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Best regards,
Shipo
Note that I also own a BMW convertible
'99 323ic w/170 hp 2.5L I-6, 5-speed manual, w/~190k miles.
As much as I enjoy driving my Bimmer my 3i (2.0L 148 hp I-4, 5-speed manual) spanks it soundly in the mpg department. While my 323 does pretty well for what it is and I generally average ~30 mpg with it when driving conservatively, the highest average for a tank I've had so far was in the 31-32 mpg range. On the other hand when commuting between home and work in my 3i I'm averaging in the 39-40 mpg range during the winter months and 40+ when outside temperatures are mild-to-hot.
Both of my 5-Speed BMWs (a 1999 328i and a 2002 530i) were able to consistently return 33-35 mpg on the highway, and per many-many reports (as well as the EPA rankings of the day), the 323i was unable to achieve the fuel economy of the larger engined 328i and 530i. Why? Primarily due to the much taller gearing of the cars with the larger engines.
Best regards,
Shipo
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Side anecdote: I was sole owner and driver of 97 Integra for 177,000 miles, and probably drove 30-40 miles with yellow gas warning light on, one hundred or more occasions. Doing this would cause an added appx +1 sec of cold-start cranking time, but no other discernible effects. The car was sold last week never having had any fuel pump problems, ever. Any reason to think that Mazda's pump engineering is less robust than Honda's?
Apples to oranges. The low fuel warning light comes on with roughly four gallons before a dry tank, and that gives you plenty of time to fuel up prior to dipping into the last two gallons that are used as coolant for the pump. FWIW, high pressure fuel pumps for fuel injection systems work hard and can even overheat in the arctic if they aren't properly cooled.
Best regards,
Shipo
My Mazda3 may get lousy gas mileage (22 MPG - 90% freeway driving) and have a bunch of design flaws (the trunk release mechanism for one) but I am confident it will turn on and run. Can't say my wife feels the same about her Audi.
In the past, Consumer Reports heard the same concerns from its membership and so marked it with a record of poor reliability. But the latest news is that VW has heard the din of complaints and corrected the situation.
What VW/AUdi product and model year do you /your wife drive?
There is, of course, another aspect to the story and that is dealership service. My understanding is that VW is not known for stellar service but perhaps I am spreading unwarranted rumours. How do you find their service record compared to that of Mazda?
My experiences with Mazda were always pleasant but they didn't have a "included maintenance" program like our Audi (and previous VWs and our BMWs/Mini). I only had one warranty issue with my last Mazda. No issues on my new one.
I really love the feel of Audi/VW cars but their dealer service and lack of warranty support is so disturbing when compared to BMW/Mini that it's tough to accept going back to being treated like a fool for asking that peeling, ripping, breaking parts aren't covered by a warranty.
Wow. My 2007 MS3 averages about the same- and gets @26 mpg at a steady 80 mph. Do you think there's a problem with the car?
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Ditto.
22 mpg for primarily highway driving is significantly lower than what has been advertised by Mazda and what has been found by independent tests both by the government and by Consumer Reports.
I would check for obvious problems (signs of excessive or strange tire wear, suspicious engine sounds, etc.). At your next service, I would raise the issue and see what they find. Expect to hear that mileage is affected by driving style including aggressive driving and short stops.
:confuse:
Totally stock and no repairs or issues what-so-ever to-date. I even still have the original Toyos and brake pads on the car, but am planning to replace the Toyos in May by ~ 75k miles.
72,121.2 miles/1,858.45 gallons = 38.81 mpg (average)
Note: since the second year of ownership It's been relatively normal for me to average 40+ mpg in spring, summer and fall months, and in the 38-39 mpg range in mid-December through early March.
$4,620.78 spent for gas to-date (all regular grade & mostly Shell).
$.0641/mile (average cost for fuel per mile)
Just goes to show it's not necessary to pay thousands of additional $$ to purchase a diesel or hybrid for relatively economical vehicle operating costs.
I'm still so glad I chose my 3i's 2.0 L mtx over a similarly equipped 3s with the 2.3 L. Imo the gap between the two cars in real-world mpg results may be significantly greater than differences in the cars' EPA ratings would seem to suggest.
I might have purchased a hatch instead of my sedan if Mazda had offered them with the 2.0 L and mtx. I've still been very satisifed with my sedan though since I also have owned mini-vans for my wife to drive which can carry larger items as needed. The 3i serves primarily as my commuter vehicle.
Frustrating.
No currently planned trips to the dealer as the first oil change isn't for some time.
I'm also sorry to say I wouldn't get my hopes up for a "quick fix" from the dealer. Time-and-time again I've read where owners have been told by dealers that "it's normal" or "it must be due to how and where you drive".
Unless you car throws a trouble code/check engine light I would not get my hopes up that the dealer will do anything to improve your situation.
Good luck with it in any case...
