I feel like my MPG is really low. I've done everything I can think of to improve it and nothing works!

I get about 250 miles to my tank, at about 16.5 gallons. That's like just over 15 MPG - that sucks!

I have a 98 SE Automatic with 85k miles. O2 sensors are good, Brand new knock sensor, Mobil one oil, great tires/pressure, new fuel filter, had carbon cleaned out of intake and EGR, fuel injectors clean.

I just don't know what else to do, I'm so pissed!

 

Drive slower.

I get 24MPG average and as high as 30 on highway trips.

 

i got a 95 se auto with 173k miles on it
i get 300 highway/city miles from one tank; dats like 18 mpg
i always thought that was low too so if anybody has any solutions let us know

 

On long highway trips, my car gets about 28 mpg, that works out to a range of about 450 miles per tank. Around town, the mpg is not nearly so good, approx 20 mpg. For the size car it is, with a 3.0 liter V6 and manual trans, it seems pretty reasonable.

 

I don't drive that fast - not fast enough to make a 10 MPG difference anyway.

 

I almost never get above 2500rpms in daily driving.

 

im getting about 18mpg, but thats with very little highway driving. on the highways my car does fine on long trips so i just think its the fact i live in a congested town and most of my driving is done on regular roads and not highways.

 

Cool. Well I guess I'll just have to try and take it as easy as possible on the gas pedal and see how that works out.

 

that's not bad
i get about 200 max on a tank

 

Yeah I get about 24/25mpg w/ a manual, mostly city but some highway driving. On highway, I can get about 29mpg. I use Mobil1 premium fuel only. Driving really fast could not be the only problem. Fuel filter, injectors, plugs, etc. the list goes on forever could have slight probs. Your mpg going down w/ same driving habits is sometimes a sign that there is some small mechanical problem w/ your car. (Don't get me wrong, not always by any means)

 

yea i get about 340 miles a tank, thats mostly city driving but on the weekends i go to my other job and have to use the highway. but it still only comes out to 340 miles a tank and i never floor it or rave anyone or use the ac. i have done a complete tune up and thats what i get. kinda sucks if u ask me. these cars should get a lot better. oh by the way my car has 90k on it

 

damn thats good

 

Hey i get 17 MPG clean filter/new oil

 

not so bad

 

filled up the other day and reset the trip. now the tank is a 3/4 full and the trip says 142. is that too much or avg?

 

You cannot judge mileage by the guage - it is non-linear...

1. fill up the tank (let it shut off automatically - don't top off the tank)
2. reset your trip odometer
3. drive around
4. when you have a 1/4 tank or so left (as shown by the guage) refuel (don't top off the tank)

Calculate your mileage as follows: tripmeter/gallons filled at second fill-up.
e.g. you drove 300 miles, refueled and added 15 gallons - your mileage would be 20mpg.

Do this 3-4 times in a row and average that number and you'll get a good idea of what your true mileage is... I've been keeping track of my mileage at every gas fill-up for hte past 2 years and I average 23mpg during my normal driving and 28mpg during road-trips.

 

i get 17.7 mpg wiht out driving the car hard and full tune up except injectors cleaned how cna i help my MPG

 

I get 320 miles to a tank with 150K miles and cheap Colorado 85 grade fuel. I drive fairly conservatively and rarely run the a/c (open the windows and sunroof in July in Colorado and you are good to go).

 

skate horse, running with the windows open is actually less efficient than running the a/c. anyways, i get roughly 16 mpg, but i'm a "spirited" driver, i like to reach for the redline.

 

I get about 18 mpg, and I'm also a spirited driver...daily WOT runs, redline once or twice every two days, etc.

 

i just had the following done at a NIssan service center:

1.) engine oil changed
2.) fuel filter changed
3.) checkup on sparkplugs, wires, etc.
4.) added STillen intake

I still get 18mpg in local/highway driving. I noticed that on longer highway trips, i get almost 300 miles per TANK.

oh wells...only thing left is to clean the throttle body.

you can also check/change the knock sensor and o2 sensors. but that may or may not help if you don't have a check engine light on anyways....plus..those parts are expensive.

i'll live as it is for now.

 

90% city driving - 60% of time i drive like a grandma - rarely ever use my A/C (its cold outside right now anyway) and im getting 24mpg - 130k on odo - 5speed - 93 octane only

not sure if this helps out your gas mileage but hows your air filter?

 

23 MPG mostly city not more than 2000rpm, warming up my baby like two or three times a day, have 136kM

 

whats the least you guys get a tank, when ur really flooring it? I still get 280 even if i dont floor it alot =\

 

Just an idea, make sure your car is fully warmed up before running it hard. I think the Max gets much better mileage when running at operating temps. I normally get 25mph with my max 97k miles. Mostly 50/50 city highway driving. When I fill up, I get at least 200 miles per half tank. I don't run the car hard unless it's warmed up. That's easy in Ga, we have about 8 months of 60-100 degree temps. Short trips in the max and hard on the throttle= Bad mileage

 

I get 20-22 mph with 2/3 highway (avg 80 mph) - 5 spd

 

you probably drive it maniac. i get like 24-25 city and 28-29 hwy.

