Gas Mileage

[nsh]

I've been driving an '07 mazda sport GT for a little over a week now. I noticed the average gas mileage now when I press the "info" button on the dash is a ridiculously high number of 12.7L per 100km's. I reset the value soon after I last filled up by holding the info button down until the value cleared, but I didn't take down the odometer reading to compare with the computer (I'll do that next time).

I definitely shouldn't be burning that much gas, and I'm not exactly a pedal masher either. I do seem to be going through the tank pretty quicky. The car can't be in that bad shape because it passed the emissions test with flying colours.

What kind of gas mileage are people getting? Is the computer generally accurate?

Thanks!

[stevenma188]

I'm getting around the 8-9 L/100Km range. Check out my Fuelly thing. I have no idea how accurate the car computer is.

Make sure your tires are properly inflated, as that makes a pretty big difference.

[Mazda3X2]

I keep track on fuelly.com with both my cars. You can see both car's averages in my signature. Give it a try.

12.7 average is quite high for your car unless you drive it fairly hard.

My Speed3 mixed driving usually nets about 10, it's fuelly average is lower because of the drive out east, all highway for 1,700kms.

Both car's computers are off, my wife's MZ3 always reading a higher average than actual and my MS3 always reading a bit on the optimistic side compared to actual.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Search is your friend. There are lots of existing threads about fuel economy / gas mileage.

[JonsMazda]

For me, city/highway driving i get 450km out of my tank.

[nsh]

Yeah I have no idea what's going on with the mileage on the car. Like I said, I'm not hard on the car and I'm not a pedal masher either with the gas and break..

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Yeah I have no idea what's going on with the mileage on the car. Like I said, I'm not hard on the car and I'm not a pedal masher either with the gas and break..

Your gas mileage is very high for a regular MZ3. I have an MS3 and drive in full boost quite regularly. I reset the avg consumption computer after every tank and also on my ODO so I know how much I get per tank, but mainly to monitor any possible warning signs. I'd say I average between 10.1 to 11.2/per 100km on a tank of gas, depending on my mood, traffic and where I am driving. Less if I stay out of boost. This all equates to about 350 to 400km per tank of gas.

Couple of easy things to check.

1) Check your tire pressure when they are cold. Under-inflated tires can increase fuel consumption. Factory recommendation is 32psi on all four tires for the regular MZ3. I prefer running 33 or 34 psi personally.

2) Are you running your car with the vent setting constantly on either the window or window and floor settings? These settings cause your AC compressor to come on and will increase your gas mileage, as well as rob power from the engine.

[JonsMazda]

Also the heavier the car the more gas it uses, like subwoofer, spare tire and so on...

[nsh]

My boyfriend seems to think it's because I rarely take it out and when I do, it's for very short trips to work, which is just 2.5km's away. :/

I'll take another look at it again when I fill'er up with gas. Right now it's 3/4 full. I filled it up on the 17th

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Well yes, that could do it also... Your fuel economy will be worse on a relatively cold engine in small trip city type driving. You really should take the car out and on a few extended trips, ideally on the highway now and again. Good for the engine...

[funkadelic_boi]

is it true the older the car the less fuel it ueses?

[Chester_Lampwick]

is it true the older the car the less fuel it ueses?

Well, this is true of Dodge Neons. The '95 model uses very little fuel, as it spends a lot of it's time on a hoist.

[Zoom Zoom Boy]

Well, this is true of Dodge Neons. The '95 model uses very little fuel, as it spends a lot of it's time on a hoist.

:chuckle

[Thrizzl3]

Well, this is true of Dodge Neons. The '95 model uses very little fuel, as it spends a lot of it's time on a hoist.

LMAO! :chuckle

[dentinger]

on average, i get 450kms city, and at least 650kms highway.

[aris]

I averge between 36 to 38 MPG on my car.....the best i ever got on a road trip to oriila was 41MPG


is it true the older the car the less fuel it ueses?

A car with very low km will brun more...but once you breack in the motor you will get better

[aris]

Yeah I have no idea what's going on with the mileage on the car. Like I said, I'm not hard on the car and I'm not a pedal masher either with the gas and break..

To find out how many MPG you getting here is teh method i use every fill up

Take how many litters up put in a divide it by 4.6

then take how many km you got off the tank and divided it by 1.6 then what ever this equals divide it by littler total

Here is an example

Say i put 40L of fuel in and i got 500km to that tank

40/4.6=8.96

then

500/1.6=312.5

312.5/8.96=34.88MPG

Hope this helps you next time you fill up

[stevenma188]

I averge between 36 to 38 MPG on my car.....the best i ever got on a road trip to oriila was 41MPG
WOW thats amazing. I assume u have a 2.0L, and do plenty of highway driving?

[aris]

WOW thats amazing. I assume u have a 2.0L, and do plenty of highway driving?

yep mine is the 2.0L and i do mixed driving..i live in the country and i work in town

[JonsMazda]

on average, i get 450kms city, and at least 650kms highway.

GT or GS?

650km all highway, thats awesome. I can only get at least 500km on mines.

[Chester_Lampwick]

I averge between 36 to 38 MPG on my car.....the best i ever got on a road trip to oriila was 41MPG



A car with very low km will brun more...but once you breack in the motor you will get better


That's pretty, normal. Not phenomenal for a car the size of a Mazda3. Those figures are out 20% inflated. See aristeidis is calculating for the imperial gallon which is 4.55 litres, the US gallon is only 3.78 litres. So 36 mpg = 30 mpg US, which is about what the epa rating would be.

[stevenma188]

Ohhhhh ya 30MPG makes a lot more sense.

[dreadlock]

I keep track on fuelly.com with both my cars. You can see both car's averages in my signature. Give it a try.

12.7 average is quite high for your car unless you drive it fairly hard.

