Our Camry 2000 has never done better than 18-19 mpg in the city, and that is with conservative driving. The dealer refuses to admit something might be wrong or look at it. (It's rated at 23 city). It is lucky to get 23-25 in highway driving. We drive a Saturn SL1 (manual) over exactly the same drive and get 28-30. Does anyone else have similar mileage? Should we insist on some service. The car is still under warrante at this time.
you probably want to look at it more, even my 91 camry has better mileage than that. my guess is there is probably a fuel leak somewhere, since i've seen a dodge spirit raised mileage by replaceing a broken rubber part (cant remember which).
XLE 4cyl auto: rated 24/32 4000 miles so far - hwy 65-80mph Best hwy:Green Bay to Chicago - 38mpg Worst hwy:Chicago to Iowa City (headwinds) - 30mpg All stop and go: 24mpg
Do those ride/drive alot better than the Grand Vitara does? Just wondering. I rented a GV and it felt like it was going to fall over or something, a couple times.
Take a trip to the XL-7 board. I post there a lot and so do others. It is a good ride, stable and smooth, for a real truck. No handling problems, but then I do not take a 90 degree turn at 60 or so :-) Really, it is a very nice ride.
It has a 307 V8 with a 4 bbl carb and 4-spd auto. Car currently has 171,300 miles on her and keeps going.
I get anywhere from 9 mpg to 23mpg with an overall avg of about 16mpg.
The 9 mpg is because sometimes in the winter it is about 20 below and the car spends a fair amount of time idling while i get gas or running into the convience store or while warming up.
In mixed driving it usually get 16 and on the highway i usually get 17-19 with speeds that run from 50-90 and with driving in the rockies of colorado.
Got 23 once and I had it totally loaded down and was doing about 70 in the rocky mountains and on the interstate.
I think the car does ok on gas for its size and conditions. Also uses premium because my dad always did and he said it helps the engine, I do not know if it does but hey it has 171000 and does not leak or burn oil. So I do not care, although gas does usually cost about 1.60 for premium around here.
Mileage is heavily dependent on a/c usage, which is frequent here in Wilmington, NC.
In town: 29-32 mpg Highway: 36-39 mpg
I'm interested in hearing anyone's fuel consumption experiences with the Jetta 1.8T/auto, Passat 1.8T/auto, and Accord V6. Of particular interest is whether you notice much difference by using premium in the VWs, and how accurate the '02 Passat trip computer is.
...couple years ago I read somewhere that your car's aerodynamic drag at 50mph doubles when you reach the 75mph mark, therefore greatly reducing the fuel mileage. Is there anyone out there, maybe a SAE engineer, who can share a "formula" that can provide us with the most optimal speed for best fuel mileage on a car. For instance, where the car's frontal aerodynamic drag coefficient is of 0.49, and the front sectional-area is 3,495 Sq/In. Thanks for the attention!
First tankful was 19 and from there on it has been between 24-26 city and highway combined. 2002 Passat wagon five speed V6 stick about 4100 miles on the odometer...
1995 Ford Escort with 130000, 28-31 mpg, 95%city driving. Conversely, about 95% highway driving, 37-40 mpg. 1998 Mitsubishi Galant with 90,000, 20-23 city, 28-30 hwy. Lower figures are winter figures.
90 Saab 900S, 2.0L non-turbo 4, 5-speed manual, 162k miles: consistently 19.8 city mpg, usually 26-29 highway.
87 Honda Accord DX sedan 5-speed, just bought it, will report next week upon first refill (predicting and hoping it will be better than the Saab--this thing has 154k miles, but runs quite well).
96 Chevrolet Blazer 4x4, 4.3 V6 automatic: usually about 14mpg city, 18mpg highway (I got a 'worst' of 10mpg last summer when it was blazing hot and a/c blasting every day).
2000 Lincoln LS (45,000 miles)- 24 valve (DOHC) 3.0L, V-6 Automatic tranny - mostly highway miles - Ave. 23-24 mpg at each fill-up. (I use Mobil 1, K & N air filter and installed Borla Exhaust.)
