,990 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	since the freezing point of summer gas is so high, it will depend on what area you are in. rumours has it that is this area, its april 15 and my climate is similiar to yours in the winter. not as hot however in the summer. but you will certainly see a large jump in mileage. also keep in mind that the temp differences play a huge part so the spring weather you are getting now will reduce warmup times and make a huge impact on your mileage especially if you have shorter trips in the 10 min range. in the summer, my car would be fully warmed up in about 2-3 minutes. in the winter it was more like 5-10 depending on the temp. so the shorter the trip the more the mileage will be affected. also keep in mind that some areas have "spring" gas... but i would have to assume that that is in the extreme climate areas only. __________________ My 2006: Last tank 341.6 miles @44.7 pump (43.3 computer) 3.81 cpm winter mpg 50.44 summer mpg 54.71 lifetime: 34,290.1 miles 52.55 mpg pump (53.78 mpg computer) 5.67 cpm My 2007 Zenn Driven 5945 miles, 2.01 cpm/ 105 mpg (at $2.05/gal), 4.04 miles/ Kwh Savings over my Prius $302.66 The Corolla...573.26 The REAL SAVINGS from not driving Corolla 693.39 +Prius= 996.05 (excludes maintenance costs...would be unfair to ICE vehicles) My Plate: DUALPWR (Dual Power)

04-05-2005, 12:34 PM	#3
Blue Member Join Date: Mar 2005 Location: Alexandria, VA Posts: 46 My Car: 2004 Prius Package: #6 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Re: Summer gas? rflagg - where do you get your gas? I also live in the Springfield area, and have not yet noticed the summertime mileage (~56 MPG). Although, most of my driving is early morning or after dark when the temps are still a bit chilly (35-40 F this morning).

Similar Threads
Thread	Thread Starter	Forum	Replies	Last Post
Long Hot Summer?	Washington1788	Prius and Hybrid News	24	04-06-2007 12:56 PM
Spring/Summer MPG	Tom6850	Fuel Economy	6	03-31-2007 11:01 AM
Summer Classes for Men	hycamguy07	Fred's House of Pancakes	12	05-24-2006 11:24 AM
Summer Gas?	hdrygas	WA - Washington State	5	05-10-2005 01:19 AM
It's Summer - how do you set your air?	Danny	Environmental Discussion	40	08-18-2004 02:07 AM

04-05-2005, 12:37 PM	#4
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,990 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	those chilly temps will make your warm up times much longer. you would best tell if you had the summer gas only on longer trips of at least 30 mins or more.

04-05-2005, 12:43 PM	#5
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 14,171 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 12	Well I had a nice 3.8L/100km (62mpg) tank on the last 30kms. 9kms from fuel station to home on Sat, then 21kms yesterday (on separate journeys). I don't expect it to last since the car's in for servicing today and my dad took the Prius

04-05-2005, 12:47 PM	#6
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,990 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	wow!! that kind of milage in trips of that duration are excellent!

04-05-2005, 12:53 PM	#7
Tideland Prius Super Moderator Join Date: Oct 2004 Location: Canada Posts: 14,171 My Car: 2005 Prius Package: B Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 12	=) I'll update when the car returns home tonight and see how much it dropped lol

04-05-2005, 01:36 PM	#9
rflagg Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Springfield, VA Posts: 946 My Car: Package: Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 0	Blue, This recent tank I got from my least favorite gas station to visit near my workplace, just north of Dulles Airport. And I leave at 7am in the morning, when the snowflake still shines (37 degrees) and head home at 5:30pm when the temps are in the 60s recently. -m.

04-05-2005, 02:15 PM	#10
DaveinOlyWA Opps !! I Did it Again!! Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: South Puget Sound, WA Posts: 9,990 My Car: 2006 Prius Package: #4 Nominated 0 Times in 0 Posts TOTM Awards: 0 Friends: 6	actually lets speculate on economy. if when its cold out, it takes 10 mins to warm up and we get say 25 mpg. travelling 60 mph (used for easy math purposes) then we got 10 miles using .4 gallons then we go another 50 miles at 50 mpg so its 1 gall. so we used 1.4 gallons to go 60 miles = 42.9 mpg so then lets take the same trip when its warmer and it takes 5 mins to warm up (in the summer my car usually took less than 3 mins at city street speeds) so we go 5 miles at 25 mpg which makes .2 gallons then we go 55 miles at 50 mpg = 1.1 for total of 1.3 gallons = 46.2 mpg. so that is a 3.3 mpg difference using same gas formula of 25/50 mpg. now we all know that in real cold weather it can take at least 10 mins to warm the car up and in warm weather it takes less than 5 mins. so you will see that temp makes all the difference in the world. if you dont believe me, ask Jayman or John or any of those other eskimo types.