Date:         Fri, 19 Jun 2015 06:45:13 -0700
Reply-To:     Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Sender:       Vanagon Mailing List <vanagon@gerry.vanagon.com>
From:         Don Hanson <dhanson928@GMAIL.COM>
Subject:      Driving style=fuel economy...Friday semi
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=UTF-8

   My inline ABA VW (2.0L inline gas) powered tin-top 84 5sp  has always
given me excellent gas mileage...Latest averages I've recorded over my most
recently driven ~20k miles puts my Vanagon fuel consumption  right at
25mpg, recorded using an android app called "Fuelly"
http://www.fuelly.com/dashboard      Not long ago I added an AWD van, GMC
Safari, to my fleet and began tracking that one with the Fuelly  Android
phone app also...

  When I began driving the 97 GM  AWD Van, I'd not owned or operated an
automatic shifter for many years.    I have sort of 'learned' how to work
the auto tranny and my fuel economy has improved on the AWD auto
van...Simply learning how the shifting is programmed and driving with that
in mind to avoid needless shifting and kick-downs, etc...that has improved
my fuel consumption in the GM van.

 The main gas mileage factor is still  'vehicle speed', as I see it, after
analyzing the data, gathered with Fuelly phone app.   The Safari delivers
 pretty good economy now...18.8 mpg (average since I began driving it) for
a beefy AWD  van/truck, , capable of towing and hauling lots....But, for a
few fill-ups, I drove it without regard for economy, cruising along with
everyone else on the Interstate at 75-80 mph, speeding up to every stop
sign, then braking,  and passing with planted foot...., often on steep
uphills and into Gorge headwinds........Driven like that, the GM van gets
poor mileage..., and the VW goes from 25 mpg to about 20mpg...

   That Fuelly app. quickly returns you a text with that fill-up's gas
mileage,  within just a few seconds of  you entering your gassing
statistics. It also gives you a cost per mile breakdown .... For more
complete statistics you must go to the app. main site.......

In my case the Vanagon currently costs me  $0.13 per mile and the Safari
(working man's Syncro) come in at $0.16 per mile.
    I've always tried to drive 'smart' and efficiently.   The Fuelly
smartphone app is neat tool to help  us with that.

   Now the editorial comment:  I still do not like driving an automatic
transmission vehicle.  However, for just $2k that GM van does quite a good
job, despite being an auto shift.   It has a large towing rating, a durable
motor (240k on mine) and excellent traction....   Running down the
interstate with the AC on and the cruise control set at 80 mph or bashing
through some rocky rutted-up creek bed,..it works .......and did I mention
"cheap" to  buy and fix?

   Try the Fuelly app to improve your economical driving habits...and
rather than a Syncro (if you aren't flu$h) you could settle for  half a
dozen (or more) GM vans ...they are OK..  of course, you might get mistaken
for a Tradesman driving one.
DH