90% of my driving is around my town. My drive to school is 5 miles there, 5 back. My poor car gets abused so bad with all the stop and go traffic everyday.

 

RIIIIIIIIIGHT

ohhhh..cool, i m currently on the west side (saratoga and 280) and will be moving to the north side (Hostetter and 680)

 

At least you have stainless exhaust

 

why not take the bus + bring your bike on the way to work, then bike back? then you dont have a problem with being sweaty at work and maintain a fitness level. I did this for my 4th year in college. It was a 9 mi ride back.

though the problem can be solved just by pacing yourself on the bike, and not try to cycle fast enough to start working out.

 

I do about 20 miles a work day and usually more on weekends. The important thing to focus is MILES-PER-TRIP. So in my case, that might average 5 miles per trip. My commute to work is 7 miles and the shorter trip is often during lunch.

Gas mileage is about 19 MPG and the MID MPH reading is between 22-28MPH. I use a synthetic oil and the MID for oil changes.

 

I drive about 5 miles each way to work through a small town. I get around 19-20 miles.

 

for you folks driving a short distance every day, at the very least make sure your engine get to operating temperature during your journey.

 

^-- it doesn't take very long for the temp to go to operating temp. The needle's where it should be by the time i hit my first stop sign about 3 or 4 mins into my 5 mile drive.

 

^ same. After about a mile, the temp needle in my car is where its supposed to be.

 

what waltah mentioned is important. don't focus on the needle...that's just your coolant temp. your oil and ATF temp need at least 15-20 mins of steady driving to get up to normal operating temps.

these short back n forth trips you guys do is terrible for your car.

i recently got a new job and I'll be moving next month to a new place. distance from work to home is literally less than a mile. I'll be parking the TL and walking to work each morning. keeps the miles low, I'll get exercise, and won't hurt the car with short trips.

 

i drive to and frm school 20 miles round trip and get 19 mpg all local

 

Home to school roundtrip is less than 1 mile, and my mpg is 16 which sucks =/

 

For all of you with the short rides and the low MPG are you driving stop and go? As mentioned above, my commute is short, but am still getting very good mileage plus I'm a 6 speed.

 

unless there's snow or something, or you're physically disabled, you gotta get a bike my friend. less than .5 miles each way? that's nothing. I think your car is barely getting warmed up by the time you turn it off.

look at it this way, that's less than 2 laps around a standard track one way. You can't walk that? In high school/middle school PE you were doing more than that.

tbh you could probably get to class at the same time if not faster than by car (after finding parking, etc.) just bike up to your class room and lock your bike up.

 

Really....a short run? Come on, show off.

6 miles takes you 30-40 minutes at least - how in the world is that "a short run". That's about 3% of your entire day engaging in one run - but yeah, "SHORT RUN".

I will usually get 20-21 MPG, mostly city unfortunately

 

it's relative. with the amount of training i do, mileage in any of the tri
disciplines is relative.

not showing off, just stating my own perspective (and few would understand unless you've done endurance races). i get plenty of strange looks when i put in an 8 hour training day on the weekend and tell people about it. yes...they all think i'm crazy. a 10 mile run...again...doesn't phase me, but to most others, that's nuts.

i'm just happy not to be spending 90% of my day sitting on my ass thinking about it rather than doing it.

i had a friend (endurance guy), he ran 7 miles to the start of a local marathon from his house, ran the marathon and then ran home afterwards. yes, he ran 40 miles in ONE day. WHY? b/c he can. this was two weeks AFTER he did a triple iron distance triathlon (and he's not a diehard triathlete, more of an ultra runner).

so i probably run, bike, and swim more miles than i commute in a week. and yes, i'm crazy...that's ok. normal is kinda boring. time to go do my "short" 7+ mile run now!

ok /off topic.