sean33

I just did a quick MPG test cause I hadn't in over a year. 27 MPG, nice!
1995 5spd with 140,000 miles.

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

I seriously doubt it.

THT

iTrader: (8)

So change it. It's not hard at all. $90-$120 for the part plus 45 minutes of your time (if you opt to take the IMs off).

ryant35

iTrader: (3)

Thats the only way to drive!

Bobo

If you want to lose your driver's licence!

nismos14

iTrader: (56)

Fine with me, at least I can get filled up from 340 miles fully on $30. How much $ does it take you to fill up after 340 miles?

With gas prices the way they are, I don't blame anyone who drives like a granny. What sense does it make to speed to work when all you're doing is burning away you're money on gas.

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

With gas headed up to the $3-3.50 range thanks to Katrina, I plan on driving less...but not necesarily slower.

Driving slowly here is an invitation for people to honk their horn at you!

Minimalmaxima

See that is what is confusing to me. Before Katrina, it kept being said that oil/gasoline prices were so high because of what's going on in the Middle East. That is supposed to be the main source of our oil. If that's true, then how in the world do some rigs getting damaged in the Gulf affect gas prices so greatly? If they have such a supposedly small impact on nation wide gasoline sales and consumption, why should a hurricane in the Gulf shoot prices up 70 cents in some places? Thank God for Costco, though. $2.79 a gallon last night when I saw $3.89 elsewhere. I think some gouging is going on. And who knows, Costco may rise more too. Sheesh. Can't afford to go anywhere.

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

"Profiteering anyone?" Better yet...how about "Corporate looting?"

Bobo

Not only has 20% or more of US oil and natural gas production been shut down as a result of the hurricane, but refinery capacity has been significantly curtailed. Even releasing oil from the Strategic Petroleum Reserves won't help immediately with the refineries curtailed. Consequently oil and gas prices will remain high for some time.

OPECs decision to increase oil production will have limited effect as well because they don't have the ability to increase production to that extent. They are simply trying to jawbone the price of oil down, or at least moderate the price rise.

Minimalmaxima

Yo dude, what size wheels and tires do you have in that pic?

THT

iTrader: (8)

225/45/17s

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

Time for another round of my handy-dandy gas mileage tips. CAUTION: some of these fly against the prevaling logic.

1. Accelerating too slowly from a dead stop can use more gas, not less. Think of a continuum from zero acceleration (idling) to maximum acceleration (WOT). Zero acceleration gives you zero gas mileage, so what makes people think that an acceleration rate of a few feet per second is the best way to save gas?

Since you use a lot of gas just to overcome gravity, zero inertia, and wind resistance, it seems to be that the longer it takes to do so, the more gas you would use. Accelerating at a moderately brisk pace and maintaining crusing speed is far better than driving like you're in a perpetual school zone with red lights at every stop.

2. According to auto experts, driving at a constant 45mph is the most efficient speed. If you accelerate so slowly as to never reach that speed, well...you get the idea. Finding roads where you can get to 45 moderately quickly and staying there is the key.

3. Replacing O2 sensors and knock sensors can increase your gas mileage by 10 percent, IF they really need to be replaced. Replacing them is not exactly cheap, and you may find that based on your present gas mileage and how much more you have to shell out for gas, if they ain't totally broke, don't replace them.

4. Experts recommend turning your engine off if you have to sit at idle for more than a minute. However, turning off your car in between driving short distances puts a lot of additional wear on your engine. Which is more important? Longevity of your car's engine and fewer repair bills, or slightly better mileage in the short run? I would only turn off my car if it has to sit totally at idle for more than two minutes. Plus, in stop-and-go traffic, I would never turn it off.

5. Experts recommend turning off your A/C when you are stopped. OK...maybe I'll do that in November. From what I have researched, the A/C at idle uses only 4% more fuel than having it off, and I would rather not sweat all over my lovely leather seats by keeping it on.

I have more tips, but I'll saved them for another thread.

PhillyDonut

iTrader: (3)

How about drafting at say 60mph... (not tailgating!)

Minimalmaxima

I wish drafting really worked. It would seem to me that you have to be up around 100+ before you could get the benefit of the draft without kissing someone's rear end. What do you think? If there is real data on this, I will tailgate anyone to save some gas. I've seen prices up to 4.50+. I filled up at Costco Wednesday night at 2.79 a gallon for premium, when I saw poor schmucks paying 3.89 even at the cheap gas stations. I'll look today to see if Costco has gone up as well.

Bobo

What about drafting behind an 18-wheeler? I know that drafting when riding a bicycle at a decent clip, works great.

Minimalmaxima

I don't know. I'd like to see how they look in a wind tunnel. In auto racing, when you're in the draft, you can feel your car begin to pull ahead a little bit when it's not encumbered by all of the drag, so the drivers say. I think what you feel when you get behind a tt is actually the turbulence caused by the wake of the tt. People say that you can let off the gas and you'll be pulled for a little while. I think maybe that you have to be real close to notice it, though. I think the real test would be to have someone do it for a couple hundred miles or so and then check their mileage at that point. I've done it for short periods before but I didn't really notice any difference. I want to try it a few more times when I build the nerve. I'm thinking that maybe you see the difference in the gas mileage moreso than you sense it when you're in the draft, that is, if it really works.

maxgtr2000

iTrader: (29)

From what I've heard, OPEC basically is putting out the same amount of oil as it did about 30 years ago, the have only increased slightly in the last year or so. This is not enough to keep up with the booming economy of most countries, especially since China has now come online. Supply is short, demand is high, the price will rise. We can get oil all day, but the refining is another story. There has not been a new refinery build in about 30 years. That with federal regulation and politics, notice there are no oil refineries near Florida. We really need to go nuclear all across the board if possible. They say necessity is the mother of invention, somebody better get to inventing.