My Speed3 mixed driving usually nets about 10, it's fuelly average is lower because of the drive out east, all highway for 1,700kms.

Both car's computers are off, my wife's MZ3 always reading a higher average than actual and my MS3 always reading a bit on the optimistic side compared to actual.


+1

I get about the same in my speed. I also use an iphone app called accufuel to track my consumption -- you could check that out too.

[crystal8484]

I got 395kms to my full tank and i filled up on Sunday. UGH. I effing hate traffic and idling. It's killing my gas, and adding km's to my car.

must. get. new. job.

[srbin]

I got 395kms to my full tank and i filled up on Sunday. UGH. I effing hate traffic and idling. It's killing my gas, and adding km's to my car.

must. get. new. job.

holy $hit that's low... i usually get 540km out my tank with highway/city driving...

[Flagrum_3]

My boyfriend seems to think it's because I rarely take it out and when I do, it's for very short trips to work, which is just 2.5km's away. :/

I'll take another look at it again when I fill'er up with gas. Right now it's 3/4 full. I filled it up on the 17th

Take and act on some tips mentioned, as in set your tires to 33psi and make sure your not running the a/c compressor, leave your mode switch left of 12 o'clock.
When calculating fuel consumption, don't go by the computer do it by hand; reset your trip when fueling take liters and kilometers when you re-fill and calculate.

Get some Redline fuel system cleaner at Crappy tire asap and take her for a nice high revving jont on the highway.Best method for this is find a good long ramp, start from a very low speed and floor it, basically redlining thru the gears...this will clear out most carbon built up from your short stints to work.

And don't carry any unnessary weight in your car.

If it persists to give very low readings with no CELs, consider having the alignment checked.


_3

[aris]

Get some Redline fuel system cleaner at Crappy tire asap and take her for a nice high revving jont on the highway.Best method for this is find a good long ramp, start from a very low speed and floor it, basically redlining thru the gears...this will clear out most carbon built up from your short stints to work.




_3

I here seafoum is very good..i haven't used it yet but i'm going to try it soon

[dentinger]

GT or GS?

650km all highway, thats awesome. I can only get at least 500km on mines.

'07 base model, 5 spd.
i usually cruise around 120km/h.

[She_Prime]

The best tank I had to date was about 620km (random backroads drive and highway driving)

I'm driving an automatic 2008.5 GS (2.0) Sedan

[aris]

The best tank I had to date was about 620km (random backroads drive and highway driving)

I'm driving an automatic 2008.5 GS (2.0) Sedan

the best i ever got is 570km

[dentinger]

best ever, well, sorta, was 400 on half a tank coming back from sudbury. average speed was about 140 km/h lol.
then i hit traffic, and ended with a little over 650 on one tank.
but i can easily make to sudbury on one tank.

[gibbons3]

i do about 30% city and 70% highway and i get about 500-570 a tank, im also running on premium though

[Thrizzl3]

im 450-500..lowest i got was 437..im still doing good haha

[Ogata]

does a bad fuel pump influence your fuel econ? I notice that I get really horrible mileage on my ride and the dealer is changing my fuel pump for another issue that is being addressed.

[ShortBus]

i do about 30% city and 70% highway and i get about 500-570 a tank, im also running on premium though

why?

but on topic

easiest way to calculate litres/100km is to divide litres filled by distance travelled then multiply by 100.

my gf also gets bad economy with her 3 (sport gt auto) by doing short trips in the city but it's a known fact that the 3 is on average is not good on fuel.

[sadd16]

I thought the non turboed 3s would get much better milage to be honest. I drive a wrx modded, and with the awd drive terrain, the upgraded turbo, i average around 380km per tank. I have a 60L tank and use ultra 94 gas only. I would think a NA Mazda 3 would get a lot more than I would get.

[crystal8484]

holy $hit that's low... i usually get 540km out my tank with highway/city driving...

does city driving mean being stuck in bumper to bumper traffic 5 days a week for about 40mins in the morning and 40 in the evening? lol because that's what I go through.

if i do straight highway driving, say, up north, I can get about 500-525 from my tank which is good for me.

[Chester_Lampwick]

I thought the non turboed 3s would get much better milage to be honest. I drive a wrx modded, and with the awd drive terrain, the upgraded turbo, i average around 380km per tank. I have a 60L tank and use ultra 94 gas only. I would think a NA Mazda 3 would get a lot more than I would get.


So wait, your tank is 20% bigger and your getting 100-150 kms fewer per tank. It would seem that Subie is a pig, considering it's the same size car.

[sadd16]

So wait, your tank is 20% bigger and your getting 100-150 kms fewer per tank. It would seem that Subie is a pig, considering it's the same size car.


I used to get better mileage, but with all the upgrades I did, my gas mileage went down a lot. The newer subies are a lot better than mine. Even STi's have better mileage than my car. I'm averaging 15L/100km...which is pretty ridiculous. Also forgot to mention that I have a shorter gear ratio transmission which does affect my gas mileage a lot more. So now with this new transmission, on the highway, going 120km, my rpm would be at 3500, whereas my old transmission would be going 120km but at 3000rpm. So that, along with the upgraded turbo, the awd, kills my gas even more :(

[mazda lover]

i do about 30% city and 70% highway and i get about 500-570 a tank, im also running on premium though

Premium gas....you are wasting your money

[coursol]

with our 2010 2.5 we are getting on average 7.9 to 8.1 l/100km. now that is alot of mind you we have only put 5000km on it since we got it last month.

[Flagrum_3]

with our 2010 2.5 we are getting on average 7.9 to 8.1 l/100km. now that is alot of mind you we have only put 5000km on it since we got it last month.

That's pretty impressive numbers, considering your not quite broken in yet. :winner


_3

[JovianGhost]

holy $hit that's low... i usually get 540km out my tank with highway/city driving...

