30+ mpg....

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Does this really happen? I can't say that with my regular mixed driving I've ever broken into the 30+ club. Meanwhile people on Miata.net seem to be getting downright absurd numbers. As for the craigslist advertisers, I don't even think they run on regular fuel, maybe some sort of baby seal and dark matter hybrid.

[thx712517]

I hit 25 MPG almost every time I fill up the car. I'll occasionally get 27 if I'm really light on the throttle. I divide the miles on my trip meter by the amount of gas going into the car (225 miles divided by 9 gallons of gas = 25 MPG), but I've noticed other people just guess. "I've got a twelve gallon tank, and my light's on, so I must have used up eleven gallons" or some similar BS. The only time I've ever cracked 30 was on my trip to Florida, I had the top up going 65 MPH in 5th gear, got 35 MPG. Poor engine was at or just under 4000 RPMs the entire time though.

[caseyfoster]

Baby seals = good MPG

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I hit 25 MPG almost every time I fill up the car. I'll occasionally get 27 if I'm really light on the throttle. I divide the miles on my trip meter by the amount of gas going into the car (225 miles divided by 9 gallons of gas = 25 MPG), but I've noticed other people just guess. "I've got a twelve gallon tank, and my light's on, so I must have used up eleven gallons" or some similar BS. The only time I've ever cracked 30 was on my trip to Florida, I had the top up going 65 MPH in 5th gear, got 35 MPG. Poor engine was at or just under 4000 RPMs the entire time though.


Thank you! That sounds exactly like me.

[caseyfoster]

I really don't see any car getting 35+ MPG unless its a hybrid or something. Wind resistance+drag is always going to shoot the mpg down the drain.

[thx712517]

Miatas aren't designed for good gas mileage anyway. Convertible body, RWD with a prop shaft and a differential, designed for sporty driving.... a Civic this is not. I'm just happy it'll get 25 MPG while having fun driving it. Makes it more affordable than an S2000.

[simontibbett]

If you drive a Miata crazy nice, it can get good mileage. I drove 80 miles yesterday with only $7.00 in the tank from DEAD empty.

[redrumracer]

i get anywhere from 28mpg to 32 mpg and that with the check engine light on.

[thx712517]

You're just not cool. How do you drive?

[metalman]

Mine get 26-28 mpg....30 if you drive real nice. Dunno where these tards on craigslist advertising 40 mpg Miatas are buyin' theirs.

[redrumracer]

You're just not cool. How do you drive?

well i dont set around when its time to go :)
i do mostly highway driving.

[Roadster]

I never got more than 26 mpg out of my old 1990...but I drove the absolute ****e out of it.

[caseyfoster]

I never got more than 26 mpg out of my old 1990...but I drove the absolute ****e out of it.


But then again your cars weight was also reduced by a **** ton. Lol

[Roadster]

Haha, that shoulda made it better then don'tcha think? :P

[caseyfoster]

Haha, that shoulda made it better then don'tcha think? :P


Well with your driving style nothing can really help. Lol~

[nate2588]

I average 32 to 36 mpg with the top up, I drive mostly highway with some a back roads here and there.

[caseyfoster]

I average 32 to 36 mpg with the top up, I drive mostly highway with some a back roads here and there.


WOW, how many miles do you get on each tank of gas. How many gallons of gas does your car hold?

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Elaborate nate.... what model have you got? Because I can't even fathom to get that kind of mileage.

[caseyfoster]

Elaborate nate.... what model have you got? Because I can't even fathom to get that kind of mileage.


Same as i was thinking.

[redrumracer]

yea nate, what they said

[Roadster]

yea nate, what they said


*Interrogation room. Turns on the spotlight in your face*.

Yeah Nate, talk.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Ok time for good cop role:

ignore these other people, we can get to the bottom of this with joy and happiness :)

[Otto]

i usually get 29-30 out of my 99 to and from work, im actually going to try some hypermiling techniques this week just to see what kind of change it will make so ill let you know how that goes

[Roadster]

Am I the only one that's never heard of hypermiling?

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I think it involves trying to get behind big trucks for aerodynamics... kinda risky if you ask me!

[nate2588]

It's a stock 1990 1.6 and I usually get about 360-380 miles on a tank of gas depending on how long I wait to fill up. It usually takes a little over 10 gallons to fill at the pump using regular gas. My daily drive consists of 15-20 minutes of back roads driving then I get on the interstate for about 20 minutes.

