Re: Got 63 mpg driving to nevada...
I consistently get 50 mpg around town with occasional trips on the freeway. I just learned to drive like i`m old, keep the RPM's low, and did a lot of work to make sure the engine is healthy.
Some of the best and cheapest things you can do are:
Make sure your fuel pump is in excellent condition, both clean and also no wear. I tore mine down and it was really in great shape so I just resealed it.
Do a valve job, that means lapping in the valves and making sure you keep the valves adjusted all the time.
Make sure your compression is top notch, if not a ring job is very easy on an engine that is known good condition.
Make sure the fuel system in general is in good shape - the pump can take a lot of work, but making sure the tank is venting very well, the screen is not clogged, return lines, etc are in good shape it makes the whole system work better.
Pop test your injectors, take them apart and lap them, mix and match shims and springs until you get a whole set performing at spec.
Get a better air filter - probably a minor thing but it won`t hurt.
Keep your tires in good shape and inflated to a decent number - not to where they wear incorrectly.
Make sure your brakes are not dragging, grease that stuff up really well with caliper grease in the front, good adjustment in the rear.
Drive 55 on the highway if you have a 4 speed, 65 max with a 5 speed.
On long trips I run 5w30 oil - but only for those trips, and then when i`m done with it I dump it in the tank and burn it. I think the fuel savings wouldn`t justify spending $15 for an oil change otherwise.
Definitely don`t carry around anything you don`t need, including a big roof rack (like I am).
And mostly, the engine only has 50 HP or so at top condition, so if you have to "push" it at any time it's quickly going to lose any economy you might have hoped for. I think there is a delicate balance here in the power to weight ratio, and forget about aerodynamics.
This is a good link for some quick and easy tweaks - I didnt really use it on the rabbit since it is so simple, but it helped me squeeze 27 mpg out of my v8 grand cherokee - which will possibly be getting lowered a bit next.
http://ecomodder.com/forum/fuel-economy-mpg-modifications.php