1992 Continental (167,000 miles)- Pushrod 3.8L, V-6 Automatic - same driving, except driven during winter months, Ave. 21-23 mpg.
1981 Mark VI (124,000 miles)- Pushrod 5.0L, V-8 automatic - limited driving on my classic keeper. Mixed driving used to get 12-15 mpg. I did an extensive tune-up and was able increase the mileage up to about 16-19 - where it probably should be for a car that age and with that many miles on the clock.
I just passed 30000 miles. I consistently average 17.9 MPG on the computer. My driving consists of approximately 50/50 city commuting and highway. The highway is because my daughter is an ice hockey player and arenas are few and far between. My commute is 25 miles of back roads in New Jersey with plenty of idling. Only mods are a cat-back system that didn't improve HP at all. Otherwise, bone stock. Max comfort and space and reasonable mileage. BTW, I only use regular fuel. I tried premium for two months but didn't notice a mileage improvement.
I own a 1985 Mercury Marquis Brougham with a fuel-injected 3.8L V6 made in Canada. It has a 3-speed automatic. With combined city/highway driving, I have gotten 27 MPG. On long interstates, I have gotten 32-33 MPG.
I also drove the LTD. Its fuel-injected 3.8L V6 was made in the U.S. With a 3-speed automatic, it got the same gas mileage in combined city/highway driving My Marquis Brougham got on longer interstates.
I found out something else that is currently affecting fuel economy. Gas stations have added some crap into their gas that is to improve emissions but worsens fuel economy. There is more. I will cover it.
I found out the 1985 V6 LTD and Marquis were only estimated to get 25 MPG. Both have done better. So, I can not complain. I hope this helps. I am almost done.
I also found another thing that affects fuel economy. Actually, it is more than one. It is passenger weight. It is weight in the trunk. It is better on a RWD or FWD than a 4WD or AWD. It is what grade of gas is used. It is whether the heat or A/C is run or not. It is how an engine is made. But it is not the weight of a car!
I saw a 1984 Mercury Lynx with a heavier Nissan carburetor 1.6L 4 cylinder, a full frame and a manual transmission get 50 MPG on the average highway. It got 54-55 on long interstates. Not even the 1984 unibody Nissan Sentra with that engine and a manual, even being lighter, did that well. I hope this helps.
The owner's manual recommends to only use regular unleaded. My girlfriend tried that. Even in RWD, it did not get the gas mileage it was estimated to. It has the 4200 Series Vortec V6. And it was sluggish. We tried first moving up from 87 octane to 89. No change.
After doing further research and finding it is made the same as competetors' high performance V6's which recommend not to use a lower octane than 91, we tried the 93. It has both the power and accurate gas mileage as estimated. It gets 20 MPG on the average highway. It is unless we have to run heat. We have had to with a rough winter. But we are satisfied with it getting what it is estimated to get.
We have not yet had a chance to check it on long interstate driving. When we do, I will report my findings then.
It has a 4-speed automatic with overdrive. It is what I have found with other GM products as well. They tend to be the most accurate at estimating MPG. It is out of all car manufacturers. It is provided the right grade of gas is used. I hope this helps.
10K miles so far. Best 24 mpg Worst 21 mpg. 21-23 mpg at 75 mph. I have never reached the numbers listed in the specification no matter how I drive it.
Spring, summer, and autumn mpg is usually around 52, with a mix of 60% highway, and 40% town. Speeds driven on I-495 outside of Boston are usually 75+ mph. Top speed achieved so far was just under 120.
Yep, it's a diesel.
Winter mpg drops to around 44 with the same mix of driving.
I have 67,000 miles on the car, and it has been stone reliable. Not only that, it is similar to flying a stealth plane. It does not attract unwanted attention.
'03 Toyota Matrix, 12,500 miles so far, 130 hp auto, gas mileage average has leveled out at about 32 mpg consistently.