You think that's bad?
I got a piddly 326km out of my first tank, city driving only.

[thanu31]

i avg around 520km a tank, heavy foot, (50.50 city highway)

if only city, with heavy foot driving, about 450km

all highway 575 or more

[JovianGhost]

i avg around 520km a tank, heavy foot, (50.50 city highway)

if only city, with heavy foot driving, about 450km

all highway 575 or more

How far do you travel before gassing up? i.e. do you gas up when your fuel gauge shows a quarter tank left, or you wait until the gas light comes on, or ... ?

[whodaman]

for the last 6 months i've been tracking my consumption, for my 05 GT i am averaging 7.6L/100Km, and my best was a 6.4L/100Km. I keep track on my itouch with an app called AccuFuel.

[nsh]

So I took a photo of the gas mileage on my car right before I filled up. I had about 1/8 of a tank left and I had 343KMs on it (reset it the first time I fueled up)

I have no idea what is causing this, so technically I'm using 10L per 100k (or so my BF estimated). What garbage!

It's disgusting how much gas it eats up, and I'm only going back and forth to work on it (0.4km each way - unless I'm working at the other office which is 10k), and driving on the weekends around town, to do errands.

[Thrizzl3]

343kms???? thats mad lowwww

[aris]

So I took a photo of the gas mileage on my car right before I filled up. I had about 1/8 of a tank left and I had 343KMs on it (reset it the first time I fueled up)

I have no idea what is causing this, so technically I'm using 10L per 100k (or so my BF estimated). What garbage!

It's disgusting how much gas it eats up, and I'm only going back and forth to work on it (0.4km each way - unless I'm working at the other office which is 10k), and driving on the weekends around town, to do errands.

How many Litre's of fuel did you put??

[Thrizzl3]

How many Litter's of fuel did you put??

Litre...

[Burner]

So I took a photo of the gas mileage on my car right before I filled up. I had about 1/8 of a tank left and I had 343KMs on it (reset it the first time I fueled up)

I have no idea what is causing this, so technically I'm using 10L per 100k (or so my BF estimated). What garbage!

It's disgusting how much gas it eats up, and I'm only going back and forth to work on it (0.4km each way - unless I'm working at the other office which is 10k), and driving on the weekends around town, to do errands.

Well there's you problem. Driving on a cold engine is the worst, fuel economy wise. Driving 400ish meters before shutting it off again means the car is constantly running cold.

Why don't you walk to work if it's that close? :loco

[JovianGhost]

Well there's you problem. Driving on a cold engine is the worst, fuel economy wise. Driving 400ish meters before shutting it off again means the car is constantly running cold.

Why don't you walk to work if it's that close? :loco

+1

You're DRIVING to work that's only 400 meters away?!
Save yourself a ton of gas money and just walk!

[nsh]

+1

You're DRIVING to work that's only 400 meters away?!
Save yourself a ton of gas money and just walk!

Please ignore the fact that I made a mistake regarding how long it is to work. It's not 400 meters - it's 3.9km (4k not .4k). I made a mistake typing it out. I just google mapped it.

Regardless of that, it's in top notch shape and the emissions test (I bought it last month) came back with near to zero on everything, it's not like I'm blowing black smoke out of my car every time I push on the gas pedal.

Also, I filled it to the brim with gas. So I'm not exactly sure why I'm getting such low gas mileage. It's starting to irritate me, as I burn through so much when it seems like I"m rarely driving.

[Burner]

Please ignore the fact that I made a mistake regarding how long it is to work. It's not 400 meters - it's 3.9km (4k not .4k). I made a mistake typing it out. I just google mapped it.

Regardless of that, it's in top notch shape and the emissions test (I bought it last month) came back with near to zero on everything, it's not like I'm blowing black smoke out of my car every time I push on the gas pedal.

Also, I filled it to the brim with gas. So I'm not exactly sure why I'm getting such low gas mileage. It's starting to irritate me, as I burn through so much when it seems like I"m rarely driving.

Still, if you're taking a lot of short trips like that, you will have poor fuel consumption. 4k is enough to just get the car warmed up. Any car you drive will give you bad fuel consumption numbers if you just take short trips like that.

[Chester_Lampwick]

Yeah, there's something fishy about your fuel consumption. You said 343 kms on 7/8s of a tank? I assume that was about 42 litres of gas. Thats over 12l/100km! 50% more fuel than my same size car..

Some people have assumed that you only drive the 3.9km work circuit. If you did it would take nearly 9 weeks to drive 343kms. 9 weeks of the bus to work would cost more than 42litres of gas BTW.

Since your original post was 10-22-2009, and you posted yesterday that you filled again, you must be putting on kms quicker than just work commutes alone, twice as many. Surely some are longer trips.

I don't buy the short trip excuse BTW. My commute is twice the distance, but I use less gas? Does the engine turn off after the first 3.9kms, and Jesus carry me the rest of the way?

Something fishy....

[Iceman_F1]

Yeah, there's something fishy about your fuel consumption. You said 343 kms on 7/8s of a tank? I assume that was about 42 litres of gas. Thats over 12l/100km! 50% more fuel than my same size car..

Some people have assumed that you only drive the 3.9km work circuit. If you did it would take nearly 9 weeks to drive 343kms. 9 weeks of the bus to work would cost more than 42litres of gas BTW.

Since your original post was 10-22-2009, and you posted yesterday that you filled again, you must be putting on kms quicker than just work commutes alone, twice as many. Surely some are longer trips.

I don't buy the short trip excuse BTW. My commute is twice the distance, but I use less gas? Does the engine turn off after the first 3.9kms, and Jesus carry me the rest of the way?

Something fishy....

