Getting broken in...

[Mazda3X2]

My MS3 has reached the 11,000 km mark now and I have noticed a few things.

- First the power comes on stronger than it used to. This is a good thing. Although sometimes it seems a little nonlinear or inconsistent. One day a full throttle burst in 3rd feels really strong and will even break the tires loose. Another day and the same thing might feel less inspiring. This may just be me, the but dyno may be out of calibration.

- Second, although my fuel mileage has gotten marginally better. I have noticed that the last couple tanks I drove strictly highway returned worse mileage than my around town driven tanks. Strange??? I drive more or less a steady 125 on the highway with the odd burst to pass. My around town driving is mostly neutral with some spirited jaunts here and there.

Here are the numbers from my recent tanks of fuel:

Highway driven - 9.29 liters/100km (439kms / 40.8 liters)
Around town - 8.96 liters/100km (467kms / 41.9 liters)

I know the numbers are close, but I thought highway mileage would be noticeably better than around town.

Anyone else notice any of these things?

Sorry for the longish post...

[007]

These figures are about the same I get (2008 Speed 3 with 26,000km).
But mine not stock.



My MS3 has reached the 11,000 km mark now and I have noticed a few things.

- First the power comes on stronger than it used to. This is a good thing. Although sometimes it seems a little nonlinear or inconsistent. One day a full throttle burst in 3rd feels really strong and will even break the tires loose. Another day and the same thing might feel less inspiring. This may just be me, the but dyno may be out of calibration.

- Second, although my fuel mileage has gotten marginally better. I have noticed that the last couple tanks I drove strictly highway returned worse mileage than my around town driven tanks. Strange??? I drive more or less a steady 125 on the highway with the odd burst to pass. My around town driving is mostly neutral with some spirited jaunts here and there.

Here are the numbers from my recent tanks of fuel:

Highway driven - 9.29 liters/100km (439kms / 40.8 liters)
Around town - 8.96 liters/100km (467kms / 41.9 liters)

I know the numbers are close, but I thought highway mileage would be noticeably better than around town.

Anyone else notice any of these things?

Sorry for the longish post...

[laksman91]

You will get much better fuel economy if you dropped your highway speeds to 100. I think the car is optimized for that

[alhope34]

I put my cruise control at 120 all the time on the long highway drives. I just passed 60,600kms today on my '08 MS3 and with MS CAI, TXS DP and CPe CBE I averaged 7.8l/100kms at 120km/h the entire way on cruise from Quebec City to Toronto. 8.9L/100km with cruise at 110km/h from Baie-Comeau to Quebec city (lots of big hills).

I normally get 11-12L/100kms all city.

[MRT_MS3]

Mine is at 12,500 kms and I kinda notice a bit difference on fuel mileage.

I get about 550 kms with 48 L of gas. 50 HWY/50 CITY.

[dentinger]

You will get much better fuel economy if you dropped your highway speeds to 100. I think the car is optimized for that

i realise this is the MS3 section, and im assuming your cars are diffenent than NA mazda3's, but ive had times where i've gotten pretty decent fuel economy doing around 150. (400 km's on half a tank)

[Mazda3X2]

i realise this is the MS3 section, and im assuming your cars are diffenent than NA mazda3's, but ive had times where i've gotten pretty decent fuel economy doing around 150. (400 km's on half a tank)

Are you serious? That flies in the face of physics. I have never had a car that got better mileage going faster than around 110km/h. I'm not saying you're wrong because you drive your car, I've just never seen that myself.

I don't think I could even get 400kms on half a tank all downhill.:chuckle

[flyinb22]

I'm really surprised about you highway numbers. As you know my car has quite a few more kms then yours in fact I passed the 60000km mark now. But last weekend I had 4 people with luggage and drove to Niagara Falls and back and haf 560kms on the first tank, average was 29mpg or about 8L/100km. All of it was cruise set at 120. In town I am averaging about 460km to a tank depending on how heavy the foot is.

One thing strange that I have noticed is that my gas mileage has increased by about 10% or so since I installed my BOV. Maybe its just random, but I chart every single fillup on a program on my iPhone and the graph had a steady climb last few months and stayed pretty consistent. Who knows.