'88 Acura integra 5-sp, just got it, only done 1500 miles so far, mileage seems to be a hair better than the Matrix, call it 33-34.
'90 Toyota 4Runner V-6 5-sp - weekend vehicle only, mostly used for long camping trips or to the snow, gets 19 mpg most of the time, can get up to about 22 if you take it easy and do all highway.
The other two are driven about a 50/50 mix city/hwy.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
1995 Nissan Maxima SE 5-speed: Average over 135,000 miles 24.02. Best highway: 30.5, Worst city: 18.5. Mix 75% highway, 25% city.
1996 Isuzu Trooper 5-speed: Average over 63,000 miles 15.5 +/- Best highway: 20. Worst city 10. Mix 75% city, 25% highway.
2002 Honda S2000: Average over 10,700 miles 22.2. Best highway 31.2. Worst tankful 20.0. Mix 90% sunny.
Nippononly: Good luck with your 1988 Integra. I had a 1987 LS 5-speed and it was the WORST car I ever owned from a maintenance & repairs standpoint after 85,000 miles. Everything went: clutch, transmission, shocks, cruise control, radio, water pump, etc. Between 85k and 105k it cost me well over $5,000 in repairs. I finally handed the keys to Salvation Army. By comparison, my Maxima has had fewer repairs in 8 years and 135,000 miles (under $1,000 total) then my Integra had in any 6-month period during it's last lingering 18 months. My recommendation is that if things start to go, put it out of its misery quickly. I am impressed with 33-34 miles per gallon, though - don't think I averaged more than 25 with mine.
Worst 20 mpg (in the winter when it is -20, and in town) Best is just over 40 mpg when i drive 60 on a nice back road (drops to about 32 when I am going 80 on the highway). Average is about 28-29 mpg with mostly city miles.
nipponpnly - Don't worry about Integra reliability - I have had mine for 150,000 miles and 13 years, and have yet to hit $500 total for repairs. Clutch and front brakes are still original.
02 1.8T Tiptronic VW Jetta, 89 octane fuel, car has 34K miles on it. Driven 70% why/30% city, and driven fairly hard (~80mph on the highway, quick starts in the city)...
has 240K! if things were going to go, they have had lots of time to do so...
it had one clutch replacement at 170K. original transmission and engine - neither has needed a rebuild. cruise works, original radio works, but the tape has quit. Not surprising in an 80s Japanese car. water pump replaced with each timing belt - this I would recommend to owners of integras and civics - the internal Honda water pumps do not last a real long time. Shocks at 120K or so, as I would expect with any car (if not sooner).
I am not particularly worried!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
On a trip to the west coast in August 2004 I averaged 29 MPG on the round trip including sight seeing. I did limit my speed to about 70 MPH or less depending on posted speed limits. At times the cars average MPG as computed by the computer was 32-33 MPG and when sight seeing it dropped to 27-28 MPG. My round trip average is based on what I put into the fuel tank.
I have been tracking (using a spreadsheet) my mileage since the day I bought the car new. *Every* fillup, and associated mileage, is recorded. My overall average, including commutes, trips, and everything in between, is 27.0 mpg. My Jetta now has ~23,000miles on it. And the average is moving upwards!
I consistently get 28mpg now (with the warmer weather) in my work commute (which is about 50/50 city/hwy driving, ie. 35-50mph on the city portion with many traffic lights, and 75-80mph on the hwy portion, distance is split 50/50).
My peak has been 33mpg, achieved driving about 60-65mph on avg, on a long hwy-only trip. Actually, I can regularly obtain 32mpg on hwy only trips. This is in fact better than the EPA rating of 24city/31hwy for the Jetta 1.8T 5-speed.
So I'm very pleased with the mileage I'm getting, especially for a 180hp car weighing about 3100lbs. My next move will either be to direct-injection gasoline (FSI in VW/Audi-speak), or TDI (turbo-diesel).
