Really poor gas mileage

hitorx · Mon Dec 10, 2012 3:42 am

To KuroNekko: Article is in french but they are telling that the Kizashi consumme 20% more than Audi A4 Quatro for less power.

http://www.caradisiac.com/Sur-la-route- ... -78790.htm

Mon Dec 10, 2012 4:25 am

The Audi A4 Quattro would be using a 2.0 turbo so the smaller displacement would give it better gas mileage assuming you are not always boosting. That's the benefit of turbo engines. When you are not boosting, it consumes the same as a naturally aspirated engine of the same displacement. When the power is needed, the turbo kicks in and gives the power of a larger engine.

So, although the Audi A4 may get better gas mileage, it won't be by that much unless you are very careful with the turbo. If you are heavy footed, you really won't be getting better mileage.
Also, consider that the A4 will require premium fuel. Oh and it costs about $10,000 more than a Kizashi.
Also, Audi/VW turbos are very sensitive to oil. They have oil sludge issues. VW's solution? To require synthetic oil rather than to actually fix the problem in their engines.

In my opinion, if you want to go German, go diesel.

Mon Dec 10, 2012 9:52 pm

driving style has a lot to do with it. I have been averaging in the high teens now that them temp dropped with my Saabaru. I let the car warm up quite awhile because the passenger side injector leaks raw fuel vapor when the car is cold. (A known problem on 02-05 wrxs that should have been a recall but isn't) As soon as the car warms up it stops leaking but it is -5 today so it never stopped leaking 100%

Regardless the 2.0 turbo only saves gas if you don't drive like a moron. I get 24.5 -27 in the summer. My last tank was 17.9mpg. I find that snow causes me to see how long I can hold a drift which doesn't do anything good for my mileage.

Paying for premium gets old really quick when regular fuel prices drop and premium lags by a few weeks.

~tc~ · Tue Dec 11, 2012 5:20 am

In my experience, single greatest factor is tire pressure, and weather changes can really affect it.... So much in fact, that it does more to explain the drop due to "winter gas" than the formulation of the fuel does.

Currently, tires are cheaper than gas, I would keep them at the top or even over what it says on the door.

Tue Dec 11, 2012 1:15 pm

Theoretically, at an average of 27mpg since it's gotten a bit colder, I should get around 450 miles per tank. I never run it low enough to find out however. The math is what it is. I drive rural roads, some slight hills, several stop signs and traffic lights and averaging @45mph in my daily commute. I am not forceful at all on the skinny pedal, keeping my launch rpms 2k or under most of the time. Granted that's tough to do in city driving w/ a pile of impatient drivers in your rear view.

I absolutely agree, tire pressure is king w/ these low profiles. I ran 40psi in the Dunlops and have just bumped the Generals up to 40psi as well seeing how my fuel economy has fallen off a bit since I put the new tires on at 38psi. Handling has improved as well.

Northernstar · Tue Dec 11, 2012 8:27 pm

I am totally opposite of you guys, my city mpg is BETTER than my highway mpg lol.

In the city, I get something like 9L/100KM or 26MPG and 10L/100KM or 23MPG on highway lol. I usually drive about 120 or 130km/h on highway but I dont think it will make the mpg drop to 23......
Just wondering how fast you guys are driving to get around 30MPG on highway??

hocaspocas · Tue Dec 11, 2012 9:41 pm

I have a Kizashi S with Manual transmition. I reset the MPG meter each time I fill up the gas tank. Drive 80% highways and 20% city on my daily commute. I'm very easy on the accelerator and maintain rpms below 3k. Also I make certain that I use the exact power for each speed gear.

And in average it gives me 29 to 31 mpg. I do noticed the type of engine oild and where I fill up my gas sometimes makes a 1 or 2 mpg difference.

ipaqxman · Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:06 am

Northernstar wrote:I am totally opposite of you guys, my city mpg is BETTER than my highway mpg lol.

In the city, I get something like 9L/100KM or 26MPG and 10L/100KM or 23MPG on highway lol. I usually drive about 120 or 130km/h on highway but I dont think it will make the mpg drop to 23......
Just wondering how fast you guys are driving to get around 30MPG on highway??

What... That seems a lil crazy

ipaqxman · Wed Dec 12, 2012 5:14 am

Hitorx let me know if disconnecting the battery did anything to ur mpg

Wed Dec 12, 2012 8:04 pm

I get as good in city traffic as I do on the highway if I baby it. City is sort of a relative term with both of my cars I get the best mileage between about 25 and 40, but I shift into 5th and just cruse with the RMP as low as possible. It is really flat where I live and the lights are quite far apart.

The point is that not all cities are created equal.