[metalman]

I once owned a 1990 Miata that got 32-36, and on most tanks got 34-5.
I would attribute this to having the 'perfect storm' blend of engine, ECU, AFM etc.
Of the dozens I have owned its the only one that consistently got that kind of mileage.
Mileage and fuel records indicate the previous owner of my 92 averaged about 31, something
I have never been able to match.

[Otto]

I think it involves trying to get behind big trucks for aerodynamics... kinda risky if you ask me!


noo no drafting, lots of coasting, shutting engine off downhill and at long lights, light acceleration(im staying under 3k this week) leaving plenty of space to the car in front

[JennB]

I get about 23-25 mpg regularly. I can get 29-30 on the highway on long trips by hanging out a little behind trucks and taking it easy, not a lot f passing.. but city driving, not a chance.

[iJohnnyC.]

I usually get 26mpg on my daily commute (mostly highway)
24 driving the shiz out of it.
and 29 hwy. on a good day, but can't seem to crack 30mpg.

All in a v6 6-spd accord coupe.

[redrumracer]

I think it involves trying to get behind big trucks for aerodynamics... kinda risky if you ask me!


noo no drafting, lots of coasting, shutting engine off downhill and at long lights, light acceleration(im staying under 3k this week) leaving plenty of space to the car in front


what he said. but if your not having at least a little fun then why have a miata?

[Otto]

I think it involves trying to get behind big trucks for aerodynamics... kinda risky if you ask me!


noo no drafting, lots of coasting, shutting engine off downhill and at long lights, light acceleration(im staying under 3k this week) leaving plenty of space to the car in front


what he said. but if your not having at least a little fun then why have a miata?


its just an experiment now, i wouldnt drive like that normally unless im getting some serious mpg, but i dont need to zoom around just going to and from work to have fun with the car

[Sawyer]

In my old '03 I would consistently get 29 - 30 mpg.
In the Mazdaspeed I've only gone through one tank so far and it was ~25 mpg. Not too bad!

[69sm2]

I really don't see any car getting 35+ MPG unless its a hybrid or something. Wind resistance+drag is always going to shoot the mpg down the drain.


I just got about 45mpg on a 4 hour road trip to North Carolina in my '92 Civic DX hatch. I kept it around 65-70 the whole time though, no engine stress at all. I typically get from 33-38 in mixed driving with it. The VX gets even better mileage.
I'll be damned if I can ever get the miata to crack 22-23 though. The turbo makes it unpossible to stay off the throttle. =)

And it's not wind resistance/drag killing the mpg of cars. It's the retarded amount of weight that all these new ones are dragging around. 2900#+ for the new civics? really? Fits that weight 2400-2500#s? It's like the Japanese are taking lessons from the Germans in how to pack weight/density into their cars.

[early1990miata]

Hand-calculated (every fill-up, all my vehicles...habit), I've been getting 28-32 mpg since I got her back on the road 4k ago ('01 motor in '90 car that had been in a barn for 5 yrs). Driving is a mix of city/hwy, not driving conservatively! Have not had the chance to truly check hwy mpg, got 32 during a week of mostly driving from Athens to Gwinnett tech on 316, not going slow and catching every red light, of course! 30 is what I normally average around Athens, no a/c and shifting between 4k and 5k rpms. Fun commuter, beats a Yugo!

[amaff]

Mine gets like... ok who am I kidding? It's pretty much a dedicated race car, I don't even check anymore haha.

[BFH miata]

I averaged 28.8 on yesterday's day trip to MATG - athens to the gap and back. Of course, I didn't fill up at the exact same pump, so the numbers are probably off a little.

[JennB]

I really don't see any car getting 35+ MPG unless its a hybrid or something. Wind resistance+drag is always going to shoot the mpg down the drain.



Really? Have you ever seen some of the cars that are sold in Europe? TONS of their cars get 40+ even 60+ mpg. Smaller displacement, much lighter cars. We just get all of these fat pigs in America with awful mileage. We have a few high MPG diesels over here but people don't pay that much attention to them.


We got nearly 45mpg in a rental Cobalt on a trip to VA earlier this year.

[idriveamiata]

With my 912's on lighter 14's and using alot of down hill coasting and average speeds around 35 mph, I have squeeked out 33mpg on an entire take of regular gas. If I drive it normal on 615's I get 26-28 mpg.

I had a rental aura that got 33 mpg while crusing at 70 for about 300 miles. I don't think my miata would do that. (I'm pretty sure it wouldn't)

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Anywhere in the twenty's is what I seem to get at the moment. Although I put some 89 octane in the last fill before the mountain run and I'm getting some crazy good mileage considering how the driving was.

