When I rented a Chevy Cobalt a few months ago I was playing with this while bored. The car had an instantaneous gas mileage gauge unlike our average gauges so it was easier to see.

I found that RVs work *much* better than semis. I followed an RV with a trailer for around 20 miles and averaged over 40mpg (in the Cobalt, not the Z)! The best part is that I only needed to be within 7-8 carlengths back. I could see as soon as I dropped to 9-10 carlengths I was definitely out of the draft and it would drop down to around 30mpg. With trucks, maybe because of the sharp corners at the back of the truck, they have a much smaller bubble behind them and you have to be much, much closer. RVs aren't as common on the road, but worth it to follow since you don't have to follow close at all, and they usually have really good mudflaps. Trucks you have to follow too close and the mileage gain I was getting wasn't as good either.

 

I second that.

 

Tried drafting behind large trucks and suv yesterday, the suv in front swayed right to avoid a large junk on the freeway and I swayed too and probably almost hit the on ramp traffic to the right. My suggestion is not to follow too close.

 

Will getting a carbon fiber hood and lighter rims increase mpg?

 

How about putting the Z in the truck...

gas mileage goes way up... but its no fun driving and the scenery sucks...

Want good mileage, buy a SMART car... saw one on the highway this morning coming to work... it looked like a phone booth on wheels... (does anyone here remember phone booths... thought not)

 

Not drafting, just driving on flat Texas highway.

 

no

not buying a sports car because you are worried about mpg would have solved your problem right there

 

Many of the things that give you better gas mileage also increase performance. So while you are mashing the throttle to get that performance your gas mileage goes in the sh@tter. Enjoy it. Or buy a freaking hybrid. lol

 

This proves that Bush is responsible for all trouble in the world, including rock chips. Nice find.

 

I used to draft behind everything in my civic on my usual drive from exit 5 on the NJ turnpike to exit 13... The front bumper was chipped enough as it was, also i just didnt care too much. Then one day a big rock chipped the windshield. Replacement cost for the windshield=$200... In the Z I normally stay atleast 3 cars behind the vehicle in front of me for the purpose of avoiding the trash on the roads that gets kicked up

 

Indeed. I stay back as well. Rock chips FTL.

 

I tried this and got around 37mpg... no rock chips but I wouldn't do it again to save few gallons per few hours of driving

especially now that I got V1... I hate driving slow