Ms3 Mpg

[camrycev6]

It isnt good science... Ill refill in the morning to check for real. But I divided 194 by 7.5 (more bad science) and only came up with 25.8 mpg anyway... Which is not to bad for stop and go... but for some reason I thought itr was 29.. using the guessing positive technique... hehe
Im going to do 4 on this gas and 4 on Sunoco and see if I see any difference.
Mike

I look forward to the results based on the 4 and 4 with actual miles driven divided by galllons (to the tenth please)... Record the tank for tank data please!

 

[BillTheCat]

http://fueleconomy.gov/

A friend of mine uses another site called "fuelly."

Been logging my fuel usage for quite some time now. You can just browse to see what real-world drivers are getting in nearly any make & model. And you can register, save your gas receipts, and track your mileage. I've had some insane variances between fill-ups, but the goofy ones are the 2-3 gallon top-offs where your "average mpg" is bound to be skewed.

EPA estimates 18/25 for the '09 MS3. I have managed to average 24 overall, which includes spirited driving on a fairly regular basis and A/C on most of the time. (FL living requires A/C) My daily commute is about 70/30 highway/city. Also one road trip to NC in there.

If I discount fill-ups of less than 8 gallons, my worst tank was 20.7 and my best was 30.0 in pure highway driving. On my daily commute, the best I've averaged for a tank is 25.6. I did hit 18.2 on 2.3 gallons while driving the Dragon in NC, and 38.6 on 2.5 gallons on a pure highway leg returning from NC. (I only filled up because others in my caravan had forgotten to do so before we left & needed to stop after less than 100 miles)

 

[camrycev6]

http://fueleconomy.gov/

A friend of mine uses another site called "fuelly."

Been logging my fuel usage for quite some time now. You can just browse to see what real-world drivers are getting in nearly any make & model. And you can register, save your gas receipts, and track your mileage. I've had some insane variances between fill-ups, but the goofy ones are the 2-3 gallon top-offs where your "average mpg" is bound to be skewed.

EPA estimates 18/25 for the '09 MS3. I have managed to average 24 overall, which includes spirited driving on a fairly regular basis and A/C on most of the time. (FL living requires A/C) My daily commute is about 70/30 highway/city. Also one road trip to NC in there.

If I discount fill-ups of less than 8 gallons, my worst tank was 20.7 and my best was 30.0 in pure highway driving. On my daily commute, the best I've averaged for a tank is 25.6. I did hit 18.2 on 2.3 gallons while driving the Dragon in NC, and 38.6 on 2.5 gallons on a pure highway leg returning from NC. (I only filled up because others in my caravan had forgotten to do so before we left & needed to stop after less than 100 miles)

That is all good... but I think the main issue here was different gas company comparison. You would have a variance with any company when you drive a lot of different routes / different weather conditions, etc. So we are trying to limit the variables, and stick with just changing the source of the gas itself.

 

[djthom]

One factor that was missed when calling out all the bad science is the fill level for each fill up is not consistent unless measured. different conditions (longer nozzles, gas sloshing around, etc can contribute to going over or under the fill line making each fill up inconsistent lending to variation in you MPG calculations.

need to limit the variables:
add the exact same amount of gas each fill
same driving conditions
etc...

 

[detonnation]

OK So I refilled did the calculations and got 26.2 mpg in stop go driving with the main routed being the LIE and Southern State Parkway in NY. Which means if you are lucky youll get a half mile of 60mph driving before stopping again. 3 more and Ill go to Sunoco... I guess that s pretty much average so far..

 

[camrycev6]

One factor that was missed when calling out all the bad science is the fill level for each fill up is not consistent unless measured. different conditions (longer nozzles, gas sloshing around, etc can contribute to going over or under the fill line making each fill up inconsistent lending to variation in you MPG calculations.

need to limit the variables:
add the exact same amount of gas each fill
same driving conditions
etc...

I hear what you are saying...however, how much does this affect the results? Putting it another way, do you know how much difference in gas this can result in? I know when I fill my tank and the lever clicks, I always wait a moment, and top it off a little more ensuring the tank is full. So are we talking about 1/10th of a gallon? Less? More? I can't imagine it would be more than a 1/5th or so. (That is quite a bit of fuel.) So let's try this:

12.2 gallons (Recorded) versus 12.0 gallons (Actual)

300 miles (hypothetical) / 12.2 = 24.5 MPG
300 miles / 12 = 25 MPG.

So under what I would think would be a worse case condition, we are looking at about an error of 0.5 MPG. That shouldn't effect this test too much considering the claims of 4+ MPG difference with specific gas vendors.

However, your point is certainly valid. I think by carefully filling the tank and "topping" it off, this factor can be minimized.

 

[camrycev6]

OK So I refilled did the calculations and got 26.2 mpg in stop go driving with the main routed being the LIE and Southern State Parkway in NY. Which means if you are lucky youll get a half mile of 60mph driving before stopping again. 3 more and Ill go to Sunoco... I guess that s pretty much average so far..

Good to hear... looking forward to more data.

 

[ChrisG]

I'm not nearly as focused on this as some other posters here, but one (predictable) factor I've noticed is the warmer temps of late, here in the NE, producing better mileage for me.

