Q: looking for some insight on my FE

[xed]

Hi all; long time no see.

I've had my 3dr 5spd Yaris for a little over a year now (14 months, 11.5k miles) and I've kept track of every fill up with gassavers.org. Here's the quick history...

- got the car in Oct07 and it took a few weeks to feel comfortable with the manual transmission.

- as soon as I was comfortable with the transmission I really made a point of driving with a feather foot

- I'm mindful of the rhythm of the lights and I try to time it so that I can slow down and still make the light instead of racing up to the light in order to just sit there until it turns green.

- I wasn't able to break 40mpg but I got very close. I started turning off the car at stoplights, etc. My rule of thumb is "if it's going to take more than 7 seconds then turn the car off."

- I've always downshifted instead of breaking to a stop. I learned about DFCO and figured that was pretty much what I was doing anyways.

- I replaced the air filter with one of the K&M filters that you oil and never replace.

- I have NOT switched to full synthetic oil. I've just had the dealer doing the oil changes and tire rotations every 5k. I keep the tires just under the max (I think max is 42psi so I have them at 40psi)

That's what I've been doing for pretty much the last year. I've been able to get and stay right around 40mpg http://www.gassavers.org/garage/viewgaslog/923 but I have not been able to get to 45mpg.

My commute is 18 miles (one way) and the area where I live is basically flat (coastal NC). I'm pretty good about keeping my speed between 50-55mph. This is a commuter car so I'm the only one that's ever in the car. I've pulled my spare and left it and the jack in the garage months ago. I'm avg weight/height so I'm not carrying around an extra couple of hundred pounds of my own spare tire around the waist.

I think I may be at the point where I need more feedback (i.e. scangauge) since I honestly don't know what else I can do differently. I keep thinking that I "should" be able to get 45mpg with good driving technique but I'm at a loss. Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

thanks in advance