Sad to say, that it might just be diving style and the location. An example, I do ~40km to work, ~55km home (different route). With how often I'm on the highway, good mileage for me is ~150KM per 1/4 tank. IE when the gauge is at 1/4, Trip reads about 150. 1/2 = 300, 3/4 = 450. On avg. I drive 08.5 Hatch Auto GT (2.3L engine). My mom, who is retired and does a few basic trips in town, never too far is MUCH worse mileage. I've seen her around the 350KM mark on the trip computer at the 3/4 tank mark. She drive an 08 Sedan Auto GT. So close enough in terms of cars, and she has that much worse mileage.

nsh has an 07 GT Hatch Auto (based on the signature/icon). So while it seems low, if the car is being driven mostly city in short distances, the mileage isn't actually too far off.

[nsh]

Who would I even go to? Should I go to a Mazda dealership and ask what's going on?

I filled up three times since I bought the car, so that's three times in 6 and a half weeks. I work at the other office at least 1x a week, for instance, today I put on 31km's since fueling up last night before heading home.

It's eating up the gas, far too fast and like Chester_lampwick said I'm not buying the short distances either. Because I go places on the weekends and the engine has had time to heat up, but that doesn't seem to make a difference. Plus, like i mentioned - the emissions test seemed perfectly fine. Ahgh :(

[nsh]

Sad to say, that it might just be diving style and the location. An example, I do ~40km to work, ~55km home (different route). With how often I'm on the highway, good mileage for me is ~150KM per 1/4 tank. IE when the gauge is at 1/4, Trip reads about 150. 1/2 = 300, 3/4 = 450. On avg. I drive 08.5 Hatch Auto GT (2.3L engine). My mom, who is retired and does a few basic trips in town, never too far is MUCH worse mileage. I've seen her around the 350KM mark on the trip computer at the 3/4 tank mark. She drive an 08 Sedan Auto GT. So close enough in terms of cars, and she has that much worse mileage.

nsh has an 07 GT Hatch Auto (based on the signature/icon). So while it seems low, if the car is being driven mostly city in short distances, the mileage isn't actually too far off.

If your last point is correct - that totally blows, seeing as there probably isn't much I can do about it.

And, what do you mean by driving style exactly? I'm not a pedal masher by any means - and I'm easy on the gas when the lights turn green. I've been trying to do everything right to conserve my car and gas.

Boo!!! :(

[Burner]

It's the short distance driving whether you want to believe it or not. If you want to test it for yourself, go for a long highway drive on the weekend. Drive up to Collingwood for lunch or something. Then you'll notice how much better the fuel economy is.

[aris]

It's the short distance driving whether you want to believe it or not. If you want to test it for yourself, go for a long highway drive on the weekend. Drive up to Collingwood for lunch or something. Then you'll notice how much better the fuel economy is.

i agree:winner

[Chester_Lampwick]

And, what do you mean by driving style exactly? I'm not a pedal masher by any means - and I'm easy on the gas when the lights turn green.

Actually, it's the brake pedal that consumes the gas. More so, than jackrabbit starts. When you step on the brake pedal, the brakes get hot. Where did that heat come from? Your gas tank. People who ride the brakes get the worst economy. So minimize your throttle inputs. You should check to see how well your car coasts. Compare with your boyfriend's Sentra. If you can get a lonely stretch of road, cruise to a set speed then shift to neutral at a sign post and see who comes to a stop sooner. If your car is much worse, you could also have your alignment checked and brakes tested for dragging, maybe one pad will be suspiciously thin...

[ShortBus]

Actually, it's the brake pedal that consumes the gas. More so, than jackrabbit starts. When you step on the brake pedal, the brakes get hot. Where did that heat come from? Your gas tank. People who ride the brakes get the worst economy. So minimize your throttle inputs. You should check to see how well your car coasts. Compare with your boyfriend's Sentra. If you can get a lonely stretch of road, cruise to a set speed then shift to neutral at a sign post and see who comes to a stop sooner. If your car is much worse, you could also have your alignment checked and brakes tested for dragging, maybe one pad will be suspiciously thin...

i'm sorry but what? ever hear of friction? try rubbing your hands together fast and after a while they'll start to get hot and there's no gas tank following above you.

the reason why mashing your gas wastes gas is because it's wasted momentum and it takes the most gas to get going from a stop.

[Fuman]

Chester_Lampwick - the heat comes from the pads rubbing against the rotors.

the reason why mashing your gas wastes gas is because it's wasted momentum and it takes the most gas to get going from a stop.
+1
In other words, people who ride brakes suffer in terms of fuel economy because they use gas to regain speed.

[Iceman_F1]

If your last point is correct - that totally blows, seeing as there probably isn't much I can do about it.

And, what do you mean by driving style exactly? I'm not a pedal masher by any means - and I'm easy on the gas when the lights turn green. I've been trying to do everything right to conserve my car and gas.

Boo!!! :(

If you look at the mileage rating stated under 2007 Mazda Sport GT Auto, it lists city as 9.4L/100KM and 6.9L/100KM highway. I don't fully trust those and think REAL world, people get higher than that. So a 10L/100KM (which nsh stated as what was estimated by her BF for the last tank) isn't TERRIBLE and is about right.

As for what I meant by style, the comments above me are correct. Doesn't matter how "slow" and "easy" you might be off a green light, if you are constantly breaking hard and then having to accelerate to get back up to speed, that will affect it. Hence why city drive and especially short city drives are horrible for mileage.

That being said, it also could be location. If there are lots of lights/stop signs along the way. If there are lots of hills. Other factors. There's a lot that can affect it. If you are around 10L/100KM city...while it may seem high, it's actually not far off what they advertised and it could just be your particular driving style/location that would affect those 0.6L/100KM if you go by the numbers. If, on the other hand, you are getting 12 or higher? THEN there might be something wrong or something else to look at...however I wouldn't know what.

