500 miles on 15 gallons of gas equals 33.3333 mpg. That isn't hard to do, however I wouldn't try to run my tank dry. We recently made a round trip from NC to CO and back to NC covering over 4,000 miles. The car is a 2008.5 Mazda 3 TR VE automatic with 2 liter engine. I kept records of my fuel purchases and and recorded the trip odometer readings for each fuel purchase, I totaled the miles driven and divided by total fuel purchased, we averaged around 34+ mpg for the entire trip. No special effort was made to conserve fuel other than not exceeding posted limits by more than 5 mph.
Going far on a tank of gas
- Thread starter ehidle
- Start date
It is hard to do when 1/2 the tank is spent on in-town driving. Also, I am pretty sure I got more gas in it on this fillup since I have been 100 miles and the needle is just now at the F mark. I think it's probably I did 500 miles on something more like 14.5, but I won't ever know for sure. There is unfortunately no way to know exactly how much fuel was required for a particular interval.
skylar2ups
Member
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- 2011 Mazda3 iSport
The rest of us think you did a great job!
Casey Grubbs
Member
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- 1993 Mazda MX-3
My MX3 get bad gas mileage and I dont know why and I have the 1.6
skylar2ups
Member
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- 2011 Mazda3 iSport
My Turbo PT Cruiser got at the high end 19 MPG no matter how I drove and it took premium gas!
I about shot myself a couple times!
Haha... ok.. How much did it hold? You only needed 70 more miles. If you had more than about 2.5 gallons left, I think you could have done it!
What happens is there are small amounts of other molecules in gas that, over time collect and become larger molecules and sink to the bottom of the tank sentiment. As you use the gas, the concentration becomes greater and the sentiment starts to flow through the fuel filter and the filter cleans the gas but there is a possibility that the filter becomes clogged or at its worst, tear, causing damage to the engine. It’s not a good thing, and that's why I always fill up at 1/4 tank.
gettingspeedy
Member
please!
i got 590 on a tank once
2.0 5speed
from mooresville NC to Paducah KY on 12 gallons.
of couse i drove about 45mph the whole way drafting behind the u-haul my dad was pulling with my truck, he is one of the slowest drivers in the entire world.
and anyone wondering that's approx 49mpg
call me a liar, i left with a full tank, didnt fill up till i got to paducah, and put just over 12 gallons in it...12.2
i got 590 on a tank once
2.0 5speed
from mooresville NC to Paducah KY on 12 gallons.
of couse i drove about 45mph the whole way drafting behind the u-haul my dad was pulling with my truck, he is one of the slowest drivers in the entire world.
and anyone wondering that's approx 49mpg
call me a liar, i left with a full tank, didnt fill up till i got to paducah, and put just over 12 gallons in it...12.2
skylar2ups
Member
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- 2011 Mazda3 iSport
He wasn't just driving on the interstate though he was driving in his everyday life so all of you haters can stop trying to one up him and just see that he was trying to prove the 3 can get better millage then a Civic or Corola.
gettingspeedy
Member
im not trying to hate, he asked someone to try and better him....im not sayin im better, just sayin what i got.
im sure that the fact i have the amish version (no power anything) the weight reduction of not having power stuff helps too
im sure that the fact i have the amish version (no power anything) the weight reduction of not having power stuff helps too
skylar2ups
Member
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- 2011 Mazda3 iSport
Yes but he meant in everyday driving not all highway and you sounded smug in your first post.
You can do it - you just have to get the gas all the way full, as in to the top of the filler. Then, you have to drive like grandma - accelerate as slowly as possible, as this is where cars waste most of their gas.
Update - the fuel light came on at 450 miles, and it's just one tick above E. I know I have about 50 miles left when the light comes on, so man is this ever going to be CLOSE!
I've been shifting at 1800-2000 RPM and just accelerating as slowly as the horn-honkers behind me will permit.
edit: If you have a vacuum gauge, you can set yourself a "do not exceed" point and that will save you a TON of money on gas.
Just a FYI. On newer cars, such as yours they have a vapor recovery system. If you top it off (e.g. fill it past where it clicks the first time) you can actually fill up the evap canister and cause problems with filling up (it will stop every few cents like its full).
Just something to consider if your topping it off.
on a side note, if your 1/4 tank and under is anyhting like mine you can almost watch the needle go down in real time lol
xpretttyinpiink
Member
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- 2009 Mazda 3 i touring
Ha. I live in Mass, and everyone drives like an asshole, and I must admit, I'm one of them. I only get about 300 miles to a tank.. Usually a lil over, but wtf.. You people must drive like saints!
