400 mile tank - doable, but PITA

[zoltiz]

I had an FRS for 3 years, never crested the 400 mile mark somehow, now about 6 months with the 86 and decided to try it out - apparently very doable, even with just daily commute. ~33.1MPG actual, 35MPG on the trip computer, tank needle flat, about 40-50 miles after the low gas light came on.

Welp, back to my normal 23MPG tanks.

Edit (commute details): Atlanta city area (all inside the perimeter), about 10 miles each way, about 80% interstate by distance, half by time, a dozen or so lights, occasional insanity like going 4 miles in 1.5 hours.

[IDFWU 420]

Originally Posted by zoltiz

I had an FRS for 3 years, never crested the 400 mile mark somehow, now about 6 months with the 86 and decided to try it out - apparently very doable, even with just daily commute. ~33.1MPG actual, 35MPG on the trip computer, tank needle flat, about 40-50 miles after the low gas light came on.

Welp, back to my normal 23MPG tanks.

Man, I get 21 MPG bro. I'm stock everything, just aftermarket wheels kills my MPG.

[8RZ]

[zoltiz]

I did a mountain run couple of months back with my old Lotus club and overestimated how nuts they were. We ended up doing over 200 miles in one day, all at pretty much WOT, so when I realized I'm almost empty, I was good 80 miles from nearest Costco.

Decided to try to limp it back to civilization, and apparently we have good 2.5 gallons after the light comes on, maybe more. Assuming 13.2gal tank capacity is not a lie, I can burn through 2 gallons of gas after the light comes on and still fill up with ~12gal.

When the needle is going flat it does get scary for a bit, though.

[Dadhawk]

In my 108,000 miles and 319 fill-ups I've had 3 tanks over 400 miles (most was 413 miles) and probably another dozen that could have been (were within 10 miles or less when I filled up).

Since most of my driving is commuter miles, but at near highway speeds, it's pretty easy to do. On the 413 mile one it took 11.743 gallons to fill up and was a road trip so at the mileage I was getting, 35MPG) I could have gotten to about 465 miles before running out of gas.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by IDFWU 420

Man, I get 21 MPG bro. I'm stock everything, just aftermarket wheels kills my MPG.

The after market wheels are not to blame. Mileage is based far more on how the car is driven than any parts added. Stop and go traffic and frequent WOT will chew up gas not an extra 20 pounds or so from some wheels.

[IDFWU 420]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

The after market wheels are not to blame. Mileage is based far more on how the car is driven than any parts added. Stop and go traffic and frequent WOT will chew up gas not an extra 20 pounds or so from some wheels.

Damn it TCoat, you might be onto something....

When I first got my car (had aftermarket wheels on them right from the start) I typically avg around 23-25mpg.

Now since I started shifting at higher RPM (around 4-6k now), I'm getting around 21 MPG.

I have never avg at least 25+ MPG in my life on this car, so I'm jealous to those getting around 30+ MPG all the time..

[paulca]

Originally Posted by IDFWU 420

When I first got my car (had aftermarket wheels on them right from the start) I typically avg around 23-25mpg.

Now since I started shifting at higher RPM (around 4-6k now), I'm getting around 21 MPG.

I have never avg at least 25+ MPG in my life on this car, so I'm jealous to those getting around 30+ MPG all the time..

Do we see a pattern here?

I find it odd when people say things like: "Now since I started shifting at higher RPM".

Does this mean you always now shift at higher RPMs? Or does it mean you used to always shift below 4k and now venture above 4k more often?

The later I can understand, but shifting at high RPM for the sake of it is retarded. Sure if you only have open road in front of you all the time and you want to nail it up through the gears... but what do you do about 3rd? 6k is above the speed limit in 3rd isn't it? Do you just stay in 3rd and cruise at 5k rpm?

If you are behind a slowly accelerating car and cannot overtake it, do you slowly rise through 3, 4, 5, 6k rpm with only a fraction of the throttle applied? That's dumb and a waste of engine wear and gas.

To drive a manual properly you need to understand choosing your gears correctly. The general idea is:

Use the highest gear that will give you the torque you require without labouring the engine.

So to nail it up to the speed limit, take it to 7.4k and use ALL the torque in 1st and 2nd, then short shift to 6th and cruise... 6th at 60mph will provide perfectly adequate torque to cruise (large hills may require a downshift, as you will need more torque).

But in normal traffic with lesser cars, if you don't need max torque, shift earlier.

[ImAdopted]

i average about 643 km (400 miles) every tank lol. im sitting at 6.0l/100km (39 mpg)

[Dadhawk]

Originally Posted by IDFWU 420

I have never avg at least 25+ MPG in my life on this car, so I'm jealous to those getting around 30+ MPG all the time..

Honestly, I never expected to get the gas mileage I do out of the FR-S (lifetime 33MPG). I don't drive it in any way that would be considered conservatively, but I've only averaged below 30MPG per tank 7 out of over 300 fill-ups. The absolute worst was 27.6 and that was on a road trip where I spent a couple of hours stuck in stop and go traffic (probably averaging 2 to 5 miles an hour).

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by Dadhawk

Honestly, I never expected to get the gas mileage I do out of the FR-S (lifetime 33MPG). I don't drive it in any way that would be considered conservatively, but I've only averaged below 30MPG per tank 7 out of over 300 fill-ups. The absolute worst was 27.6 and that was on a road trip where I spent a couple of hours stuck in stop and go traffic (probably averaging 2 to 5 miles an hour).

Although it is not all that accurate I use the readout to see if my mileage goes up or down. The average has remained on 33MPG for the last 2 1/2 years. It hasn't wavered a single digit.

[re-animator]

Originally Posted by Tcoat

The after market wheels are not to blame. Mileage is based far more on how the car is driven than any parts added. Stop and go traffic and frequent WOT will chew up gas not an extra 20 pounds or so from some wheels.

of course driving dynamics and types of travel are going to have the biggest impact, but wheels and tires make a noticeable difference as well, and its not just because of weight. larger wheels generally = larger tires with more drag. if you are like me you couldn't wait to get the skinny, efficient prius tires off and put on fatter, stickier tires like MPSS. tires with greater traction are also going to impact your mileage (think about under-inflated vs. over inflated tires)


That said i am averaging 28.5mpg according to the trip computer with 18x8 wheels and sticky 225/40/18s.

[Tcoat]

Originally Posted by re-animator

of course driving dynamics and types of travel are going to have the biggest impact, but wheels and tires make a noticeable difference as well, and its not just because of weight. larger wheels generally = larger tires with more drag. if you are like me you couldn't wait to get the skinny, efficient prius tires off and put on fatter, stickier tires like MPSS. tires with greater traction are also going to impact your mileage (think about under-inflated vs. over inflated tires)


That said i am averaging 28.5mpg according to the trip computer with 18x8 wheels and sticky 225/40/18s.

Yep. But they will have a minor impact where the type of driving has a major one.
Drive the car with the bigger fatter car like it is a Prius and you will still get good mileage (be boring as hell though).

[humfrz]

Originally Posted by ImAdopted

i average about 643 km (400 miles) every tank lol. im sitting at 6.0l/100km (39 mpg)

Ya, but your gallons are bigger ......


humfrz