What is the best tool for tracking your car's MPG / Fuel Economy?

[rollandelliott]

https://homepower.com/real-time-mpg-...600&height=600

The scan gauge is around $100 is there anything a bit cheaper that works similarly?

[Ralph Day]

Fill with vehicle on the level. Drive. Re-fill, same pump, same fill level (nozzle shut offs). Then do the math. Can't beat it.
Ralph

[niel]

i used to do it the old fashioned way by starting with a full tank and mark down the mileage and when the fuel is low you go to the gas station again noting the miles and see how many gallons it takes to fill the tank up again. divide the miles by the number of gallons it took to get a rough mpg figure. now if you like to idle your car or have tires that are larger or smaller than the odometer was calibrated for then it will throw it off of the real mpg.

i tried a meter long ago and it was ok, but was a pain to install. it always read optimistically high on mpg for me, but that was about 25yrs ago. what mine cost 25yrs ago i really don't remember, but it certainly wasn't cheap.

[Cariboocoot]

I use a very simple system with my work van:
On the highway the fuel mileage is terrible, but in town it's much worse.

I do not want to see the numbers. It gets filled when needed anyway.

A meter that tells you your mpg "on the fly" seems like obsessing to me (my neighbour has one in his Mercedes). It will vary a bit no matter what, and if something is wrong that should show up as a noticeable change in the driving.

[niel]

you know coot you just reminded me that should you develop a leak in the tank or fuel line before where the meter monitors the flow that the meter won't know what's happening. i also recall the mpg constantly changed for me too. one can also do well watching a tachometer or vacuum gauge, but that is only to help conserve your fuel for better mileage and won't tell you what it is.

[icarus]

Scanguage II or an UltraGauge is a must have for me. It gives real time info for hundreds of parameters including real time MPG, averge and trip MPG, engine condition as well as a host of others. In addition it can read trouble codes (check engine light codes) and clear them. simple installation, just plug in to the OBDI port under the dash. I prefer the Ultra, about $60 but have a number of Scan IIs.

Look on line, Ultras are only available on line. By haveing real time MPG info makes you very aware of how to increase your fuel mileage by just changing your simple driving habits. I get 10% better mileage in my Subaru using the gauge.

Tony

[inetdog]

Scanguage II or an UltraGauge is a must have for me. It gives real time info for hundreds of parameters including real time MPG, averge and trip MPG, engine condition as well as a host of others. In addition it can read trouble codes (check engine light codes) and clear them. simple installation, just plug in to the OBDI port under the dash. I prefer the Ultra, about $60 but have a number of Scan IIs.

Look on line, Ultras are only available on line. By haveing real time MPG info makes you very aware of how to increase your fuel mileage by just changing your simple driving habits. I get 10% better mileage in my Subaru using the gauge.

Tony

Using a diagnostic bus monitor (scanner) is useful with a hybrid as well, since it will allow you to read battery and other operating details which do not show up on the idiot light displays which are built in.
Does the Leaf or other electric have a similar/compatible diagnostic bus and connector? You will need a gauge which you can set to add new scan codes beyond the standard ones at the time it was manufactured.

[TheBackRoads]

Fuelly.com

http://www.fuelly.com/driver/thebackroads

Just fill up till it clicks, and hang up, record and done.

[icarus]

No generic scan guage/tool will read all parameters of all vehicles, as many cars have propriitary computer systems that can only be read (in depth) with the proper scan equipment. That said, the amount of info you can get with a Sangauge or Ultr is pretty useful, especially real time MPG stuff, as well as engine temps, manifold pressure etc.

Tony

[inetdog]

No generic scan guage/tool will read all parameters of all vehicles, as many cars have propriitary computer systems that can only be read (in depth) with the proper scan equipment. That said, the amount of info you can get with a Sangauge or Ultr is pretty useful, especially real time MPG stuff, as well as engine temps, manifold pressure etc.

Tony

The forums for hybrid car owners (particularly Prius) are full of very detailed information about scan gauges and the unique parameters for a particular vehicle. You will find a lot more information on this area in those forums than you can here. For non-hybrids, the fan base for specialized scan gauges may be lower, but I would still search those topics first.