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GasBuddy News Article

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Canada to Mexico on one tank of fuel

San Diego Union Tribune -- A Washington State man who built his own fuel-efficient car 25 years ago repeated his feat of driving border-to-border on a single tank of diesel this week.

"I smashed my old record," Craig Henderson said shortly after arriving at an Otay Mesa parking lot just across the Mexican border Wednesday.

He said the aerodynamic car, which he calls Avion, averaged 119 mpg on its journey from Canada to San Diego. His old record was 103.

The key was an aerodynamic, lightweight design and tires with low rolling resistance from Goodyear, which sponsored the trip.

The car weighs 1,500 pounds and has an 18-gallon fuel tank. To achieve the high mileage, Henderson drove 55 to 60 mph.



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Submitted Sep 05, 2010 By: BurntOrange
Category: Daily News Article Discussions > Topics Add to favorite topics  
Author Topic: Canada to Mexico on one tank of fuel Post a Reply Back to Topics
REPLIES (newest first)
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lgppa
Champion Author Pennsylvania

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Message Posted: Oct 15, 2010 1:25:09 PM

Wow, and it's not and EV or hybrid, wonder what he has for and engine in it and what did to get it to get over 100 mpg?
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Blue48
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Sep 11, 2010 8:54:23 PM

COOL!
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ifallsguy
Champion Author Minnesota

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 10:10:15 PM

isn't that all downhill?
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remay
Champion Author Houston

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 9:27:15 AM

"To achieve the high mileage, Henderson drove 55 to 60 mph"

Wow! But, there HAD to be other things he had to do... like avoid congestion, etc...
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DellDude2
Champion Author Nashville

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 1:14:59 AM

There ought to be a job waiting for this guy at the Big 3.
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computernut2008
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:50:31 AM

If it weren't diesel I would settle for half that.
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1fulltank
Champion Author Buffalo

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:50:09 AM

Who said it couldn't be done?
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CiVX
Champion Author Oakland

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:46:26 AM

Incredible!
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georgeo
Champion Author California

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:45:38 AM

The article failed to mention what type of diesel he was using. Volkswagen uses a turbo diesel to achieve very good mpg on the order of 70 mpg.
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ItisAJeepThing
Champion Author Tucson

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:41:01 AM

It would be nice if GM, Ford and Chrysler could make practical vehicles that get 60 mpg, half his record.
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TWS658
Champion Author Portland

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:36:56 AM

Smart man with a very good looking automobile.
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gass12
Champion Author Omaha

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:36:19 AM

If this is so great why isn!t it on the market.
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HawaiianGuy
Champion Author Idaho

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:26:11 AM

Not to worry. I'm sure the EPA will rain on the parade by proclaiming that the engine doesn't meet pollution standards. Still, it's a remarkable feat.
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vulcan96
Champion Author Ohio

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:26:01 AM

better than motorcycles even...
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cheapmonkee
Champion Author Portland

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:22:03 AM

Better than a Smart car.
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findcheap
Champion Author Los Angeles

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:17:36 AM

great
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DrivingFool2
Champion Author Appleton

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:12:35 AM

Must have drafted off a couple of big rigs all the way there.
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speedys
Champion Author Utah

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:11:12 AM

I agree"JohnofGB".
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BrewCrew
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: Sep 6, 2010 12:04:40 AM

NORTH WIND'S BLEW HIM DOWN
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nurdco
Champion Author Colorado Springs

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 11:56:17 PM

Safe for WHO to drive?
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bobdec
Champion Author Florida

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 11:37:42 PM

That car is not one I would want to own
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hybridaholic
Champion Author Appleton

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 11:33:56 PM

Right on JOHNOFGB
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jadeusa
Champion Author Dallas

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 11:29:01 PM

Wonder if it had a sailmast when going down wind ??? Looks light weight in
picture.
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hubcapLA
Champion Author Louisiana

