Hey guys I have a 2002 SE and I'm going to be starting college next semester and Im going to be driving a lot more because of the distance, I was wondering other than the general maintenance to the car what other ways can I get better gas mileage? my car is completely stock so I am just curious to see what I could do to it since gas its getting way up there in prices. help please?

 

The best thing you can do is drive the speed limit, keep proper tire pressure, and don't drive like an ***. Also taking your foot off the gas the second you see a red light or a far yellow light will save gas. Every time you use the brakes in a car it wastes gas because the kinetic energy that you put into it is being converted to heat.

As far as maintenance, if you have a misfire, take care of it soon because if you drive with one for a couple months it not only wastes gas, but can destroy your cat. Not having your wheels in alignment will also increase consumption. In addition, make sure your air dams/under engine covers are in place and not lost as they reduce drag.

All of this is not specific to the maxima and work on all cars.

 

I agree with rbaksi with the breaking and speed limit. I have friends who shift out of almost every gear at 5k RPMs and then complain that they get horrible gas milage and can't go anywhere because they can't afford gas.

Relevant question: anyone notice actual gains from using premium? I use it Because it only costs me $3-$5 extra per fillup and when I compared mpg with regular (87) and premium (93) I noticed a difference, but wasn't sure if it was my driving habits for the week lol.

 

My experience is that 87 makes your in car readout gas mileage higher than 91 but it doesnt change your mileage. I believe theoretically higher grades should increase it (up to 93) but i have not seen that happen to me so i cant attest to that

Another thing to consider is that if you drive in a hilly area do not use cruise control. It will waste gas by trying to maintain the same speed when you really want to maintain the same throttle instead. You want to utilize the downhill portions to speed up and ride that momentum up the next hill like a rollercoaster does. Obviously this means a fluctuating speed. If you try to keep the gas pedal constant and not the vehicle speed you will see this happen and it will significantly increase gas mileage. The drawback is that it is not as convenient and more diffucult when there are more cars around. If the limit is 65 i usually drive 70 on flat surfaces, let the car slow naturally to 60 or so up hills and go about 80 downhill.

There are other techniques that hypermilers do but often times they compromise safety like drafting trucks so i wouldnt recommend them.

 

Thanks guys I really appreciate the feedback and yeah I defiantly been watching my driving habits and I shift between gears at 2000 rpms which I can see gave me better gas mileage. Has anyone put a chip in there Maxima though? Iv heard it gets you better gas mileage?

 

Definitely use premium all the time. I tried an experiment of putting 89 octane in and my mileage with 91 was around 21.5 and it dropped to 18.5 with the 89. Same driving habits the whole time. I tend to always see 6500rpm so my mileage isn't the best but hey no point in having a car with power if you drive it like a grandma.

Chips will not work on our cars. Only way to adjust the computer is a piggyback system.

 

Buy a different car ...

 

best maxima maintenance for fuel consumption savings
fuel filter, spark plugs, clean maf, clean tb,

maxima mods that possibly effect fuel consumption savings for the better
underbody paneling, rear diffuser, lowering the vehicle height, higher tire pressure, skinner wheels/tires, lighter wheels, advanced ignition timing,

and for any more advanced savings check out ecomodder
http://ecomodder.com/forum/fuel-econ...ifications.php

 

Sheesh, your fuel saving mods are boring.

Headers and or Y Pipe give you better mileage AND power AND fun factor

DW

 

Here are the only definate things I've learned will increase fuel economy in addition to what has been mentioned is:
- Light weight rims; less unsprung weight.
- Lucas fuel treatment. I buy the big bottles each spring and add the proper amount in each tank till bottle is gone.
- ethanol free gas. Burns much better. This goes along with using premium. The more energy being created due to higher octane, the less throttle required to do work. Equals less fuel needed to do the same amount of work: assuming good mindful driving habits.
-drive with windows down and fan as well as a/c off at speeds under 55mph. Above 55mph use a/c. At higher speeds a/c pulls less energy from the engine than the drag produced with the windows down.
-illuminate unnecessary weight from the car. Got a big stereo box in the trunk? Get rid of it! Toolbox? Take it out!!
- ensure your rear brake calipers are not partially applied due to sticking e-brake cable.

I think that about covers everything else not mentioned.

 

The short answer is buy a car with a smaller engine however being gentle on the throttle goes a long way for fuel efficiency. Personally, I didnt buy a powerful car to drive slow so "pain at the pump" is the cost for fun on the road.

Actually the other day I did a search on fuel economy, and came across a thread about the fuel efficiency of the "new" 3.5 V6. They were all complaining that gas was $1.99 a gallon . Old thread to say the least.

 

I have heard a better air intake system will help mileage as well as give very small improvements to power. If you are on a budget check these DIY projects out:

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...ab-design.html

http://forums.maxima.org/5th-generat...us-ghetto.html

Of course, the biggest improvement will be to modify your driving habits. Don't mash on the gas and don't mash on the brakes. Make sure tire pressure is correct and alignment is good. Also basic maintenance will help too, such as new plugs, air filter, oil change and filter, fuel filter, etc. Check the How-To/DIY thread for great info on how to do all of these.

 

nobody here is doubting that those mods can't help mpg either?

they probably help