Maybe its because you lowered your car and bought nicer wheels and now its looking better then mine, so your punishment is more stops at the gas station! :chuckle

[Mazda3X2]

Maybe its because you lowered your car and bought nicer wheels and now its looking better then mine, so your punishment is more stops at the gas station! :chuckle

You're a funny guy Brian.....:chuckle

[dreadlock]

I'm really surprised about you highway numbers. As you know my car has quite a few more kms then yours in fact I passed the 60000km mark now. But last weekend I had 4 people with luggage and drove to Niagara Falls and back and haf 560kms on the first tank, average was 29mpg or about 8L/100km. All of it was cruise set at 120. In town I am averaging about 460km to a tank depending on how heavy the foot is.

One thing strange that I have noticed is that my gas mileage has increased by about 10% or so since I installed my BOV. Maybe its just random, but I chart every single fillup on a program on my iPhone and the graph had a steady climb last few months and stayed pretty consistent. Who knows.

Maybe its because you lowered your car and bought nicer wheels and now its looking better then mine, so your punishment is more stops at the gas station! :chuckle

what app is that out of curiosity?

[flyinb22]

what app is that out of curiosity?

Accufuel

[littleolme]

Hi Barry,

I drove mine across the country in the beginning of June for my relocation back to Ontario. Outside of the mountains, I found I was averaging 650km/tank, give or take. I typically kept my speed between 110-120 km/hr (using cruise control), depending on terrain, speed limits, weather and traffic. I'm now sitting at about the same milage as you are, just over 11k.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Phil

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Hi Barry,

I drove mine across the country in the beginning of June for my relocation back to Ontario. Outside of the mountains, I found I was averaging 650km/tank, give or take. I typically kept my speed between 110-120 km/hr (using cruise control), depending on terrain, speed limits, weather and traffic. I'm now sitting at about the same milage as you are, just over 11k.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Phil

650km a tank in a Mazdaspeed3??? That would be good mileage in a regular Mazda 3. All I can say is... Dude, you are not in boost anywhere near enough...

[Mazda3X2]

Hi Barry,

I drove mine across the country in the beginning of June for my relocation back to Ontario. Outside of the mountains, I found I was averaging 650km/tank, give or take. I typically kept my speed between 110-120 km/hr (using cruise control), depending on terrain, speed limits, weather and traffic. I'm now sitting at about the same milage as you are, just over 11k.

Hope this helps.

Cheers,
Phil


Good to see you on here Phil! Welcome to the board seeing as that was your 1st post.

That is great mileage! If I remember correctly you are all stock right now right? (that won't last...:chuckle) We'll see how mine fares on the drive out east in a month. I'll have to stay out of the boost....

[spd frk]

I have 48,000km on my 2008.5 Mazdaspeed 3. I drive about 125 on cruise on the highway and typically average about 8.2L/100km at that speed. I did try 110 on cruise once and averaged 7.4L/100km. In town for me which is 50/50 stop n' go and highway I average about 9.5L/100km.

My mileage is slightly better now with all my mods.

[silvermist99]

650km a tank in a Mazdaspeed3??? That would be good mileage in a regular Mazda 3. All I can say is... Dude, you are not in boost anywhere near enough...

i've done 450 miles/720km tank before and filled up 53~ liter

[Mazda3X2]

You guys are reporting actual liters/100km right. Not what the trip computer states. I know my trip computer is optomistic showing an average of 8.5 which is about .6 lower than actual averaged over the last few months.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

i've done 450 miles/720km tank before and filled up 53~ liter

Well, guess I need to take a nice long trip and keep it out of boost (yah, like that is going to happen...). I average around 400km per tank before the fuel light comes on and I think the most I've ever made it on a tank was 450km. I don't manually record fuel consumption numbers, as I didn't buy the Speed3 to get good mileage, but I do refresh the mileage consumption computer on every tank. It consistently reads somehwere in the 10.2 to 11.1 per 100km after each tank.

I suppose my driving is not really conducive to good mileage either. I have used cruise control once in the MS3, just to make sure it worked and then immediately turned it off again. I also enjoy giving it boost to get to traffic speed and also for passing or coming out of turns. The car is way too much fun to drive it sedately.

[silvermist99]

i did 720km on mz3 17" 5 spoke rims and good year RSA. All open road range from 80-120km/h. 175lb driver + 100lb passenger.