Can anyone tell me if there is a mileage difference between the 12 and 24 valve Taurus 3L engines? I assume the 12v would be better but haven't found any numbers to confim. My 97 12v gets over 23mpg on combined city/ hwy trips.
Well, I had a 1990 Taurus with the 12 valve pushrod 3.0 V-6 ('Vulcan") for ten years and now have a 2000 Taurus with the 24 valve Duratech. I have found the mileage for both of these cars to be very similar, with perhaps just a small edge to the DOHC, however I am not of course comparing the same generation vehicles. Some improvements could have been made to the Vulcan engine along the way, and of course there are many other changes in the cars. I do not remember ever breaking above 30 MPG in strictly highway driving in my older Taurus, but I have done so on my Duratech Taurus. The EPA ratings are nearly the same for both.
My "smileage" however, is much better with the Duratech, quite a bit better acceleration capabilities and the drivetrain is much smoother overall.
My Saturn SL with the 5-speed manual and no power steering consistently averages 39-40 mpg in mixed city-highway driving. I try to drive conservatively and follow the gas saving tips given on this website! I also use Amsoil synthetic motor oil, which has resulted in a roughly 7% boost in gas mileage. My highest mileage obtained thus far is 41 mpg. On an all highway trip my gas mileage actually drops a little to about 38 mpg or so. I guess I could say I have a poor man's hybrid!
Yep, I have a 1997 Geo Metro LSi It is a 2 Door hatchback with a 1.3L 4-cyl and a 3 speed automatic trans. I use to get 28-29 when I would drive 70 on the highway and not try to do anything special. Now I do between 50-55 highway (it's 3K on my tach, so going up/down hills affects the speed), and accelerate slow but not grand ma slow yet (I usually do light acceleration, and lighten up until the car shifts into the next gear at about 2K rpm). I also minimize idling by killing my engine at stoplights/etc. I even try doing some weird tricks like killing the engine while coasting down highway ramps! The best I have managed was 37.8mpg in the cooler (think february) month. Summer-wise, I have noticed around 33-36 (34 is the EPA's estimate) with the A/C used some. I would just roll the windows down but I have a reason to use the A/C right now so I rarely do. Surprisingly, I don't use synthetic oil (was told it had no affect on mileage, I still wonder if it would or not, but I don't change the oil currently), and when I use to use 89 octane (instead of 87) I noticed that I could go some more miles per tank, but since gas has been expensive, this 17 year old can't afford to put 89 in too much! I do also use fuel additives seasonally (usually as the weather starts to change), and I have had 100K maintenance done with regular oil changes @ 3K. I have actually been doing some of the tips on edmunds site, so when I read it I thought it was pretty accurate. It has 13in wheels/tires and Bosch Platinum+2 spark plugs. And I just recently had the exhaust replaced (leaking, I think my mechanic put a "free flowing" one as I have noticed a little more torque down low). Considering a performance air filter (my hood is dented and doesn't align flush with the car so rain gets in and that would kill the car if I put a cold air intake in or similar).
Any of you guys have anything I can do to get mine even higher? I know it's an automatic, but I can't afford to get another car just yet. I know I am a nut, and at this age that may not be a good thing but... :P
Thanks Badgerfan. I make 24 mpg on my usual trip around town which consists of 14 miles of rural hwy at 55 and multiple stops in town. Just took a 240 mile jaunt to Appomatox and back averaging 27.5. Probably would have done better without the 100 lbs. of rocks Mom had to have.
