rb1

I routinely experience variations of 2-3 mpg per tank even when purchasing what is supposed to be the same octane level gas (almost always 93). Sometimes, they are using ethanol, which lowers mpg, and even worse, is hygroscopic, which lowers the octane as the ethanol blend absorbs water.

Knox

I assume since they're a grocery store, they're hoping to build a little loyalty amongst motorists. aka, if you get your gas there they're hoping you'll either stop in at the same time or remember to come back when you need groceries.

davidspalding

If the local couple interviewed on NPR recently have a common story, many gas stations are barely breaking even, or even losing a few cents, on regular gas, and make a little profit on premium. Really, they pay their rent and stuff with the impulse buys from the store: something to drink, some groceries, cigs, etc. So any promotion that gets people to go in and shop....

Mokos23

yup i agree

daboi_n_boise

I noticed a slight mileage increase when I switched from 91 to 93, but I can't help but wonder if the gains are due to a greater consciousness about the price I paid and making the gas last longer. To test it I'm going to try switching back and see if the gains were real by trying not to change my driving.

DLTSX6MT

interesting read:

http://www.thetruthaboutcars.com/in-...f-regular-gas/

davidspalding

Funny, the latest review on TTAC site when I read this article is ... their review of the 2009 TSX. Only a day old, and they've got 90 responses. I guess a rating of only 2 out of 5 stars got some lively discussion going....

davidspalding

Man, what a scathing review. Somebody really peed in that writer's Wheaties.

DuckDodgers

Yea, he's not happy...but he's got some points.

[I]The last TSX's sheetmetal was as neat and tidy as an OCD's tie rack. The new model is as ugly and confused as a meth addict living under a highway overpass.[/I]



I think he's a bit over the line here, but not by much. The grille and door handles kinda peeve me too.

Prior to seeing this car's exterior, I thought some of these shapes were only theoretically possible. Not to put too fine a point on it, it looks like Acura hired an inebriated M.C. Escher.

Certainly entertaining...I like the style, too bad it's Acura he's savaging.

The interior is worse. While the button-laced steering wheel is slicker than the hair on the sorority girls that will be driving it, the center console is an ergonomic disaster zone. There's no design per se, just hidden buttons adrift in a Black Sea of more buttons. That said, they're all well-marked. If you have reading glasses and don't mind taking your eyes off the road to play button, button, where the Hell's that button, you're good to go.

I definately found this an annoyance when I kicked the tyres on a '09 TSX too.

The TSX's steering is now "electric motor drive." To laypeople, that means "Oops. We meant to put that Novocaine in your mouth, not your forearms." The helm's too light, and there's no feedback, except for occasional bursts of torque steer. For a vehicle that used to boast razor sharp steering, this is a great leap backwards.

I'll reserve judgement here until after I driven this TSX, but this seems an area of agreement by all reviewers.

But really, the 2009 TSX doesn't suck because there are better choices. It sucks because it's ugly, the interior's cramped, the steering's awful, it's no fun to drive and the suspension is laughably loud. And okay, a little bit because the last TSX was so much better (which now becomes a legend, so to speak).

At least he still loves the First Gen!

Knox

Plenty of talk on the '09 here guys.

DuckDodgers

Funny...coulda sworn that my comments were how I prefered the 1st Gen to the 2nd Gen...which belongs here, even if in a different thread.

davidspalding

I think everyone in the 2GEN forums is well past exasperated and fatigued by 1GEN owners voicing dissatisfaction with the '09 model. Not that such discussions belong here, but....

Sorry to hijack the thread. Back to mileage ... I drove more more customary 65-70MPH this morning, and the MID (just measuring 100% highway) only gave me 36.5MPG or so, 2MPG less than earlier this week when I slow-boated it @ 60MPH. Anecdotal data, surely, but interesting.

DuckDodgers

Right, back to mileage...

The last couple of fill-ups, I've taken pains to try to maximize my instant MPG to the extent practical. I'm running at the speed limit (slower might be better...for instance where the limit is 65...by it's speed differential that causes accidents and I'm leary), trying more coasting up hills and letting the speed build down them (that's overpasses around here) if traffic allows, coasting in gear rather than neutral, etc.

So far, I'm adding 2 to 3 MPG on average with mixed driving. Now getting some 28-28.5 vs. 25-26.5 before. Drive to work is about 3 minutes longer, but I don't mind since I've got XM. I must say that there are fewer and fewer people passing me at anything more than about 5-10 mph faster...