something is wrong, by car eats too much gas

[tttP5]

something is seriously wrong with my car,
this time I got 22mpg and last time I got 25mpg.. i can't get close to what other ppl say they get which is 28mpg.. damn I get even worse mileage than ppl with the MSP..

is there anything mechanically that could cause this problem? I do not drive hard. just around 3-4k shifting.... plus I do rev on the downshift, (could this be why?)

our sticker says 25mpg city/ 31mpg highway.

I'm 160lbs so I don't think weight should be a factor..

 

[TheMAN]

cali gas sucks, takes more to burn the same

stop shifting so high, shift at 2500 and you'll get the mileage you want

 

[leungwingkei]

Did you get your PCM flashed to take care of the cold engine rattle?

I did last week, and the fuel economy has gone apeshit.

TheMAN, do you know whether the PCM flash has a negative effect on fuel economy?

 

[erockp5]

I posted something on this earlier but even your owners manual can give you good tips on driving. They recommend shift points for manuals and driving style. There was a post from an LA p5 owner that will tell it all:

http://www.mazdamp3.com/vbb230/showthread.php?s=&threadid=33913&highlight=gas+mileage

He claims to be getting 31.5mpg so he should know.

I live in northern ca and have gotten as high as 37mpg and average 30mpg so moderate driving is probably the key to better mileage.

If you have to use the brakes to slow down you are driving too fast. Letting off the gas and or downshifting should be all you need to slow down. Brakes should be used to stop. Well that's my 2cents.

 

[IchBinEinMP5]

To each his own but... I like fun cars. Fun cars like gas a little more than the regular cars. Really fun cars really like the gas. If I made myself drive like others are detailing here(for mileage sake), I don't think I would want to drive anymore... would be too boring. Besides, it is easy to have fun and get 25-27mpg, there is to much effort and restraint involved in getting better than that.

My problem:

I have a 45min drive to work, all back roads that twist, turn, climb, and fall almost the whole way. No matter how I feel when I leave, I feel good when I get there. No matter how I drive to start, I always end up giving it 8-9/10ths...

 

[loccusst]

I was thinking the same thing about my car and then found out that the ac is on when you select the defrost, defrost floor and floor. I was leaving it on defrost and was sucking gas without knowing it.