2004 Aveo MPG tracked for one year

[bassman]

The "devil is in the details' and the problem with your findings is with the word "mostly". When you combine city and highway driving at all, as well as cold weather vs. hot weather driving, the results are 'all over the map' : meaning not statistically significant.

You didn't mention whether your car is an automatic or a manual. But if it is an automatic, then your results are typical and normal. Which means there is nothing wrong with you or the car - and the car IS what it IS, and not subject to change.

I have a scan gauge in my car ('09) since it was new. Having a scan gauge is one way to get highly reliable MPG data. In warm weather it will get 40 MPG in exclusive highway use, if all city driving is excluded (meaning driving at constant speeds of over 50 MPH with no stopping, until refueling). Unfortunately our car is usually used 98% of the time in local commuter traffic, at speeds of under 40 MPH. In winter, with cold operation and typical short trips of under 10 miles we can never get much better than 22 MPG, no matter how hard we try. That's nature, that's winter, that's traffic - all unavoidable. Anything in-between or any combination of highway-city is a blend of factors that doesn't really tell us anything meaningful - because it is much too variable.

Once you leave the highway, (as well as with winter driving in general) your MPG goes into the dumper. That's the Aveo experience.

It was an 04 Aveo hatchback automatic trans. Sorry my record keeping over the past year was not up to snuff for your superior statistical wizardry. Just something I thought was cool and might be worth posting. Obviously not. I will definitely not be logging in to this hostile forum again!

BTW we gave the Aveo away to a family without a car in Canada so hopefully they are enjoying it.I'm actually a Toyota guy--but the Aveo was a good car while we had it.

[Thymeclock]

It was an 04 Aveo hatchback automatic trans. Sorry my record keeping over the past year was not up to snuff for your superior statistical wizardry.

Why the veiled sarcasm?

Just something I thought was cool and might be worth posting. Obviously not. I will definitely not be logging in to this hostile forum again!

You are reading hostility into this where there is none. My comments pertained to the nature of the car and aspects related to determining MPG. If you are going to continue to participate on discussion forums my suggestion to you is QTIP (quit taking it personally).

BTW we gave the Aveo away to a family without a car in Canada so hopefully they are enjoying it.I'm actually a Toyota guy--but the Aveo was a good car while we had it.

I can't help but wonder why you came to an Aveo forum to initiate a discussion about an Aveo you no longer own. Or why you are so defensive...

[Sidewinder]

I just did a similar look back into tracking, and I think I see why he was defensive. These numbers may not be statistically relevant, but it is an example of what the car can do under normal driving. Anyone who may be shopping for this car and comes here can look at his sheet (or what I wrote) and say, "Ok, this is the mileage I want to get and should be looking for in my purchase" and have a reference. Which is nice and interesting, and most people don't even bother to track that thoroughly.

Also it could be that he just spent the last year tracking his mileage, spent the time to post it, and in 4 paragraphs you kinda just shrug it off.

I'm just trying to explain why I think he reacted as he did. Your points are valid not saying they aren't, but I don't think he was going for the super scientific approach.

Correct me if I am wrong.

[Thymeclock]

I just did a similar look back into tracking, and I think I see why he was defensive. These numbers may not be statistically relevant, but it is an example of what the car can do under normal driving. Anyone who may be shopping for this car and comes here can look at his sheet (or what I wrote) and say, "Ok, this is the mileage I want to get and should be looking for in my purchase" and have a reference. Which is nice and interesting, and most people don't even bother to track that thoroughly.

Anyone shopping for a car could easily reference the EPA fuel estimates for that model year and find them (in a matter of seconds): 23 City, 31 Highway, 26 combined.

Also it could be that he just spent the last year tracking his mileage, spent the time to post it, and in 4 paragraphs you kinda just shrug it off.

Yes, because there are too many variables to make it useful to anyone other than him in his particular experience: affected by weather, temperature, cold operation, wind resistance, traffic, tire pressure, winter fuel blend, etc. etc.

I'm just trying to explain why I think he reacted as he did. Your points are valid not saying they aren't, but I don't think he was going for the super scientific approach.

Correct me if I am wrong.

I'm wondering why you as a a third party feel a need to "explain why" and defend someone who has already expressed defensiveness to the point of being hypersensitive.

I heard a car commercial on the radio this very morning touting high city MPG for a particular car being advertised. The last statement made was "your results may vary". That's my whole point. There are too many variables to make any claims useful, even though they were logged in detail. Your results may vary. There is no need for anyone to be defensive or be offended by my highlighting that realization in my comments. And there is no hostility in it.

[NYChevoo]

I can tell you that with my wifes 07 Aveo hatchback and my 04 Sedan on the highway we always consistently ran 30mpg as long as we owned them. Never over that at anytime. Both were automatics. At least they were consistent!