I am a recent owner of a 2K3 SE, auto, only option is sunroof. I have just over 9000 miles on it and I would like to change up the interior. I was looking into the brushed alum dash kits but they all called for climate control which I do not have. Called 2 Nissan dealers and they could not help. The search did not answer it either. My question, finally, is what else needs to be changed, if anything, to convert an analog cheapie to climate control? I know the 2 pieces are the same size and fit in the same place, but I think I need some sensors, or do all Max's have the same stuff in the dash? Are the connectors the same as well?
My next question was slightly touched on by search, but was wondering about fuel consumption. After all my driving, I have 22.4MPG as the best, averaging 20. I recently took a 2500 mile round trip and never did better than 22.4, although it is rated at 26. I was driving in cold temps, but on the interstate at an average 80 MPH through the plains utilizing cruise. Is this normal or will it improve as it is broke-in or was it improperly broke in?
All replies less flames are appreciated.
Adam

 

I'm not quite sure on the interior pieces, but I'll give you my $.02 on the gas issue...I was/am having the same problem with my 03 6speed, and asked some folks here for opinions on what could be the cause. In my case, however, I was getting ~16mpg in about 85/15 city/hwy driving. Anyhow, there are a few things that can contribute to gas mileage. So, here are just some:

(1) I think this might be the most overlooked one--tire pressure. This is actually something that was hindering me, because when I checked my tires, they were all different (+/- 2psi). So I boosted them all to 34psi, and seem to be getting better mileage now (although not dramatic, but hard to tell since I haven't driven enough miles with this pressure).

(2) Winter gas contains additives which basically reduce the potency of the gas, so you'd be getting less miles out of it. If you live in a state that has a brutal winter, then most likely you're filling up with this oxygenated (???) gas.

(3) Driving in cold weather uses up more gas. The first few minutes when you drive are very fuel rich, and the car burns up a lot of fuel while it warms up.

(4) If you drive a lot of short distance trips, then you will be seeing very bad mileage.

That's all I can think of for now. Hope this at least gives you an idea of what to look at/for.

 

and the fact that the 20/26 mpg the max is supposed to get is usually about 2mpg's higher than usual. for the highway # i believe they use 55 mph constant speed to measure the mpg. and nobody drives that fast.. err slow on the highway.

 

Your fuel efficiency should get better with age. As i posted in the past, all city i get roughly 20mpg, that's in Houston traffic to give you an idea. Every chance i get i accelerate enthusiastically.

On my last road trip consisting of 5800 miles of mostly highway driving i got 28.10mpg (roughly 520 miles/tank w/ a little left over). Btw, half of that was mostly uphill.

2k2 Auto.

 

There are two sensors... one by the windshield to measure outdoor brightness, and one inside to measure interior temp. Both are not installed in the base model (as far as I can tell on my base 2k3 SE) The climate control may install fine w/o the sensors connected, though you may want to try another dealer and speak to someone intelligent in the parts department. Let me know how it goes, I may be interested in the same thing!

 

I think part of your prob is driving 80 mph. Try reducing your speed a bit (yeah yeah, I know, I don't like driving slow either). http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/driveHabits.shtml gives soms tips.

 

My computer reads that I am getting 22.5 mpg (I have 1500 miles on the car 2002 SE) but in reality I am getting 17.5 at best. This has been a very cold winter here in NY averaging 15 degrees so far...I am a litle disapointed in the fuel consumption too - but hey, it's my baby and she gets premium Mobil gas...

 

People have touched on the conversion from regular heat / AC to climate control on the .Org and have come to the conclusion that it is just way too much trouble and money.

Oh, an interesting thing about the speed limit. Did you know that the national speed limit of 55 MPH was set because of gas mileage savings? NOT because of safety! Actually, on the highway there is minimal difference in safety from 55 MPH - 65 MPH but it is about 10% - 15% more gas efficent!

 

Yes- I did get some oxygenated fuel since I went to South Dakota, but I live in Alabama and it is the same here. I know 80 is not ideal for MPG but I have to refer to my CL that could sustain 29MPG at 80-85...speed limit in SD is 75 and that is what I am used to. As for the computer-they can almost never be right because the amount of fuel wasted by stomping the gas for 2 secs cannot be calculated correctly...same as coasting...in my BMW, I could reset the computer while coasting in N at 90 and the MPG digital readout would get to 99.9!! The computer gets off due to passing and quick throttle blips. It can get almost perfect if you reset it at the pump and then drive like an old lady, no quick starts or passing and it will be good. I learned this when I let my mom drive the car for a tank...it was within .2MPG!! She drives like the book says...She got 115000 miles on a set of General Ameritechs on a Cavalier!! it is a 50-60000 mile tire.

Thanks-Peter- for the insight, I will look further and let you know.
Thanks for all the info.
Adam

 

Regarding the onboard computer, except when suddenly punch it for a few seconds or so, i would say that the fuel consumption is accurate. I usually get about 22-23mpg in the city, and i get anywhere from 25-28mpg on the highway. On a 6 hour drive, i was around 27mpg. I filled the tank, reset the computer once cruising, and when the tank was empty, i calculated the consumption using the mileage and it was pretty close. In the city, i'm not too sure, but i do very well on the tank as well. Then again, i usually shift under 2000rpm unless i'm trying to have fun.
Juspimpin, you said you were getting 22.4 mpg on your 2500 mile trip, did you reset the computer at all? When i drive for a while in the city (such 100miles or so), the mpg reads about 22mpg and it takes its time to go up once the highway. When i first start driving in the morning, it reads 17mpg.

 

An object in motion tends to stay in motion, especially at greater speeds. You should get good (although not top) mileage at higher sustained speeds, but it should certainly be better than 22 MPG (even in an auto). If you travel 500 miles non-stop at 55 MPH or at 80 MPH, the difference in gas mileage would really only be 5-10% different max. Resistance increases slightly at higher speeds due to air pressure, and there might be a slight increase in fuel consumption due to this, but losing that much mileage is just not right. It's the gas, or a combination of gas and another slight problem. Tire pressure "could" lose that extra 1-2 MPG at higher speeds. On one of the previous recent topics, I posted that when I had bought my max, I had to take it on an emergency road trip to Kansas (from Georgia), and that on the way back the car actually got 31.1 MPG. I was pretty much 10-15 MPH over the limit (which was 65 or 70, depending on the area), and constantly in motion (no stop and go). I never thought that I would see mileage that high on that large displacement a V6. The trip computer was slightly higher than my actual (like 33-34 MPG), but it was still great. Only problem is that I haven't gotten that good mileage in the city here in GA. Who can say what the cause is there. Whew...long winded.

 

i drive from TN to KY every weekend at an average of 75 mph
i get on average 32 mpg
2k2 6 speed

 

MPG has been one of my concerns on '03 GLE. Highway mileage tends to be decent averaging 25-27 mpg at 60 - 70 mph, but in the city it's disastrous, 13-15 mpg. This could probably be attributed to the low temps here in NY, as was mentioned in a post above, the fuel mixture is richer in cold weather and most of the trips I take are short 20 – 30 minutes city driving. I will take the car for its first oil change (2,500K on ODO), hopefully that and warmer weather will help to improve fuel economy.

 

According to http://cartalk.cars.com/Columns/Arch...cember/01.html, it's not slight:
"Wind resistance increases as a square of your speed. So, believe it or not, at 65 mph, your wind resistance is more than double what it is at 45 mph (e.g., 65 squared vs. 45 squared)! "