Post Your Van Gas Mileage Here

davenow

Where can i find one of these for my '04 Sienna.

Do they make it for Toyota? Cost$ and links for pics?

Thanks!

user777

try here:
http://www.kangaco.com/

-or here-
http://www.travelinnovations.com/store/category.asp?CategoryID=99- &Page=2

i am certain you could contact them and with some dimension information, they could tell you what would fit your vehicle.

I don't think this is the only company that produces roof products. there may be less expensive alternatives.

good luck.

heywood1

Not great so far, but hardly unexpected. I've put about 1,000 miles on the van, with mixed city/hwy driving, and I've not been out of the 17-19 mpg range. At least it's better mpg than that of the Sequoia I almost bought. (I can buy a lot of gas for the difference in purchase price I saved).

I anticipate this will improve somewhat--but not dramatically so--with more use and a few oil changes.

1,500 mile road trip planned for end of the month will tell the tale.

user777

the 17-19 is calculated by the traditional method correct? i.e. not what is displayed by the computer?

i'm curious, what is the sienna's mpg display telling you you're getting?

heywood1

Computer display is a bit optimistic, but not overly so. I'll pay more attention to it and follow up here. Mpg I posted was miles driven divided by gallons purchased.

stever

Some people get great mpg out of the chute, but most of us don't see the EPA rating for a few thousand miles. It may take 10,000 miles for the mpg to reach its peak.

Steve, Host

cybernut04

I had to drive from Northern Virginia to Hickory, North Carolina and back this past Saturday (long story), and for the 763 mile roundtrip, the Sienna posted 26 mpg. In "normal" driving - about a 50/50 split of highway and city/suburbs - I've been getting around 21 mpg. I have 5,000 miles on the van as of yesterday.

nwlily36

Castrol oil makes a 5W-20 weight oil. and its not a synthetic. it does cost a little more .. around 2.00 quart on the west coast..

i006129

I've got a 2001 ODY EX with 42,000 miles. I am averaging 15 mpg city and 18-19 Highway on 87 octane. Dealer says that is within normal range but it is down 3-4 mpg since we first bought it. I have followed recommended service schedule. Any suggestions?

nwlily36

Wow!! Thats amazing I cant see how thats possible.. are you basically filling up and getting right on the freeway and using the cruise control.??? I bought my new O4 Odyssey EXL the end of March and I have been averaging 17-18mpg.. and I think it kinda sucks!! But I do mostly in town driving.. I cant wait for a long trip so I can fill up and get right on the freeway and cruise.. I just pray the gas mileage gets better. btw how do you figure your mileage? Do you fill it up till the pump stops or do you top it off? just curious
thanks
Molly

aspesisteve

maybe check your tire pressure?

finally I'm seeing people with milege number like my '02 oddy which gets 15-17 city and 20-22 highway.

I don't really know what others are doing to get such great milege. I know I drive real conservatively rolling to red lights, never gunning it on the green.

rbell2

I have an '03 Ody EXL with 11,000 miles on it. We consistently have been getting 18.5 to 19.5 mpg with in town driving. On the highway cruising 75-80mph I get between 21 and 23 mpg. I have not experienced any of these 27 mpg performance levels that some report on this forum. Quite frankly, I believe most of those are exaggerations or miscalculations or it was all downhill!!.

To: i006129
I would be a little more persuasive with the service manager. Your results are not normal and it certainly should not be decreasing w/o a technical explanation. Do you have an extended warranty? They may be avoiding you for that reason.

user777

i suppose i'd be looking at: air filter, spark plugs and wires, fuel injectors, catalytic convertor, tire pressure. some emissions control sensor causing you to run rich? (would that be an 02 sensor?)

bigdadi118

Now 6300 miles ... City 18.5 MPG
with help of 4 oz of oil treatment.

i006129

Thanks for the feedback. The van recently got a tune up and mileage did not change. So I doubt the air filter etc. I do have an extended warranty and have had to fight for coverage on the two issues I have had since the warranty expired. I'll shove the service manager a little harder next time and see where it gets me.

