Driving Observations
06-21-2001, 05:25 AM
#1
Senior Member
Thread Starter
Join Date: Apr 2001
Posts: 249
Got back a few days ago from an 11 day, 4125 mile road trip. From Chicago to Maine to Orlando, FL and back to Chicago.
Observations and comments:
Long distance cruising is a breeze in this car. Relatively low cabin noise at speed, and that V6 is a very nice, low vibration engine...
My Max's speedo reads between 2 and 2.5 mph high @ 70mph. (It's linear. It reads about 1 mph high at 30.) How do I know? I use GPS to navigate by, and I can tell my true speed to about 0.1 mph.
I'd been averaging 20mpg in the city. Average for this trip was 26.28. Worst mileage was around Orlando, mostly city driving with 22.7mpg, going to and from the parks, A/C on all the time. Best was 28.9mpg, interstates and state highways through New York state, Vermont and New Hampshire, averaging 70-75mph, no A/C needed. 28.9 * 18.5 = a theoretical 534 mile range, but you'd never see *me* push it that far...
Gas mileages gets considerably worse cruising at 80.
The most expensive gas I bought (other than here in tax happy Chicago) was $2.059 on 6/5/01 at an Amoco in the Bronx, NY. Cheapest was $1.619 at a Shell in Tifton, GA on 6/12/01. Average was $1.823 per gallon.
I've got this real suspicion that using oxygenated gas lowers my gas mileage about 2mpg. My mileage was always better when filling up in sparsely populated areas. So not only do I get to pay more for my gas here because of the additives, but I get worse mileage as well. Thanks.
At times the car would wander a lot. Hard to keep it going straight at 70-80mph. It was probably the cross-winds (they were pretty strong at times) and maybe a crown in the road. Anyone else have this problem? Was I spoiled by my Contour? (The older, uglier one. It handled cross-winds very well.)
The stock tires do not inspire confidence in the rain. On my was back, I drove through what was left of Alison in Northern Florida and Southern Georgia, the worst weather I've ever driven through. Most I could do was about 35-40mph, and I think I was fighting the traction control at that point, but since visibility was down to 50 feet, I was too busy looking for tail lights in front of me.
All the drivers of other 5th gens I passed on the interstates were being driven by octogenarians. What does this mean?
Sorry for the length, just throwing numbers out for comparison.
(Off topic comment 1: New York State was funny. The state speed limit is 55mph, unless you pay to go 65 mph on the tollways. I considered the tolls a speeding tax.)
(Off topic comment 2: If you're ever near Lynchburg, TN, go take the tour at Jack Daniels. Definitely cool.)
(Off topic comment 3: I have the most interesting bug collection stuck to my radiator. I'm sure this isn't particularly good for heat exchange...)
Observations and comments:
Long distance cruising is a breeze in this car. Relatively low cabin noise at speed, and that V6 is a very nice, low vibration engine...
My Max's speedo reads between 2 and 2.5 mph high @ 70mph. (It's linear. It reads about 1 mph high at 30.) How do I know? I use GPS to navigate by, and I can tell my true speed to about 0.1 mph.
I'd been averaging 20mpg in the city. Average for this trip was 26.28. Worst mileage was around Orlando, mostly city driving with 22.7mpg, going to and from the parks, A/C on all the time. Best was 28.9mpg, interstates and state highways through New York state, Vermont and New Hampshire, averaging 70-75mph, no A/C needed. 28.9 * 18.5 = a theoretical 534 mile range, but you'd never see *me* push it that far...
Gas mileages gets considerably worse cruising at 80.
The most expensive gas I bought (other than here in tax happy Chicago) was $2.059 on 6/5/01 at an Amoco in the Bronx, NY. Cheapest was $1.619 at a Shell in Tifton, GA on 6/12/01. Average was $1.823 per gallon.
I've got this real suspicion that using oxygenated gas lowers my gas mileage about 2mpg. My mileage was always better when filling up in sparsely populated areas. So not only do I get to pay more for my gas here because of the additives, but I get worse mileage as well. Thanks.
At times the car would wander a lot. Hard to keep it going straight at 70-80mph. It was probably the cross-winds (they were pretty strong at times) and maybe a crown in the road. Anyone else have this problem? Was I spoiled by my Contour? (The older, uglier one. It handled cross-winds very well.)
The stock tires do not inspire confidence in the rain. On my was back, I drove through what was left of Alison in Northern Florida and Southern Georgia, the worst weather I've ever driven through. Most I could do was about 35-40mph, and I think I was fighting the traction control at that point, but since visibility was down to 50 feet, I was too busy looking for tail lights in front of me.
All the drivers of other 5th gens I passed on the interstates were being driven by octogenarians. What does this mean?
Sorry for the length, just throwing numbers out for comparison.
(Off topic comment 1: New York State was funny. The state speed limit is 55mph, unless you pay to go 65 mph on the tollways. I considered the tolls a speeding tax.)
(Off topic comment 2: If you're ever near Lynchburg, TN, go take the tour at Jack Daniels. Definitely cool.)
(Off topic comment 3: I have the most interesting bug collection stuck to my radiator. I'm sure this isn't particularly good for heat exchange...)
06-21-2001, 05:36 AM
#2
Donating Maxima.org Member
Join Date: May 2001
Posts: 202
Good Observations
I took a 2100 mile road trip in my Maxima, and it was a nice drive, that car is a very good highway driver. I also got 27-28 MPG on the highway. I also noticed the stock speedo being off my a few miles an hour at highway speeds, using the same method as you, and in Arkansas I got the messiest collection of bugs on my car/in my grille that I have ever seen. At one gas station I pulled a bug out of my grille that must've been 3 inches long with a wingspan of about 4-5 inches.....
06-21-2001, 06:10 AM
#3
Senior Member
Join Date: Jan 2001
Posts: 778
Re: Good Observations
Originally posted by KyMAXSE
At one gas station I pulled a bug out of my grille that must've been 3 inches long with a wingspan of about 4-5 inches.....
At one gas station I pulled a bug out of my grille that must've been 3 inches long with a wingspan of about 4-5 inches.....
Those are called birds!
As for the observations ... I have noticed everything listed except for the stock tires. I don't have the same tires as you. I have the toyo's. I especially wander about the off topic about new york and having to pay to go 65. Never heard of that before.
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