50 mpg or bust.

[Idahotom]

Personally I would find the addition of 15 lbs for noise reduction a big hit weight wise. I also stripped everything out behind the front seats, including that post/bracket that locates the spare, it's gone. That left bare metal so I just threw an old blanket back there to provide a little padding so whatever I'm hauling doesn't slid around. It helped with the noise a little, maybe, otherwise I think I have just gotten used to it. I agonized over the rear sway bar weight, but finally bit the bullet and installed one, no hub caps of course though maybe they clean the airflow up? Basically, if I could remove it, it came off.

The other day I was looking for the car's phone book, then I remembered when I realized I had gotten in the habit of using my smart phone to find #'s, I got rid of that big heavy paper phone book, probably 2 or 3 lbs, gone forever! I live 1,000' up a mountain so less weight is always better not only going up but going down. In my '08 HB driven more or less normally but just paying close attention to upcoming red lights, drifting through stop signs, driving about 63 on the freeway and using DEFCO a lot on the hills I always average in the mid 40's. Nothing to brag about compared to some of you guys but the occasional 45-46 mpg still happens and I still LOOK FORWARD to re-fueling! How many drivers can say that?! It's great fun to look around the station at suckers, oops meant other motorists, filling up their gas hogs with a pained look, like they're getting a colostomy or something, and I'm in and out of there and smiling.

Of the different types of bed liner's out there, I have found Herculiner to be the best, most user friendly, that may some help the noise, don't know for sure. I just finished my taxes, and was able to claim 3900 miles of self employed work driving with the Yaris. At around 56 cents a mile deduction, with the Yaris that works out pretty well. 43 miles for $3.25 out of pocket/direct operating cost means $24.08 deduction!

[nookandcrannycar]

Originally Posted by Idahotom

It's great fun to look around the station at suckers, oops meant other motorists, filling up their gas hogs with a pained look, like they're getting a colostomy or something, and I'm in and out of there and smiling.

It's amazing how long it takes to fill up the tanks in some of those suckers!

At around 56 cents a mile deduction, with the Yaris that works out pretty well. 43 miles for $3.25 out of pocket/direct operating cost means $24.08 deduction!

Smart man!