I paid $2 a gallon today. It's getting expensive.

user777

the list i provided wasn't meant to be exhaustive (and it's not comming from someone with expertise - i'm just a fellow traveler like yourself).

there are other items, i do not believe part of a typical "tune up", which could effect mileage. for example, the condition of the CAT convertor, a problem with a stuck fuel injector, a bad sensor, yada yada.

thought of another one: you could have a sticking brake caliper...

was the decline in mileage a slow thing, or rather rapid?

anyway these are some of the things i would begin looking at if my vehicle started to drop off in mileage.

i'm not sure for example if a fuel-additive, ie injector cleaner would be recommended. maybe your service department could advise if it is safe to add it to a tank of gas. i don't think the stuff costs much. if mileage doesn't increase, you aren't out more than $4-5 for that test.

maybe there is another forum (one not specific to VANs) you could ask your question in (not sure what one...while this would seem like the most appropriate one to post in, it probably isn't the most read).

yes. fuel is getting expensive isn't it?

good luck!

anonymousposts

Our first fill-up at 230 miles average out to be 20 MPG. We were fairly satisfied considering the newness of the van, we had the AC on the whole time, and we enjoyed testing out that 240HP V6.

buybuybuy

1k miles

Topped it off with approx. 13gal after topping it off following trip. Surprised that the fuel light came on with over 6 gallons still left in the tank.

250.3 miles traveled on about 13.7 gallons = 18mpg

This was my normal drive of work/kid/shopping in suburbs and about 30% on highway to and from work.

I'll take it. I got around 22-24 on the all highway trip but I didn't track. Next time.

Later

mjb56

Recent 3 day, 140 mi. round trip each day got 25.2 mpg, using regular gas.

Vehicle has 17K mi. 3.8 V-6. Mileage was confirmed by trip computer and traditional method. Prior to warmer weather and summer gas formulation highway mileage had been about22-23 at best.

City mileage is usually around 18-19 mpg. Overall I'm pretty pleased with the vehicle. Very comfortable highway cruiser.

tolenal

We have had the Sienna for over a year and have been happy with the mileage it is getting. We get about 23.5 mpg. I've reset the counter a number of times and get higher on very long trips. The mileage above is a mix of city and highway.

davenow

23.4 mpg 50-50 split city and hwy
uses regular unleaded 87 octane
now at $2.00 usd/gal!

kolt1

2k+ miles
23.3 mpg
Mostly rural and highway driving (40 - 60 mph)
Refilled crankcase with 5W-30 at 1k.

laundryguy

3997 miles I have put on it (took it with 166 miles), 191.28 gallons I have put in it = 20.89 mpg approx 50%city/50%highway. As much as 24.6 mpg 100% highway with temp around 60F and a tail wind at 70 mph with 700 lbs of people and gear in van and no AC. Whether has been cold in Upper Midwest all spring.

leonmacha1

About 22 mpg at best on pure highway at 70 mph and 2-4 people riding. Towing a boat or trialer cuts mpg to 12. Horrible economy if towing. Transmission needs a manual switch to take it out of overdrive when towing. The automatic shifting system seems to take to range 3 instead of 4 (considering that OD is 5). Vehicle has plenty of power, but just gulps gas.

anonymousposts

Our second fill-up showed 21 MPG which is the same as the first fill-up. Only 450 miles on the odometer so I expect the fuel economy to improve as the miles accumulate.

rbell2

Could you tell me more about your towing experience with your Ody? I had a '96 DGC and it towed a 2,800# rig (boat/trailer) admirably. I probably put 5,000 miles on it towing and the mileage was a about 45% lower than normal but it towed well and under control and no transmission failure thru 112,000 miles.

I have since sold that boat and I now have a '03 Ody with towing package and am now looking to buy another boat probably in the 3,000# total rig weight range. How much weight are you towing with your Ody? Do you have trailer brakes? Any trouble pulling boat out of the water at a boat ramp (assuming you are towing a boat)? Any information would be appreciated. Thanks.

kinko

Between 23 mpg and 24 mpg with 40% highway miles, using the 85 grade gas. My MPV has 1600 miles in the book, and I believe it's past the bread-in period. It's is not bad at all comparing to my 4-cyl. 02 CRV which gets around 25 mpg driven the same routes.

asaw

I'm getting approximately 22.9 mpg with 40% highway. 87 Octane.

azkid2

I get 21-27 MPG on '04 ody using regular unleaded gas. In AZ the AC takes 1-2 MPG. Click and Clack the Tappett Bros. say, "Easy starts and easy stops help a lot, plus save wear and tear on tranny and brakes. Look ahead and slow down as far ahead of red light as you can safely do so.

