On Wed, Oct 21, 2009 at 8:48 AM, Loren Busch <starwagen@gmail.com> wrote:

>  RE: Calculating gas mileage
> A question for all those reporting gas mileage.  How are you calculating
> your numbers? Are you using the odometer/speedometer on the dash? or are
> you
> using the trip meter on a GPS?  If using the odometer, have you calculated
> the error in your speedo and odo and figured that in?  Are you running
> stock
> wheels and tires and if not have you figured the error induced with non
> stock tires?
>
  For my figures, obtained over the past 40k miles I have logged since I got
my 84 inline 4 5sp without the westie top, I've always used my Odo readings
and figured the mileage using my calculator as I fill up, almost every
tank.  I confirmed my speedo was accurate to  1% with my previous odo.
Recently I swapped in a new speedo/odo and confirmed this one to be 2%
optimistic..100miles on the odo is actually just 98miles on gps...so that
seems close enough for posting mpg to the list.
  23mpg over all is the figure I use to calculate cross country trip costs.
(day to day driving that is the figure, too). Using that figure I  usually
have enough $ left over for a dinner out or a motel room along the way
should I find myself in a nasty urban area when I get really sleepy on a
road trip..
  Don Hanson