Anyway to make the MS3 more economical?

[IrishMidak]

Wow, this topic snowballed way the hell outside the topic. Again, question is how do I make the car more economical, not my driving style. For the idiot who said I cant afford it, I can. Its not about the extra .05 per gallon, its the $1.50 more per gallon since I got the car a year ago and the $1.50 more we will be paying by next year so I am talking about the $3 extra per gallon I will be paying since I got the car. Now, at 20k miles average per year for me, increasing my mileage an extra 5 miles per gallon adds up. That, and I am sick and tired of paying these liars and thieves what they claim gas costs. Seems no one has any real answers here so I'm done with this one.

 

[nate0123]

Wow, this topic snowballed way the hell outside the topic. Again, question is how do I make the car more economical, not my driving style. For the idiot who said I cant afford it, I can. Its not about the extra .05 per gallon, its the $1.50 more per gallon since I got the car a year ago and the $1.50 more we will be paying by next year so I am talking about the $3 extra per gallon I will be paying since I got the car. Now, at 20k miles average per year for me, increasing my mileage an extra 5 miles per gallon adds up. That, and I am sick and tired of paying these liars and thieves what they claim gas costs. Seems no one has any real answers here so I'm done with this one.

If you're not willing to change your driving style, there is nothing that can be done. You can buy a 1.5l civic, drive it like an ass, and get 22 mpg.

 

[Sacrilicious]

If you're not willing to change your driving style, there is nothing that can be done. You can buy a 1.5l civic, drive it like an ass, and get 22 mpg.

i think that he just didn't read all our posts carefully enough and got carried away with a few that he took personally.

bottom line:

1. keep light on the throttle.
2. don't try to accelerate when you're not in the car's power band.
3. stay in the highest gear possible while still following 1. and 2.

read back if you need clarifications on any of these points.

 

[builthatch]

Wow, this topic snowballed way the hell outside the topic. Again, question is how do I make the car more economical, not my driving style. For the idiot who said I cant afford it, I can. Its not about the extra .05 per gallon, its the $1.50 more per gallon since I got the car a year ago and the $1.50 more we will be paying by next year so I am talking about the $3 extra per gallon I will be paying since I got the car. Now, at 20k miles average per year for me, increasing my mileage an extra 5 miles per gallon adds up. That, and I am sick and tired of paying these liars and thieves what they claim gas costs. Seems no one has any real answers here so I'm done with this one.

it's probably that there are no "real" answers; anything you do to the car to physically modify it for economy will cost too much money to genuinely offset even these $3 price increases you are predicting, let alone more realistic total increases of half that. the only real variable here is driving style, hence why i mentioned it and why it's been mentioned so many times.

Also, I used the 30 cents increase as an example for me because that is the average increase i've seen in the 4 months i've had the car, and also that is the average difference between 87 and 93- so the math for the price difference is the same for anyone who mentions using regular instead of premium.

honestly, if you buy a car that requires premium, makes alot of power, and you drive 20k a year...this is what happens; it's a perfect case of the old addage "you have to pay to play". if you can afford it like you say, don't worry about it because there is nothing you can do. you can't help the fuel costs and you can't change the fact that the car is what it is. if you can't handle the prices, and you truly believe fuel is going to go up a total of $3 from how much it was when you got the car, then this car is not the right match for you.

PS- i am pretty careful with my money, and i have a high appreciation for what it takes to earn it. i don't necessarily waste money, but i do know when it's appropriate to spend it. When i buy a lawnmower, i get the one that will last me forever, a Honda. i understand if that expense is truly worth it. do you know i don't even look at the gas prices when i pull into the station? I just filled up yesterday, i can't even tell you what it was per gallon. there is no psychology behind that, and it's not me trying to fool myself, all i know is it cost me about $45 to put fuel in the tank and that is what i needed to do to enjoy the car and get around. cars are supposed to be fun and they are if you prioritize and don't dwell on the uncontrollable or inevitable. i have never, ever complained ONCE about gas prices because if i realize if i am essentially wasting money on one thing in my life, and it's the thing that lets me enjoy my car like i do, i'm doing pretty well.