[dragonbaby]

I'm starting to feel bad 'cause I don't think I get close to 30mpg...especially with the ethanol added... Are there any gas stations that sell just plain gas anymore??

[MeFryRice]

There's a gas station down the road in Peachtree City that cells 100 octane. :D

[Sawyer]

^^ Yeah, and it's $7.50 a gallon last time I checked!

[Otto]

well my attempt at hypermilling sucked, 34mpg, soooo not going to be trying that again for a measly 4mpg

[MeFryRice]

quote=Sawyer]
^^ Yeah, and it's $7.50 a gallon last time I checked!
[/quote]

And?? :rolleyes:[

[GTSwift]

i get about 24.75 mpg in the msm, very consistently on my daily grind/commute. 27-30 on road trips. 26 when i tried some hypermileing tricks.

my '97 got 30-31 on the same commute.

And remember ATL gas has about 10% oxygenator content (mtbe etc..)(not sure if that number includes alcohol content, so possibly 20% none gas content per gallon) that surely affects gas mileage. If you buy gas outside the official metro area, you CAN tell a difference.

does the 100 octane contain lead? my dad puts that stuff in his '62 impala and it smells much different in the exhaust.

[Jitb]

i get 30+ out of my Bp..

[MeFryRice]

I try and stay consistent and buy from only BP.


does the 100 octane contain lead? my dad puts that stuff in his '62 impala and it smells much different in the exhaust.

No, it does not.

[Grantri]

I think the 92 does a bit better than the 96 but neither of us is getting 30+ , we tend to drive them pretty hard. We both have short commutes (mine is 6 miles round trip) and we dont do much interstate driving.

[JDM88]

I just got 27mpg on a tank of highway and mountain run driving!!

I put in mid grade in consideration for driving the engine hard in the heat and the mileage went up. I put premium in today for a laugh and I've done over 70 and just passed the full mark. Of course it will plummet faster than a jewish joke in a synagogue but I'm excited for now.

does the higher octane compensate for the ethanol?

[lonewolf]

About 30,driving it like I stole it,more fun,I have gotten 33 by behaving,I will settle for 30 or less,tho. Keep them on tha boil!

[Roadster]

So far my BRG is getting better mileage than my white Miata did. It's getting just a hair under 30 and I'm dogging the piss out of it absolutely nonstop. Been pleasantly surprised. :cool:

[Acro]

I got right at 34 in my 94 going up to a friends house in N. Carolina last month. 346 miles on right at 10 gallons

[metalman]

So far my BRG is getting better mileage than my white Miata did. It's getting just a hair under 30 and I'm dogging the piss out of it absolutely nonstop. Been pleasantly surprised. :cool:


Golf balls are designed to slide through the air. The hail damage is your friend. :lol:

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I wonder how he would react to smacking it with a golf club.

[Doppelgänger]

For those of you with 94-97 cars... go find a used Apex-i SAFC and spend about 30min on a dyno and tune it... hell, you can do that with almost any other car and benefit from better tuning. I had 475cc RX-7 injectors and a s/c on my 96 that was tuned with an SAFC and i got 32 mpg on the highway. When it was n/a i made it to/from Panama City Beach on 1 tank each way.

Now now on my 02 i average 26-27 city and 30-31ish on the highway... but I cannot express how hard it is not to use 12psi on a regular basis. I swear, boost gauges work just as well as gas milage gauges lol

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

:lol:

Did the s-afc help much in terms of a little powerband boost?

[Doppelgänger]

:lol:

Did the s-afc help much in terms of a little powerband boost?


Correct air/fuel tuning on ANY car can increase overall power :)

[mustangtomiata]

I have averaged between a bad of 23 and a best of 28 but majority of my tanks fall into the 24=25 category, and at least a quater of every tank goes to fun driving. I got 27mpg on my last tank with no fifth gear and that included a lot of highway driving, surprising to say the least. If you want amazing gas mileage buy a Toyote Corolla, if you want to have fun drive a Miata!

[Acro]

For those of you with 94-97 cars... go find a used Apex-i SAFC and spend about 30min on a dyno and tune it... hell, you can do that with almost any other car and benefit from better tuning. I had 475cc RX-7 injectors and a s/c on my 96 that was tuned with an SAFC and i got 32 mpg on the highway. When it was n/a i made it to/from Panama City Beach on 1 tank each way.

