RANT: MPG vs. Performance

[h8isgr8]

I apologize in advance for this post, I just feel like ranting about my disappointment in my recently calculated gas mileage.

I calculated my gas mileage for the first time on my newly acquired 04 GLS. 23mpg; what a disappointment. I was hoping for high 20s.:(

I could live with 23mpg if it wasn't for the absolute lack of power this car possesses. I almost caused an accident the other day trying to overtake a car going 45 in a 55. The elantra just couldn't get up the speed to overtake the other car fast enough.

Now, my above rant is partly based on what I was driving before I purchased this car. I have a 92 BMW 325i (automatic) that I drove for about 2 years. I decided to put it up for sale and buy a more economical (or so I thought) family car. The 325i gets around 22mpg and has a 180HP (158WHP) inline 6 cylinder. It has enough power to overtake any slow driving gray haired geriatric on the road.

How can a 16 year old 6 cylinder engine with ~50 more HP get roughly the same MPG as a 4 year old 4 cylinder? Doesn't make much sense to me.:headshake

~Rant over~

[ricerrx7]

It's either the way you're driving, or there's something wrong with the car. City or highway? Smooth acceleration or jack rabbiting? Tortoise or hare?

[h8isgr8]

It's either the way you're driving, or there's something wrong with the car. City or highway? Smooth acceleration or jack rabbiting? Tortoise or hare?

Mixed city/highway. I would consider my driving style "normal". I don't floor it, but I don't drive like I'm 85 years old either. I could be trying to push the car harder than the average elantra driver and not realise it; just because I'm so used to the power the 325i has.

What kind of MPG should I be getting?

[Cypher]

I do mostly highway driving and get about 33.5mpg regularly. I drive pretty normal and have fun with it evey now and again but I don't ride it too hard.

[hyunelan2]

I do about 80% city driving on my 2002 GLS. Just registered 27mpg on my fillup Friday. Over the winter I was getting 25ish, my car gets better mpg when it's warmer outside.

Being a non-original owner, do you know the last time plugs/wires were changed? Air filter? Fuel Filter? How many miles are on the car?

[ArunSenior04]

I do about 80% city driving on my 2002 GLS. Just registered 27mpg on my fillup Friday. Over the winter I was getting 25ish, my car gets better mpg when it's warmer outside.

Being a non-original owner, do you know the last time plugs/wires were changed? Air filter? Fuel Filter? How many miles are on the car?

Thats what I was going to say. Probably time for a tune-up.

[h8isgr8]

It has 58k but just had it's 60k service done at the dealer. I believe they put new plugs in, but I guess the only way to know for sure would be to pull one.

[WytchDctr]

Auto trans or 5spd? I am going to guess auto with those mpg figures and your complaints of lack of power.

My 5spd averages 30mpg (mixed with alot of city) and up to 36 on the highway. Could probably do better if I would slow down. ;)

I have no idea what an auto should be getting.

[2003GT]

I have an 03 GT with an Auto and the best I get is like 23-27 MPG. City driving. I would recommend doing the plugs and check the PCV also it makes a HUGE difference. My moms was solid and it was running like S***. What I would do to get more would be put in a K&N in and a cat back exhaust. Or you could get a boost bottle. :) BOB

[Matrixloader]

i drive 2 miles to work and 2 miles back home for lunch and back and fort all mostly city driving but sat and sunday i do some highway driving and get about 24-29mpg average.
when i do long road trips i average 36-40mpg.

its all in the way you drive and what kind of driving your doing. I drive normal but if i drive doing some jack rabbit starts and speeding like im in a race then i will see 20-22mpg.

also what kind of gas do you use? i see very good results with shell and mobil, but if i use cheap gas like arco or some uknown gas station i see very bad gas mileage for some reason.

[moonlite5hadow]

then again performance and mpg never went hand in hand either...

[xdforme22]

I agree with those above. Mixed driving (about 50/50) I see between 28-30. On highway trips between 33-35. Something seems a little off.

[bdiggy]

Avg. about 28 with the 17's on there (city.) If you just got the 60k, you deffinitely got new plugs.

[rusto85]

Bad parts on the service or the person who did the service screwed something up then.

[evan938]

with my 1st xd, i would beat the **** out of it daily, and i would still hit 28mpg city...and thats driving like a dick all day. on the highway, 75mph, usually got 34mpg.

[ArunSenior04]

then again performance and mpg never went hand in hand either...

That isnt entirely true.

[LAMRONH]

Having had a number of underpowered cars and a number of opportunities to pass on country roads over the years, it's about technique.
Instead of brute strength, you now have to reason, plan and anticipate.
You have to lay back a good distance from the vehicle to be passed, and where you know or think the road is going to get straight and have a passing line you nail it and build up sufficient speed to overtake.
Ideally, as your cars enter the passing zone you'll have a sufficient head of steam to whiz you buy the slower customer.
If it turns out your opportunity is no good (traffic, more curves, etc.) you have to have sufficient space to nail the brakes and bring your speed down.

