I want to keep this thread alive. Come on guys, this has been viewed 2800 times but only a small fraction of you tell us what your mileage is. Please participate.
Why such a wide range of difference in gas mileage? It is widely speculated that the use of ethanol can decrease gas mileage and the gas in the Houston area all has 10% ethanol. What can this much ethanol do to gas mileage? I was reading a report from Consumer Reports, in which they compared side by side a car driven by regular gas or the so called E85 (85% gas, 15% ethanol), and the decrease of gas mileage was substantial:
The ethanol myth
"Fuel economy, however, dropped across the board. In highway driving, gas mileage decreased from 21 to 15 mpg; in city driving, it dropped from 9 to 7 mpg. You could expect a similar decrease in gas mileage in any current FFV."
Below is a quote from a report in the NY Times:
"Gallon for gallon, pure ethanol contains one-third less energy than gasoline, and the ethanol industry acknowledges that E10 reduces mileage by about 2 percent.
Some drivers think the change is notably greater. Chuck Mai, a vice president of AAA Oklahoma, reported that his organization has been getting calls from members blaming E10 for mileage drops of 8 to 20 percent.
Drivers in Tulsa, he said, are complaining to their local service stations , saying, “ ‘I used to get 28 mpg; last time around, I’m getting 25. What’s going on?’ ”
Knowing this, if you would like to share with us your gas mileage, please be mindful of the many factors that can affect gas mileage: driving habits, speed, load, car conditions, and of course whether or not you use gas with ethanol.