I’m averaging about 15mpg, but it seems to be improving. I’ve heard these Mercedes Benz diesel engines get better after about 20K miles. (I bought it with 8,700 and have about 13,800 now.)
These really disturbed my husband. Is this normal or kinda sick? (Or am I just asking a bunch of sickos who would do the same thing?)
17 Comments
I think this is totally normal! I intend to do the exact same thing with our rig as soon as I get my hot hands on it. Just so you know – even though I haven’t commented much, I am reading your blog ever time you type up a new post. I still envy you but I know we will have our day when it comes. All of your posts help us, push us and remind us of our goal of getting on the road.
Curious question of the day – are you missing any stix n brix pleasure while on the road at all?
Kari
I’ve been doing the same thing for years with Excel. Using a spreadsheet makes it much easier. Just write the trip odometer miles on the receipt (reset each fill-up, obviously), then when you have a chance, enter the miles and gallons from each receipt into your spreadsheet, and it will calculate the MPG for each tank, as well as the average. You can also have it calculate the weekly/monthly/annual average, if you like. Using a spreadsheet is a great way to keep it all on record and see how the MPG changes over time using charts and graphs.
So, no, you’re not crazy… Or maybe I’m even more crazy… Not sure! Heh!
Also, remember that climate and terrain will affect your MPG. You’ll get better mileage in cool weather and flat terrain. I see a 21.26? number, as if you were surprised to see a number that high, but if the terrain was flat (or even better, downhill) and the weather was cool, then it’s certainly possible. Ambient temperature may have something to so with why your MPG is improving as you travel north. Driving style, too, obviously has a lot to do with it. You may be a bit more relaxed with the go pedal as you get used to the rig, and that may be helping.
That picture shows exactly what we do as well. It is interesting to gather data. I have no idea if it is normal, it is just what we do!
I never thought of a spread sheet. I could make charts………………………
If this is 4 years down the line, you’ve not traveled in the last 3, and are still doing it. Ok, then it’s a disturbing problem.
My husband would also have a chart … and a spiral notebook dedicated just to fuel statistics.
When you first get your rig, keeping mileage stats lets you know what to expect in various situations, and even whether something is seriously wrong. So this is useful behavior.
After a few months, though…
“Insanity: doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results.”
– Repetitious, a famous Roman philosopher
Bob
Normal!
If you don’t know your MPG how you gonna lie about it? (”I’m getting 22.5 unloaded and 18.5 loaded”)
The new car has book that has all fillup loged in. Date, price, gallons, miles.
But some people are anal about it to an excess (see charts, above).
Your little bit is not!
I go with normal. I even do that commuting to work!!!
I refuse to speculate on “normal” regarding this… Just be glad you’re not tracking three vehicles! BTW, my little TW200 motorcycle has been averaging 65 mpg. w00t! If I’d brought rain gear, it would be getting used a LOT more. :S Of course, I don’t save all the receipts, I punch them into a vehicle management application on my phone whenever I fill up. If it makes you feel any better, my wife enters EVERY purchase of anything on a spreadsheet. :S
knowing about how far you can go on a tank also helps in planning for fuel stops, nothing worse than watching that needle drop further and further past the E mark when you have not seen an open station for miles…
I totally do that! We even have similar handwriting. lol.
Love that picture. I do that too, but I don’t have a neat little collection of them like you do!
If your homes on wheels, seems like it would be normal to research the mpg … or maybe I’m just another sicko LOL. Roll on girl!
If your gas gauge is like the one in my View, when the needle hits a quarter of a tank left it starts moving really fast towards empty. I start looking for a station about then if I am in the wide open spaces. Your mpg does depend a lot if you are driving 55, 65 or higher. It makes a big difference.
It is worthwhile keeping track of fuel usage. It can tell you a few things, a: what your milage is, b: how your driving style is changing (better or worse), c: it can be an early indicater of engine problems. When keeping track all the time, you notice differences instantly.
I have done the same thing as Dan Martin with my last three vehicles. Spreadsheets are the way to go!
With my previous two vehicles, purchased new, I kept track of every fill-up and kept a best guess of highway and city miles driven. I was still working for part of their ownership.
Now with my Class C I’m not trying to keep track of city miles but do record every fill-up.