Georgia8er

I had the latest flash done on my 04. Before I was averaging around 19.5 mpg and post flash I'm getting 21.5 mpg in mixed driving. Car has 5200 miles on it, driven somewhat aggresivly and usually use premium, sometimes midgrade. Also, I don't think we have ethanol mixed fuel around here. I wonder if that could possibly affect the numbers?

Sapphonica

I've got an 04 6MT with 2,000 miles on it. It has the 'N' flash.

So far, I'm getting 200 miles per tank (fill up takes 14.5 gallons).

If it doesn't improve dramatically, I'm going to have a severe case of buyer's remorse!

Maolin34

Lack of ethanol is supposed to help I've heard... I was reflashed to N a couple of weeks ago, and initially pulled about 17.3mpg....an improvement of almost 2 mpg for me. This second week, no go....182 to the fuel light. Oh well.

jaguargod

I was originally getting about 13 miles to the gallon and I usually drive about 60% city/ 40% hwy. I started keeping the rpms at 3,000 or under and that number jumped up to about 15.9 miles per gallon. After getting the improved spark plugs installed and the N flash, my car seemed to run much smoother and was more responsive. Right now, I am at about 223 miles with about 2 clicks left on the last 1/4 of the tank. I can probably squeeze another 20 miles out of it, which would put me close to 250 miles. Plus, I just hit 3,000 miles and I have heard some speculation that this might be the end of the break in period (engine runs rich during the break in), even though my service advisor says that officially, Mazda says there is no such break in period. At this point, if I could get 18-20 mpg, I would be ecstatic.

beefyjoe

My 2004 Mazda RX8, Build date 6/03. 6 Speed

This really sucks. The old Lamborghini Countach got 11mpg.
The rx8 is nice, but it's no lambo...

khoney

Just filled up today, and I'm back to my normal driving routine. But this time I got 22.4 MPG, which is about 3MPG better than my usual. I'm thinking that it has to do with the fact that I'm now leaving for work at 5:45 instead of 7PM, and I'm missing all of the stop-and-go traffic.

Oh, yeah, and Mr. Stupid here ran out of gas over Easter weekend. 5 miles from home (3 from the gas station). I'm a little perplexed, because the needle was in the same spot where it has been lots of time before. Fortunately a helpful guy pulled over and gave me a ride to my house to get a gas can.

Can running out of gas cause your car to subsequently sip fuel a little more conservatively?

zoom44

claassified is right!! nbut your highes was 24.1 or something is what i remember. on one of the tanks where i got 23.99 i remember yours being over 24:D and you didnt believe me setting out:D

beefyjoe

What's going on here? Why am I getting 12 mpg WHY WHY WHY?
I KNOW I did not buy an economy car, but this pisses me off.

I bought an 04 for the rebates and the great deal, but I think I got suckered. I was worried about an early build - 6/03. i was probably right.

And when I ask any Mazda "official" about it, they say,
"It depends on how you're driving it".

You know, mr MAZDA MAN, you're right, maybe I should stop driving at 9000 rpm on my daily commute through Brooklyn. Maybe I should stop racing around Ocean Parkway at 125mph. Maybe I should stop towing a trailer with the air conditioner on. Maybe you should look at me- I am a 39 year old man who simply DRIVES the car NORMALLY, and gets gas milage worthy of a HUMMER towing a battleship.

MAYBE YOU ALL SHOULD ADMIT THAT THE ROTARY IS A FLAWED CONCEPT AND THAT THIS CAR SHOULD HAVE A 4 CYLINDER TURBO WITH LOTS OF POWER AND A REAL 22MPG. MY VW GTI HAD THAT. It also handled like a wet noodle, but that's another topic.

zoom44

you appear to have issues. take your car in and demand that they do an mpg drive test. they will have to keep the car a day or 2. my car is an early build-earlier than yours - and i get 17-18 around town. your bolded statement above is incorrect.

Howard

I have gotten ten mpg since I got my car. They have tested the mileage and got 11mpg, but they could not do anything and MAzda has no interest in resollving the problem.

zoom44

hi howard long time no see. did you try to lemon your car?

brillo

howard

do you know anyone with a canscan device? Can you log your a/f ratio? that would be a good start in knowing where your issue might be.

see my thread in the gulf forum about improving mileage, see if that helps

beefyjoe

zoom44, That's the first real yelling I've done about the car. I do like it, just frustrated.

