Ever since I got my 2000 auto SE its been getting really poor gas milage; however, its not due to the weather, or short trips. I decided to finally go get this checked out at the dealer, but my 3 year/36k warranty runs out in like 3 months.
So heres what I need to know...since all of the Nissan dealerships are so incompetent, how do I make sure that they actually check for the problem, and dont just tell me "theres nothing wrong?"
I only get around 160 miles before having to re-fuel...thats pretty bad, so what could this be from, what should I emphasyze that they take a look at?

lol. holy ****. its that bad? i get 260 in my 2k2 and i ***** and moan about it. i have no clue what would be the problem maybe some kind of air to fuel mixture. but just tell them you get 160 miles per tank and offer to have them drive it 160 miles to prove it.

Yeah, I dont know what the hell the problem is. At first I thought it was all in my head, or that the fuel gage was off, but I have been consistenly needing to fill up after only driving like 160-180 miles.
I mean sure, I dont drive like a grandma by any means, but then again I dont drive my max into the ground at all, its just that the milage sucks, and here in San Francisco gasoline is officially the most expensive in the U.S., at some stations being at $2.40!!

2.40 i paid 1.99 3 days ago for premium and thought i had it bad.

You know, I was wondering the same thing today. The trip meter says 154 miles and the tank is 3/4 empty. This really sucks. All my money is going into paying off the car and gas...

save receipts from *various* stations, be sure to document mileage at fill-up. You'll need a few fillups worth. Make sure its premium. Make sure you have a clean air filter when you take it in.

Having been there, they will try to use injector cleaner. if that doesnt work, they will tell you its normal or your driving style Nissan NA will basically back up the dealer on it.

But, being a 2k, you might want to check your plugs.

No kidding!! Yikes!!

Can still get Shell, etc. for around $1.70 down here.

got u beat... i been paying $1.61 here in austin, TX

Try again...I specifically said 'around'. My local station near my house is running premium at $1.55.

Ha!!

I was getting 300 miles to the fillup on my 2k GXE auto. I am currently getting 320 miles to the fillup on my 2k2 6spd and I drive it like a mad man.

If the dealership gives you the run-around, call Nissan North America.

Is the 160 all city? lots of stop lights? hammering from light to light? etc.. What type of consumption do you get on long trips?

i normally get about 280 on a tank with around a gallon left over and its all city and I drive the $hit out the car. I paid $1.49 for premium 8 days ago now its fawkin $1.71

Dang --!

how you getting 280 miles out of a tank???

I'm all city, running NOTHING but Chevron Supreme 93 octane, driving the snot of of my 6 spd -- and I'm LUCKY to get 250 out of a tank..!!

What gives with these things????

When my tripmeter reads less than 20 mpg regularly, I BELIEVE IT!!!

i have a 2k3 auto and i get about 330/tank with chevron 93 octane (with techron ) ...gas prices here in georgia are about 1.49/gal..

im gonna drive to ga and stockpile gas cuz thats dirt cheap in comparison.

I get about 380 on 93 oct and only 320 on 87.... I would die if i got less than 300..

I love living in GA when gas goes nuts

I get about 350 miles between fillups on my 2k1 GXE w/5 speed. I drive my car 4 days a week to work betewwn 65 -80 mph. I'm getting between 23-26 mpg.

300+ miles...I can only dream of such things. For instance, I filled up the tank 2 days ago, 40 miles later im down almost 1/4 of the tank! What kinda crap is that! Yes, this is all city driving, and lately I have been trying to drive less aggresively to see if my milage improves, it hasn't. Who knows, Im definitely going to go the dealer here in SF and see what they tell me. Hell, at this rate im getting same/worse gas milage as my friends Lincoln Town Car.

Yopur case sounds really bad. Auto or manual? If it's a manula, are you staying in the lower gearstoolong?

Have your car put on an analyzer. If everything is normal, it could be the HTE crap that the Government mandates that lowers fuel economy.

Being a Realtor, I drive quite a bit. However, I still manage to get over 300 miles before I need to fill up again. I drive mixed city/highway and I don't drive like a granny. I am pleased with the mileage this car is giving me, especially for the performance it offers. It's an auto by the way.

Probably a bad O2 sensor. They can have problems that won't throw codes. Could be a temp sensor too, making the ECU stay open loop, but that would throw a MIL "excessive time to reach closed loop".

Any signs of the car burning too rich, like carbon on the rear bumper? How do the plugs look?

Find someone with an OBD2 data logger, that would be the ultimate way to see what's up. You'll be able to check MAF, O2 volts, timing curves (a bad timing curve would indicate excesive knock counts which could be phantom knock-bad or a bad sensor).

I don't think dealers have obd2 loggers like that, I have one for my laptop, it works awesome (this is for a different car - I haven't checked to see if the connector works in a max).

I gave you most of what I can think of, personally, I think for sure you have a shot O2.

Do you ever get emission tested? A dyno emission tester may help you show that the car is burning to rich (which it obviously is)

P.S., I've never seen so many thread ninjas in my LIFE! good lord people, he was asking for help, he knows what gas prices are and that his car is getting below average MPG, did ya'll have to rub it in like that???!!!

How the fawk do you get that?? I am LUCKY to get 230 out of my 2k3 and I have been babying it as of late. Damn man that just ****es me off.