There are multiple calculations involved in this passing technique, and of course they have to turn out accurate.
It takes practice and above all care, care, care.
Without overwhelming HP to get you out of a mess, you instead rely on momentum and brakes.

Although not an exact analogy, it's similar to the way a cat stalks game.

[Pete03GLS]

something has to be wrong with your car. my first car, a 1992 excel, 1.5L 80-90 odd HP car, would EASILY over take other cars... so either ur cars broken, or u need to adjust your driving habits to it.

[Silentwolf]

27mpg seems to be my universal average with as high as 33 and as low as 24.

As for passing issue, guess you have an auto. With my 5spd, at those speeds, i just knock it down to 4th and go. Sure it may require more space/traffic break to pass but i've adjusted to it.

[h8isgr8]

I guess I will have to practice my passing technique with this car. Man, with the 325i I could just mash the accelerator to the floor and take off with my head plastered against the headrest. Too bad BMW's are such a PITA to maintain.

Maybe this weekend I will check the plugs, pcv, air filter, etc myself. I don't trust mechanics at all.

Another thing I notice is when taking off from a complete stop, once the transmission shifts to second gear it feels like there is no power at all. Kind of like how it would feel to shift from first straight to third or even fourth with a manual. Is this normal for the automatic?

[Keyan]

I guess I will have to practice my passing technique with this car. Man, with the 325i I could just mash the accelerator to the floor and take off with my head plastered against the headrest. Too bad BMW's are such a PITA to maintain.

Maybe this weekend I will check the plugs, pcv, air filter, etc myself. I don't trust mechanics at all.

Another thing I notice is when taking off from a complete stop, once the transmission shifts to second gear it feels like there is no power at all. Kind of like how it would feel to shift from first straight to third or even fourth with a manual. Is this normal for the automatic?

check the valve timing via the timing belt. It sounds like the car is off a tooth, which explains poor gas milage and no power.

[BobMs_wht2k2]

Beat it all week, auto-x'd Sat morning and 6 passes down the dragstrip and it looks like I'm still knocking down 29-30mpg with this tank.

[kylemorg]

I don't know about all of you guys getting 25+ mpg city. I got around 21 mpg going back and forth to work ~4 mi round trip (city driving) up and down some major hills here in Pittsburgh with my 5-speed '02 GT.

23 if it was City only doesn't sound that low to me.

[h8isgr8]

It was about a 50/50 mix highway/city.

check the valve timing via the timing belt. It sounds like the car is off a tooth, which explains poor gas milage and no power.

That could be a possibility considering the timing belt was just done by the dealer. Not to sound stupid, but I would check that with a timing light right?

[hyunelan2]

I don't know about all of you guys getting 25+ mpg city. I got around 21 mpg going back and forth to work ~4 mi round trip (city driving) up and down some major hills here in Pittsburgh with my 5-speed '02 GT.

23 if it was City only doesn't sound that low to me.

Possibly because your trip is so short? Cars, in general, don't reach their peak efficiency until they are completely warmed up. You are probably half-way home before that happens.

[2001GLS]

My Sonata gets about the same mileage on the highway I got out of my Elantra. That seems strange considering I went from a 4 cylinder 5 speed that got about 35mpg to a full size V6 powered car with an autobox that still manages to get 30-32 on the highway. I attribute it mostly to Hyundais improved engine technology. I think the old Beta is a highly inefficent engine compared to their newer Theta/Theta II and Lambda designs.

[jayupark]

Someone get this man a CAI :)

[krodammi]

i've been getting 23.5 mpg. i have this awesome program for my palm where i can track car stuff and it shows different reports...anyways

does it matter that i don't fill the tank full everyt time i go?

[Ugzz]

i tried my DAMNDEST to drive like a total old man a whole tank and i still only got 25mpg.. 100% city, and really bad city too, like stop signs every block for a whole tank. last time i did that i got 29 and i even got 30 once, no idea why it was so low. i was Really nice the whole entire tank too.. it sucks

i also got 17mpg a few tanks ago. i was wondering if i really red lined out every single gear through a whole tank just how bad it would be... i never imagined it would/could be that bad. but i checked and re-checked it, it was 17, total garbage.

Even off the lot i was getting like mid 20s, i never understood all the 30 or 35 mpg people on this forum, but im thinkin something is up with mine now, cause i used to be able to get high 20s if i really tried, now i cant seem to break 25 no matter how nice i drive it..

[Cypher]

Jim, you're also supercharged which isn't going to really help at all ;)

[BobMs_wht2k2]

i tried my DAMNDEST to drive like a total old man a whole tank and i still only got 25mpg.. 100% city, and really bad city too ...