Now now on my 02 i average 26-27 city and 30-31ish on the highway... but I cannot express how hard it is not to use 12psi on a regular basis. I swear, boost gauges work just as well as gas milage gauges lol


Would Mazmart possibly have one, and what is it?

[Doppelgänger]

It's a piggyback computer the intercepts the MAF sensor signal and modifies it so that the ECU delivers the right amount of fuel. Google it to get a better, more in-depth explanition. I doubt MM will have any. You best bet is craigslist or ebay.

[displacementreplacement]

Mine gets 20 mpg with the hammer down.

[Acro]

I went to the mountains last night and absolutely hammered the car. Got 21.4 mpg.. I cannot make it drop below 20 :p

[Stealth97]

I get a max of 26-27 mpg on my built engine with megasquirt

[RotorNutFD3S]

If I'm extremely nice and on a long highway drive, I've seen 33mpg. When I'm mean and always on the throttle, 26mpg at the worst.
I can't wait to see what the new build brings when I drop in the 6-spd and 3.636 gears. Lower cruising RPMs FTW!

[MoD_Scotty]

On a trip to Columbia recently, I got 28mpg, and that was averaging 85mph, probably between 4500 and 5500 rpms the entire time.

In the city, I normally get about 24mpg, but I weigh 260, and I'm usually driving with my wife (another 150 lbs), and a couple backpacks (probably another 40lbs). That 450lbs is like 20% of the weight of the vehicle, so I'm sure it's hurting the mpg. I'm also rocking both the hard top and the soft top. I need to remove the soft top, and put my fat *** on a diet!

[Acro]

I just literally got back from a trip to N. Carolina. Filled up in Cary, and drove to Brasselton. 31.26 mpg ^..^

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Jammy bastard with your 1.6 litre engine.

[Sawyer]

We got 31 in Steve's NA on the way to Florida!

[Doppelgänger]

I went to RA this weekend.. I filled up drove to the track, drove home, drove back up sunday and my needle didn't move. But, I got out on the track Sunday going all out and went through 3/4 tank :lol: My average was 19mpg for that tank.

[MoD_Scotty]

Ouch.

I seem to be getting 24-25mpg in the city. I'm almost always running late, so I tend to drive a little harder than I should.

On a positive note, I had 1/4 tank, and it only took $16.50 to fill it on Saturday! Gas was $1.99/gal right across the border in SC.

But now that I'm running 205-width tires, I'm sure I'll lose a mpg or two. Oh well.

[Acro]

Jammy bastard with your 1.6 litre engine.


I've got a 94 1.8 :p

[Doppelgänger]

Dunno... i'm not complaining that i managed 19 mpg WITH a track day :cool:
I'b be willing to bet that i was getting single digit mpg on the track banana

[Acro]

Dunno... i'm not complaining that i managed 19 mpg WITH a track day :cool:
I'b be willing to bet that i was getting single digit mpg on the track banana


That's not bad with a track day and a turbo.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

Jammy bastard with your 1.6 litre engine.


I've got a 94 1.8 :p


God damn it, I must have a lead foot then.

[Flash13783]

my 1.6 started out getting around 25 all the time and recently started dropping 20 mpg and i have to baby it a lot to get to 25 again.... Maybe when i put the newly rebuilt engine back in it. It will jump back up there

[Acro]

Jammy bastard with your 1.6 litre engine.


I've got a 94 1.8 :p


God damn it, I must have a lead foot then.


:D

[wildfire0310]

my 1.6 started out getting around 25 all the time and recently started dropping 20 mpg and i have to baby it a lot to get to 25 again.... Maybe when i put the newly rebuilt engine back in it. It will jump back up there


Your may need a tune up, I know mine needs one, but I keep holding out as I need to swap motors also.

[FlipKing]

I recently flushed my motor when doing an oil change and replaced my fuel filter, spark plugs, and wires and I'm getting 25.5-28. Im 19 so I am hard on it and also drive 2 3 hour trips on the interstate at abou 85 every week. People are usually disapointed when I tell them my mpg. Miata's have such an aura about them when it comes to mpg.

[MoD_Scotty]

My last tank averaged almost 26mpg, 90% city driving, and that's on 205-width tires (I thought going from 205s from stock 185s would hurt mpg, but I guess not). Not using A/C is helping, too.

[Masta Phixa]

The best I've done is 32 with the hardtop on and a/c off highway drive from Durham NC to Atlanta doing around 70 most the way. Normally I get 26-30 depending how much thrashing I do.

