Weight vs. Gas Mileage

[Levitan]

Not sure if this has been talked about, but I'm sitting here on a dreary, wet day in Iowa, procrastinating the honeydew list.

How much does weight affect mpg?

Example 1: We have our standard driving weight. Full tank 'o gas, driver (200 lbs), 20 lbs of misc junk, in a stock 5 speed EFI. Taking a trip of 300 miles, 97% of it the driving would be highway miles.

It's probably not exactly right, but we'll say that Example 1 weighs 2100 lbs.

I figure Example 1 would get at least 40 mpg. I realize some of you will get better, but for this thread, 40 mpgs will be our base number.

Example 2: We have our standard driving weight. Full tank 'o gas, driver (200 lbs), 20 lbs of misc junk, in a stock 5 speed EFI. Taking a trip of 300 miles, 97% of it the driving would be highway miles. But this time we add a 250 lb buddy in the passenger seat, and add 150 lbs of tools in the back (which I don't know about you guys, but I can easily put 150 lbs of tools in the back....and of course, only use 18 lbs of them....but ya gotta make sure ya have everything :lol: ).

Example 2 car now weighs 2500 lbs.

What kind of gas mileage do you think Example 2 car will get on the same exact trip?

Does anybody have any real world examples similar to this that would show that a 400 lb difference, does or does not affect mpgs?

You can sure tell I'm bored today :lol: ...or procrastinating ops:

[htchbck]

it affects it some I'm sure, and a lot of other factors have to be considered like how fast you are driving (above 75 the festiva's gearing can be an mpg killer). Anyway, that said, I used to get about 42 on the highway (driving 70MPH) with my old b3... I went on a camping trip with me (200lbs) and two of my buddies (another 350lbs) plus our gear (not positive but probably close to 100lb). On that trip, which was about 500 miles total, all but probably 50 miles of it freeway speeds (65-70 usually) we averaged just under 40 mpg. So adding an extra 400+ pounds above and beyond my own body weight only took away about 2-3mpg for me. But again, a lot of factors go into it. If we'd been doing 75 or 80 we probably would've lost another 5mpg would be my guess. Best mileage I ever got was 46 with my b6

[skeeters_keeper]

i got my best mpg's (52) with the car over-loaded. we were moving, and my brother and i were in the front, and a few hundred #'s of my dad's books and some other junk were in the back, with 3 bicycles on the hatch. The rear tires were inside the fender wells. But i was only going 55mph following my dad for about 400 miles.


I think where your on flat hwy, the difference in weight will not affect the mpg's much at all. When it will make a difference is on acceleration, because you've got a lot more stuff to get moving, but once its moving it not going to affect much, and driving speeds are what is going to make the biggest difference. Festiva's mpg's suffer above 55mph, because, well, its a box. Normally doing the va-pa drive @ 65mph i would get around 48mpg, so just dropping down to 55mph picked me up 4mpg.

[scitzz]

On the highway, I generally do about 90, and get only about 33mpg, yes, higher speeds KILLS mpg in a festy, comparatively, but how many cars get 30+ doing 90????

[jglutz]

For the same car, gas tank load, acceleration, driving conditions.....ect. The milelage (MPG) is better for lesser passenger weight.........period
Impossible not to be...anything else is defying physics....unless my first wife was in the car...in which case she could stop the tide from going out.

[FB71]

was her waist size 'equator'?

[scitzz]

was her waist size 'equator'?

:laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3:

[kzbill]

Jim............ that was badddddd!

[jglutz]

was her waist size 'equator'?

She had to put her belt on with a boomerang

[FB71]

when she hauled butt, did it take two trips?

[jglutz]

When she walked backwards...she made this familiar sound....BEEP...BEEP...BEEP...BEEP...BEEP

[25Horseplay]

^^When she wore a red dress did all the kids yell "Hey Koolaid!"

[FB71]

she was so fat, when she jumped in the air, she got stuck...

[Levitan]

:protest: :protest: :protest: I thought there was a "Law" on this board about there will be no rascist remarks?! Why do you have to be so rascist against us fat people? Huh!? Us fat people need lovin' too! But some of those are funny! :laughing3: :laughing3: :laughing3:

[FB71]

I'm 280lbs, so I feel qualified to make these statements...

Shes so fat, that when she fell in love, she broke it!