2004 taurus gas mileage

[Millermagic]

I got 35 with my Taurus once, It was something like 30 34 35 33 29.

This was on vacation with the cruise control set at around 70 and the occasional sprints to 85 or so (going with traffic)

[MyTaurus8AChevy]

Originally Posted by Millermagic

This was on vacation with the cruise control

I always thought that cruise control hurt milage...

[shorod]

I've never heard that. Cruise should help mileage as it attempts to maintain a constant speed. This is much of the reason highway economy with a gasoline engine is better than city driving. Highway driving is a more constant speed. City is a lot of stop and go, accelerate, slow down, etc.

-Rod

[MyTaurus8AChevy]

Originally Posted by shorod

highway economy with a gasoline engine is better than city driving.

Yes I'm aware of that but the tech that explained it to me said it had something to do with the fact that the cruise takes vacuum away from the engine or puts it under more stress. Wish I could remember the exact details. He wasn't the only tech who told me this either. However it's not as if using cruise guzzles gas, so please don't misunderstand It just uses 'more' gas, but it may not be a lot more (maybe 5 or 10% more) but still at the prices gas is today, it could still add up over time

[Millermagic]

Cruise control is good on the flat, but I would kick it off anytime we came to a slight hill. When I would come to a slight hill, I'd get in the granny lane and go with the trucks, provided the trucks didn't slow down too much. I would save gas by giving up a few MPH going up the hill.

[shorod]

Originally Posted by MyTaurus8AChevy

It just uses 'more' gas, but it may not be a lot more (maybe 5 or 10% more) but still at the prices gas is today, it could still add up over time

That's probably the key phrase, "uses more gas" has to be relative to something. As Millermagic suggested, it may be more gas when it comes to hills, but less gas during general cruising. Most cars on cruise control probably experience general cruising that hills, so overall cruise probably provides better fuel economy. I doubt many people could modulate the throttle better than the cruise control over a distance of several miles.

Sounds like this could be a good experiment for MythBusters. They did a segment on using A/C on the highway versus windows down and saw virtually no difference. The added wind resistance of having the windows down counteracted the loss in power from using the A/C IIRC.

-Rod

[Millermagic]

When I drive and don't use the cruise, I keep my foot at one spot and that's it. If I slow down so be it. If I speed up, I speed up.

[MikeD2]

2004 Duratec 1000 mile round trip, 4 adults, full trunk, 87 Octane fuel:
Cruising 70 to 75 mph = 25 MPG.
Coming home, cruising 60 to 65 mph = 27 MPG.

I did have an 86 Taurus with a Vulcan which regularly got 31 highway MPH. A great car with a great engine but....I LOVE the Duratec's power.

[MyTaurus8AChevy]

Originally Posted by MikeD2

I LOVE the Duratec's power.

LOL I hear that

When we were first looking for our car the salesman asked us what engine we wanted, and we told him the stock engine was fine. I couldn't have been more wrong. Now that we've driven the Duratec I doubt we'll ever want any other engine ever again. The Duratec tends to spoil you rather quickly, pun intended

[Huney1]

"I did have an 86 Taurus with a Vulcan which regularly got 31 highway MPH."
Like I said, call Ford Motor Company because they will want to look at that engine and see why your gas mileage is 50% better than the average Tauri. I'm sorry but unles I drove it for a tank of gas you will never convice me a Taurus will get 30 MPG. This here are figures for a Focus four cylinder and I doubt you can feed six cylinder for less than six. Simply put, I DO NOT BELIEVE IT. Focus - 21 city 27 highway 27 combined 23 mpg.

The Toyota Prius led people to belive 60 mpg when in rteality they get 50 which ain't bad. BUT, Toyota came out with the Yaris that gets 45 mpg on four cylinders and is a heck of a lot less expensive than the Prius. http://www.toyota.com/yaris/ Like to get one for my route vehicle but hard to justify because I don't put that many miles on it per year. Then to, 'prolly retire in four or five years anyway and get me a Mini Cooper Beamer. YEEHAW!