Why Are Gas Prices So High?

If I was driving my car over a stretch of 30 miles what speed would get the best gas mileage 25 or 55?

This is purely for the gas mileage but the additional time that I would be on the road driving 25 in terms of gas consumption does take part in this question. Please let me know as well as a source I could refer to. This car is a 2000 nissan maxima which gets about 24-26 mostly highway driving mpg. This all stems from a bet with a co-worker that I will be using more gas sitting in traffic than he would by driving 55.

Public Comments

1. 55, that is what the vehicle is geared for; as, on average, that is where most cars spend their time. Also, windows up, A/C on for better mpg than windows down. On pick-up trucks CLOSE the tailgate for best mpg, open tailgate is a myth.
2. it depends on a thousand things. most cars will do their best between 45 and 60 if the car were designed to run at 25 that would be it's best speed
3. this depends on your car. watch the tach and try to keep the rpm low. Compare 50mph to 60mph and determine the best speed. 25 mph is to slow and wastes fuel via drive time.
4. your engine will get better milage going 55.especially if you have a overdrive trans.and it all depends on the rmp of the engine.driving 25 miles and hour ,the engine will probably be doing more rpm than the 55 ,because the system is designed for this speed.. the ratio of the differential,and the ratio of the transmission and the torgue settings on the engine all make the milage and,of course the a/c and all the other things that the engine has to make work.. and i have used larger tires and gotten better milage,because i had the lower rpm of the engine,and the same speed,because of the tires...... i'm like you.i like milage,man...
5. If you are driving on the street, 25 MPH is best, However, If you are on the Freeway better get up to 55Mph or you'll get run over. But the biggest help of all for gas consumption would be to over-inflate your tires a couple of pounds to decrease the drag
6. I own a shop, and did pretty good in school. The answer to your question must be based on an average speed since no one can drive exactlly 25 or 55 mph. How long you must spend at what speeds, and the rpm of the engine all come into play. In other words; It is impossible to answer this question due to lack of information. In order to answer the question one would have to know the average miles per gallon the vehicle gets to begin with, and at what speed the vehicle gets this gas mileage at. Fuel mileage is based on traffic, speed, gearing, and several other components. The answer to your question is; there is no answer.
7. The answer is fairly straightforward once you know the reason why. All vehicles use transmission or transaxle gears to change the engine or motor revolutions into wheel rotations. High engine rpms (revolutions per minute) can result in high vehicle speeds, but the car needs help get it moving from a standstill, like when the pit crew pushes a race car after a pit stop. Lower gears generate more torque, literally to 'push' the car better. Try starting up in 3rd gear to realize why there is a 1st and a 2nd. Those lower gears are more powerful but the higher gears result in higher vehicle speed at any given engine rpm. Therefore, to use the least fuel the higher speed would result in the best fuel economy, which is generally true up until air resistance becomes a greater factor. Again, why race cars get poor fuel economy.