Fuelly is a new, free online service which helps you track your mileage. It pays attention to what kind of car you’re driving, how much you’re spending, and creates helpful charts to let you know whether your mileage is improving or declining over time.
It has great support for mobile browsers, which is exactly what I needed, since I can’t be bothered to keep a notebook and pen anywhere sensible in my car. What’s more, it also has a social networking aspect so you can invite your friends to compare mileage trends. There are also dozens of tips for improving your driving style, as well as a user discussion forum.
But I think the neatest aspect is the vehicle browser. For example, this list and graph of Toyota Priuses (Prii?), tells me that some combination of factors is forcing my mileage below the average of Fuelly members. Still, it’s a lot better than my friend’s pickup truck, who just clocked in at under 14 MPG…
Published or updated September 10, 2008. If you enjoyed this article, subscribe to the RSS feed or receive daily emails. Follow @flexo on Twitter and visit our Facebook page for more updates.
Rank: Quarter
Luke Landes founded Consumerism Commentary in 2003 and has been building online communities since 1990. Luke, also known as Flexo, has contributed to PC World Magazine, US News, Forbes, and other publications. 
{ 11 comments… read them below or add one }
I looked at Fuelly a while back. Interesting concept, although there didn’t seen to be enough data for the cars I drive for it to be meaningful. That being said, they seem to be growing; and hopefully it will turn into a useful service.
Randy
That’s interesting. I have a Prius and overall, my average looks about the same as others (45 MPG). Of course, during this time of year, it’s more like 50. Prii enjoy the heat!
Barb, I suppose you’re not using any air conditioning?
I installed this ap on my iPhone just recently. I don’t yet know if I will get any practical information out of it but it’s fun, easy and seems like a good way to track mileage.
Or you can use either of the two following sites that have much more data already…
http://www.truedelta.com
http://www.fueleconomy.gov
These site are also great when you are shopping for a car because they give you an idea of real-world fuel economy instead of the EPA ratings which I have always been able to beat on my cars without resorting to some of the dangerous hypermiling techniques. Some cars come in lower, although with the lower new-for-2008 EPA ratings, this will be a less common occurrence.
I am very particular about tracking my fuel economy and do it on a spreadsheet. It’s not that hard compared to financial tracking. Keep a pen in your car and just write the miles on your gas station receipt and enter it later. Decreasing fuel economy can cue you in on the fact that you may be having an issue with your car. Don’t forget to keep your tires inflated!
I’ve been using the Fuel LogBook feature of GasBuddy.com, but I’ll give this a shot since there are at least a handful of other folks still chugging along in a ’99 Ford Taurus. :-P
I’m using excel for years. The best tool with powerful BI capabilities when you get enough data.
I really like fuelly. It has really helped me to save money on gas by watching my mpg. I have a goal to try to maintain 18.5 mpg average. and this site does a nice job of tracking. I also recommend adding comments on your driving and notice trends that save you money. Like leaving early for work or tried to curb aggressive driving
Smithee, I don’t use the a/c a ton, but I haven’t been avoiding using it. If I do use it, it’s generally on a highway, when it’s more fuel efficient to use a/c than open windows anyway.
Oh. My. God. This is the website that all my fuel receipts have been waiting for all these years.
Unfortunately, it doesn’t make a distinction between automatic and manual. I drive a manual and I can tell you already that I get WAY better mileage than the 2001 Altimas listed. If I am under 25mpg, I get really ticked off. When I first got my car, and occasionally still on long road trips, I get 30mpg.
I agree with Mapgirl that the site doesn’t have enough vehicle-specific information including transmission, exact engine. On some Saabs, there’s a 175 hp 4 cylinder engine and a 210 hp 4 cylinder engine, but the site doesn’t know enough for each model to distinguish. Auto/manual can make a difference, (although not all manuals do better than their automatic counterparts), but driver behavior (driving style) is a huge contributor to differences in fuel economy. My Saab 9-3 wagon (manual) has averaged 28.2 mpg which is great for a 3,300 lb car that has more max cargo volume than a Ford Edge, Nissan Murano, and Mazda CX-7, all of which weigh considerably more and need more fuel to get around. But I generally drive it for efficiency only step on the throttle occasionally to have some fun and hear that turbo.