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I've found that I've needed to be careful with comments like that; so many folks absolutely believe the urban myth that a CAI improves fuel economy. :P
Best regards,
Shipo
I know; I've heard "experts" on a couple of the Mazda boards claim that adding a CAI "leans out" the engine and thus improves fuel economy. Maybe their cars run open loop 100% of the time... :P
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
I don't remember if it's still against the Rules of the Road to post links to other forums here in TownHall, so I sent you a PM with the links.
Best regards,
Shipo
The TH Jeep Liberty forum had a guy who made similar claims from simply using a K&N drop-in filter. I also called him on it and -big surprise- he called me an idiot. Things got really hysterical when a couple of gullible members bought K&Ns and then reported no change in their truck's fuel economy. He went so ballistic that he got banned and ALL of his posts on TH were deleted. :P :P :P
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
The Canadian version of the 2010 Mazda3 also includes a 5-door GX model with the 2.0L engine. Power windows/locks are standard, but items like cruise control, steering wheel audio controls, side sill extensions, TCS/DSC, or even alloy wheels are not available. A/C remains optional on the GX, but it's standard on the two higher trim levels- GS and GT (along with the 2.5L engine).
I wish Mazda would offer a 2.0L Mazda3 5-door to the U.S. without sacrificing the sporty look (rear spoiler, side sill extensions, 17" alloy wheels). The fuel economy of the 2010 MZ3 i 4-door with the 5-speed automatic averages about 4mpg better than the 2.5L with 5AT and the performance is still decent (0-60 in 9.4sec). The 2.0L/5-speed manual combination has always been sprightly (0-60 in 8.6sec in the 2010) and returns over 30mpg average.
My 2006 MZ3 s 5-door (2.3L/5-speed manual) averages 24-25mpg overall and 90% of my driving is highway. I tend to drive around 75mph on the highway, which doesn't help. But I've also set the cruise at 65mph for a 200-mile trip and the trip computer showed 27.2mpg average.
I love my MZ3, don't get me wrong. But the Accord I had before it (2.4L 160hp and 5-speed manual) would cruise at 75-80mph on the interstate all day and never drop below 31-32mpg! And it was almost as quick, despite being a larger, heavier car....
Four years ago due to a death in the family I made a relatively rare highway trip in my 3i from my home in Chesterfield VA to carry my Mom to Spartanburg SC in mid-February. As I recall I drove with the cruise control set at 70 mph for most the trip which was was almost all driven on I-95 and I-85. When I filled up in Spartanburg the result was 379.3 miles on 9.629 gallons for 39.39 mpg.
Note that the difference in our results is far greater than 4 mpg even though my average crusing speed was 70 mph, or 5 mph faster than the 65 mph you claim was driven for 200 miles in your 3s.
39.4 mpg - 27.2 mpg = 12.2 mpg difference
12.2/39.4 = a 31% improvement.
When I keep average cruising speeds in my 3i mtx around 65 mph in light winds results in the 41-42 mpg range are no problem, even more when I don't engage the cruise control. The cruise tends to tweak the throttle up and down almost constantly based on observations of throttle position sensor readings on my ScanGauge. I get better results when I forgo the cruise control and drive w/fairly steady pressure on the throttle.
I also picked up and dropped off the S in Manhattan. The S's trip computer, which I reset when I got the car, showed that I go 26.8 MPG in the 107 miles I drove the car. Subtracting the 72 miles where I measured the 33MPG means that I got 19 MPG during the other 35 miles which included driving on the streets of Manhattan and Brooklyn and going to some highway going from brooklyn to Manhattan.
I've always wondered if the addition of balance shafts may increase internal friction and inertia considerably compared to the 2.0L which lacks this feature.
I filled up yesterday and the result was 551.1 miles / 12.882 gallons for 42.78 mpg.
Still glad I chose the 2.0 L and I wish Mazda would offer the same powertrain in the Mazda 5, 3i and 3s series with a six-speed manual.
I'll also submit my opinion that the ~4 mpg difference you cited for highway mileage results between 3i and 3s models may in fact be greater in mixed-driving conditions. Based on what I've read those who own a 3i don't seem to suffer as great a drop in mpg as do most 3s owners in city driving conditions.
In any case, how the cars are driven has the greatest effect on fuel economy. I've read reports from 3i owners who say they don't top 20 mpg for city driving in winter conditions. Contrastingly, over 5+ years I've never calculated a tank average under 32 mpg in my car and these days it's very rare for me to have one come in under 37 mpg. However, I know full well this would not be the case if I drove the car more aggressively and if I didn't conciously avoid taking short trips in it as much as possible.