 

Socrates - every 5 mph you drive over 65 mph represents a 7-percent decrease in fuel economy.

Seeing how the 1995-99 Maxima's get 21MPG city, 28 highway (Consumer Reports), all it takes is for you to do a couple of red-light stomps for your engine to gulp back a few gallons and get 15-20mpg. (I know, I'm guilty as charged). I got 19mpg last week and I didn't even stomp on it once. Heck, I got 12mpg my first week owning the 99 Max (heh heh heh). The next week I drove on the highway and got 30. Go figure...

I've owned two 4th Gen Maxima's, a 1995SE and now my 99SE (both manuals). In my 95, I would get 35MPG highway and 25 city. My current Maxima gets around 20 city, 25 highway. Why?
A) Got the auto climate control.
B) Got heated electric leather seats
C) Got the sun roof
D) It's a heavier car.
All that extra stuff causes my engine to work that little bit harder to meet the demands compared to my lighter, less frills 95. It burns more gas. Period.

But if you're worried about something wrong, do a few things
a) Check your ECU codes
b) When is the last time I ran seafoam through my engine? (throttle body cleaning)
c) Are my plugs ok? (a bad batch of gas can clog them)
d) Is my vehicle pulling? (alignment)
e) Do I have all the same types of tires? Pressure ok?
f) Do I have a stuck caliper/handbrake? (Take the car for a drive around the block (no braking unless necessary), stop, get out and touch your rims. (Hot = brake issue)
g) What octane gas am I using? Is the station I'm using being honest with it's ratings?
h) Have I reset my ECU to match my driving styles?

If you have answered all questions, there is little else you can do other than take it in for a tune-up.

 

Fork - That is a good point. I drive quick on the highway, but I never slam on the gas and redline it. Considering how I drive, which I would say is a bit more aggressive than average, but hardly crazy, I don't think my mileage should be that low (16 MPG). Also considering all the steps I've taken to improve it.

Every Christmas I drive back to Michigan and I get about 420 miles to the tank, which is about 25.5 MPG - So I know there's no real problem with the engine.

So I suppose that all the options, plus living in DC and the way I drive must be making the difference. In the back of my head I just still think there must be something.. Hopefully I'll find out.

Maybe something is causing drag somewhere in the alignment or brakes? Who knows.

 

Actually, it's 28mpg - right on the money! I've edited my points for a few areas for you to look. If the average is 21, then 15mpg is 30% lower than the required average.

 

I calculated for 16.5 gallons - But right around there anyway. Nice list you made - I like it

I have no ECU codes, but what do you mean by reseting ECU based on driving style?

Also, I've never ran seafoam, sounds like a good idea - Get it at Autozone?

I suppose I should check the sparkplugs too, I haven't done that - they're about 20k miles old I think. Is that a lot?

 

I also track my mileage every fillup, and have been doing it for a while... I drive about 65/35 hwy/cty. I drive "average". I don't race the engine excessively, I do a WOT / Redline run about once a month just so the engine can understand how nice I treat the rest of the month

I started tracking my mileage with my '98 Saturn SC2 Auto (1.9L DOHC) ... over 12 month, the car averaged 28 mpg.

The next car I owned was a '02 Honda Civic Automatic (1.7L SOHC) ... over 15 months, the car averaged 27 mpg. (rated for 38mpg hwy, haha right)

While I still owned the Civic, I bought a '85 Toyota Celica GT-S 5-speed (2.4L SOHC RWD) ... over 4 months the car average 22 mpg. (**** poor for a 4 cylinder, but I did push the gas a little harder on this one going around corners)

And now the 1997 I30 auto, my favorite car of them all.... over 9 months I'm averaging 24 mpg. Not bad at all.

 

Hey! i have a 99 GXE 59,000 miles automatic and i get 24-25 MPG on average, i use the "mixed" (blended) oil I think its called DRIVE CLEAN. I only use 93+ premium gas. i used to have a 1993 ford taurus with 80,500 miles just sold it for $800 which only got 12 MPG.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE!!

P.S. WHICH OIL IS BEST?

 

Mobil 1 - All the way

I love it. Plus you can go 4-6 thousand miles instead of 3

 

PS: Try the oil forum.

 

Soc: if you reset your ECU, the car 're-learns' your driving styles to match how it performs. If you're a second owner, it is absolutelty essential that you reset the ECU and drive it normally like you do, or if you want more power, drive the snot out of it for two fuel tanks. That'll give the best power reprogram.

 

Um, no.

The ECU is constantly learning. It does not alter it's programming based on driving style either.

 

Hmmm, considering I get 300 miles per tank, it would be pretty hard to drive teh snot out of my car for 600+ miles.

 

what does it mean when u say a ECU "learns" i owuld think it would adapt based on new variables such as a larger intake, exhaust, etc.

as far as driving style, if u gas it, throttle bodies open up, more gas, etc....very mechanical. I don't see how the ECU will control the acceleration rate, fuel pressure to adapt to each person's style.

 

It learns to compensate for more air (from an intake, say) by adding more fuel, no reset is required.