matty

iTrader: (54)

Finally,

My house to Saratoga NY and back constent 72-76 some time on cruize

341 miles for 11.3 gallons of Mobil 93 Octane
Comes to 30.16 mpg

Flame on

TurDz

iTrader: (3)

stupid 5-speed!! grrr!





j/k Man, autos suck for good gas mileage.

MDr

iTrader: (4)

93 octane ? Damn....
Most places in south CA premium is 91 octane.

MaxSE98

congrats dude, ive havnt filled up my tank all week!!!!!!!!
havent driven anywhere either , damn tranny

Maury

iTrader: (1)

i have a 95 gle and everytime my car rolls around to 1/4 tank i think i almost near 300 miles on the odo. i could swear it was better than that with my last fuel filter
just curious where your odometer is at 1/4 tank on average. btw i have 111K miles and no performance mods.
thanks
maury

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

lucky i get 20-22 mpg, hopfully when i get ma fuel filter it will improve

Daniel B. Martin

It can be done. Maxima owners who get substandard mileage on the highway may have a correctable defect in the car. The EPA/DOT fuel usage estimates are not advertising puffery, they are realistic and achievable numbers.

Automatic owners need not huff and puff. Their cars can do just as well thanks to the torque converter lockup feature.

Daniel B. Martin

The '99 Maxima EPA mileage estimates are:
5-speed... 22 city / 27 highway
automatic... 21 city / 28 highway

EPA numbers are realistic and achievable. However, you will not enjoy 30+ miles per gallon if ...
- you drive too fast
- you use fuel with less than the recommended 91 AKI
- your car has a mechanical or electrical defect

NZ Max

these figures stand to reason, autos witht their taller top gear and the lock up torque converter will enjoy better fuel consumption. not in town though where all they do is rev.

Eric L.

Grrr!!! I can drive all freeway and still get in the low 20's (if I am lucky). Even though I "overmaintain" my car, fuel economy still seems to be in the pits. I don't think I have a lead foot, but oh well.

How do you get 22mpg in the city?? What RPM's do you rev to normally when accelerating?

Daniel B. Martin

Something is wrong with your car. I'm not teasing, not poking fun. Excessive fuel consumption is a trouble symptom, just as much as hard starting or a rough idle. The cause may be the combination of several small problems. You might start by testing the Oxygen Sensors and fuel rail pressure. Search for tiny fuel leaks. Make sure your brakes aren't dragging.

dwapenyi

iTrader: (3)

Ha! May be your POP charger sucks in too much hot air!! j/k

On a serious note, I wonder if the warm air intake of the POP charger could be a drawback to feul consumption.

As another suggestion, I know you said you "over-maintain" you car, but when was the last time you changed your feul filter or your air filter?? I just cleaned my CAI K&N filter after a year of use and my highway MPGs jumped from 24 to 26 mpg. I once got 30 mpg sometime back, but I know I'll never do that again, I was feathering the throttle for an unusually long time, not normal for me, usually the lead in my foot takes over after a while

DW

NZ Max

I don't know how the snow mode works for you guys but my max was an ex japan and the snow mode wont let revs over 2500 in first second. third will rev right out as will 4th and overdrive. also shift points are really low in 3rd Ive seen another max where the snow mode wont let you use 1st gear unless its selected.

1/3There2/3ToGo

436 miles on 13.2 gallons of Mobil 91 octane = 33.03 mpg with a heavly modified automatic!

Kirk

NZ Max

did you ge my message yet?

1/3There2/3ToGo

Yep, did you get my reply?

Kevlo911

iTrader: (36)

dang that is hella good gas mileage

chris j vurnis

You all with 92+ octane with no additional additive non-sense should be happy.

California is now stuck with Ethanol blend 91 octane --
Why is that? Something the Federal EPA mandated on California as a purely political ploy to subsidize farmers in the midwest since ethanol is derived from corn. Why California? Because we are the most populous state in the country and we don't get to vote on it either.

Obviously, the Federal EPA never bothered to read the owners manuals of several popular automobiles on the road that recommend against ethanol usage.

1/3There2/3ToGo

Thanks

Kirk

SuDZ

I dont think there is anywhere around here with 91 octane. I am out in Ma and never seen it. I always though it was wierd it said 91 or better because we go 87 - 89 - 93. Was this somethign new or been going on for a while over there?

SuDZ

Daniel B. Martin

Nissan recommends fuel with 91 Anti-Knock Index. Most stations (outside California) sell three grades of gasoline: 87, 89, and 93 AKI. I fill with equal amounts of 89 and 93. That's the economical way to buy 91 AKI.

SuDZ

Not sure what I get but probably decent i spend alot of time in 5th even on back roads or waht not. Will keeping RPM's down around 1200 help milage much? Also is it okay to do that? Doesnt hurt or wear engine right?

SuDZ

Daniel B. Martin

The tachometer doesn't have a "minimum speed red line" but perhaps it should. Keep your engine speed above 1,500 rpm. If you want to optimize fuel economy keep your engine speed below 3,000 rpm and always accelerate moderately. Use your Cruise Control as much as practical.

Curt Deiner

iTrader: (1)

We have 91 octane here in Minnesota. It also is 10% ethanol. I usually get 24 mpg. On road trips, out of state, I've filled with 87 and gotten same or better mileage. I suspect it's the ethanol.

Daniel B. Martin

Ethanol has a lower heat density than gasoline. The government says that gasohol (gasoline/ethanol blend) may result in a 3% loss of miles per gallon. Actual owner experience says the true number is closer to 10%.

Sonic

I do about 90 percent highway driving, and usually get 370 mile from one tank of gas (~17.5 gal. per refill). In the last 2 fills that I have had, I have been breaking 480 miles, and that is with some 'spirited' driving. Nothing done to the car at all in the last two fills.

Daniel B. Martin

Miles per tank is not an accurate measure of fuel usage. Miles per gallon is.

Eric L.

91 octane must be in CA only then. I was quite surprised when my 92 dropped to 91. But then gas prices are down too so I can't complain.

Sonic

You missed the ~17.5 gallons per refill I guess.

Daniel B. Martin

I did see that. The tilde character stands for "approximately".

97GreenMax

I got 20 mpg on my last tank in my auto, and I was happy compared to my usual 15.