 

[lestat13]

if i am essentially wasting money on one thing in my life, and it's the thing that lets me enjoy my car like i do, i'm doing pretty well.

well said!! (friday)

even though I do worry about gas, a simple statement like that really puts life in perspective. forget about gas prices a minute and enjoy the car. i love driving around, music up, windows down, and enjoying life. all my worries and bills go away when i'm driving. if you love the car, the gas prices are worth it!!(iagree)

 

[clos561]

+1

yes, i do enjoy doing just that, because it teaches me way more than just how to save gas. simply observing the MAP under varying throttle pressures, loads, etc. can teach you a lot about how your car's ECU commands the engine. to take things farther, this is the main reason people get the Dash Hawk: to log and observe how the ECU responds to a variety of parameters.

as anal and overly-analytical as it may sound, these are the kind of things that people do to teach themselves how to tune and tweak their engines.

Sacrilicious FTW!

 

[MS3077]

Sacrilicious FTW!

Being anal FTL!!!!!!!!!

 

[Sacrilicious]

Being anal FTL!!!!!!!!!

dude, you're in a car enthusiasts forum where people are willing to spend days of their free time and pay $2k+ to mod, tune, and tweak their cars for an extra 40whp...what's wrong with being anal and overly-analytical? (dunno)

 

[MS3077]

dude, you're in a car enthusiasts forum where people are willing to spend days of their free time and pay $2k+ to mod, tune, and tweak their cars for an extra 40whp...what's wrong with being anal and overly-analytical? (dunno)

I like cars just as much as the next guy but I leave the "tuning" to the people that get paid for it. I mean I'll read up on s***, etc but I don't like to get too deep into it as it gives me a headache. Now if I was getting paid to be anal no problem. I'll invest in my car but the only thing I'll actually touch with it is bolt-on's.. If you are a "tuner" I suppose that would be a different story. Maybe you could make a "tech" thread and talk about technical stuff. I bet you would really enjoy that.

 

[MS3077]

I gotta get back to work (inout)

 

[Sacrilicious]

I like cars just as much as the next guy but I leave the "tuning" to the people that get paid for it. I mean I'll read up on s***, etc but I don't like to get too deep into it as it gives me a headache. Now if I was getting paid to be anal no problem. I'll invest in my car but the only thing I'll actually touch with it is bolt-on's.. If you are a "tuner" I suppose that would be a different story. Maybe you could make a "tech" thread and talk about technical stuff. I bet you would really enjoy that.

naw, i'm not a tuner, but i am an engineer, so whether i actually go crazy tuning is completely secondary...i just want to take things apart and figure out how they tick...

 

[haberdashery]

very well said builthatch. this car is a bit of a stretch for me to afford, but i am willing to take that into consideration and i am becoming increasingly careful about my money spending, keeping in mind that i work my ass off for it. pack a lunch for work rather than going out, clip coupons, hell anything that helps every little bit, and dont worry about the extra 3$ you're paying to fill up your tank with 91 octane as opposed to 93 octane. trading your ms3 in for a honda fit will end up being far more expensive than the difference in gas, considering the depreciation as well as the saturation of the market on the selling/trading of your car now.

im coming from a regular mazda3 to a mazdaspeed3 here, the mazda3 gets better gas mileage i guess, but nothing substantial. im in the opposite standpoint as you, i want to get a fun, gas guzzling (if you choose to floor it everywhere) forced induction car that i can enjoy, because if i dont now, im going to be pissed if/when we're all forced out of our cars and into ******* prius' or something to save fuel.

 

[builthatch]

naw, i'm not a tuner, but i am an engineer, so whether i actually go crazy tuning is completely secondary...i just want to take things apart and figure out how they tick...

hey- i agree with you here; there is nothing wrong with being informed, and satiating curiosity. i, like you, love technical stuff and mechanical technology, from cold war era jets to mazda DISI engines. the more you know, the better you feel as you walk around this constantly evolving world. It's nice to get your car tuned or install a part and actually know what it does and how/why...

that said, no offense, but i am not sure (where) MS077 is coming from with the last post he issued (dunno). why bash someone for explaining technical nuances? If people like Sacrilicious weren't around, we'd be stuck driving stock vehicles around, moreover, you can bet they would have holes through the floor for foot power

 

[mckraut]

that said, no offense, but i am not sure MS077 is coming from with the last post he issued (dunno). why bash someone for explaining technical nuances?