That being said, I do agree to try a long distance highway trip somewhere and see the mileage for that. You should see a pretty good difference for that.

[JovianGhost]

It sounds like you're in the same boat as me.

I drive to work ~10km each way, and my fuel efficiency is also pretty bad.
When I first got the car a few months ago, I got 12.1L/100k on the first tank. I've fuelled up 3 times since, and it's gotten slightly better each time, but that's the new engine being worked in.

It's also possible there are a few bad engines out there that for one reason or another get terrible fuel efficiency and we just happened to be stuck with them.

[nsh]

It's the short distance driving whether you want to believe it or not. If you want to test it for yourself, go for a long highway drive on the weekend. Drive up to Collingwood for lunch or something. Then you'll notice how much better the fuel economy is.

That's our plan this weekend actually - to head to Toronto for the day and see if it eats it up. Anything to get an idea as to what's going on.

I'll let you all know what the deal is, after. lol.

[Tony Tone]

If you guys thought your mileage was bad, wait til you see mines recently. I am at half the tank right now according to the fuel needle and my trip indicates only 150km. I have a 2009 2.0L GS Sedan btw and drive 10 mins to GO Station and on the way back 15 mins each day. I wonder if something is messed up. My tires are properly inflated as I had put some air in long before the last fill up. I am using Synthetic oil 5W30 but will be going back to 5W20 permanently. Even so, this mileage is the worst ever I've experienced.

[Fuman]

If you guys thought your mileage was bad, wait til you see mines recently. I am at half the tank right now according to the fuel needle and my trip indicates only 150km. I have a 2009 2.0L GS Sedan btw and drive 10 mins to GO Station and on the way back 15 mins each day. I wonder if something is messed up. My tires are properly inflated as I had put some air in long before the last fill up. I am using Synthetic oil 5W30 but will be going back to 5W20 permanently. Even so, this mileage is the worst ever I've experienced.
A few Qs, for us to better understand your situation:
1) Do you warm up your car? If so how long before you drive off?
2) How far is the Go Train station (in KM please)?
3) What do you keep in your car?
4) Your actual mileage, in L/100KM

[Chester_Lampwick]

Chester_Lampwick - the heat comes from the pads rubbing against the rotors.



i'm sorry but what? ever hear of friction? try rubbing your hands together fast and after a while they'll start to get hot and there's no gas tank following above you.

Dudes, relax. What I said is true. There's no such thing as free energy. It's true (and so obvious that it wasn't worth mentioning) that friction between pads and rotors that create the heat. Where did this energy come from? Pixies? No, it came from the gas you pumped into the tank, that the engine burned to make mechanical force that propelled the wheels and such. The less you needlessly use the brakes, the less you will need to use the accelerator to compensate. Saving you $$$

You'd be amazed how many people regulate speed with the brake pedal. This is wrong. The brake should only be used when you intend on stopping. If you're on the highway and approaching a vehicle and need to back off, remove your foot from the accelerator. That's it. Brake not needed. Quite often when the guy your following taps the brake momentarily, you still don't need to use your own brakes. Unless, of course, you were tailgating to begin with.

[Fuman]

Dudes, relax. What I said is true. There's no such thing as free energy. It's true (and so obvious that it wasn't worth mentioning) that friction between pads and rotors that create the heat. Where did this energy come from? Pixies? No, it came from the gas you pumped into the tank, that the engine burned to make mechanical force that propelled the wheels and such. The less you needlessly use the brakes, the less you will need to use the accelerator to compensate. Saving you $$$
If only you provided such a detailed statement earlier! lol

[Flagrum_3]

A few Qs, for us to better understand your situation:
1) Do you warm up your car? If so how long before you drive off?
2) How far is the Go Train station (in KM please)?
3) What do you keep in your car?
4) Your actual mileage, in L/100KM

For all posters; it is pretty difficult to access a problem if fuel usage is not calculated properly...You should Zero your 'trip' each time you fill, record the litres used and kilometers driven then calculate.Using 1/2 or 1/4 or 1/8 tank does not give you good readings as the guages are not quite accurate, neither are your computers....Once you have a proper record of fuel consumption then you can actually tell if changes you do will make a difference.

AS for NSH's case I believe it's just the short trips she does, the engine barely has time to warm up to Normal Operating Temp and the computer is not adjusting properly, or has adjusted to these conditions and cannot do any better...but it has adjusted.Plus I think it is quite normal to expect 9.5-10L/100km under her conditions....
I would suggest trying a couple of usual things plus an odd sounding one; First is to re-set the computer, preferably on a non working day then drive 20 minutes to 1/2 hr or so taking care to be steady on the gas, easy on the brakes etc....nice smooth driving, then shutting her down and restarting.This 'may' set the computer to a more conservative setting.Second is to use a good fuel system cleaner in a few consecutive tank-fulls.Now for the weird one, consider driving a little longer route to work and back giving the engine a chance to warm up (properly), sometimes longer routes with less lights and stops can help...I know it sounds counter productive as your driving more clicks, but the computer should set itself more conservatively and give you better L/100kms at all times....worth trying atleast one of these suggestions anyways.


:.02



_3

[distr0]

have you checked your air filter lately? a dirty/clogged air filter could cause bad mileage as well!

[ShortBus]

Dudes, relax. What I said is true. There's no such thing as free energy. It's true (and so obvious that it wasn't worth mentioning) that friction between pads and rotors that create the heat. Where did this energy come from? Pixies? No, it came from the gas you pumped into the tank, that the engine burned to make mechanical force that propelled the wheels and such. The less you needlessly use the brakes, the less you will need to use the accelerator to compensate. Saving you $$$

You'd be amazed how many people regulate speed with the brake pedal. This is wrong. The brake should only be used when you intend on stopping. If you're on the highway and approaching a vehicle and need to back off, remove your foot from the accelerator. That's it. Brake not needed. Quite often when the guy your following taps the brake momentarily, you still don't need to use your own brakes. Unless, of course, you were tailgating to begin with.

i'm sorry but it's still wrong, brakes don't consume gas needless acceleration does, it maybe semantics but i still stand by what i wrote.