 

[whteltning]

well I just filled up my first tank since the dealer filled it today. I went to Chevron and ended up putting in 13.025 Gallons (my light went on earlier last night but i still drove to and from work today). The ugliest part was the mileage on the trip meter...221.1, which after calculations means I only got 16.975 mpg.

Granted, I was probably driving a little too spirited as this was an exciting first week of owning the car. I'll try and tone it down a bit for this next tank, maybe put it into sixth more often (anything over 45 mph?)

 

[camrycev6]

16.9? Wow... I think the lowest I have ever recorded was 19.4 -- and that was non-stop dogging of every gear. Even when I drive "hard" I never get less than 21 anymore. 23 is pretty average for me...and I don't baby the car at all. I didn't buy a Speed3 just to milk the gas mileage!

...and yes... over 45, I use 6th gear. The car has plenty of torque to handle 6th at 45.

 

[ohioan]

http://wiki.answers.com/Q/What_gas_stations_sell_american_gas

go to this link, read the article and then decide what kinda gas you should get.

I think that's pretty funny.... All the foreign oil is the better stuff! I've had my check engine lights come on in two previous cars from sunoco and bp. Not a single problem from any of the foreign oil gas stations.

And to cut out "free gas" from giant eagle??? never going to happen.

 

[camrycev6]

I think that's pretty funny.... All the foreign oil is the better stuff! I've had my check engine lights come on in two previous cars from sunoco and bp. Not a single problem from any of the foreign oil gas stations.

And to cut out "free gas" from giant eagle??? never going to happen.

Hold the phone. Are you saying that using Sunoco and BP gas caused your check engine light to come on? Did you get any proof of that? I have been using BP gas for YEARS in my cars. 93 in a S/C G35, 93 in a S/C Camry, and 93 in my MS3 and have never had an issue.

Without some hard core related data, how can you conclude that the gas caused you to have a check engine light? Not calling you a liar at all... I just find that extreme claims require extreme evidence.

 

[mazdaspeed562]

i get around 240 to a tank mostly all highway driving, I use 93 octane and really dont think i drive it that hard. i have owned the car for 8 weeks now and have to get higher than 265 out of a fill up gas light to gas light

 

[ohioan]

Hold the phone. Are you saying that using Sunoco and BP gas caused your check engine light to come on? Did you get any proof of that? I have been using BP gas for YEARS in my cars. 93 in a S/C G35, 93 in a S/C Camry, and 93 in my MS3 and have never had an issue.

Without some hard core related data, how can you conclude that the gas caused you to have a check engine light? Not calling you a liar at all... I just find that extreme claims require extreme evidence.

Well, not really sure how to prove the extreme... Just saying that I used (i think) like speedway gas, and citgo for awhile and went to bp once and the light came on. Girlfriend at the time had the same thing happen. Just assuming it was the gas. Don't know if the fact that it was regular it made a difference, but the check engine light came on in three different cars from bp (this was years ago, so not on the ms3 before anyone asks)

 

[ohioan]

Oh, cars where a 99 taurus, 91 corsica, and a 99 accord. Or maybe it was the 95 contour... Don't really remember.

Ok, so if I use b.p. and the light comes on, I'm coming after you!

 

[whteltning]

Will somebody tell me what the hell I'm doing wrong?? I'm on my second tank of gas (1st was dealer, 2nd I bought at chevron, 91 octane), and my fuel light just came on on the way home, at 207 miles on the dot. People are claiming 265 to the tank. Maybe I'm getting her into boost too often? I'm not sure whats going on but ppl say they drive hard and still get good mileage...

I'll let you know my mpg when I fill up tomorrow!

 

[02ge]

on mine depends on the octane and brand. I Get about 370 miles/tank on 87 and 410miles/tank on 93.
*(I have no mods on the engine yet)

 

[camrycev6]

Oh, cars where a 99 taurus, 91 corsica, and a 99 accord. Or maybe it was the 95 contour... Don't really remember.

Ok, so if I use b.p. and the light comes on, I'm coming after you!

Fair enough! I guess it is hard to say what the heck happened that long ago.

 

[camrycev6]

Will somebody tell me what the hell I'm doing wrong?? I'm on my second tank of gas (1st was dealer, 2nd I bought at chevron, 91 octane), and my fuel light just came on on the way home, at 207 miles on the dot. People are claiming 265 to the tank. Maybe I'm getting her into boost too often? I'm not sure whats going on but ppl say they drive hard and still get good mileage...

I'll let you know my mpg when I fill up tomorrow!

I can run mine to death on every gear and still get about 250 a tank (20 MPG). That is assuming I fill up with about 12.5 gallons. The fuel light is on at that point, but the tank isn't completely empty. If you are putting in 12 gallons at 207 miles, that is only 17.25 MPG. I drive about 60% HWY and 40% City....

Are you all city driving? A lot of starts and stops? That is the only thing I can think of. If you are driving almost all city and you are running it hard, that might explain it.

 

[tozfeekum]

Will somebody tell me what the hell I'm doing wrong?? I'm on my second tank of gas (1st was dealer, 2nd I bought at chevron, 91 octane), and my fuel light just came on on the way home, at 207 miles on the dot. People are claiming 265 to the tank. Maybe I'm getting her into boost too often? I'm not sure whats going on but ppl say they drive hard and still get good mileage...

I'll let you know my mpg when I fill up tomorrow!

had the same question about 2 weeks back, the MPG's improve drastically after break-in.