35mpg Mustang GT

[GusinCA]

So I saw this Mythbusters show that explored the idea of getting behind a semi on the freeway to get better mileage.

And on my new 08 GT vert, I noticed that the average mileage reading was almost exactly what I was calculating by hand each time I filled the tank (within a few 10ths, if not right on).

Soooo, on a recent trip to San Francisco I decided to try something. If you go to the average mpg screen while driving and hit "reset" it gives you instant mpg for a while, and then begins averaging.

At 75mph, flat, smooth freeway, no wind, 23-24mpg.
At 70mph, about 25mpg.
At 70mph, 3 second distance behind a semi-trailer, 35mpg!
At 60mph behind the semi, 40mpg!
I measured these for about 20 minutes each.

You don't have to tailgate, just stay a comfortable distance behind it, keep a steady throttle, and that's it.

Now, I'm not going to do that regularly, but it makes a great way to stretch out the tank if you're running low and think you'll barely make it to that next station...

But I would rather do that than drive a Prius...

 

[Power4]

I've tried this from time to time too but never actually calculated it. Sometimes I'll hang relatively close behind a semi and "draft" it. It definitely seems to help the mileage.

 

[ApexStang]

Man, that is cool. But around here with all the construction, you do that and you won't have any paint left on your front bumper. Ha, ha!

 

[Hoboattacker]

Man, that is cool. But around here with all the construction, you do that and you won't have any paint left on your front bumper. Ha, ha!

No matter what the situation, I hate driving behind semi's. I like my front bumper with the least scratches possible

 

[99Light]

That mythbusters also showed that you had to be within 2-3 feet of the trailers bumper for the mileage increase. So yes it does in fact work. but is your life, or the life of that truck driver worth a few pennies?

As a former OTR truck driver i can tell you there is almost nothing worse then cars who tailgate the big trucks. you place yours and our life in danger. An average passenger car can actually rear end a semi truck if both are moving and the driver may not even know it unless you cause the rear trailer tires to move.

So be safe and give the trucks the proper room they need to operate safely

 

[GusinCA]

Not true, the show said to get the absolute most mileage you had to tailgate, but that even at a further distance it worked quite well.
Believe me, I give them room. At least 3 seconds...

 

[whyask]

my foot is way to heavy to get that good of milage out of my car..
It seems the stang is getting more and more attention now a days and im always on it... damn Charger R/T's hahahahah 4300 plus pounds and they still think there faster ! HAHAHAHA

 

[kooldawg6]

If we put a Super Bird-like nose on these cars(ugly as that would be), we'd easily get 30+ MPG with no drafting help The front of our cars being tall, flat and open hurts that big time, but it sure does look good

 

[stanmckinney]

Considering reaction time, and even if you are paying 100 percent attention, 3 seconds is not enough time for me to be comfortable behind a semi.
If I were that concerned about gas mileage, I would drive a Focus. And if I did, I would get the new Sync and the audiophile stereo which beats the crap out of our factory Shaker systems.

 

[faspony]

WTF...Drafting too close to a semi doesn't seem the smartest thing to do, you can't see around them...know what I mean?

You may get 35 miles per gallon but may never live to tell about it .

 

[jlisle01]

That mythbusters also showed that you had to be within 2-3 feet of the trailers bumper for the mileage increase. So yes it does in fact work. but is your life, or the life of that truck driver worth a few pennies?

As a former OTR truck driver i can tell you there is almost nothing worse then cars who tailgate the big trucks. you place yours and our life in danger. An average passenger car can actually rear end a semi truck if both are moving and the driver may not even know it unless you cause the rear trailer tires to move.

So be safe and give the trucks the proper room they need to operate safely

Oh come on! I drive a semi and I can say with the utmost confidence that I have absolutely NO fear of being injured by a Mustang rear ending my truck. If the guy just bumped me I probably wouldn't even feel it. And if he hit me hard then he'd just decapitate himself, ruin a twenty dollar set of mudflaps, and then I'd drag his dead body and ruined car down the road for a half a mile or so before I got the truck stopped. Those trailers are designed to be backed into loading docks for years without end....or damage. Hit one with a car and you're going to lose, period.

 

[gameguru1360]

do you get the same or similar mpg on an auto tranny stang?? I know that with manuals, you can control the speed for each gear setting, but for auto trannies, it'll change by itself..

 

[GusinCA]

Well, I was well behind the semi, and like I've said a few times here, at LEAST 3 seconds, which is a huge amount of time to react to anything a semi does (it's not like they have the brakes of a Porsche).
The car is an automatic, I didn't see or hear any rocks coming up the entire time, and I got huge mileage improvements.
So stop all your whining about safety, just keep back a distance that's comfortable and you'll still get much better mileage...or don't...

 

[FarmerTom390]

I havent ever paid much attention to this in the mustang but I know I love finding a truck that is moving at a decent speed when I am driving the superduty with the trailer on back. It is amazing the difference you can feel in the wind hitting the front end.

 

[05xgt]

Sit 2-3ft or even 20ft behind me @65-70 mph u can be assured I will hit the gravel line and let my tandems and gravel sand blast the paint off the front end not to mention take out your windshield. There is nothing more stupid than jepodizing your life or more important MY life and that of others just cause you think your gonna save a couple of dollars in fuel. Been down that road before, and will go down it again if the situation arrises. BE WARNED, DON"T DO IT. Vast majority of truckers have this mentality.

 

[Gearbanger 101]

It's a sound idea, but I'm afraid what you would gain in fuel economy, you would lose in the cost of a new windshield.

 

[GOLDENPONY]

MPG

I've gotten 35+ MPG just cruising at say 55 MPH on a flat expressway. Hit reset and just cruise and you'll be amazed, that's without drafting. Go down a long slow hill and watch the MPG really shoot up.