[Chester_Lampwick]

Dude, If you don't think your paying for that heat, then maybe you've discovered "free energy"...

[Chester_Lampwick]

have you checked your air filter lately? a dirty/clogged air filter could cause bad mileage as well!

Not really. Popular Mechanics: 7 More Fuel-Sipping Myths Debunked: Mechanic's Diary (http://www.popularmechanics.com/automotive/how_to/4264939.html)

[DaveIrwin24]

i squeezed out 527kms out of a tank, city driving...

[Fuman]

i squeezed out 527kms out of a tank, city driving...
without knowing how much gas you put in the tank, "527km out of a tank" can have quite a bit of range in terms of L/100KM

[nsh]

Checking an air filter, or using the brakes isn't going to make my gas mileage 50% more than other 07 Mazda 3 hatches. There is SOMETHING going on, and I just don't know what it is yet. :(

Saturday can't get here soon enough. (Roooooooad trip!)

[Flagrum_3]

Checking an air filter, or using the brakes isn't going to make my gas mileage 50% more than other 07 Mazda 3 hatches. There is SOMETHING going on, and I just don't know what it is yet. :(

Saturday can't get here soon enough. (Roooooooad trip!)

Before you take off on your trip do a few things as mentioned; Disconnect the battery for approx 20 minutes, whilst your there take the air filter and give it a few taps and check that there is no debris in the filter housing and runner. Check your tire's air pressures and throw a bottle of Redline fuel system cleaner in the tank (whole bottle)...and then let her rip on the highway :)

Good practice; Once the engine is at Operating temp, when ramping onto the highway and (If safe to do do), floor the thing from a low speed (20kph) and keep it there for 20-30 seconds, this should clean her out somewhat.You may even smell it (carbon smell) after this, which is normal.


_3

[ShortBus]

Dude, If you don't think your paying for that heat, then maybe you've discovered "free energy"...

never said that, what i said was it is going easy on the gas rather than the brakes that will consume less gas. this is for 2 simple reasons.

a. if you are coming in too fast the whatever is in front of you coasting will not help.

b. "jack rabbit" starts/starting is dangerous because if you speed up to 80 within the first 10 metres, even if you see that the cars are stopped up ahead at the next light (or whatever) so you coast the rest of the way the people behind you are not expecting that and can rear end you. not to mention constant throttle input uses less gas than if you go hard then let off the throttle coast and repeat.

you even agree by contradicting yourself.


Actually, it's the brake pedal that consumes the gas. More so, than jackrabbit starts. When you step on the brake pedal, the brakes get hot. Where did that heat come from? Your gas tank. People who ride the brakes get the worst economy. So minimize your throttle inputs. You should check to see how well your car coasts. Compare with your boyfriend's Sentra. If you can get a lonely stretch of road, cruise to a set speed then shift to neutral at a sign post and see who comes to a stop sooner. If your car is much worse, you could also have your alignment checked and brakes tested for dragging, maybe one pad will be suspiciously thin...

[DualSoul]

My latest fillup, 47.532 litres (checking the fuel receipt) after 500KM of driving, and this is with a 20/80 mix of city/highway driving. 2010 GT manual. Wish I did more highway driving, the fuel consumption hovers around 4-6L/100KM.


You'd be amazed how many people regulate speed with the brake pedal. This is wrong. The brake should only be used when you intend on stopping. If you're on the highway and approaching a vehicle and need to back off, remove your foot from the accelerator. That's it. Brake not needed. Quite often when the guy your following taps the brake momentarily, you still don't need to use your own brakes. Unless, of course, you were tailgating to begin with.

+1. I find left lane bandits in SUVs especially guilty for this...

[Burner]

My latest fillup, 47.532 litres (checking the fuel receipt) after 500KM of driving, and this is with a 20/80 mix of city/highway driving. 2010 GT manual. Wish I did more highway driving, the fuel consumption hovers around 4-6L/100KM.

Based on those number your actual Fuel economy is about 9.5ishL/100kms. Is that 4-6 number coming from the trip computer?

[Iceman_F1]

Based on those number your actual Fuel economy is about 9.5ishL/100kms. Is that 4-6 number coming from the trip computer?

More than likely is the instant fuel mileage info off the trip computer. As to be getting 4 as a total for a tank is NOT going to happen. Even 6 can sometimes be difficult. But to hover around those values on the highway while at speed isn't too hard.

If I remember, the trip computer that I had was avg speed, avg mileage, KM left and instant mileage...but I could be wrong...I would assume 2010 would have something similar.

[Burner]

More than likely is the instant fuel mileage info off the trip computer. As to be getting 4 as a total for a tank is NOT going to happen. Even 6 can sometimes be difficult. But to hover around those values on the highway while at speed isn't too hard.

If I remember, the trip computer that I had was avg speed, avg mileage, KM left and instant mileage...but I could be wrong...I would assume 2010 would have something similar.

That makes sense.

All this talk about trip computers is reminding me of the fuel economy challenge they did on top gear a couple years ago. :chuckle

[Iceman_F1]

That makes sense.

All this talk about trip computers is reminding me of the fuel economy challenge they did on top gear a couple years ago. :chuckle

Memory is a bit fuzzy...I thought they've done a few fuel economy stuff...One I remember best was the race to a light ceremony where Clarkson didn't care, in his Jag, assuming he'll run out around his house...but realized he could make it and started caring again :chuckle

Oh, and it was amusing when he did the test to see if the Audi could do 800 miles on 1 tank (800 miles = ~1287KM)

[Burner]

Memory is a bit fuzzy...I thought they've done a few fuel economy stuff...One I remember best was the race to a light ceremony where Clarkson didn't care, in his Jag, assuming he'll run out around his house...but realized he could make it and started caring again :chuckle

Oh, and it was amusing when he did the test to see if the Audi could do 800 miles on 1 tank (800 miles = ~1287KM)

Thats the one I'm referring to!

