Wing

Ok, you all know I've been getting good gas mileage. WELL..... since it started to get cold it is getting MUCH MUCH worse! I actually feared this would happen when the cold hit.

I haven't been idleing more or anything, I usually just start the car and drive it slow till it is warm. Same driving I've been doing all along.

Well my last tank I got 14L/100Km rather than my usual 11-12L/100Km. It wasn't all that cold before. But this week was killer cold (at least it seems so), and ... dum dum dum... 20L/100km!


Yes that's right 150Km on 30L!

On a brighter note, I filled up my subaru impreza (got it for the winter to replace the 8) and it only cost $20 to fill it Should be good this winter saving $$$ on gas with this car.

On a sadder note, I hit some gravel pretty hard and scrapped one of my rims up pretty bad Hopefully I don't lose too much on the return of the car. Although from what I have read with problems in the US buybacks I'm beginning to worry. But hell if i have to get a new rim that's only like $500 I think, that would suck and all but that's life I guess. Not sure what qualifies as normal wear and tear in a lease, maybe I'll get REALLY REALLY lucky and they won't notice... doubt it though, they would have to be blind.

TT2RX8

Hi Wing,

That's what I was afraid of... with my summer driving average of 18.37L/100km, knowning that gas mileage get worst during our cold Quebec's winter... was the main reason why I choose the buyback.

For the last 2 days weather is a lot colder (this morning it's 2C, yesterday max was 9C). I filled up yesteday morning... so far I drove 78km and the needle is a lot closer to the half mark than the 3/4 mark, so I guess I'll get about 200-210km... which translate to more than 24L/100km or 9.5mpg US or 11.4mpg Imp.

I'm sure gone a check the forum during the winter to see how our canadian owners average at -20C!!!

In the meantime, I'm enjoying the last few days with my 8 :D

MyRxBad

iTrader: (1)

Wing,
Not that you are wrong with your numbers. But don't forget that gasoline pumps are always volume corrected to +15degrees Celcuis. So that may play a factor in your MPG readings.

Wing

Might play a part, but when I was at half a tank at 140Km normally I would be well over 200km at that point.

I think I might be parking the 8 until I return it next week or so. Already damaged a rim, wouldn't want anything else to happen now!

Hopefully that's not too big of a financial hit

f1michel

TT2 i can't believe your car isn't deffective in any way with that kind of mileage. I just filled up yesterday and got 12l per 100K with 70-30 HW driving. That car is deffective OR you rev it at 7-8K every shift. (must be fun to do though... )

mdmaclean

I fueled up yesterday, 15.7 l/100km instead of a more typical 14.7 l/100km.

Probably not a significant change, and within variablity.

bgparsons3

Wish I could participate more in this discussion ... but unforunately I live in sunny St. John's, Newfoundland. We have been between 17 and 22 degC since early September. :-)

Will have to get back to you when the cold hits ....

MadJoker

Well, I was at 16L/100 km at first and now i'm down to about 14L /100 km , cold hasn't affected me so far, best tank was 13.25 , about 3 weeks ago, now I average 14 this week in monteal , and I'M mostly 70 % city, 30 Highway.. so....



madjoker

TT2RX8

F1michel,

I shift by "feeling"... not checking the tach; usually 1-2 between 5-6.5k, 2-3 between 5-7k, 3-4 between 6-7.5k; rarely do I redline it (once a day...)

A typical driving week for me is 5 days to the office (2km home to hway, 13km Hway, 1.5km exit hway to office) then reverse at night. Add to that about 120km 50/50 city/hway.

Average consumption: 18.4L/100km!!! I guess there is something wrong but the dealer won't check the car until it reaches 10 000km.

So, I'm returning the car and will check the forum during the winter and see what it's happening to the other with fuel consumption... then I'll decide if I get another one or wait for 2005... or.... to bad because I love the car.

f1michel

When i drive it like you do i get about 14 to 15 l per 100K so it's still way better then what you get. Wait until march, lurk around here and you will get the URGE to buy a new one... this car is too much fun not to have one, even in cOLD and SNOW city like Québec city. ( but so beautiful)

actonite

Why is everyone so worried about fuel consuption?

You all spent +$40k on a 1st model year sportscar, with a unique engine. What did you expect?

I have +3500kms on my GT, and my average mileage is 15.99L/100kms or 14.73mpg. Lately its been down around 12-13mpg. But I have fun with my car! I shift when it beeps in 1st and 2nd approx 50% of the time, and I get the little skidding car lighting up at least once per trip (I'm building up the guts to shut off the DSC more, but in the meantime it still lets the car slide a bit before it reigns me in).

If you wanted fuel economy you should have got a hybrid vehicle and done 0-60 in 6.0 MINUTES.

IT'S A SPORTSCAR!!!

My only beef is that the tank is too small for mileage like this and I have to fill up every 2 days, but then a bigger tank would probably upse the 50-50 balance.

In short... just have fun!!!:p

f1michel

When you have learned to drive without all the driving aid then come back and lecture me on fun and gaz comsuption, ok?

( That's the thing i hate here sometimes, someone reads a post he has no interest in and decides everyone should feel the same wau he does )

energie

fimichel: yeah don't worry aabout actonite, he sounds very wise *sarcasm*

f1michel

energie, i wasn't worried just annoyed by kids who think they know it all.

