I keep a spreadsheet of my mileage.  The biggest constant in my driving is
that I like to stay around 3,200-3,400 rpms when I can (that's sometimes
difficult on I-40, however, since the truckers all seem to drive 80 or
better).  Sometimes I have bikes up, sometimes skis, sometimes both.  When
not going anywhere I take the racks off.  Stock tires, automatic
transmission. My overall average is 17.1.  That's every tank of gas I've put
in since I bought the van in 1995 with 4,400 miles on it.  On my last trip
to Mammoth Lakes, CA I got 22.2, 20.8 and 21.3 without racks.

My van has 192,865 miles on it now.  No valve jobs, no engine repairs of any
kind.  But I go to extremes to be easy on the engine.  I drive a mile or so
out of my way before I get on the freeway so that I don't have to floor it
with a cold engine, and I hold it in 2d until about 4,000 rpms then shift
into 3d when getting on the freeway.  On the road I rarely drive more than
65, usually around 60 if others can get around me.  I've flogged it a couple
of times when I was in a hurry, pushing it up to 70 or 75, but I don't like
to do that.

There was a thread earlier about driving up the Sherwin Grade out of Bishop
and I mentioned that I just downshift to 2d for most of that pull.  It
allows me to keep the same road speed, about 40-45 mph, but at about half
throttle instead of full throttle.

Bob Trousdale
'90 Westy
yes, it's an AT

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