Best regards,
Shipo
Lately I've been trying to drive my MS3 is a somewhat more sedate manner(it's not easy, let me tell you :P ). In mostly suburban driving the car is getting 25-26 mpg. Not bad, especially in light of the available performance.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Can't say I'll be looking foreward to turning my "baby-ed" 3i over to her when (or if) the time comes. I can still remember the "joys" of teaching my wife how to drive a stick in my Toyota Celica not long after we got married! The feel and sound of my Celica's engine chugging in 5th gear after she turned off the highway and into her parents' driveway are with me still.
Obviously I agree that getting a 3i mtx's fuel economy to drop below 30 mpg is possible, but isn't likely to happen unless you're driving the car fairly hard or have been making a lot of short trips.
The training of novice drivers would also constitute "reasonable cause" as well.
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
Could it be because you bought the car used and it was abused early in its life? I'm always distrusting of used cars for that reason of the previous owner probably raping it and under-maintaining it at the same time.
As far as the Mazda3 is concerned, I've rented a few Automatic Mazda3 s models, and there is no question that my 2.0 liter 5-Speed is noticeably quicker. Geez, better power and better economy, what's not to like?
We've had windows fail, trim fall off, trim bubble and today my wife got home and told more lights had gone out (the car eats them - interior and exterior). Prior to October of 09 we mostly had trim issues with her Audi. Now mechanically, we're getting hit with bigger bills.
As for Miramar: they're like a luxury car dealership from another era - just slimy. They rarely fixed anything under warranty, always wanted to charge for the most niggling things and were awful to deal with every time we made an appointment. It's hard to imagine a dealership/manufacturer being much worse. After 7 years of dealing with Cunningham BMW (everything is just fixed and they're so awesome to deal with) and even the clowns at Brecht Mini going to Miramar is like visiting a third world country. When I was looking for a car we drove a Golf TDI at Miramar and while I liked the car my wife insisted we couldn't buy from them as you just leave their dealership "dirty." With Miramar off the list, finding another Golf TDI was tough and I felt uncomfortable going for yet another VW product.
In the end there's not really a good VW dealer in SD and only one Audi dealer; I got the Mazda3 (Hine of course) as my experience owning them has been pretty simple: they seem bulletproof compared to German cars. The car's solid. interior good enough. Chassis is great. Engine/tranny not so good - really archaic actually.
BTW, last fill-up: 21 mpg. 95% freeway this time. Checking the tire air pressure tomorrow.
My kids won't get a brand-new car when they start driving, but I will insist that they end up with a late-model vehicle that has good frontal and side crash ratings and at a minimum is equipped w/front and side airbags, ABS and ESC. Since my '05 3i lacks ABS, side air bags and ESC I doubt if I'll choose to turn it over to my daughter when the time comes even though it will be less than 10 years old by that time.
Saving a few $$ by turning over a vehicle that lacks most of the safety features required as standard equipment today to one of my kids would not be worth the risk to me.
I remember some of the things I did in my teens and early twenties while driving my '67 VW Beetle. I count myself lucky to have managed to survive all of them!
If I had to do most of my driving within a large metropolitan area I'd probably end up a hybrid, fully electric car or a conventional vehicle equipped with an automatic even though I realize driving one w/a manual would be more fuel efficient.
Thankfully, I live in a rural area and commute to an office located in the suburbs of another county. While I wish the commute was less (~27.5 miles one way), in general it's usually a fairly painless experience otherwise.
I prefer to concentrate on the safety of the driver rather than the car. My son will be attending the BMW Performance Center Two-Day Teen School as well as the Street Survival one day course. And, since I am a BMW CCA instructor for Street Survival as well as their other driving schools, my son will receive additional seat time under instruction. Even though my son is eight months away from receiving his learners permit, he is already being taught important concepts such as the friction circle, weight transfer, trailing throttle oversteer, threshold braking, situational awareness, and the principle of ocular driving. In my opinion, the biggest safety factor is the person behind the wheel.
My kids won't get a brand-new car when they start driving, but I will insist that they end up with a late-model vehicle that has good frontal and side crash ratings and at a minimum is equipped w/front and side airbags, ABS and ESC. Since my '05 3i lacks ABS, side air bags and ESC I doubt if I'll choose to turn it over to my daughter when the time comes even though it will be less than 10 years old by that time.
Wow, I guess I should ditch my 1995 Club Sport as well; it only has front airbags and ABS. And my 1999 Wrangler doesn't even have ABS! I'm driving my loved ones around in a couple of virtual death traps! I shudder at the thought...
Saving a few $$ by turning over a vehicle that lacks most of the safety features required as standard equipment today to one of my kids would not be worth the risk to me.
I'll tell you what, I'll give you my name and phone number to my local Social Services office. When I give my son the keys to the '02 you can call them and report me.
Deal?
:P
Mine: 1995 318ti Club Sport; 2020 C43; 2021 Sahara 4xe 1996 Speed Triple Challenge Cup Replica Wife's: 2015 X1 xDrive28i Son's: 2009 328i; 2018 330i xDrive
If my kids gets an 8 year old car he should thank his stars.