MPG terrible?

[idrift4wd]

from filling up the last time i got around 210 miles from a little past full to the 2nd to last line on the fuel gauge.

which probably will give me another 20-30 miles to empty. basically equaling around 230-240 miles per tank.

calculates to 16-17(14.5 gallon tank) miles per gallon.

which.... REALLY SUCKS!

i dont run my car really hard. but my brothers wrx gets better mpg.

something wrong or my driving?

 

[Flash5]

wow thats low, unless you gun it everywhere u go, id say somethings off with your car

 

[2000VRsex]

damn thats like wha i get with a half a tank...and even if you gunned it everywhere I dont think it would be that bad...I'm new to mazdas but with all my other cars I would do a little tune up (they never get good mpg anyways b/c their 6 cyl) id clean out my air filter,check plugs n wires (correct gap), oil change, cooling flush, clean injectors, maybe fuel treatment, seafoam. those are really some small things but all together it may help a bit, anything that makes the engine hesitate will use more gas....and not to sure because i always had a timing chain but check ur timing.. might have missed something but its a start

 

[Tasty]

I second 2000's post. Try the easy stuff first. Plugs, wires, filters, change oil, clean EGR, etc. See what happens...

 

[fivefootsix]

how many miles on the motor?

 

[Not Jo3L]

sounds like me 255 miles to the tank on my sedan

 

[2000VRsex]

let us know if that helped or if you figrued out the problem.

 

[njaremka]

you're calculating your MPG wrong.

you have to fill up your tank - fill it right up. reset your trip meter. drive around till you need to fill up again. fill the tank up, right up, just like you did the first time. now, divide the miles on your trip meter by how many gallons it took to fill your tank. that will give you your MPG.

when i do that, i get between 30-34 mpg on average. sometimes a few points lower, and on long road trips, a few points higher.

 

[ProtegePower]

What the size of our tanks, like 14.5 gallons? When I let it go waaaaay low, I can sometimes brim it up to about 14.2 gallons on the pump.

 

[njaremka]

yeah, but the 14.5 capacity does not include any of the filler tube and whatever.

 

[idrift4wd]

hey. i probably need a good tune up i have around 55k on odo

from full to the yellow light and some i got around 240ish so from yellow light to completely empty still wouldn't calculate anywhere near manufacture advertised mpg.

at best would be around 19-20. which i think i should get more. at least 24. : /

maybe crappy gas? i fill up with getty gas

 

[Tom03es]

You wouldn't happen to have an auto, would you? That can explain some of that crappiness- but not all of it. My typical tank average is about 25 mpgs with my auto and mixed city/highway.

 

[Magus]

Having an auto does not equal crappy gas mileage. I just got 30.1 mpg yesterday. I would point out I think the CAI, front motor mount, and UR UDP help. Of course the simple things like air filter, spark plug, oil change, auto fluid change, coolant flush, and tire psi have a lot of influence on mpg as well. Heck, different gas stations even have an effect. I can tell how the mpg is when you get gas that is different. I have been using Shell a lot lately. I have not looked, but it might be because they do not put ethanol in the gas. If you are good on all these fronts, I would have the compression tested. For reference:

-340 miles when yellow light came on
-380 miles when I filled up with 12.609 gallons
-36 psi BF Goodrich Traction T/A 205/50-16

 

[ProtegePower]

yeah, but the 14.5 capacity does not include any of the filler tube and whatever.

haha yeah, i always take advantage of the filler tube

 

[joneb4evr]

that's not good is it? aren't you supposed to stop filling once the gas clicks off so you can have that vapor pocket?

 

[njaremka]

for what? i've always "topped" up my tank to the next full dollar amount.

 

[bpoche]

455 miles on 13.5 gallons of gas=33.7 MPG 4 me 2003 P5 60000 miles.

 

[kidtaurus]

25 mpg for my 03 P5 ~23k on the odo with mostly city driving

 

[idrift4wd]

455 miles on 13.5 gallons of gas=33.7 MPG 4 me 2003 P5 60000 miles.

whoa....

yes i have an auto. mine is an 03 and i use tiptronic (90%of the time). and im not a noob at it. i use tiptronic like the car is in regular automatic(shifting before or around 3K). i also downshift to help me brake.(every gear 2nd and above. i down shift at 2K to the lower gear.)

im guessing all these would equate my terrible mpg?

 

[Tom03es]

when I use triptronic, and let the revs out, I typically get a little better mileage. But I don't use it much because I don't have ABS- if you have it in triptronic mode and are going fast (say 4th gear speeds) but then have to hit the brakes hard and initiate lock up, the transmission will think the car has stopped and shift into first. If you then let off the brake and you are still going faster than first gear is capable........... I found this out while on an icy bridge so there wasn't any damage.