With a nick like yours YOU should worry about fuel... LOL

actonite

I'm not a kid, and I'm not a pro-driver and don't claim to be.
I'm just very tired of people picking apart a fun car, by pointing out all the flaws that, if they had thought about it, they should have known about long ago.

f1michel

listen Kryptonite I couldn't care less about fuel, ordered the car in march without even seeing it in person even once. I can afford the car and i can afford the gaz and i was having a conversation with someone, not a bash session on the 8. I love the 8, keeping it and TT2 has been having problem with his cunsomption since day one. Now take the time to read a bit more post before barging in like you did without knowing what your talking about or who you're talking to !

westie

I agree with f1michel, actonite, read the history of the MPG situation before you comment. If you think 16L/100KM is reasonable mileage for a 2004 (250HP?) 1400KG sports car then I have some swamp land in Florida you may want to consider purchasing. There is something seriously wrong with your car as well. To keep this on topic, just wait until it gets cold, it won't be worth the drive to Acton!

HELLO!!! You contradicted yourself when you commented on the fuel tank being too small @60L. The whole point is that Mazda advertises combined fuel consumption of 9-10L/100KM and some of these cars can barely make half that. The tank is NOT too small if we were getting MPG as advertised. The car would then have adequate (600KM+) range. It's insane to put up with a new car that can only make it 350KM.

My car is bad too and Mazda won't look at it until it's at least 5000KM which will be after the buyback. Do you think I was born yesterday? If they do know what's wrong they obviously don't have a fix yet. It would incredibly dumb to refuse their buyback and then hope they will fix the MPG after OCT 1. They are not even acknowledging they have a problem with the MPG. Not to mention the environmental consequences of this needless waste of energy (gas). These cars are running so rich I doubt any of them can pass an emissions test. Do you honestly believe these cars will pass when they come due in two years!

By refusing the buyback you are all agreeing that your current MPG and more importantly very short range is OK and they are off the hook for advertising false Transport Canada numbers. I am so not blinded by the attributes of the car that I have lost my common sense. When they fix the problems I may buy another one, but not until they fix this critical flaw.

f1michel

I actually do not agree with you Westie on the 2nd part of your statement. My car has 450kn range on almost every tank and i average about 12 l per 100k or less. I don't think my car is deffective in anyway but i di think Mazda should and probably will do something about it whenever they find a program for the ECU that will make the car run leaner and more efficient. I i were at 16 l per 100k i'd give it back as well though.

Mitch Strickler

So you're tired of The subject is terrible mileage. Mileage far worse than the engines Mazda used to get its EPA mileage. Far worse than what Mazda told us in great detail, in a fancy book they published, we would get. We thought a lot about the part where Mazda said they made break-throughs that would make RENESIS much more economical than previous rotaries. Especially the part where they said they wouldn't have made the car if it was going to give bad mileage -- which is just what we're getting. So that's what someone who DID think should have known.

Your sarcasm to the contrary, of course we bought it as a sports car, and make allowances when we push it hard. Another thing you might think about is that your car, considering how you drive it, is not as bad as some of ours in mileage -- in other words, we DO have good reason to complain, even if you don't.

Finally, you mention that the tank's too small. Try thinking about that. Mazda makes tanks on all its cars that give reasonable cruising range; they vary in size depending on the mileage Mazda expects owners to get. So the too-small tank means that Mazda planned on producing cars that give the mileage they were designed to give -- not what we're getting.

Your theory that they skimped on capacity to maintain 50-50 balance could use some exposure to thought. Think about the Mazda literature on balance, which says that the engine AND GAS TANK are placed closed to the center to create the balance and low moment of polar inertia that help handling. Given the tank's position, adding 3-4 gallons of capacity would be such a trivial difference that I'm sure the designers never though of it.

People who have taken the trouble to learn about the RX8, and follow the thoughtful posts in this forum about flaws Mazda should do something about, are tired of being lectured. Next time, think before you write, please.

Quick_lude

Damn Wing I can't believe you went from 11-12L/100km to 20L! That is insane and unacceptable.

Dear Actonite, the RX-8 is NOT a 400hp sports car that produces 5 sec 0-60 and 12 sec 1/4 mile numbers. IF it did then MAYBE 20L/100 km would be acceptable. The 8 is a sporty, lightweight innovative 4 door sedan/coupe with about 220-230hp and 1/4 mile performance around 15 secs. Such performance numbers do not excuse the terrible fuel economy some people have been reporting, rotary engine or not. Something is wrong somewhere and Mazda better fix it soon, the general public will not put up with such terrible fuel economy all year round, there aren't enough rotorheads out there.

For comparisons sake, my 2950lb 2.2L 200hp Prelude on average returns 9.5-10L/100km, no matter what the temperature is outside. I do not baby this car either and VTEC/redline at least once/twice a day.

Personally the fuel economy right now is the biggest issue for me that might prevent me from getting this car next spring. Especially if it goes to the crapper in the colder weather since I am planning on all year driving. I simply do not believe in wasting fuel like that, call me a 'tree hugger' , whatever but anything above 14-15L/100km in this car is inexcusable imo. Let's hope Mazda somehow finds a fix for this..

Evolv

iTrader: (1)

any day now !