2006 Sonata 4 cyl gas mileage

Out of curiosity, what sort of driving do you do (city/hwy), and do you have the automatic or manual trans?

The chart above serves as an excellent example for anyone tracking their fuel economy (see thread 8 posts down).

Speaking of which, I'm also curious what you do for a living, Matt. You obviously know a significant amount about cars and also about scientific process.

I mostly commute to work with the Sonata. My drive is about 20 miles each way, with about 14 of that being highway. The remainder is on secondary roads where I can drive about 40 mph. I do very little true city driving, with only 5 stoplights between my house and my office. I do drive into town for lunch most days, but even that is only a few miles.

I keep a log in each of my vehicles and I record every fuel purchase and almost always fill the tank each time so I can keep a running fuel mileage. It is a good way to detect many problems with a car.

I'm an electrical engineer/computer scientist (have both BSCS and BSEE). Well, more accurately these days, I manage an engineering department for a large company. The department has responsibility for measurement and control systems in support of our R&D and early stage product development efforts.

I'm a car (and motorcycle and airplane) enthusiast and paid my way through college working for my uncle who owned a logging company. He did virtually all of his own equipment repairs, including engine, transmission and differential rebuilds so I got a lot of hands on mechanical work. I've had no formal training in either diesel or gasoline engines, but have picked up a fair bit through experience.

I don't do much hands on engineering anymore, but am taking graduate courses in structural engineering to keep my brain somewhat active. :-)

Matt

I'll say that you seem both more literate and more scientifically aware than most engineers I know. And that's a wonderful thing.

Well, I generally don't admit to being an engineer unless someone asks. People often don't know how to interpret what it means. :-)

I think the literacy part comes from having attended high school many years ago before being illiterate was considered acceptable. I also love to read and that helps as well.

Matt

I started keeping better records after a similar posting in January. So here's what I've got for a GLS 4-cylinder automatic. This is almost all commuting which is about 35 miles, four-lane all the way, but about 15 miles are in the city with some slow-go construction areas. I'm still waiting for that long road trip...

Date Mileage Gallons Miles MPG

*1st oil change at 3551

That averages out at just a shade over 27. I'll be interested to see how the warmer weather effects things for me. I've barely touched the temperature controls over the last few months with mostly mild weather, but have started running the A/C quite a bit this week with temps in the upper 70s to low 80s. That will become more of a constant as summer approaches here in Alabama.

Matt Whit>

I'm sure you have heard the old saying:

"You call always tell an engineer, but you can't tell him much". :)

Another one I use often myself with my colleagues is "Often wrong, but never in doubt!" :-)

Matt