gg2k2se

I'm happy with my 5,000 mile 2004 Quest during Memorial Day travel.
345 miles on 15.3 gallons gas = 22.5 mpg.
Used Mid grade gas; 89 octane.
90% Highway driving; usually 65-75 mph.
Family of 5 with cargo area 75% full of luggage.

theolus1

After 8 months with our Sedona, the mileage keeps getting better. At first it was not good at all.... 14 in the city 16-17 highway. Now after 11k miles, the mileage is improving with each tank. Now we average 17 city 22 hwy. Most trips are with a full load of seven people and softball gear in the back. The Sedona is a GREAT VAN. WE LOVE IT!!!!

rbell2

Just returned from a 2,400 mile round tripper in our '03 Ody EX-L. Lowest highway mileage was 23.2mpg and highest was 24.9mpg. Both AC's were running about half the time (Florida!). The van did very well - very comfortable for all 5 riders. A HUGE step up from our '96 DGC with middle row bench. I loved the highway passing capability. Also, it is amazing how much you can pack behind the 3rd row seat in this van.

mmcnamara

A long family vacation through the Smokey Mountains down to N. Carolina yielded 26.0 mpg during the highway stretches and 23.5 during the mixed driving. The oil was changed with Mobil 1 0w30 prior to the trip, but didn't seem to make that much difference, as I've pretty routinely had this kind of mileage on previous trips. ( I usually run Mobil 1 10w30). All the highway stretches were at 75-85 mph with the A/C running, 5 aboard, and all the luggage I could shove into it. At 43,000 miles, I'm very happy overall, and haven't had to deal with anything other than a leaking thermostat housing several years ago.

davenow

24.0 mpg calc with mix 50-50 highway-city.
I'm happy

stever

You're doing a lot better with your Sienna than the editors are with the one in our long term fleet!

Steve, Host

nematode

7500miles so far.

11-14mpg city
17-20mpg highway

Best: 20.4mpg all highway.
Worst: 11.6mpg all city.
Overall: 18.3mpg for my >75% highway commute.

dudleyr

How fast are you going to barely get over 20 on the highway?

nematode

dudleyr 20.4mpg is VERY good for the AWD Sienna. 4200lbs, full time AWD, large frontal area....thats about the best it will do regardless of what the EPA estimates say. The highest I have ever heard of is 20.6mpg. The trip computer estimates that I am getting about 4mpg higher; as high as 6mpg high. On a recent 300 mile trip it read 26mpg driving mostly 65mph with cruise, however, when I calculated it 20.4mpg. I calculate it using the same gas station (Shell), 87 octane, and the same pump.

How fast? 65-75mph. To get over 20mpg you have to stay south of 70mph with the AWD version.

davenow

Yes I see, but here are afew things in my favor:
1.) 60% time I'm alone (drive to work)
2.) When I'm loaded I've only got two kids and two adults with very minimal gear (worst case scenario is food shopping with everybody)

I can only imagine what the editors are doing with it!!:)

stever

Think rental car :-)

Actually I think all that LA freeway driving probably hammers the mpg as much as anything.

Steve, Host

dudleyr

I didn't read the title of your post, and did not realize it was AWD. That makes a big difference, and it is actually just under 4,400 lbs, so it is carrying a lot of weight. Still, I would think it would do a tad over 20. I always get well over EPA hwy estimates. People are claiming they get 25 or so on the highway with AWD Pilots, I would think the Sienna could match that.

nematode

A tad? Yes. If you keep it at 60-65mph with cruise the entire way. I think 20mpg is reachable but not realistic. I dont think it will reach 21mpg. At 75mph its only going to get about 18mpg.

The EPA has it listed at 18city and 24highway. I know they are just estimated based on their dyno testing formula but in this case they are off by about 25-35%. In my experience 13 city / 18 highway for the AWD are about right.

heywood1

11-14 mpg city? What 'city' are you driving in? Manhattan or some other traffic-choked urban area?
'City' driving for me is running errands around my small town, picking up kids at school, etc. I've been getting a solid 17/city and 20/hwy with my XLE AWD. (Calculated by miles driven divided by gallons purchased--NOT the overly-optimistic console display). 4,700 miles and one oil change so far.

