Mpg old vs new

[nibbe828]

I've got an old car that I drive to work. It's a 95 with a v6 in it. This sucker gets 30mpg +-0.2 depending on how I drive. I've been monitoring this for a long time so the numbers are pretty correct.

I keep seeing advertisements on new cars at dealerships where they brag about their cars getting 31mpg.
Now, am I wrong in wondering why my almost 14 y/o car gets pretty much the same mpg as a brand new one? In the last 14 years nothing new has come out?

Granted, the otto engine is an old invention and it really hasn't changed very much, but why is that? With all the smart people out there why have they not figured out how to make an engine run more efficiently?

I smell a conspiracy somewhere!

[Philthy]

That is the american companies advertising the 30mpg shit. The Japanese people have been pioneering in engine efficiency for some years now. Honda has a direct injection engine that seems very promising.This engine coupled with hybrid technology would get insane mpg.

The ONLY problem with lean combustion is the production of Nitrogen Oxides.
You could filter them out with the cat but the exhaust temps are kind of cold when they reach the cat so it's not hot enough to work. THAT is the only thing stopping car industries from all being lean burn.

Honda Worldwide | i-VTEC I Video

[Alchemy]

Awesome another conspiracy theory lol!!!!

On a serious note though , its a good question

Alc

[Al_Joad]

Originally Posted by nibbe828

I've got an old car that I drive to work. It's a 95 with a v6 in it. This sucker gets 30mpg +-0.2 depending on how I drive. I've been monitoring this for a long time so the numbers are pretty correct.

I keep seeing advertisements on new cars at dealerships where they brag about their cars getting 31mpg.
Now, am I wrong in wondering why my almost 14 y/o car gets pretty much the same mpg as a brand new one? In the last 14 years nothing new has come out?

Granted, the otto engine is an old invention and it really hasn't changed very much, but why is that? With all the smart people out there why have they not figured out how to make an engine run more efficiently?

I smell a conspiracy somewhere!

What make and model is it? I'm having a hard time remembering a 90's V6 that got 30 MPG +- 0.2 no matter how you drive, espesially an automatic.

In the 90's I had a 1993 Accord SE automatic with a 4-cyl that got 22 MPG in the city and 26 MPG on the highway, no matter how I drove it. Hell, my 400lb 1000cc motorcycle only gets 40 MPG, and that's only when I'm a good boy.

[badapple]

In 07 the EPA changed the testing for MPGs, something to do with 65mph highway rather than 55 IIRC. What you see on the sticker is a median average, so depending on your driving style will dictate a plus or minus to that number.

Some of the most fuel efficient subcompacts get about 34mpg, so you can see close to 38 at times with them. They are doing this while producing less emmisions, so the one thing you need to go and check is that before making a comparison of the cars of ten years ago to today.