2003 Honda Accord 4 cyl gas mileage on the highway

Not a mistake at all. I had a 2000 Accord 5 speed; in the summer, A/C on, going through the mountains, I got 35mpg.

The car is rated for 34, and the government highway test is more demanding than just cruising endlessly at a steady speed. So, your results are not unexpected.

I don't own an Accord; I own a 2001 Odyssey. On one leg of a return trip several years ago from the Northeastern US (back to Dallas), with four passengers and quite a bit of luggage and camping cargo in the back, I somehow managed to get 28 mpg.

This with the 3.5 liter V6 Acura engine, A/C going full bore, and driving mostly around 80 mph.

I will grant that heading toward Dallas from where we were was aiding us with a gentle decrease in elevation, but still, I was wowed.

Be

: >> Just thought this gas mileage story might be worth noting for some : >> Honda Accord buyers. : >>

: >> I just took my first long ride with this car this past weekend from : >> Houston, Texas to Austin, Texas and back. I used cruise control 99 : >> percent of the time and had 2 adults, 2 teenagers and baggage and air : >> conditioning 100 percent of the time. I locked in the cruise control : >> at about 66 or 67 mph (speed limit said 70) and just stayed mostly in : >> the right lane to allow cars/trucks to pass me. Most of the trip is : >> hilly terrain and weather was sunny and warm and not much wind. Car : >> is in excellent shape. : >>

: >> I was concerned that gas stations would be closed based on news : >> reports earlier so I wanted to be sure to do this trip on one tank of : >> gas tho it turned out gas stations were open. I calculated I got 37.5 : >> mile/gal and I was totally surprised. I'm sure it's not a mistake : >> too. : >

: > Not a mistake at all. I had a 2000 Accord 5 speed; in the summer, A/C : > on, going through the mountains, I got 35mpg. : >

: I don't own an Accord; I own a 2001 Odyssey. On one leg of a return trip : several years ago from the Northeastern US (back to Dallas), with four : passengers and quite a bit of luggage and camping cargo in the back, I : somehow managed to get 28 mpg. : : This with the 3.5 liter V6 Acura engine, A/C going full bore, and driving : mostly around 80 mph. : : I will grant that heading toward Dallas from where we were was aiding us : with a gentle decrease in elevation, but still, I was wowed. : : Be

I once got more than 29 mpg in my '01 Ody, on a 345-mile leg of a trip between Atlanta and Houston. True, it was over flat terrain, mostly without the A/C (it was December), and at an average speed a bit lower than my usual

75 or so, but I did have two adults and a child in the van, plus a lot of stuff. Even given a little margin for error in the refueling process, I was impressed.

Around town? Usually about 16 to 18 mpg, unfortunately.

Paul

We have a 2000 Honda Odyssey EX and on our trips from Boston to Gettysburg numerous times we've averaged 33 mpg with premium gas. 3.5L V6 205 HP (210 HP with premium)

On one leg of a return trip

A small tailwind can make a big improvement in mpg. A small headwind can take a pretty good toll as well.

I have a 2003 Honda Accord 4 cylinder with manual transmission. I find that at 50 MPH, 2000 RPM in 5th gear, I get the best gas mileage. On a trip from Canton, TX, home of the BIG Flea Market, to Austin, TX, I averaged more than 50 MPG. On a short trip on IH 35 from San Antonio to Austin, it averaged more than 50 MPG. To get that economy, I use no air conditioning, no cruise control and use the built-in navigation system computer to show me the instantaneous gas mileage number. I find that seeing the gas mileage number in real-time helps me drive for highest economy with little effort. Unless the highway is totally flat, the cruise control does not drive as economically as I can. I routinely get more than 45 MPG on the highway.

Using the air conditioning, using the cruise control and driving faster that 50 MPH drops the economy to 36-38 MPG. I always use the lowest priced grade of gasoline.

In town economy depends on the time of day. Non-peak time driving can yield as much as 32 MPG. That is a achieved by coasting when possible. Typically in Austin, during peak traffic times, the number is only

26-28 MPG.

This Honda was bought new and has been driven over 60,000 miles. No repairs have been needed yet. I change the oil every four months with Castrol 5W20, clean the leather, wash and wax the paint and that is all.

--- James D. Howard Austin TX USA snipped-for-privacy@helps.com

Is that imperial gallons or U.S. gallons?

ahem. Your BEST mileage will be when using cruise control.

The dealership says my sister's rotors must be replaced 'because they're rusting'.

The CR-V has 60,000 km on it. Is this normal wear?

Your expert opinion is invited... thanks, Jack.

Ha. Rust on the brake rotors' circumferences by itself are not detrimental to the rotor's operation and is expected.

Ask them about the rotor's thickness and thickness variation, for starters. Did they measure it? What's the spec? Make them elaborate a lot more than they are simply "rusted."

60k km is ridiculously early for a rotor to ordinarily need replacement.

My 91 Civic is on its original rotors after 270k km. Granted, I do a lot of engine braking, and one rotor is a bit scored. The thickness is great, though, and I expect them to last the life of the car (like five more years).

Others will post...

"Ralph" wrote

Rotors are iron.

They rust.

Do this: let the car sit in damp weather for a weekend. Go out and look at the rotors.

Drive the car. Listen to the brakes for the first few stops. That's the sound of the rust grinding off.

Perfectly normal.

50 mpg. Somebody's in la-la land.

_________________________________

"Take a little 5FU, leucovorin and irenotecan for thy stomach's sake." -- 1 Timothy 5:23 (adapted)

Hah hah. Potamkin in NYC, by any chance? Or another crook? They said that about mine (94 Civic), too, and when I got a look at them I laughed. Not in the guy's face--though I should have--because I was standing there with the seller and it was a pre-purchase checkup, but I did laugh privately later... (with the seller cuz I'm an honest guy)

Elle and Elmo are right on.

Abe

"Ralph" wrote in news:431f2795$1 snipped-for-privacy@news.cybersurf.net:

60K km (40K miles) in how many years? You haven't provided that, and it's crucial.

You're obviously in Canada, but I don't know where. Northeastern Canada is the very worst place for brake rust on the planet.

The less you drive, the more rust forms, and the sooner they need replacing relative to your mileage. Elmo is right.

Thanks for your insight.

Location - Ottawa. I think my sister's CR-V is about 2 years old.

Thanks again for writing - Jack.

That's not surprising. I get similar mileage too with mine. Can do Dallas-Houston-Dallas on one tank easy.

RAT

Well, it sounds like he is coasting a lot and letting his speed drop when going up hills also. If you really game the system, you will beat the cruise control. After all, you can see what's coming up next, and it can't. It also sounds like he's making his fellow drivers nuts by going 50 mph and getting in their way. Austin traffic is hellacious, and I wouldn't want to be behind this guy so he can save $10 a month.

You'd think so, but experimentally, in a lot of different cars doing economy runs, its not. Cruise control is just to keep the car at a constant speed, no to do it efficiently.