Read some of his other posts, he's a forum troll always looking to get a bash, insult or smart ass comment in.

 

[yashart_mp3]

I also think these numbers are off. I'm averaging close to 30 mpg with mine, 60% HWY / 40% City. That combined with your trip computer being THAT far off sounds fishy to me.

I almost hate to ask, but are you sure you're calculating correctly?

At your next fill up, reset the trip odometer. Burn up as much of that tank full as you can (at least 3/4). At the next fill up divide the number of miles on the trip odometer by the gallons required to fill it back up, and that's your MPG. Do this about 3-5 times to get your real average MPG. The closer you get to an empty tank when calculating, the more accurate it'll be. There are a lot of minor errors in this and by calculating over a longer span, it helps to negate the errors versus calculating when you still have 3/4 tank left.

Yup, I was calculating it correctly. I always drive until the light comes on (~2gal left). Unless I have forgotten how to divide, the numbers always come out around 20-21, with conservative driving.

My only other guess is that the people who are getting 28+mpg must be in areas with warmer weather. We're just starting to break 60* here, and that seems to be helping somewhat.

Also, call me retarded if you like, but by logic there really isn't any reason to "calculate" what kind of MPG you are getting (in my case anyway). I fill up the tank everytime I get gas... I pull into the gas station when the light is on. Simply looking at the trip odometer will tell you how far you've gone on that last tank of gas. Of course you could inflate the numbers by driving up and down the road, in circles to increase that number, but generally speaking, its usually going to be around the same number ~ 240-280.

 

[MS3077]

hey- i agree with you here; there is nothing wrong with being informed, and satiating curiosity. i, like you, love technical stuff and mechanical technology, from cold war era jets to mazda DISI engines. the more you know, the better you feel as you walk around this constantly evolving world. It's nice to get your car tuned or install a part and actually know what it does and how/why...

that said, no offense, but i am not sure (where) MS077 is coming from with the last post he issued (dunno). why bash someone for explaining technical nuances? If people like Sacrilicious weren't around, we'd be stuck driving stock vehicles around, moreover, you can bet they would have holes through the floor for foot power

Ha-ha! I wasn't trying to "bash" anybody. I just simply think that said dude is getting in a little too deep for the avgerage person on this forum. I don't doubt that some of you have a vast array of knowledge but I would only take what you say with a very small grain of salt. If I really wanted to learn about different technologies, etc I would go to school for it and or read up on a more reliable source than a public forum as would must others I'm sure.

 

[Sacrilicious]

honestly, you'd be surprised how much you can learn from public forums like this. as with life, learning about car modding/tuning is an exercise in learning how to filter the things you read using your own logic and independent research. ya, some of the stuff you pick up will be bogus claims like "OH CRAP I JUST GOT 20WHP FROM A COFFEE CAN I BOLTED ONTO MY TAILPIPE! (eek2)", but there will be plenty of other things that actually make a lot of sense and will help you figure out a lot of the details on your own.

i take some of the facts posted on here (and other public forums) seriously because i enjoy the challenge of the learning experience...that and i love tinkering... also, bulls*** filtering is a very useful skill in many other parts of life. it never hurts to be creative with how you learn from things...=d

 

[FrancoNemo]

i have the solution! for those who want to save money on gas!!!
lets trade! lol i couldnt get the speed3 bc i didnt have enough for down payment! lol soo even trade anyone!? lol
look at the bright side pump 87. cheaper insurance. safer (bc u wont go fast lol). and u still have the comfort and nice looks or the 3!!
anyone?
lmao

 

[tripledigits]

Coasting in neutral is not the way to save fuel. When the car is at idle throttle in gear (no load), the fuel shuts off completely. When the car is idling in neutral, it's burning about .25 gallons per hour, according to my ScanGauge. This is common to most newer cars.

 

[Sacrilicious]

Coasting in neutral is not the way to save fuel. When the car is at idle throttle in gear (no load), the fuel shuts off completely. When the car is idling in neutral, it's burning about .25 gallons per hour, according to my ScanGauge. This is common to most newer cars.

yup...i always thought this was the case, and i just confirmed it recently with my shiny new dash hawk...engine braking 4tw!