I will take it in to service, but I am so angered by the "It must be the way you drive" comments from anyone at Mazda that I have asked.

I made a point to find company people at the Mazda booth at the NY auto show, and they were wagging thier finger at me, telling me to drive more slowly, don't let it rev so high.....

Howard

No. I don't think it would be easy or even possible from what I have read on the Internet to Lemon a car for fuel Issues.
What really needs to happen is a class action suit by the small percentage who have the extremely low mileage. It would never go to court and Mazda would settle but everyone would probably get only a small amount of what they loose in milage over the life of the car. In any case that is way over my head.

Howard

No I don't really know anyone who messes with cars anymore. I used to years ago.
I'll take a look at your info. Thanks

Aseras

has any of you who are getting crappy mileage checked your plugs to make sure one of them hasn't fouled?

Aseras

manufacturers aren't allowed to make claims on mileage that's why the epa does it. you'd have to sue the epa and there's not a chnace in hell of getting them to change their flawed estimating procedures, they don't even drive the cars, the run them and measue the exhaust and then extrapolate figures from the readings.

what it'll take is another nader, someone who will stand up and fight back and amke them change the whole thing.

dwynne

The EPA establishes the test prodedure and the conversion factor (in the test they cars get much better mileage than the window sticker shows). The testing routine is published and the automakers do their own tests. The tests are usually done on a pre-production car.

The EPA can (and does) spot check to make sure the automakers are doing it properly - but I am sure they have too small a budget and there are way too many cars for them to re-test them all.

There a tons of problems with the tests - mostly it is outdated. You can contact the EPA to "object" to the gross error in the RX-8 mileage you get VS sticker and see if they plan on testing it themselves or not. Maybe if enough people do, they will.

It also could be the Mazda did the test fair - and the 8 just happens to do well on this test. Hybrids, for example do REALLY well on the test - a lot more so than they do in real life.

Interesting to note: A manufacturer can't give out a mileage estimate other than EPA - by law. So Toyota (and Honda) know their hyrbids will dissapoint most consumers but they can't tell them. So even if Mazda knows the stickers not correct, by law that is what they put on the windows.

The testing produceedure itself is really old and flawed. The BlueWater Network (a bunch of tree hugging hippies :D) has petitioned the EPA to fix its testing and labelling proceedures. In this case, they are right.

http://www.bluewaternetwork.org/

Here is how they test a car:


The gas mileage estimates are based on results of tests required on new motor vehicles (cars and light trucks). Designated pre-production prototypes of new models are driven by a trained driver on a dynamometer, an instrument similar to a treadmill. The same tests are performed on each vehicle tested, following approved procedures, as described in the Federal codes or regulations. These procedures ensure that each vehicle is tested under identical conditions, therefore, the results can be used with confidence to compare similar cars. Two different tests and gas mileage estimates are done for each vehicle tested; a city estimate, designed to represent typical everyday driving in a city, and a highway estimate, to represent driving in a rural setting. The tests measure the waste
substances emitted from consuming the fuel, not the actual fuel consumed. From the measurement of emissions, EPA can estimate the miles per gallon achieved by the vehicle on average.

The test used to determine the city estimate simulates a 7.5 mile, stop-and-go trip with an average speed of 20 mph. The trip takes 23 minutes and has 18 stops. About 18 percent of the time is spent idling, as in waiting at traffic lights or in rush hour traffic.

The test to determine the highway estimate represents a mixture of 'non-city' driving. Segments corresponding to different kinds of rural roads and interstate highways are included. The test simulates a 10 mile trip and averages 48 mph. Me test is rue when the engine is warmed up and with very little idling time and no stops until the end of the test.

To make the numbers on the labels more useful for consumers, EPA adjusts the laboratory test results to account for the difference between the controlled laboratory conditions and actual driving on the road. The city estimate is lowered by 10% and the highway estimate by 22% from the laboratory test results. Experience has proven that these adjustments make the nfflcage estimates on the labels correspond more closely to the actual gas mileage gotten by an average driver.

Note the speeds. I would hardly call a 48mph average speed with no stops "highway" driving. Of course there is no wind resistance, etc. They also don't test with the A/C on, lights on, etc. So the load is at the minimum on the engine. The control the temp at 75 degrees, so your cold mileage will almost always be worse.

