Well I guess I'm off to AutoZone tomorrow, then; thanks.

> How are you able to get 29 MPG...

I had a friend following, so mostly kept to within 5 mph of the speed limit, which meant not much time above 80. Less air/wind resistance in CO. I always keep AT in Sport mode; it's easier to torque one's way around town in E mode, which is elegant, but the engine stays happier/healthier when it spins faster occasionally. (On a long highway drive that switch won't affect mileage significantly unless you want it to.) I only use the A/C when I need to, which is not often. I keep the antenna down unless I'm using it (I wasn't).

Car approaches 26 mpg @ 80 mph. Engine still has thinner 5-30 winter weight Mobil 1 and it was warm+ out (soon back to 10-30). In addition to Mobil 1 since 2600 mi, I've always used DurAlt fuel conditioner, which increases torque by increasing burn efficiency and also keeps combustion chambers (and fuel injectors, apparently) in perfect operating condition (no carbon buildup, for eg; at the last emissions test @ ~ 140K mi, the emissions had finally almost reached zero). No synthetic ATF for me, thanks.

The car came with a thermostat that was of slightly lower temperature than the replacement (I tried to avoid that change, to help keep underhood temps minimal, for the sake of belt/hose logevity, but settled for what Volvo offered). The engine really liked the change, and combustion/mileage improved.

Oh yeah, in the tank prior to this fill-up was some ethanol-laced gas, something I avoid, so the system had seen a fresh dose of a solvent to which it was unaccustomed, plus there were still a few gallons' worth of the ethanol-laced gas left, so the octane was a bit higher than the advertised (max here) 91 without there being so much lower-energy octane-boosting content that the squrt timing windows had grown large/wide/sloppy in compensation.

It's a quick/fast car, so I can make up ground whenever I choose to, so I don't follow too closely, so I don't use the brakes as often as do many drivers.

I'm not accustomed to seeing 29 mpg regularly by any means; but 30 is not out of the question under favorable conditions, and the car's "still got it".

- Dave; '95 854T, 160K mi