I have a 1996 Toyota Tercel 4 spd that consistently gets 38-40 mpg in all city traffic and I have never measured on a long trip. I have had this car up to 120mph as it is not restricted at all and for 93hp it sure gets up to speed fast. Maybe that is because it only weighs 2000 pounds. I highly doubt all those Saturns and Kias in here get anywhere close to mid 30's in city driving with the a/c on like my Tercel. The 1995-1996 Tercel's have been rated by all consumer and car magazines as the best gas mileage car you can buy. There is no Kia out there getting 38 mpg or a saturn in the city. They may get that on the highway with no speeds over 65 and no wind and no weight other then the driver. I get close to 40 with two passengers and our other stuff. I bought the car used with 100k on it for 3250 and it is the best car I have ever owned. If you want to measure real world gas mileage measure all these chumps on here with the Saturns and Corolla's and kias that think they can match my Tercel. Drive it in Arizona in 105+ temps with a/c on high and in traffic and try to get37-39 mpg. No way. Also I got 33mpg in this car consistently driving to redline and driving well over 100mph for the whole tank with the a/c on and with passengers. No car on this planet even the hybrids can beat that for 3250.
I have a Sentra SE-R that I bought new in 2002. 2.5L I-4 w/ 5-speed manual. When I bought it I was getting around 22 mpg in Dallas city driving. I moved to the country and averaged about 28 mpg in 90% highway driving. Now I am back in the Dallas and it averages 25 mpg (moved back a month ago with 63,000 miles on the odometer) for my 7 mile commute. On the highway I now average around 30 mpg. It was closer to 27 mpg when the car was newer (under 15,000 miles).
The wife's 2004 Mitusbishi Lancer Sportback (the wagon that was only sold in 2004) is averaging around 26 mpg on the highway and around 22 mpg in the city (with only a 13.2 gallon tank and auto transmission, and a fuel light that goes off after 10 gallons are gone). No one else actually owns this car (for the most part), but it has a great engine and is fun to drive. It sure beats a 2.0 L Ford Focus Wagon - and even the 2.3 L - the Mitsu is fast and torquey (though not too efficient while doing it).
I've owned several cars with engines in the 2.5 - 2.8 L engine range. They've all gotten approximately 26 mpg, on average (Contour V6, Golf GTI VR6, Porsche 944 Turbo- all manual transmission).
My 1992 Honda Civic CX got around 40 mpg ( w/ 70 hp and the acceleration of a 1990 Lincoln Town car driven by a 100 year old driver), and I had a 1995 Civic DX that averaged in the mid-30's in mixed driving. My 1992 Ford Ranger 5-speed was incredibly slow and averaged 21-22 mpg in mixed driving for a long time. When I moved and drove it on the highway it got close to 26 mpg (with around 70k miles on it). And I briefly had a 1993 Dodge Dakota V-6 5-speed x-cab that I inherited. Driving this thing in 2003, I couldn't get it over 19 mpg for highway driving. This was with all of 60,000 miles on the odo.
Got 30.7 mpg at 75+ mph on highway trip over Memorial Day. Only get 16 mpg in city/mixed driving. The 270 horsepower TL's relative difference between highway and mixed driving mpg is the greatest of any car I have owned. My 190 horsepower 1995 Maxima 5-speed only gets 28-29 on the highway, but a respectable 21-23 in mixed driving.
Comments
'00 Yukon XL 5.3L 4-speed auto (3.73 gears) around town 13-14 MPG -- highway 18-19. But what a great ride..
4000 miles so far - hwy 65-80mph
Best hwy:Green Bay to Chicago - 38mpg
Worst hwy:Chicago to Iowa City (headwinds) - 30mpg
All stop and go: 24mpg
80 miles, mostly highway. Trip computer says it's averaging 20mpg exactly right now. Ran the AC alot yesterday because it was 95+ in MD/DC.
WORST EVER MILEAGE
Winter '02 - chains on tires 6" snow - 35 mpg.
Normal Summer mileage - average speed @45-50
Country road driving hilly very hilly 35 miles each way to work:
49 MPG
Normal Winter mileage - same trip as above
temps are 10-30 deg f.
43.5 MPG
Best Tank mileage - This week due to higher temps
53.5 MPG - filled after 450 miles - took 8.5 gals.
BEST FEATURE - SULEV and great acceleration for a
5 pax car. (very roomy compact car).