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 11:03:33 PM

Probably also had his head shaved and wore light weight underwear---I don't want to travel like that.
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Saturn93
Champion Author Salt Lake City

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:55:15 PM

Ultra light weight - good thing he didn't have an encounter with a semi, or even a motor cycle. Great demonstration, but not what I want to be driving my family around in daily.
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cheapertvs
Champion Author Richmond

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:52:50 PM

This car must not be practical.
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REVLAW
Champion Author San Antonio

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:51:42 PM

So ... it can be done.
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ex911
Champion Author San Jose

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:48:45 PM

how mind-numbingly boring must've been this trip!
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EVBuddy
Champion Author Nevada

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:47:56 PM

Good for him. I get the best mileage because I don't use gas.
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Amplion
Champion Author Oregon

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:44:52 PM

An old Chrysler Fifth Ave. 318 V-8 gets 32MPG on 76 UNION REGULAR UNLEADED.
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JohnofGB
Champion Author Flint

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:41:00 PM

Okay. Impressive, yes. Practical, no.
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kcboy
Champion Author Utah

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:40:36 PM

Fantastic news.
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jackson661
Champion Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:38:51 PM

Unbelievable 119 mpg....
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w4kh
Champion Author Riverside

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:36:14 PM

By just driving conservatively, nothing radical or unsafe, just going easy on the throttle and planning ahead for stops, I am getting about 6 miles per gallon more than EPA says I should, and EPA estimates used to be way higher than actual mileage...
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ftsgt
Champion Author Illinois

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:35:50 PM

thats a long way
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dabuzman
Champion Author Seattle

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:30:01 PM

We can do this for I have a Pontiac 6000 that could get 34 to 38 MPG most of the time in the mid 1990's so what is wrong. Big oil play with the auto industries along with state and Federal Government. They just don;t want to see mileage that high for they loss money big time.
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nstrdnvstr
Champion Author Twin Cities

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:29:25 PM

Does this car meet all safety requirements?
How long does it take to get to 60 mph?
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uptherefiners
Champion Author Chicago

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:26:01 PM

yawn

roll over

gas leak

snore

[Edited by: uptherefiners at 9/6/2010 1:26:19 AM EST]
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Bruno44
Champion Author Texas

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:24:56 PM

OK.
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mvosevich
Champion Author St. Louis

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:18:49 PM

Go old ingenuity.
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roadrunnerMO
Champion Author Kansas

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:16:18 PM

Just goes to show what can be done.
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CumminsFanOH
Champion Author Columbus

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:15:14 PM

Get the feds off our backs with their crash safety bumpers - and we could see this produced!

Beat THAT electrics!
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250FORD
Champion Author Minnesota

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:14:43 PM

There really is no reason the auto makers can't come up with a vehicle of say SUV size that gets 40+ mpg. Note, not these shoe box SUV's either, a real one.
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orestroker
Champion Author Portland

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:13:05 PM

It's amazing the mileage even a guzzler will get if you maintain 60 mph.
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DJRIO
Champion Author Miami

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 10:05:14 PM

now if the auto industry can build mpg car like this . it would great
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Z51Corvette
Champion Author Austin

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 9:59:00 PM

Simply AWESOME!

Wish we could build "lighter" cars... and change the traffic light situations and excessive "stop" sign use within the cities as well.
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MiniFan
Champion Author California

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 9:57:46 PM

just amazing!
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Redink
Champion Author Indianapolis

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 9:55:37 PM

How realistic is this?
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jrsva
Champion Author Virginia

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 9:54:10 PM

“Whats (sic) standing in the way of making a commercial version of one?”

Well, for one, the big oil companies would lose a lot of sales. Can’t let that happen. There’s intense lobbying against raising the CAFÉ standard to one-third of that mileage.
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runout9
Champion Author New Jersey

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Message Posted: Sep 5, 2010 9:51:54 PM

Cool! My 2009 Camry gets just under 33mpg on road trips
& I'm elated.
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