So be mad at the EPA for having a bogus proceedure, with out of date speeds and trips. The manufacturers have to follow it, even if it is wrong. Now of course, they could fudge the number to make a car look better than it is - but I think it is mosly that (like the hybrids) the 8 may just do a lot better on these exact tests than they do on real roads - so the larger than normal difference in real-world VS EPA numbers.

Keep in mind the manufacturer's play games too. The rules say if the test car has a shift light or ecomony indicator the "driver" has to do his/her best to follow it. So they will put shift lights (like the Corvette's 1 to 4 shift light) in the car to boost the mileage numbers. Since all hybrids have economy indicators, they try to keep them in the "green" and still do the test. Most folks would never drive like this. Really slow starts and acelleration and slow, coasting stops. Not even close to real-world.

Dennis

beefyjoe

What upsets me most of all is the VARIATION in MPG figures.
Many are claiming 20mpg.
I am getting 11mpg.

Howard

I believe if it were fouled you would get a CEL or very poor pickup. I get neither but I get 10mpg in town. Now I have had a recent discovery. I went out of town on a trip this last weekend. Something I seldom do. Most of my driving is in town. I set my cruise at 78 for 150 miles. I got 20 mpg. I was chocked. I drove the next 150 without cruise and I got 15mpg. I believe that the problem lies in the way I accelerate or else in something mechanically related to that. I never expected to get 20mpg on the highway and I am absolutely thrilled. I wonder if all the drivers getting 10-12 in town drive almost exclusively and the others with better mileage have either mixed or highway driving. Also the cruise control obviously makes a huge differrence, although I did accelerate as normal getting to 78.

Stras

Don't get me wrong I love my 8 but the gas goes real quick if I get ten mpg I would be surprised.But i bought a sports car so I deal with it. I drive it like it was designed to red at 9,000 so as I go from 1st to 2nd just cruising I naturally shift about 4,500 to 5500 rpm and thats just riding along any kind of fun driving is much higher revs, but my 69 z-28 got under 6 mpg and my near stock 71 vette with a 454 got 8 so I don't think its out of line.
today I filled it dead empty and spent 35 bucks made me blink but if i wanted gas mileage I would drive my wifes malibu...............................
Oh and to avert any questions my car has been in the dealer 17 times in less than 12,000 miles and I am person non Grata after they left the bolts out holding the under engine cover panel after changing a fog light that went bad. it came off and flew into a million shreds on the interstate 5 miles away from the dealers I was super pissed at them it could have killed someone behind me.I now go to a different dealer for service(recalls)

crosswound

all these threads with mileage and i never even probably calculated mine to test lol i think i usually get about 240 when the low fuel light comes on don't know how much that translates too i usually end up putting back in at least 12 - 13 gallons.

MI_FamilyMan

Howard, good to see that you have finally managed to get a different mpg number. Your mpg issues have been pretty well documented on this board. I suggest some more "testing".

A good excuse to go on another Road Trip...

MI_FamilyMan

Well 240 miles divided by 12 gallons would be 20mpg. Pretty darn good. 240 miles divided by 13 gallons is still 18.5 mpg (rounding). Still pretty darn good. I've never been over 18.5 or so, but I've also never been worse than 16. I'm pretty content with that.

buzzardsluck

I used to get crappy mpg when I first got my car (new-9500 miles). By crappy I mean 13-15 mpg or so. Since I've hit about 11000 miles or so, I've seen it go from 18 to 19 to 20 mpg and the last 2 tanks have had 21 mpg. This was mostly done on 89 octane gas and using 4k as a shift point with some high revs to pass people. I normally shift 1-3-4-6 and put into 6th at around 50 mph. When I have open road I drive anywhere from 75-85 mph but mostly 75-80 mph with some stop and go traffic. Not fun driving but it does help on gas. I also let the car warm up while sitting until the rpm's drop to 1250 or until 3 minute has passed. I also have a longish private drive (.6 of a mile) and drive in first gear down this road with no gas added. I also keep it under 3 rpm on the road until full operating temp. has been reached.

As a side comment my car dislikes 89 octane gas above 5k. Therefore I don't take it above that to minimize the chance of pinging or possible engine damge. When I want to have fun I put 93 octane in the tank (like right now).

I hope someone will benefit from my info and that's the reason I went into detail.

p.s. if my scanner will ever work ill post my gas sheet