AGRECORDS

it depends on how many people i smoke that week but i get a little over 300 with normal driving and 280-290 with a heavy foot all week (no ac when i drive i just dont use it) it slows my car down!!!

PhillyDonut

iTrader: (3)

I do not know if drafting actually works but it is a good idea not to be the leading car on the road. By leading you will get drag especially when there's strong wind going against you. You can feel this more if you drive a econobox or low power suv (i would imagine anything that has a high coefficient of drag) at highway speeds. Most importantly, it saves you from being the first to be hit by a radar gun...

rayhm

I get 36 mpg when use the cruise control

Bobo

I don't believe it! How many miles did you drive on the tank of gas, at what speed, and how many gallons did the trip require?

sean05

iTrader: (13)

:sigh: i dont know how you all get this insane mileage. Fight now i have 320 miles on the tank and its on EMPTY. And this is good for me. Im lucky to break 250 on a good week. Its about 20mpg

What can i do to get more mileage out of this sucker. Gas being the way it is i want all the mileage i can get. I run synethic oil, new bosch plugs (possibilty need changed)

What could i do to get more. I know it needs a new fuel filter and i might do that soon. Im pretty conserative with the pedal inless in challenged

NissanSE98

"I have a heavy right foot means".... your car gets sucky gas mileage and you dont want to admit it

Max5spdDrifter

I fill up at 3/4, which is about 310 miles, and I run over 350 if I use up the whole tank. I'm still wondering how some of you guys get such crazy mileage. The highest I ever recorded was 29 MPG with 1/3 city driving and 2/3 highway driving. I'm getting around 24~25 now with mostly city driving, which is upsetting, given that it costs me $3.50+/gallon to fill up in my area now.

Bobo

You shouldn't have to ask this given how long you have been a member of the .org and the number of posts you have. Your query is asked incessantly and you should know the answers.

For starters, get rid of the Bosch plugs and only use NGK laser platinums or V-power coppers.

What tire pressure do you run?

Change fuel filter ASAP. When was the last time the air filter was replaced?
What kind of synthetic oil are you using and weight thereof?

Have you ever used Chevron Techron?

Have you ever replaced your PCV valve?

Have you ever cleaned your throttle body and IACV valve?

Have you ever run Seafoam through your brake booster cable to help clean the intake manifold?

etc.etc. etc.

Minimalmaxima

36 mpg is quite unbelieveable. I think it's so unbelieveable as not to be true. A few possibilities: It was a typo and he meant 26 mpg, he didn't calculate correctly, he had topped off on his previous fillup and then he drove twenty miles and and decided to refuel and stopped pumping when the nozzle tripped and he got 36, or he's just plain lying. Makes me wonder if more posters on this thread don't have a penchant for sensationalism. I drove a Chevy Cavalier 500 miles last Wednesday and only got 30 mpg. Cruising non-stop nearly the whole way.

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

See my comment on why comparing gas mileage in city driving is a big waste of time:

http://forums.maxima.org/showthread....33#post4300533

99grnmaxgxe

iTrader: (11)

I have a 99 with about 77k on it, I get about 350 miles a tank on city driving.

Bobo

That is about bang on what I get with city driving for my 95SE, 5-speed.

Minimalmaxima

Link don't work, Bubba.

gassian

Thats about right i think...i get between 300 to 320 miles on full tank....
thats pretty much good mileage i think...

dr-rjp

iTrader: (4)

The Moderator might have pulled it. If so, I don't know why.

I simply made the statement that trying to compare city MPG among cars was a big waste of time because there are way too many variables involved.

Unlike highway MPG which is based on a single segment of time and distance at a constant speed on a consistent road surface (in most cases), in-town or city driving can be comprised of dozens, or maybe a hundred or more, segments of varying time, distance, speed, road surfaces, and periods of being idle.

Rather than posting what one's best mileage has been, I would like to see one report their highest and lowest MPG's along with the conditions under which they were obtained.

Bobo

The lowest I used to get commuting was 350 city miles driving fairly consistently, at speeds no greater than about 40 mph with lights and some stop and go. I have achieved 550 - 555 miles on the highway, three times, and consistently get 500 plus highway, no faster than 75 mph on cruise control, no AC. Both mileages are based on the tank pretty well on fumes. So from a low of about 19.5 miles to a US gallon commuting to a high of just over 31 miles to a US gallon.

I am presently getting about 26 mpg routinely with a combination of about 85% highway, no faster than 70, and 15% city, no faster than 45. This is with being fairly light on the throttle. My car is pretty well stock except for a K&N panel filter and a stainless steel Budget y-pipe. The Max is a 5-speed with 60,450 predominately highway miles on it. The OEM NGK platinum plugs, 15" sawblades and Goodyear Eagle RSAs have never been changed. The fuel filter has been replaced once and the PCV valve has never been replaced. The throttle body and IACV have never been cleaned.

I am presently using 90 octane, 10% ethanol gas, sold at 87 octane prices and the mileages in the first paragraph are based on mainly experience with 89 octane gas and sometimes 91/92.

deezo

iTrader: (3)

There are some people that are BSing big time. 36 mpg...