I know, I know, its meant for fun, but its also my 100 mile round trip per day commuter. I traded in my r55 clubman just a getting 44mpg for it. I can barely crack 32mpg now.

Does anyone have aero tricks, or custom tunes / bolt ons that help for a few extra MPG's?

I had airtabs and using non-ethenol gas got me to 44 at 69mph on the highway... Not that back roads are un-fun, but sometimes I just want to get home!

 

Getting 32 highway is pretty normal. We did do some testing years ago and you can get better mileage with a pulley and intake as long as you don't drive it harder. That's the really hard part as they give you more power people tend to get on it more often and not getting you any mileage. They both allow more air in the engine to lean it out.
Also you can take weight off the car like the back seats if your not using them. But reality is you won't get anywhere near what the clubman got.

 

Your mpg is about as good as you are going to get....and you are better than 90% of r53 owners now!!
The low mog is the price you pay for having a sc, and a car made before mpg was a huge factor...
Sure...you can careful choose tires, maybe even get slightly narrower ones, dive super nice, etc...but if you could suddeky get an extra 5 mog by doing "x", it would have been dine at the factory.

 

P.S.
The r53 has a pretty early primitive engine management computer...runs pretty rich with an old coil and wire style ignition, port injection, and the shapes of a brick....all terrible things for mpg on very $$$ high octane fuel.....
If the "average" range is not good enough....no change you can make will be cost-effective....sure, tire choice, oils, etc and add a fraction if a mpg here and there...you can loose sight of WHY the r53 was made...FUN.
I'd sell....hypermiling a car with decent HP is no fun...a R53 is no vw Jetta TDI.....heck a 2015 can be driven in a fun manner and get 40+ mog, or "nice" and go over 50 mpg....just got one on Friday....

 

The best I've seen on the highway with my 2002 MCS + JCW Kit is 35 mpg. When I lived in San Francisco I got as low as 17 mpg driving in the City.

 

Zippy has it. The best you might do is to get some LRR tires next time and keep them inflated at 40-45 psi. Keep the speed down as low as you can and draft trucks (AT A SAFE DISTANCE) even 100 ft back lowers drag.
I find cruise control helps boost mileage a touch.
The best I have done is 6.7l/100km or about 35mpg (US), of course an auto cabrio is going to be worse than a manual hardtop.
0w20 synthetic might be good for a little mpg and Shell 91 octane gas gives slightly better economy.
On the plus side you won't be spending money on getting your intake walnut shell blasted every 30k miles. That buys a lot of gas.

 

Yeah, that's one of the main reasons I wanted a r53 and not an r56...

The checkmate has only 37000 miles on it and I want to treat it like its my new car...

 

When I got my RMW dyno tune I did ultimately see a increase of a mile or two per gallon n WHEN I DROVE very nicely, staying out if boost...was actually easier, since I did gain some tq down low...
But at about $300-350 for a tune, plus about $100 dyno time, not sure it makes sense from a pure mpg angle.
Looking back, would I do it all agin? Yes...
My suggestion...
If you are driving a r53 and seeing 30+ mpg....I bet you could drive a cooper, get an extra 10 mpg, and not miss the sc....simply cause you barely use it.

 

+1

From someone who "only" gets 22 mpg in my 06 Checkmate. But I'm always driving with a smile on my face

 

Like WAY has said, get some bolts on power mods and your mpg will go up slightly.

 

Keep in mind that the cost of any mods have to be offset against the savings from the DIFFERENCE in fuel consumption. It will probably take a while for that if you are spending hundreds (or more).

 

But thats the excuse ill have for buying them!!!

hey wifey!

 

if you have an r53 getting 40 mpg, youll be going down hill for quite aways. ive seen 34 max and that was at like 55 mph no ac, windows up.


if you seal the underside, get some vortex generators for the roof , remove the spoiler, and get a rear diffuser you may be able to get 35 consistently on the highway. r53 isn't a hypermiler. superchargers are parasitic. always require engine power to move them even not in boost.

 

Using your mpg numbers the switch cost you about 1 gallon a day. That's not much for a 100 mile grin everyday. Seems like a fair trade. I like smiles. Sit back enjoy the ride life is short. Motor on