Pulls small trailer no problem (900# max) and
cost of car is about the same as CAMRY.
Time to think Volts!
steve d.
NYS.
Car currently has 171,300 miles on her and keeps going.
I get anywhere from 9 mpg to 23mpg with an overall avg of about 16mpg.
The 9 mpg is because sometimes in the winter it is about 20 below and the car spends a fair amount of time idling while i get gas or running into the convience store or while warming up.
In mixed driving it usually get 16 and on the highway i usually get 17-19 with speeds that run from 50-90 and with driving in the rockies of colorado.
Got 23 once and I had it totally loaded down and was doing about 70 in the rocky mountains and on the interstate.
I think the car does ok on gas for its size and conditions. Also uses premium because my dad always did and he said it helps the engine, I do not know if it does but hey it has 171000 and does not leak or burn oil. So I do not care, although gas does usually cost about 1.60 for premium around here.
2002 Kia Spectra 1st refill at 425 miles averaged 38+mpg. Supreme
2d tank of gas 50/50 town & country driving came in at 35mpg. Supreme.
3d tank of gas 66/33 town & country came in at
27.5mpg.Supreme
80-90% Highway driving, up to 80 mph.
Winter = 30-31 mpg
Summer = 32-34 mpg
80 mph average w/ no a/c 29 mpg
70 mph average w/ a/c 29 mpg
2 adults 3 kids loaded w/ luggage
70 mph average w/ no a/c 31 mpg
2 adults 2 kids loaded w/ luggage
In town: 29-32 mpg
Highway: 36-39 mpg
I'm interested in hearing anyone's fuel consumption experiences with the Jetta 1.8T/auto, Passat 1.8T/auto, and Accord V6. Of particular interest is whether you notice much difference by using premium in the VWs, and how accurate the '02 Passat trip computer is.
2,244.8 miles driven.
63.455 Gal. of 87 octane gas.
This comes to an average of 35.376 MPG.
I very much recommend this Ecotec engine and manual Trans.
Thanks for the attention!
2002 Passat wagon five speed V6 stick about 4100 miles on the odometer...
87 Honda Accord DX sedan 5-speed, just bought it, will report next week upon first refill (predicting and hoping it will be better than the Saab--this thing has 154k miles, but runs quite well).
96 Chevrolet Blazer 4x4, 4.3 V6 automatic: usually about 14mpg city, 18mpg highway (I got a 'worst' of 10mpg last summer when it was blazing hot and a/c blasting every day).
1992 Continental (167,000 miles)- Pushrod 3.8L, V-6 Automatic - same driving, except driven during winter months, Ave. 21-23 mpg.
1981 Mark VI (124,000 miles)- Pushrod 5.0L, V-8 automatic - limited driving on my classic keeper. Mixed driving used to get 12-15 mpg. I did an extensive tune-up and was able increase the mileage up to about 16-19 - where it probably should be for a car that age and with that many miles on the clock.
I also drove the LTD. Its fuel-injected 3.8L V6 was made in the U.S. With a 3-speed automatic, it got the same gas mileage in combined city/highway driving My Marquis Brougham got on longer interstates.
I found out something else that is currently affecting fuel economy. Gas stations have added some crap into their gas that is to improve emissions but worsens fuel economy. There is more. I will cover it.
I found out the 1985 V6 LTD and Marquis were only estimated to get 25 MPG. Both have done better. So, I can not complain. I hope this helps. I am almost done.
I also found another thing that affects fuel economy. Actually, it is more than one. It is passenger weight. It is weight in the trunk. It is better on a RWD or FWD than a 4WD or AWD. It is what grade of gas is used. It is whether the heat or A/C is run or not. It is how an engine is made. But it is not the weight of a car!
I saw a 1984 Mercury Lynx with a heavier Nissan carburetor 1.6L 4 cylinder, a full frame and a manual transmission get 50 MPG on the average highway. It got 54-55 on long interstates. Not even the 1984 unibody Nissan Sentra with that engine and a manual, even being lighter, did that well. I hope this helps.