The Jag was showing that it had effectively 0 miles left in it on the fuel computer when he was a hundred or so miles away. When he got there they measured how much was left and he still had more than 100 miles of fuel left. Awesome episode!

It just goes to show how terrible those fuel computers are though.

[Iceman_F1]

Thats the one I'm referring to!

The Jag was showing that it had effectively 0 miles left in it on the fuel computer when he was a hundred or so miles away. When he got there they measured how much was left and he still had more than 100 miles of fuel left. Awesome episode!

It just goes to show how terrible those fuel computers are though.

The built in ones, yes. Working on finding out how good the scangauge is since I just picked it up (and I no longer have my built in one with my in-dash nav :chuckle)

[DualSoul]

Based on those number your actual Fuel economy is about 9.5ishL/100kms. Is that 4-6 number coming from the trip computer?More than likely is the instant fuel mileage info off the trip computer. As to be getting 4 as a total for a tank is NOT going to happen. Even 6 can sometimes be difficult. But to hover around those values on the highway while at speed isn't too hard.

If I remember, the trip computer that I had was avg speed, avg mileage, KM left and instant mileage...but I could be wrong...I would assume 2010 would have something similar.

Yes, it is from the trip computer. And you are correct that the your trip computer and the 2010s is similar.


My latest fillup, 47.532 litres (checking the fuel receipt) after 500KM of driving, and this is with a 20/80 mix of city/highway driving. 2010 GT manual. Wish I did more highway driving, the fuel consumption hovers around 4-6L/100KM.

Just realized I flipped highway/city. Should read '20/80 mix of highway/city'.

[taz4432]

I got about 11.27L/100km over my first 400km. I tend to be pretty lead-footed most of the time so it's reasonable I suppose.

[grex]

I just signed up on fuelly to keep track of things on my '10 3gs...just wondering how everyone puts the fuelly bar in the sig...its a good way for us to compare everything.

[craigrodrigues88]

Since I have been in winter mode I have been getting 450-500km per tank, mainly highway driving

[r4BBiT]

my average is about 8L/100km which is not bad i guess, my civic used to get 6L and i redlined it more :P

[mazda lover]

i squeezed out 527kms out of a tank, city driving...

and you drive a? 2.0L 2.3L 2.5L AUTO or STD.
more info please
Thank you

[grex]

I have the 2.5 6 spd and last week I did 473 kms and it cost me about 45$ to fill at around .963/L

[Tony Tone]

A few Qs, for us to better understand your situation:
1) Do you warm up your car? If so how long before you drive off?
2) How far is the Go Train station (in KM please)?
3) What do you keep in your car?
4) Your actual mileage, in L/100KM

I have waited awhile before responding. On my lastest new fill up, I am close to the halfway mark and have driven about 120km. I previously indicated I got 150km at half tank and so my total mileage when the light came up was about 320km. I have been only city driving also. It looks to me I am on my way to another 300km+ tank on this new fill up. So to answer the above:

1 - In the morning no, coming home about 1-2 min max on cold days.
2 - 3.7km
3 - Underground parking.
4 - 13L /100km

So what gives as I never got such bad fuel economy. I am not sure when this happened as I wasn't monitoring in the summer as I did only partial fill ups due to high gas prices.

[Tony Tone]

oops, I misread question 3.
3) What do you keep in your car?
- nothing of significant weight. A couple running shoes, sweaters, booster cable.

[myfirstmazda]

I've been driving my 2006 for about 4 months now and tend to get anywhere from 500-630 km on a tank (mixed highway and city). When i first picked the car up it would tell me that i'd average 13.9 L/100 KM...over the months i've brought it down to 10.2 and hope to continue to get decent rates...mind you i guess that'll change now that i've got iPike winter tires on...we'll see!

[Iceman_F1]

I've been driving my 2006 for about 4 months now and tend to get anywhere from 500-630 km on a tank (mixed highway and city). When i first picked the car up it would tell me that i'd average 13.9 L/100 KM...over the months i've brought it down to 10.2 and hope to continue to get decent rates...mind you i guess that'll change now that i've got iPike winter tires on...we'll see!

Couple questions based on that bolded statement. I assume by that then that you are looking at the trip info based on the info button? Are you resetting it after each fillup? Cause if I remember right, it doesn't reset that on it's own. Then again, I wouldn't trust that as a true L/100KM. Mine was always off. I calculate manually. More accurate.

[myfirstmazda]

Hey Iceman...I do reset trip after every time i fill up (i'm talking about the trip that shows up with the spedometer)...according to that i'm getting 500-630 km/tank.

Using the info button it tells me i'm currently getting 10.2 L/100km...i agree with you - i wouldn't trust the L/100km value that shows up when pressing the "info" button.

[Iceman_F1]

Hey Iceman...I do reset trip after every time i fill up (i'm talking about the trip that shows up with the spedometer)...according to that i'm getting 500-630 km/tank.

Using the info button it tells me i'm currently getting 10.2 L/100km...i agree with you - i wouldn't trust the L/100km value that shows up when pressing the "info" button.

Ok, that's good. Cause when I was looking at those at first, and then doing a calculation after, it was off by up to 1-1.5L/100km

[zeron]

The low fuel light turns on after about 420km of city driving, 480 of 50/50 city/hwy driving, or 600 for 80% hwy driving. Low fuel usually means a 43L fill up.

[zeron]

The low fuel light turns on after about 420km of city driving, 480 of 50/50 city/hwy driving, or 600 for 80% hwy driving. Low fuel usually means a 43L fill up.

