Fuel milage on 2005 RAV4

Or more likely, as you mentioned before, not anticipating stops so staying on the throttle until the last minute and then riding the brakes to a stop.

Good point, although it never hurts to floor the throttle every other tank or so.

I've tracked my 2003 Echo mpg since the first tank, and I saw no significant increase at all since it was new.

IMHO, a manual transmission helps doubly. First, it's less lossy. Second (and maybe even more important), one tends to anticipate stops more, because it involves a down shift. My average mpg always beats the 43 mpg EPA highway.

BTW, here's some more conventional wisdom, but has anyone seen actual, published studies to back it up? URL's?

1: mpg drops as one goes over 55 mph. I wonder what the optimum highway speed really is. 45? 50? 65? My guess is that it varies from car to car, too. 2: mpg is better with the windows closed and AC on then with windows open and aerodynamic losses. I have doubts, but it's plausible.

Maybe, maybe not. Mileage, ESPECIALLY in town, is greatly affected by how agressively one mashes the pedals.

If you get under way very quickly, race up to the next red light and slam on the brakes, you will get considerably worse mileage than if you bring your car up to speed, and take your foot off the gas when you notice the light ahead is red and coast into it. If you are in very heavy traffic on the freeway that goes and slows, then learn to keep a distance between you and the car in front that lets you almost never apply the brakes. This requires a light foot on the gas, and lifting off the gas when you see the brake lights ahead coming on. You should be able to easily keep 3 or 4 seconds between you and the guy in front, then coast up to him when he slams on the brakes because he is not interested in reducing his fuel consumption.

I drive a stick shift car in San Diego, and I can use my brakes on the freeway as few as once for every five times as the guy in front of me because I see him and the cars in front of him slowing with their brakes, so I simply lift off the gas and coast up to where they are. Sure, I need to use the brakes sometimes, but since I am more interested in saving gas -- and I know I'll need to stop soon anyway -- I see no point in driving like Mario Andretti, and slam the gas on only to follow this action by slamming the brakes on. Slam = gas.

PS The A/C is probably not part of your problem. I see no need to endure Texas in summer without A/C.

Amen brother! That is perhaps one of the most important things that people can do to improve mileage. Lift off the gas to allow/encourage the transmission to shift sooner.

I'm with DH on this one. If the car has 1000 miles -- 5 tanks of gas -- and already has carbon, then there could reasonably be a problem. But, if the OP is reporting poor mileage, then he likely is driving in such a fashion as to prevent any carbon build up.

"IMO, if you break a car in too gently, the engine will be tight and your mileage will be a little low. I used to take my 5 or 6 new company cars a year right up to redline with 6 miles on the odometer and hit the highway. Most of my co-workers did the same and we all got good mileage. "

got to be the craziest thing I ever heard, oh, company cars, that explains it

On the window sticker the big MPG numbers are the average MPG expected, below it, in very small print, they always list a range of MPG, this range takes into account altitude, load, driving habits, I think if you are within the range then there isn't much you can do or complain about. I have a camry and the big MPG highway number on the sticker was

34 and the range was 28 to 40 something, I get 42 on the highway but only 25 in the city (can't remember what the range was on the city, but it was quite low)

You do this? I do too. We are way, WAY, in the minority, for some reason...

I don't do it so only to reduce fuel consumption. I do it because it's just a better way to drive. Of course, the vast majority are too stupid to figure-out what seems to be so obvious to me.

Well, the key there is slower acceleration, which requires less power, thus less gas. The RPM's your motor's turning isn't having a huge effect... There's more pumping and friction losses at higher RPM's, true...

Alright, I can't stand it. What have you done with that idiot, Dizzy?

This is the second time in the same day that I have caught you being anywhere near even remotely reasonable.

Re: Fuel milage on 2005 RAV4 Group: alt.autos.toyota Date: Thu, Aug 18, 2005, 10:35pm (EDT+4) From: snipped-for-privacy@nospam.invalid (dizzy) On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 09:08:18 -0700, "J Strickland" wrote: If you get under way very quickly, race up to the next red light and slam on the brakes, you will get considerably worse mileage than if you bring your car up to speed, and take your foot off the gas when you notice the light ahead is red and coast into it. If you are in very heavy traffic on the freeway that goes and slows, then learn to keep a distance between you and the car in front that lets you almost never apply the brakes. This requires a light foot on the gas, and lifting off the gas when you see the brake lights ahead coming on. You should be able to easily keep 3 or 4 seconds between you and the guy in front, then coast up to him when he slams on the brakes because he is not interested in reducing his fuel consumption. You do this? I do too. We are way, WAY, in the minority, for some reason... I don't do it so only to reduce fuel consumption. I do it because it's just a better way to drive. Of course, the vast majority are too stupid to figure-out what seems to be so obvious to me. ---------

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Yea I don't get that either. They wizz by me as if to say outta my way I have to hurry up to the light so I can stop before you do. Then when I pull up next to them at the red light, I sometimes will beep my horn and wave as if to say 'have we learned anything'? I often get a glazed over look in return that makes me wonder if the lights have been left on but no ones even home.

This is not unlike the people that weave in and out of traffic only to end up behind you somehow. For all of the added stress of the extra lane changes and tailgaiting you'd think they'd get it that there is a better way since it nets them only seconds at most.

Then they will say to their auto tech. 'I can't figure out why I go through so many sets of brakes'? As a former tech. I used to answer that one in my head by saying 'maybe cause you drive like a total idiot'?.

[The thread may have gone cold but - what the heck - it's a Toyota-related post]

I just returned from a trip in the '01. Not too heavily loaded but A/C on most of the time. 24 mpg at almost 100% highway driving at 70-75mph almost all of the time. Does not compare favorably with your '04. One wonders what tricks Toyota used in the newer Siennas.

Or - perhaps it's something else. I had the oil changed JUST before I left and I paid the extra $5 for the super service. I'll bet the b@$t@rd$ dropped my tire pressures by a few psi when they checked it. I neglected to specify 35psi when I dropped it off. I'll be looking at this tomorrow. If it's off, itt's my own fault; the shop I use does set it to what I request when I remember to be specific. :-(

What do you inflate your tires to? I'm presuming you're at the high end of Toyota's recommended range.