As some of you read... I had replaced both my front 2 O2 sensors last Wednesday...

I drove up from Los Angeles to Santa Cruz then to Sacramento for the weekend... (missed MAXIMA DAY dangit)

On the way to Santa Cruz... i averaged 24+ mpg... mostly due to a squirmish with a BMW uphill near the Grapevine... hehe (A DAEWOO was also involved but he must have been killing his engine... hehe) and the hot temperatures with the AC on all the way there...

On the way back (night time)... no AC... at about 78-80mph average... I got 27 mpg...

I feel that the replaced O2 sensors (they were bad) definitely helped my fuel economy back up... I also noticed that I no longer have that slight backfire sound when shifting when the engine is cold...

 

Which O2 sensors did you get?? I was thinking of trying the Bosch sensors. I don't know if the new beetle uses Bosch O2 sensors. If it does, then maybe I ought to stay away from them, cause I hear those bettles have alot of trouble with them O2s.

When I get my Y pipe installed I'll replace all 3 of mine.

DW

 

Do O2 sensors usually make that big of a difference? And how much do they cost? I only get about 20-22 miles/gallon and most of my travel is 60-80/mph on the highway. I dont drive it very hard either.

 

VWs use Bosch EVERYTHING, from the fuel pump to the injectors to the spark plugs.

 

Uh-oh, so which O2 sensors should I get?? Is my only choice stock??

DW

 

I did a trip on the autobahn last week. Here are my gas mileage results:

2 tanks at 92 mph (the cruise doesn't work higher than that and I'm too lazy too drive long distances without it!) averaged 22 mpg.

1 tank averaging between 75-85 with occasional blasts to 100 mph averaged over 28 mpg.

I guess the extra drag at 92 mph really lowers the mileage.

 

Me too, me too. I usually get exactly 27 mpg at 80mph.

I think I just drive hard all the time though. When I was moving this weekend, I let my fiance drive the max while I drove the moving truck. She averaged 29 mpg for the whole tank which was mixed city and highway driving.

The moving truck thundered its way to a stunning 7 mpg. GO FORD TRITON V8 POWER!!

 

The ones that came with the car and the replacement ones both have BOSCH stamped on them... although the new set have a slightly different tip design...

According to my mechanic... pretty much all newer O2 sensors don't last as long as the old designs... I guess the heated O2 sensors go bad faster than the old 1 wire ones...

 

I like the speeds where this car gets the best MPG. . .I made it from Long Beach to Salinas on one tank of gas averaging around 80 the entire way. . . Probably could have made it further, still had about 3 gallons left, but didn't want to risk it with the traffic in the Bay Area.

 

Unless you have a real reason not to, I would stick with the OEM sensors.

 

I'm also getting great gas mileage at higher speeds. On my last trip I averaged between 80-85mph and got 30mpg including a run up to 135mph

 

I wonder if it's our damn oxygenated fuel here in THIS wonderful state that's also giving us crappy gas mileage...

 

Good suggestion. Thx.

 

how much are original OEM O2 sensors? On my auto 98, I'm getting only about 20mpg. A lot less highway driving than before, but I think MPG has gone down a lot nevertheless... Anything else to improve MPG? I use crappy Arco Super Unleaded, but I have used that since I got my Max, so I'm thinking that ain't the problem...

 

Around town... 20mpg isn't that bad... you're rated at 21 originally. You don't see high MPG's unless you're doing a lot of highway driving normally.

Check the condition of the O2 sensors before replacing them...

A great price is about $80 each for the parts... Check the "Sticky Posts" at the top of this 4th Gen forum for 'where to get OEM parts'