This was a one time thing, my car usually only gets used to commute in semi rush hour traffic and average 400-500km / tank

I don't like driving fast when I'm not in a rush, the car is too rough, requires too much attention and its noisey.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

I don't like driving fast when I'm not in a rush, the car is too rough, requires too much attention and its noisey.

See, these are all things I like about the car. Different strokes for different folks I suppose. BTW- compared to a shifter kart, the MS3 is very sedate. :chuckle

[Mazda3X2]

I didn't buy the Speed3 to get good mileage,

I also enjoy giving it boost to get to traffic speed and also for passing or coming out of turns. The car is way too much fun to drive it sedately.

Amen to that ^^^

The MS3 picks up speed so easily at highway speeds.

[silvermist99]

Amen to that ^^^

The MS3 picks up speed so easily at highway speeds.

I bought my car because I wanted something more reliable than VW LOL :bang I test drove the regular mz3 5MT and it was too slow for me on the highway.

fobio always make fun of me for wanting to trade the car in for a slower softer genesis

[spd frk]

Personally I think the car could be rougher. It seems to have way too much rebound in the dampers, but is otherwise way too soft. I think the suspension is crap really. But then I had an RX8 before this with mazdaspeed coilovers and agency power sways.

[littleolme]

Good to see you on here Phil! Welcome to the board seeing as that was your 1st post.

That is great mileage! If I remember correctly you are all stock right now right? (that won't last...:chuckle) We'll see how mine fares on the drive out east in a month. I'll have to stay out of the boost....

Yes, it's stock ... at least in regards to performance mods. I put in Katzkin leather seats (with heat) and door panels just before I left Comox.

[Mazda3X2]

Yes, it's stock ... at least in regards to performance mods. I put in Katzkin leather seats (with heat) and door panels just before I left Comox.


Is that "Cat Skin" seats? Just kidding, nice ideas though. Can't wait to see it.

[littleolme]

Now that I've got used to the drive back and forth to work over the last month, I'm still averaging decent milage. 60 kms each way, mostly highway and very little opportunity to play during the drive due to traffic, road conditions and lots of cops along the bigger stretches of highway. I usually fill up when I hit the last 8th of the tank and my odometer is normally sitting around 550ish. When i do get to play a bit, the story is quite different ... :)

I'm still trying to figure out why I bought in an city that houses both the OPP headquaters and their school :complain

[ramboh]

Am I the only one that read the title and thought someone's poor MS3 was broken into?

[littleolme]

Hehe

[towelsnap]

Am I the only one that read the title and thought someone's poor MS3 was broken into?

nope I thought the same lol :chuckle

[Speedy2008]

Me 2. The OP was probably trying to grab everyone's attention. It worked cuz here I am.

[Mazda3X2]

Looking back I guess I could have worded it much better. Hindsight is 20/20 right.

How about...."Gas mileage query after break in period, but still with relatively low km's"

[Mazda3X2]

Well we have made it to Moncton NB so far this trip. About 1,200 km's give or take. The MS3 is fairly loaded down with luggage, although nothing compared to my wife's GT pulling a trailer and 4 people.

Thus far the MS3 has been returning a pretty steady 30MPG, or 7.5 liters/100km. Fairly calm driving, speeds steady at about 110km/h for the most part.

I'm pretty happy with these numbers.

On a side note; my wife's 2.3 GT auto has been using about 9.5 liters/100km (25MPG) for this trip which is way under it's normal average of 8 for mixed driving. But it has been pulling the trailer, carrying 4 people and running the A/C the whole time like a champ:). The fuel consumption for both cars has switched around with these conditions.

[aris]

Your no longer in frankford?

[Mazda3X2]

Your no longer in frankford?

Nope, posted to Greenwood, Nova Scotia. We sold our place in Frankford and left on the 26th.

I hope I can find some Mazda 3er's out east.:)

[littleolme]

Have you met your neighbours yet? They sound something like this ...


... cricket
... cricket
... cricket

:chuckle

Hope your ride out was decent, Barry.

[aris]

Nope, posted to Greenwood, Nova Scotia. We sold our place in Frankford and left on the 26th.

I hope I can find some Mazda 3er's out east.:)

I see..well good luck up their:)