After doing further research and finding it is made the same as competetors' high performance V6's which recommend not to use a lower octane than 91, we tried the 93. It has both the power and accurate gas mileage as estimated. It gets 20 MPG on the average highway. It is unless we have to run heat. We have had to with a rough winter. But we are satisfied with it getting what it is estimated to get.
We have not yet had a chance to check it on long interstate driving. When we do, I will report my findings then.
It has a 4-speed automatic with overdrive. It is what I have found with other GM products as well. They tend to be the most accurate at estimating MPG. It is out of all car manufacturers. It is provided the right grade of gas is used. I hope this helps.
Spring, summer, and autumn mpg is usually around 52, with a mix of 60% highway, and 40% town. Speeds driven on I-495 outside of Boston are usually 75+ mph. Top speed achieved so far was just under 120.
Yep, it's a diesel.
Winter mpg drops to around 44 with the same mix of driving.
I have 67,000 miles on the car, and it has been stone reliable. Not only that, it is similar to flying a stealth plane. It does not attract unwanted attention.
'88 Acura integra 5-sp, just got it, only done 1500 miles so far, mileage seems to be a hair better than the Matrix, call it 33-34.
'90 Toyota 4Runner V-6 5-sp - weekend vehicle only, mostly used for long camping trips or to the snow, gets 19 mpg most of the time, can get up to about 22 if you take it easy and do all highway.
The other two are driven about a 50/50 mix city/hwy.
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
1996 Isuzu Trooper 5-speed: Average over 63,000 miles 15.5 +/- Best highway: 20. Worst city 10. Mix 75% city, 25% highway.
2002 Honda S2000: Average over 10,700 miles 22.2. Best highway 31.2. Worst tankful 20.0. Mix 90% sunny.
Nippononly: Good luck with your 1988 Integra. I had a 1987 LS 5-speed and it was the WORST car I ever owned from a maintenance & repairs standpoint after 85,000 miles. Everything went: clutch, transmission, shocks, cruise control, radio, water pump, etc. Between 85k and 105k it cost me well over $5,000 in repairs. I finally handed the keys to Salvation Army. By comparison, my Maxima has had fewer repairs in 8 years and 135,000 miles (under $1,000 total) then my Integra had in any 6-month period during it's last lingering 18 months. My recommendation is that if things start to go, put it out of its misery quickly. I am impressed with 33-34 miles per gallon, though - don't think I averaged more than 25 with mine.
Worst 20 mpg (in the winter when it is -20, and in town) Best is just over 40 mpg when i drive 60 on a nice back road (drops to about 32 when I am going 80 on the highway). Average is about 28-29 mpg with mostly city miles.
nipponpnly - Don't worry about Integra reliability - I have had mine for 150,000 miles and 13 years, and have yet to hit $500 total for repairs. Clutch and front brakes are still original.
Last tank averaged 27.2mpg!
it had one clutch replacement at 170K. original transmission and engine - neither has needed a rebuild. cruise works, original radio works, but the tape has quit. Not surprising in an 80s Japanese car. water pump replaced with each timing belt - this I would recommend to owners of integras and civics - the internal Honda water pumps do not last a real long time. Shocks at 120K or so, as I would expect with any car (if not sooner).
I am not particularly worried!
2014 Mini Cooper (stick shift of course), 2016 Camry hybrid, 2009 Outback Sport 5-spd (keeping the stick alive)
My usual urban but not particularly congested commute, 19-22, and I don't usually drive to maximize efficiency.
I consistently get 28mpg now (with the warmer weather) in my work commute (which is about 50/50 city/hwy driving, ie. 35-50mph on the city portion with many traffic lights, and 75-80mph on the hwy portion, distance is split 50/50).
My peak has been 33mpg, achieved driving about 60-65mph on avg, on a long hwy-only trip. Actually, I can regularly obtain 32mpg on hwy only trips. This is in fact better than the EPA rating of 24city/31hwy for the Jetta 1.8T 5-speed.
