I thought out of curiousity I'd start a poll to see what kind of mpg everyone is getting. If you are getting around 30+ mpg could you please reply with the things you did or methods used to increase your mpg. I've filled up 3 times so far. The mpg for the tank of gas from the dealership is not accurate as I don't know for sure if the trip miles were on the tank.
Rounded to the nearest 10th.
Fill up---MPG
0---------????
1---------24.4
2---------25.7
3---------Still driving on this tank.
I up shifted a little bit later on fill up #2 (between about 2750 and 3000 rpms vs around 2250 give or take 200 rpms.
Been reading here about the MPG improvements by using premium gas instead of 87 grade, so I decided to give it a try in my 2012 SE. Started about a month ago, and my average city mileage has improved from 21 to 26, and my average highway mileage has improved from 34 to 38.5.
31-33 mpg (using online calculator as I hate l/100km's #$%@ Canada and it's metric system.
get pretty much the same from my 2000 Zetec wagon/ the wife's 2001 SPI /and think I might be a little more with the 2005 Duratec now that I had the ECM updated last week, but haven't filled it up to check yet. All 3 are bone stock origional 5 sp man, and mostly highway driving with no traffic, never driven hard (I'm in no hurry to get anywhere) that's what the truck is for!....
2001 SE Sedan, 2.0 Zetec, MTX, closing in on 228K miles.
Still getting 28+mpg for the daily commute and weekend trips to the folks. It used to get just above 29mpg for the same routes. A/C knocks it down closer to 27mpg.
On a recent long haul, NJ-WV-NJ, it got just above 33mpg. When it was new(er), I saw 35+mpg on trips from NJ to Naples, FL and to both Buffalo & Watkins Glen, NY.
The only mod was "Daughter v1.0" in 2004. It really helps keep my right foot off the floorboards.
I average around 35 mpg in summer with an 03 ATX...mixed driving. I use a Scangauge which shows avg and current mpg...allowing the driver to SEE what affects final mpg.
The key to decent mileage is fairly brisk acceleration WHEN you expect a clear road ahead...keeping top speeds down some...anticipating and coasting into stops/curves at 25 mph if possible.
I keep my tire pressures up some over the door jamb figures...but lower than sidewall numbers. Run synthetics and part synthetics. Installed a front pan.
I lose maybe 5-6 mpg using the AC...so I don't run it if I can avoid.
If I was drivng 12K per year...I'd save maybe $40-50 per month on gas.
If you have a later model Focus that gets better mileage....you might still gain maybe 30-40% in mpg.
It's a matter of retraining the driver...driving for mpg rather than seeing how fast you can go from point A to point B. After all...you'll never win the rat race...you only THINK you are winning. [driving]
So I'm wondering why you run E85? I haven't tried Premium...but I'd like to go over to a place on the lake and buy a tank of ethanol free gas like they use in the boats to see how my mileage does.
My sister drives an HHR on E85...keep telling her she isn't saving any $...but she still does it.
I run E85 because it is cheaper than race fuel, burns cleaner, is catalytic converter safe, and is the equivalent of 110 octane. I knock on anything lower than 93 octane when in boost.
It depends on the engine. From my experience, as well as a few others I know, the Zetec engines actually prefer a little ethanol. I get 25mpg city and 35mpg highway on 87 octane in my 2001 ZX3. If I run E20, I will get 27mpg city and 36mpg highway, and I save money at the pump too. I can also feel the difference in power. I've found these results to be quite consistent after checking my mileage after each time filling up for all 28,000 miles I've driven it. The ZX3 has almost 120,000 miles on it at the moment.
91 works for me if I limit myself to 13 PSI, mor than that and the knock sensor hears things it doesnt like. 91 here is E10 too, I can't find any non-ethanol pump gas anywhere. I try to stay away from race fuel also, as lead kills catalytic converters rather quickly, and widebands too.
Well, I'm just saying that from my experience, I get better mileage when I run E20 with no change in my driving habits. My dad, who also has a 2001 ZX3, has had consistently better mileage on E20 as well. Think what you want, but like I said, I can prove it.
I just reached 39 mpg. on my last highway trip. Cheap gas, 70-80 mph.,stock 2012 base model, 5-speed manual, flat Illinois roads. Odometer 17,000 miles. This result was arrived at by filling the tank, zeroing the trip odo., getting on the interstate and driving 392 miles, just before the gas light came on I filled up the tank with 9.87 gallons of cheap gas and did the math
I drive 50 miles one way to work every day with an 08 se manual. I live in Minnesota. I get 33 in the winter. 37-38 in the spring and fall and 34-35 in the summer running the AC. It has a cold air intake.
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