There's your answer. Look at the EPA ratings, 24mpg CITY and 33mpg HIGHWAY. We're getting 30+ highway. You're getting 25 city. Is that really too difficult to comprehend? I just got 28.7mpg off this tank. 6 dragstrip runs, 4 auto-x runs and a ton of idling.

[lovemylantra]

if i drive like a 65 year old woman with half her vision on a rainy day im sure im getting somewhere between 28 and 30 mpg. otherwise id say somewhere in the range of 22-25 mpg

[kylemorg]

Jim, you're also supercharged which isn't going to really help at all ;)

That was before the S/C. Now I'm closer to 16-17 mpg city, 29 highway.

[hyunelan2]

TNow I'm closer to 16-17 mpg city

:kick:

[Ugzz]

There's your answer. Look at the EPA ratings, 24mpg CITY and 33mpg HIGHWAY. We're getting 30+ highway. You're getting 25 city. Is that really too difficult to comprehend? I just got 28.7mpg off this tank. 6 dragstrip runs, 4 auto-x runs and a ton of idling.

im saying that i "DID" successfully get 28, 29 and 30 all on 100% city tanks before. Then i had a cel light kick on and it was an o2 sensor, since it was out and even after it was replaced i havnt been able to break 25 again. I duno that that has anything to do with it or not, but thats when i started noticing the drop in mpg.

[BobMs_wht2k2]

25 in city driving is NORMAL!!!! My best all city was about 24.

[Ugzz]

^ok, that is good info. im not arguing the fact that mid 20s is a good average for the elantra. glad to see im getting an avg mpg and dont have any issues i should be looking into

just saying i "DID" most definitely and WITHOUT question get tanks that scored 28, 29, and even 30. and while not consecutively they were within a few months. and believe me i was geeked too, after 1 tank i thought it was a fluke, but after 3 i thought, DAMN, if im super nice i can get this all the time. But apparently no such luck, it was some kind of triple fluke or something, oh well, ill take it. that was a good few months

[BobMs_wht2k2]

Without them being successive tanks, it's hard to say it's a trend. It could have been a short fill, meaning your next tank full was a little lower than normal. It could have been the 02 sensor going bad, leaning the car out, making better mileage or it even could haev been the gas tank gnomes just missed your car those 3 tanks.

[Keyan]

It was about a 50/50 mix highway/city.



That could be a possibility considering the timing belt was just done by the dealer. Not to sound stupid, but I would check that with a timing light right?

a timing light is used for spark timing. our motor's spark timing is ecu controlled so there is no adjustment there. to check valve timing you use the marks on the block and on the crank pulley to find Top Dead Center on cylinder #1, and then you check the cam gear and see if the marks also line up. if they don't, your valve timing is off. Best bet would be to bring it to the dealership with this complaint and this complaint only: "Customer States ever since timing belt was done, car has no power and gets poor gas milage" That way the dealership checks it for you, AND if nothing is wrong they have no reason to charge you.

[2003GT]

I looked at the little display and it reads 21.8 I just reset the battery and have been driving it like I stole it. Is it possible the computer hasn't caught up yet. I plan one getting a K&N soon so I hope this helps. With the subs in I do alot of idling so I can listen to them. Also Put some fuel system cleaner in there. It will clean the system and take any moisture out. I was thinking of doing a fuel filter but I read somewhere that these are in the tank. Is that true. I also feel the same thing that in first its torqueE as hell Esp when you lock it in. (AUTO) In second it kinda lags a bit but it still picks up pretty damn good. BOB

[2002 GLS]

I thought these engines are interference engine's So even if the belt is off one tooth, that would bent the valves and do damage.

[Silentwolf]

Not completely, else we couldn't retard timing n such ;)

Here's some food for thought:
When your school has a major engineering program your gonna get the full physics dose at times, and this thread is one of those.
http://www.ucfcarclub.com/forum2/viewtopic.php?f=2&t=2266

[FirePenguinz]

until gas prices shot past around 325 350 i drove like i was always racing people. i got at one point 19mpg and realized i had to drive a little more conservatively

I have an auto, which i know, sucks. But i drive enough that ive learned how to keep the rpms down, even when accelerating. But even doing my best to save gas, i still only get 27-29mpg at best.

I do some highway driving and a lot of back road driving (which is more like highway driving that our mpg figures were calculated from IMO) so i got a question too.

Im nearing 100k miles and havent replaced the plugs, fuel filter or wires since around 65k miles. could that kind of stuff be my problem? I really want to start getting the advertised figures out of this slow car.

[2003GT]

I was doing some testing of my own last night and while driving I was as getting like 23Mpg . I was also letting the transmission shift out of 1st at like 5000. I was on a road and started up a long slight hill when I punched it. I held it on the floor for about 4 seconds. It dropped to first and held on till 6000. It went pretty fast in my opinion. Faster then I thought. I looked down and I saw 19Mpg. I have to stop doing that stuff. BOB