So I'm very pleased with the mileage I'm getting, especially for a 180hp car weighing about 3100lbs. My next move will either be to direct-injection gasoline (FSI in VW/Audi-speak), or TDI (turbo-diesel).
My "smileage" however, is much better with the Duratech, quite a bit better acceleration capabilities and the drivetrain is much smoother overall.
It is a 2 Door hatchback with a 1.3L 4-cyl and a 3 speed automatic trans.
I use to get 28-29 when I would drive 70 on the highway and not try to do anything special.
Now I do between 50-55 highway (it's 3K on my tach, so going up/down hills affects the speed), and accelerate slow but not grand ma slow yet (I usually do light acceleration, and lighten up until the car shifts into the next gear at about 2K rpm). I also minimize idling by killing my engine at stoplights/etc. I even try doing some weird tricks like killing the engine while coasting down highway ramps!
The best I have managed was 37.8mpg in the cooler (think february) month.
Summer-wise, I have noticed around 33-36 (34 is the EPA's estimate) with the A/C used some. I would just roll the windows down but I have a reason to use the A/C right now so I rarely do.
Surprisingly, I don't use synthetic oil (was told it had no affect on mileage, I still wonder if it would or not, but I don't change the oil currently), and when I use to use 89 octane (instead of 87) I noticed that I could go some more miles per tank, but since gas has been expensive, this 17 year old can't afford to put 89 in too much! I do also use fuel additives seasonally (usually as the weather starts to change), and I have had 100K maintenance done with regular oil changes @ 3K.
I have actually been doing some of the tips on edmunds site, so when I read it I thought it was pretty accurate. It has 13in wheels/tires and Bosch Platinum+2 spark plugs. And I just recently had the exhaust replaced (leaking, I think my mechanic put a "free flowing" one as I have noticed a little more torque down low). Considering a performance air filter (my hood is dented and doesn't align flush with the car so rain gets in and that would kill the car if I put a cold air intake in or similar).
Any of you guys have anything I can do to get mine even higher? I know it's an automatic, but I can't afford to get another car just yet.
I know I am a nut, and at this age that may not be a good thing but...
29.6 mpg average in warmer weather, about 26 to 27 in winter. Mostly rural/h.way
miles. Speeds from 55 to 75.
160000+ miles on the car.
2000 Dodge Intrepid. 2.7 engine. 22 mpg around town, 30 to 32 mpg on h.way.
98 Ford F 150. 4.2 engine, auto. 18 mpg, goes down slightly at highway speeds.
The wife's 2004 Mitusbishi Lancer Sportback (the wagon that was only sold in 2004) is averaging around 26 mpg on the highway and around 22 mpg in the city (with only a 13.2 gallon tank and auto transmission, and a fuel light that goes off after 10 gallons are gone). No one else actually owns this car (for the most part), but it has a great engine and is fun to drive. It sure beats a 2.0 L Ford Focus Wagon - and even the 2.3 L - the Mitsu is fast and torquey (though not too efficient while doing it).
I've owned several cars with engines in the 2.5 - 2.8 L engine range. They've all gotten approximately 26 mpg, on average (Contour V6, Golf GTI VR6, Porsche 944 Turbo- all manual transmission).
My 1992 Honda Civic CX got around 40 mpg ( w/ 70 hp and the acceleration of a 1990 Lincoln Town car driven by a 100 year old driver), and I had a 1995 Civic DX that averaged in the mid-30's in mixed driving. My 1992 Ford Ranger 5-speed was incredibly slow and averaged 21-22 mpg in mixed driving for a long time. When I moved and drove it on the highway it got close to 26 mpg (with around 70k miles on it). And I briefly had a 1993 Dodge Dakota V-6 5-speed x-cab that I inherited. Driving this thing in 2003, I couldn't get it over 19 mpg for highway driving. This was with all of 60,000 miles on the odo.