My MPG stinks!

[Mulliganal]

I’ve had my Stella since 8/10 and I currently have around 165 miles on her and I’ve had to fill up twice; and this doesn’t include the gas that the deal put in the scooter. So we’re looking at approx. three gallons perhaps so far, which means I’m only getting around 55MPG; can this be right?


Side story, I put gas in yesterday and it cost me $2.74, yet today I see a pending charge from the station for $126 ; good think I have a receipt. I sure won’t be going to that station again, and if I ever have to I’ll be paying in cash.

[Silver Streak]

With the very small tank on the Stella and the lack of any good reference point to accurately tell you where to stop filling, it is impossible to make any conclusions about fuel economy with only a couple of fill-ups. You need to keep track of how much you've put in over a relatively large number of fill-ups vs. miles traveled to get any kind of reliable mileage figure.

BTW, never use a debit card at a gas station... for exactly the reason you've stated. Many of them put a large hold on your account for several days.

[Tom]

Check out mine via the fuelly link. It's really been pretty sporadic. I agree that you can't really draw too much of a conclusion from that though, as I'm filling up at various point in the reserve tank. So that means that as far as fuelly is concerned, I'm using a different sized gas tank every time I ride, lol. I totally get how that makes it a difficult thing to guage. A cup of gas not a big deal in my tercel, but it's huge when you get good mileage and you have a tiny tank.

On the other hand, my worst mileage on the Stella is probably my best mileage in the last 8 years (in cars of course). So I still track it and brag. I'll bet over a year or so, I should have a pretty accurate average number though.

If you ever really want to boost your number a bit, just let your reserve tank run out once with a little bottle of gas in the glove box. Not really cheating actually, because when you don't let it run out you are just keeping that reserve gas 'in the bank' so to speak.

I also think my best mileage happens around 35-40 mph. I say this because my usual daily commute is about 8 miles on a deserted country road. Speed limit is 50, but I typically go about (stella says) 60. When I first started using fuelly I decided to take it easy for one full (not the reserve anyway) tank and that resulting mpg was over 100- only one I've done like that yet. I'm sure other factors were involved, but that was the only one I was conscious of.

[Tweek]

I've been using a debit card at the gas pump for 10 years, never seen a problem.

[Tom]

I also use a debit card, but use it 'as' a credit card. Some gas stations (and some banks) will charge a fee to use debit as well. I've seen them pop up as out of network ATM fees. Nobody ever gets my pin number but an ATM at my own bank..

[Mulliganal]

BTW, never use a debit card at a gas station... for exactly the reason you've stated. Many of them put a large hold on your account for several days.

After having some of my students get their cards hacked in some way and having their accounts wipped out, I've never use my debit card in places other than the grocery store. Also, Clark Howard did a report a few years back about what he calls the "fake Visa" or debit cards and he warned folks not to use them like a credit card because of security issues.

[Tom]

Security issues (with people getting your money) aren't that bad. I say that as I've had it done before, somebody really went on a spending spree with my account. The inconvenience was just about nothing. The bank took my word and covered me right away- only thing I had to do for them was file a police report. I wouldn't change a thing in my life for that risk, considering it happened to me once in so many countless years of throwing that plastic around like it was the only currency that exists.

To me the real crime is how the banks get you on the ATM fees. That's a very real expense (depending on your bank I guess) that can happen 100% of the time if you aren't careful.

To each his own though! I may be lucky I suppose.

[desmolicious]

BTW, never use a debit card at a gas station... for exactly the reason you've stated. Many of them put a large hold on your account for several days.

After having some of my students get their cards hacked in some way and having their accounts wipped out, I've never use my debit card in places other than the grocery store. Also, Clark Howard did a report a few years back about what he calls the "fake Visa" or debit cards and he warned folks not to use them like a credit card because of security issues.

My gf's account was cleaned out after using her debit card at a gas station.
Yeah she eventually got all her money back, but it took 2 weeks and during that period she had $0 to live on. Good thing I helped her out.

That's why credit cards are much better. Even if there is a fraudulent charge, it is not your personal cash that immediately disappears. You see the fake charge, dispute it and don't pay it. You haven't lost anything.
Much safer.

[desmolicious]

I’ve had my Stella since 8/10 and I currently have around 165 miles on her and I’ve had to fill up twice; and this doesn’t include the gas that the deal put in the scooter. So we’re looking at approx. three gallons perhaps so far, which means I’m only getting around 55MPG; can this be right?

That sounds bad.

Thrashing mine I'd get about 95mpg. I'd count on a gallon of gas to take me about 100 miles. Which is about all the fuel tank holds anyway.

Anyway, forget what you have been getting. Start afresh. Fill your bike up, note the EXACT mileage, then at the next fillup make sure you fill up to the EXACT same level and then check mpg.

[Southerner]

I'm trying to get an image in my mind of somebody thrashing a Stella.

[desmolicious]

I'm trying to get an image in my mind of somebody thrashing a Stella.

From a standing start:

Give 'er gas, pop the clutch. Carry a brief wheelie at WOT, then slightly roll off the gas, next gear, WOT, next gear...

Rinse and repeat.

Thrashing? Yes? Fast? No. Fun? Yes.

[Tom]

My gf's account was cleaned out after using her debit card at a gas station.
Yeah she eventually got all her money back, but it took 2 weeks and during that period she had $0 to live on. Good thing I helped her out.

That's awful service!

My bank just refunded my checking account upon the first call. Not even a single day had passed. I guess I know now that I shouldn't ever switch banks.