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Idle Hands (or the quest for a 480 mile tank)

Strange Mud

Autocross Champion
Location
Small Town CT
Car(s)
Assorted
With this stay at home Covid-19 pandemic (although I am essential because work makes Guns and Medical supplies) I have had some more free time. I am going to attempt what has been discussed before. 480 miles on a tank!

https://www.golfmk7.com/forums/index.php?threads/gas-mileage.354671/
I doubt I can get there (I've had a few 400 mile tanks) but this is what and how bored I am (+ experimenting is fun). I'm doing this now because trips to Gym & stores have really been cut down and there is much less traffic to annoy..

I filled it up, waited one minute to settle fuel and then added in another click (.25 G)
tires up to 40 psi
20-25# of tools removed
I am going to try to go speed limit on hwy
speed limit (or +5 on two lane roads)
most of the time I'll shift when car tells me to (except if hill)
MIB set to "Think Blue"
and general mpg miser things.

I will NOT be running red lights although there will be more rolling stops but am looking for some more hints.

To get to 480 (assume 12.5 gallons) will take 38.4 mpg my normal mpg is 33/34. I doubt I'll get that instead I'm thinking 450 miles which would be 36 mpg. It'll take maybe three weeks (more?) so don't expect a quick answer.

Internet fame for closest guess to miles on tank when I fill with a tie breaker of MPG. When calculating MPG I am going to fill to the 2nd click just like I did when filling this tank.

Mud

my guess is 450 miles/36 mpg
 
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KyACRASH

Autocross Newbie
Location
Fort Walton Beach, FL
Car(s)
2015 GTI 6MT, 04 R32
might be doable if you dedicated a day to it, stayed on the highway 99% of the time, 60 mph tops, slow down when going up hill, stay off the gas going downhill.

this was one of my best efforts driving back to NC from Georgia last year, wasn't even trying that hard.

IMG_20190527_150415 (1).jpg
 

vj123

Autocross Newbie
Location
The Detroit
Car(s)
19 & 16 GTI - sold
My best is 35mpg which translates around 440 miles for a tank.

480 miles is achievable if one drives accordingly under right conditions. I highly doubt if you can achieve that in regular commute with traffic lights.

Its worth a try and keep us posted.
 

jimlloyd40

Autocross Champion
Location
Phoenix
Car(s)
2018 SE DSG
might be doable if you dedicated a day to it, stayed on the highway 99% of the time, 60 mph tops, slow down when going up hill, stay off the gas going downhill.

this was one of my best efforts driving back to NC from Georgia last year, wasn't even trying that hard.

View attachment 169816

I agree with this. All the restarts will hurt mileage. I don't know how long this will take @Strange Mud but if it's more than a week my bet is he won't be able to drive like grannie for that long.
 

cb1111

Newbie
Location
Virginia, USA
I don’t think I have the patience to even attempt this challenge!
Easy - from DC to ColoSprings a few years ago I averaged 39 mpg in my TSX wagon on those 20,000 miles through Kansas on I-70 - cruise set to 65mph. I think I saw one other car but several cops on the side of the road and a couple of planes (I assume running radar).
 

MonkeyMD

Autocross Champion
Hypermiling. Look it up. But essentially you should be willing to vary your speed by 20 or 30 mph. Accelerate slowly for example to 60mph. Then coast in gear down to 30. Then slowly accelerate. Goes without saying that you need to coast as much as possible. If you can drive behind a semi, go for it, but some hate you being that close and you have to be careful of debris hitting your windshield. Stay below 60mph and preferably 50 mph.
 

amsr

Ready to race!
Location
Michigan
I got 37mpg and change driving from Ann Arbor to Cleveland last summer. Temps were about 70 and I was running stock Pirelli P7 Cinturato tires at 37psi. I was running AC also. I think it’s a slight downhill to flat most of the way. Was using cruise control at 70mph. This car has a small gas tank.
 

golfdave

Autocross Champion
Location
Scotland (U.K.)
Car(s)
Mk7 Golf GT Estate
Full undertrays as per my how to guides???

Remove mudflaps if fitted....(reduces frontal x-sectional area)

Fit narrower width tyres...(reduces frontal x-sectional area)

Lower car as much as possible...(reduces frontal x-sectional area as more tyre is up in the bodywork)

All the above are standard changes that all manufactures make to their more "eco" versions...besides throwing stuff out to reduce weight
 
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