How to Calculate your MPG (Miles Per Gallon)

When trying to improve your fuel efficiency, you need a reliable and consistant way of measuring your gas consumpition. The following steps will allow you to calculate your MPG.

Difficulty: Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• Pen and paper (or a log book)
• Calculator

1. Fill the vehicle's gas tank completely and writing down the vehicle's odometer reading (mileage). Remember not to over fill. Stop filling as soon as the pump cuts off automatically.

2. When it's time to refuel, filling the tank completely (as you did above) and writing down the number of gallons it took to fill the tank and the vehicle's new odometer reading. Once two odometer readings are taken, MPG can be calculated. It is recomended to use the same gas station, and same gas pump. To be more accurate you should be parked facing the same direction, and the outside temperature should be similar to the original day.

3. Calculating the distance driven by subtracting the previous odometer reading from the new one. For example, if the original odometer reading is 45,266.4 miles, and the new reading is 45,645.1 miles, then the distance travelled is 378.7 miles.

4. Divide the number of miles driven by the number of gallons it took to refill the tank. The result is the vehicle's MPG for that driving period. For example, 378.7 miles divided by 18.2 gallons, equates to an average of 20.8 miles per gallon.

Tips & Warnings

• Use the same gas pump at the same gas station
• Never over fill your tank

[MidniteWriter]

on 6/19/2008 Good to know for people like me that don't have it calculated on their dash! Thanks!