Forgot to mention it is for a 2009 2.0L engine

[macman_ca]

I have an 09 that I bought last january... I have been tracking the gas mileage from day one with a gas program, I have managed to get it from 11.8L/100kms to 10.75L/kms... now the car has said anywhere from 11.2-12.8L/100kms... The most I have kms I have done before looking like I was on empty is 400-430... that really sucks!!!!!! I have been complaining to mazda about the poor mileage... "everything reads fine sir" "Mazda won't look at it until it is aleast a year old.." today the low fuel light was on and the car said 29kms till empty.... so I go to the gas station, but I can't get more than 43.5litres in the tank!!! Isn;t this car a 55L tank??? It just dawned on me that the low fuel light is coming way!!!!!!! tooooooo earrrlllllyyyy!!! Anyone else noticed this?? Can the dealership adjust when it comes on?? it should be closer to 5-6L before it comes on (approx 50kms...) would that make more sense????

Thoughts gang???

macman_ca:):)

[michaelm]

I have an 09 that I bought last january... I have been tracking the gas mileage from day one with a gas program, I have managed to get it from 11.8L/100kms to 10.75L/kms... now the car has said anywhere from 11.2-12.8L/100kms... The most I have kms I have done before looking like I was on empty is 400-430... that really sucks!!!!!! I have been complaining to mazda about the poor mileage... "everything reads fine sir" "Mazda won't look at it until it is aleast a year old.." today the low fuel light was on and the car said 29kms till empty.... so I go to the gas station, but I can't get more than 43.5litres in the tank!!! Isn;t this car a 55L tank??? It just dawned on me that the low fuel light is coming way!!!!!!! tooooooo earrrlllllyyyy!!! Anyone else noticed this?? Can the dealership adjust when it comes on?? it should be closer to 5-6L before it comes on (approx 50kms...) would that make more sense????

Thoughts gang???

macman_ca:):)

I heard its bad to run your tank close to empty during the winter time as it leads to condensation build up in the fuel tank which can freeze due to the colder temps...leading to hard startups/not being able to start your car up at all...

[Iceman_F1]

I have an 09 that I bought last january... I have been tracking the gas mileage from day one with a gas program, I have managed to get it from 11.8L/100kms to 10.75L/kms... now the car has said anywhere from 11.2-12.8L/100kms... The most I have kms I have done before looking like I was on empty is 400-430... that really sucks!!!!!! I have been complaining to mazda about the poor mileage... "everything reads fine sir" "Mazda won't look at it until it is aleast a year old.." today the low fuel light was on and the car said 29kms till empty.... so I go to the gas station, but I can't get more than 43.5litres in the tank!!! Isn;t this car a 55L tank??? It just dawned on me that the low fuel light is coming way!!!!!!! tooooooo earrrlllllyyyy!!! Anyone else noticed this?? Can the dealership adjust when it comes on?? it should be closer to 5-6L before it comes on (approx 50kms...) would that make more sense????

Thoughts gang???

macman_ca:):)

Couple notes.

- While it seems high, if you are doing mostly city, that's about right in terms of mileage (location/driving style depending)
- As you drive, you get better mileage from the car. Case in point, Last year, I was avg. about 9.05 or so in the months of Oct, Nov & Dec. Now, I'm avg. between 8.16 to 8.3 for Oct, Nov & so far in Dec. (Oct. last year was ~ 15,500KM mark. This Oct. was ~48,000KM mark) Driving style didn't change. Engine seems to be doing better...
- I don't trust the trip computer in the car...EVER. L/100KM was always off and it also told me I had low KM left even though I didn't fill a lot in the tank. Not sure how it calculates mileage, but the remaining KM exaggerated to make sure that people don't run out of gas on the side of the road.
- In relation to above point, same can be said with the early fuel warning light. By giving you ~10L before it's empty (55L tank is what's stated...light on ~43L or so), it makes most people want to fill up before empty and gives you enough time to find a place should you need the distance. The most L I've filled is 45.703. So still had fuel to go but I didn't want to push it farther.

So honestly, depending how many KM you currently have on the car, I'd not worry about it too much right now. It all depends on location, style of driving, city vs highway and all that stuff.

[Quantum]

I've been tracking my gas mileage as well, based on the km driven between fuel refills. Was getting as low as 8.7 L/100km in the fall, now getting around 10.5 L/100km now that it's dropped to -15C. Total average of 9.43 L/100 km, which is a bit higher than I was expecting but not too bad.

This is a 2.0L automatic.

[Mazda3_06]

just came back from florida...i have a 2.0L with an intake
100% highway i was getting between 690 and 710 on the tank...but that was running it down to fumes..lol...average speed of 130 - 140

[Lavoiespeed3]

I have a mazdaspeed 3 with lot of mods. 7.8l/100km on the Highway from Québec to Chicoutimi. Lots of hills. 100 km/h

[Lavoiespeed3]

right now with Quebec weather i read 10.5 daily driving.

[grex]

you guys are all getting pretty good mileage. I hate city driving.

[Tokyo Drift]

I was doing 550km when I first bought the car,

but after 7-9 months, I'm getting 450km before light comes on :(

[Skwiggler]

I was doing 550km when I first bought the car,

but after 7-9 months, I'm getting 450km before light comes on :(

Same here, I pushed like 550, 600 when I first bought the car.
Now I'm hitting around 450, 500 before the light is on.

But its winter time now, its getting colder, condensing so getting worse mileage makes sense. By spring it'll be back.

[yanky.ng]

550 city/hwy mix....

[X-Nemesis]

08 Mazda 3 Sedan 2.3l here with 47000k

Been getting on my last 4 fillups an average of 350-380km per tank, all city driving. Is this brutal and not the norm?