[Acro]

I'm heading back to Atlanta Monday sometime from N. Carolina again. I didn't bring the hardtop this time and I have no soft top. We'll see what the mileage is for this. Got about 27 coming up.

[Sawyer]

I actually got 29 mpg going to and from the tech day. That's an all-time high for this car!

[RotorNutFD3S]

I'm heading back to Atlanta Monday sometime from N. Carolina again. I didn't bring the hardtop this time and I have no soft top. We'll see what the mileage is for this. Got about 27 coming up.

So I bet you're a little on the cold side... :lol:

[wildfire0310]

So I bet you're a little on the cold side... :lol:

I was thinking the same thing. Just like when Jack said he come to the tech day with the top down.

[Acro]

So I bet you're a little on the cold side... :lol:

Oh yes. When I rolled in here at 3:30 thursday morning, it was 28 outside. It'll be a little warmer coming back :p

[matredd]

I get 20-22 every time

[Doppelgänger]

more reason why I like being turbo :D

I got a lot of 20-24 with my s/c'ed 99....engine management options suck for the NB, unless you have the kaching for a Exede or Hydra. I was using a Voodoo box (tuned), but I also had the TB relocated, which didn't help.

[matredd]

I haven't actually tried to take advantage of the bypass valve and see what kind of mileage i can get. I'm hardly easy on the throttle.
I know I could use a good tune as well... I'm running piggy back right now.
Where did you relocate the TB? To the stock location?

[Doppelgänger]

Yup, and added a BOV. It makes for much faster response (I also had a FMIC), but it does put some extra strain on the s/c. Good for the track..not so good for the street.

[silver280zx]

I average 28mpg city, but on the hwy coming down 129 from the mountains, I filled up there, then filled back up when i got to athens, and I got 36.5mpg maintaining about 60-65mph, withhardly any stops. Its a 91 na.

[metalman]

I average 28mpg city, but on the hwy coming down 129 from the mountains, I filled up there, then filled back up when i got to athens, and I got 36.5mpg maintaining about 60-65mph, withhardly any stops. Its a 91 na.

36+ is quite good. I owned one Miata that consistently got 34-36 mpg in combined driving.
But most of mine since have hovered between 27-31

[simontibbett]

I don't know how you all drive, but I get like 20mpg

[silver280zx]

I don't know how you all drive, but I get like 20mpg

The 28mpg is 50/50 normal driving and beating the **** out of it. The the 36.5 was just hwy.

I also have an 84 mazda b2200 diesel pickup, its gets 44mpg in the city. And the Z gets about 24 city, and 30+hwy, the best ive done on the hwy with it was 32mpg.

[simontibbett]

My old CRX got 50mpg LMFAO

[matredd]

After Mike's help on a vacuum leak on the dummy throttle body I got 27 going to South Carolina averaging 75mph.

[Doppelgänger]

Not bad at all, sonsidering the s/c. Has the idle problem just about gone away completely now? There is always going to be some dip with the s/c...and the light flywheel.

[matredd]

As far as the misfire/idle problem it seems great. There is the occasional dip but it's a whole lot better. Now that I have an ODBII scanner I found that i'm getting a lean code as well as p0420. I'll try replacing the fuel filter and see what happens with the lean code. The catalyst efficiency... well it's a new exhaust system. More fun things to trace.
Yeah, it runs great besides that. Throttle response is much better. Thanks a lot!

[N3v]

my setup gets around 24mpg or so I'd say. I need to retune it, I might be able to get a little more, but I like the way it blasts fireballs out the exhaust.

[matredd]

like a roman candle

[silver280zx]

So I went to Panama City beach this past weekend and thought id share my fuel economy official numbers. Doing 70-75mph I got 38mpg, and doing around 85mph steadily, I got 32mpg.
All these numbers came with the top up lights on, and running the heater.

[matredd]

jerk.

[FE3tMX5]

I gotta say that's amazing for running the car over 4,000 rpm (assuming most parts similar to stock).

[matredd]

Actually, coming down from Ohio about a year ago in my NA I remember getting way above average fuel economy. I had a 300+ lb passenger and the trunk was full. I was getting 32-34 mpg out of a tank doing close to 80. I put the top down and this dropped to the mid 20s.

[Jack-MX5ATLanta.com]

I don't know if I've ever seen over 30. I like how I drive so I don't necessarily want to :D

[silver280zx]

I mean it is a 1.6. I get 28 city, low 30's combined.