I have been watching my gas gauge pretty closely since getting this car.

I realized that it doesn't stay above full for about 50-60 miles like every other gauge I have ever seen.

I think that makes it seem like the car is excessively thirsty, even though my mileage is only a couple mpg worse than my previous car.

Just an observation.

I actually like it better this way because it is accurate, but it did alter my perception of mileage the first day or so.

Just thought I'd throw that out there.

moo

 

Yeah, there's no way you'd get 50-60 miles while the needle's above full. Mines drops a line every 10 miles I travel, up until halfway, where the needle starts dropping a tad slower. I consistently can't do better than 100 miles at halfway.

 

Gas gauges are notoriously non-linear and often quite inaccurate. The position of the needle in the gauge cannot be used to determine accurate fuel mileage. Ya gotta keep records, preferably over a fairly long time span, of gallons used and the related mileage driven. I'm sure you know that, but this is for those who don't.

 

the RX-8's fuel gauge is more linear than most other older cars, which is a good thing

 

I am finding my gauge is pretty close. right around 7.x gallons at halfway.

and yeah, I am measuring by the number of gallons at the pump, not by the gauge.

I nearly fell out of my seat when I was at 10 miles and already pointing at 7/8 of a tank though.

 

Weird...mine drops faster after the half-way mark...

 

Mine's 6.5 gallons @ the half way mark. I'm getting 18.5 mpg, so the trip meter is usually at 120 miles when the guage is at the 1/2 way mark.

 

I hate it when cars do that, you think your fine for about a week/half a week and then two days later you glance down and *Crap* it needs filling again...

 

My experience with the gas gauge is similar to everyone else's. However, I'm more concerned with how much is left when the yellow "low" light comes on. It appears that there's about 3 gallons left (maybe even a little more) when the light comes on, which should give adequate time to re-fill before it's dry (unless you're driving in the middle of nowhere).

 

from my observation, the low fuel light comes on with about 2 gallons left in the tank.

 

Then perhaps the low light is inconsistent from car to car, also. Either way, I wouldn't want to see it coming on in the middle of the Nevada desert--unless maybe it was close to one of their legal brothels. :p

 

Same here. Very consistent.

 

his is the third weekend that we drove to the lake - it is about a 1 hour 45 minute drive. Each trip gave the following results:

1. Quarter of a tank - 62.4 average miles traveled.
2. Half a tank - 126.8 average miles traveled.
3. 3/4 tank - 218.3 average miles traveled.
4. First two trips - filled up and had an average 23.8 mpg. I haven't filled up from trip # 3.

First and last 20 minutes of the trip was city driving; about 35 - 40 mph average. Rest of trip was highway; about 75 mph average.

No complaints from me (knock on wood).

 

Khtm I'm the opposite of you .. mine drops fast for the first half and the last half it's slow.

When the fuel light comes on for me ... i consistently have about 10L left (giving me 50-60km)

 

So now is it clear why when someone says they get 250 miles to the tank, it does not mean a whole lot?

 

Mine drops pretty quick for the first quarter or so, then slows down. It was mentioned before that the tank is probably more narrow toward the top. I filled my tank once as soon as the low gas light came on, maybe 1/4 mile afterwards, and I got 13.3 gallons, which would mean there was 2.6 in the tank.