I have no complaints-- even if $2 gas is here to stay......

nematode

St. Louis and Kansas City. The 11.6mpg was in winter and the lowest I have had. Other I know with the AWD have had as low as 10mpg. I usually get 13-14mpg if I drive around the city all day carting stuff and people around. Lots of stopping and starting, some idle, and speeds up to 35mph.

"'City' driving for me is running errands around my small town"

Driving around a small town is not exactly what I would consider "city". St. Louis is not that bad for traffic but there a lots of lights which kills fuel economy. Light to light driving is what I consider city. I have noticed a smilar issue with other AWD vehicles too like our Subaru Outback. They do OK on the highway after they are moving but if its light to light driving fuel economy really suffers. The Outback is supposed to get 22 city and thats not even close. Its more like 14-16city. Again, its AWD and 3700lbs. On the other hand it will get close to its 28mpg highway provided its kept aournd 65mph.

With the Sienna getting 4200lbs moving when you are driving all 4 wheels is just not that easy. On my daily commute I get 18mpg and sometimes as high as 19mpg. Its 28miles, almost all highway except the last 2 miles, and its 35min (or less) door to door. Its as close to all highway as one can get. I should be getting in the mid 20s. I'm getting 18mpg moving with traffic and 19/20mpg if I take it really easy. Thats at least 20% below EPA estimates. At least.

Even with your 20mpg highway you are 20% (4mpg) under the EPA ratings. By the way the EPA reduces the acutal number they get by 20% or so before they report it. So how on earth would they get 28mpg with a 4200lbs, AWD, van to start? Even if your fuel economy improves with break in (which I doubt) its not going to improve 20%. 5% perhaps, but certinaly not 20%. Mine has not improved at all over 7500miles and I dont expect it to.

My beef is not with Toyota. My problem is with the EPA and their methods. For its size and AWD drive train the Sienna does pretty well. I just dont think the EPA numbers are realistic given how they acutally calculate fuel economy.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/info.shtml

nematode

Each time the AWD 04 Sienna has been tested the fuel economy has not been close to the EPA numbers. Here are the examples I'm think of:

Popular Mechanics: AWD, long term, 8000+ miles, mostly highway,18.8mpg caclulated.

Dan Jedlicka (MSN): AWD, "However, don't count on more than approximately 15 mpg in the city", mpg and methods were not specified.

Consumer Guide: AWD, long term, 19,780 mi. "lots of highway driving", 18.0mpg.

USA Today: AWD, "mostly interstates", 17.6mpg trip computer.

The highway range from the 3 times the AWD has been is 17.6-18.8mpg. Since the 17.6 was based on the trip computer it may even be an overestimate. Anyway, its about what I get and a full 5-6mpg below EPA estimates. The only time city driving in the AWD is mentioned the number 15mpg is thrown out as a high number. In that case the methods were not specified but is is consistent with the 13-14mpg I get in the city.

san007

I have about 1700 miles on my Sienna LE. I am consistently getting between 16mpg and 18mpg in city driving (Fort Lauderdale), which in my particular case, includes plenty of traffic light stops.

On highways, I am getting about 24mpg.

dudleyr

"Its 28 miles,almost all highway except the last 2 miles...Its as close to all highway as one can get."

The only way to measure highway mileage is on a long trip on the highway at a constant speed. 10% or so of the driving in city can really reduce the mileage by a lot especially if you are getting 12 mpg in the city. Comuting is never a good indicator of highway mileage, because the engine is not warm for first part of the trip (yes it takes a few miles to warm up the engine even in the summer).

user777

are you reporting the MPG as estimated/displayed on the Trip Computer, or by hand calculating (miles driven / gallons pumped)?

i think this is important to know when anyone reports mileage.

autowrite

Get 20-22 miles per gallon mostly city and 26-32 miles per gallon highway. On a 2003 drip to Colorado from Ontario & back got mostly 32 miles per gallon. This is in Canadian gallons. To convert to US gallons divided by 1.2. In Southern Ontario the winter temps range from +5 to -25 Celcius and the summer temps range from +15 to +35 celcius.

nematode

dudleyr I have gone on several 350mile trips. 18-19mpg at 75mph with cruise. I did one trip of 250miles at 65mpg and it crossed 20mpg.

Also, even if I were gettin 10 mpg for the last part of my commute I should still be over 20mpg if the EPA estimates were close.