my gas mileage got better after my first service with an oil change. recently it got really low to around 16-18 mpg (city driving in Boston). on the way home from the dealership i was averaging around 22mpg (all city driving). so for those who are getting low mpg, try getting an oil change and see what happens.

 

according to Click and Clack (from your fair city), when your mileage
goes up after an oil change, it's usually because they put air in your
tires as a courtesy. (going from 25 to 32 psi is more likely to raise your
mileage a few mpg's than an oil change...I'm not making this up.)

 

Im now getting more MPG in my 05' then i did in my 02', im sure the pulley and intake probably had sumthing to do with it, but i'm seeing about a 5mpg difference, could those two things change it that much?

 

My mileage is down right now,winter is here,cold temps seem to suck about 2-3 mpg out of the car.Letting the car warm up longer,about 5 mins when temps are below-15F is part of that,plus more wheel spin,and pushing through snow.but I'm still getting 26-28 mpg.

 

I agree! No way an oil change improves gas mileage. More moderate temperature will, too. (Less choke or less constant AC running).

regards,
Red

 

very interesting... i never knew that. thanks!

 

I just got my new Mini Convertible in Mid-December in Chicago. Ever since I got it the temperature probably hasn't broken 35 degrees. The best average gas mileage I have had is 21.9 I only have about 1900 miles right now. Anything I could do to improve my gas mileage? Is it due to the cold? Is it due to still being brand new? Is there something I should check?

 

Ive had my car about eight monthes, and Ive yet to break 25 mpg...no matter what I do. Some cars just dont get the great gas mileage.

 

I got 3 to 4 mpg better after installing an alta intake system on my mcs. Fuel efficiency improved as miles piled on. Winter engine warm up burns a bit more fuel but I get 27 to 28 1/2 mpg on avarage after 35,000 miles driven. I'm easy on the throttle taking off at lights and stop signs. Shift at or just under 3000 rpm's unless I need to do otherwise or just want to have more fun. Currently my car has a 15% reduced pulley, alta intake, milltek catback, mth software, light weight wheels & tires. Before mth software on a 650 mile highway trip I got almost 34 mpg. I keep my tires at 33psi
:smile:

 

I get about 34 on road trips (mostly freeways and foothill country highways) without all those mods, but I drive a 2003 MC. Lately I've been driving within 5 miles of the speed limit, the result of a stern warning from the CHP. Mileage goes down steeply in city driving.

I'd ditto the effect of properly inflated tires--added a few MPH's when I first got my car, and neglected the tires for far too long.

 

is...Does the way you drive it affect the mileage? Do you wind it up? If so that will decrease your mileage. Do you come to quick stops/take off quick? If yes then that will decrease your mileage. Are you mostly city(start/stop) driving? Yes. That will decrease your mileage. Getting an oil change won't increase your mileage, but changing your driving habits certainly will. And of course the tire pressure and maintenance to your mini.

 

wow.. been a car guy for a long time, and never heard of the tires improving mpg. I've always kept good psi of air in my tires for wear, but never thought about for mpg.

my 05 MCS is getting aroun 28 right now (with variations of my own driving habbits - im TRYING to stay out of the gas, but it's soo much fun!! )

I will have to check my air and see what's in there, and see if it gets any better with more miles - i only have 2200-ish right now.

 

will properly inflated tires improve mileage, but it will improve handling too. The info and proof have been around for a loooong time.

 

OK I can see where jack rabbit starts will decrease mileage. But how the heck does a quick stop affect mileage. It seems to me as long as the clutch is depressed (engine at idle) you aren't using the engine to brake the car. The only thing you are doing is heating up the brakes faster..

 

I find the OBC is way off... I have been using http://www.myautolog.com to log and compare my true mileage and my 2005 MCS JCW (and I drive it like a JCW) is getting an average of 25.79 mpg based on 12 tanks of gas. This is 80% city 20 longer drives.

murmini

 

Many have reported increased milage with an improved intake (and the Hot Air Intake is only about $50), but some have also had lower milage due to more lead-footed driving (like me).

More air won't always improve handling. The trade is that the softer the tire, the more grip, but the more energy needed in deformation (this is the source ofrolling resistance). Also, as the tire gets "harder" from more air pressure, you can actually have an increase in stopping distance, as higher air pressure decrease the contact patch of the tire. For race guys, they can feel a few tenths of a pound of pressure difference in tire pressure.

If you want good gas milage, get a hard compound, narrow tire and run it at the upper end of your prefered tire pressure range. But you'll loose handling, and stopping distance (but your tires will last way longer than the 11k I took to kill the run-flats!).

I also found a noticable difference when I biased the tire at different pressures. I'm not running the run-flats anymore, but the same holds true... Mini's understeer. Run the rear tires 2-4 psi higher, and you bias a bit of grip to the front.......

Another thing to chech is your supercharger by-pass valve. Mine didn't close all the way from the factory. You can read all about this in the "ryephix2" thread. It takes about an hour or two, and have some hose-clams handy (the factory ones are hard to reuse), but if yours is the same as mine was, it's worth the work.

The computer gas milage computation sucks. Mine was >33% of from the factory! MTH upgrade improved it. Also, if your car thinks it's in England, you're computer will calculate everything with imperial gallons! Some Mini places aren't even aware that the system can be set to different countries! So log your milage off your odometer!

SFJAMES also found that the duct after the throttle body could be improved (some glue gobs and dremmel work), this improved wide open throttle respose, but I don't know if it improved milage under closed loop (part throttle) driving.

Denso sparkplugs have been shown to improve ingnition at higher RPMs, but if you're driving here, you don't worry about MPG

But keep an eye on your tires, that and how you drive are pretty much the only things you can do without buying parts! (Also, if you have a big kayak on your roof, you might want to leave that at home )

Matt

ps, I get 24-25 beating the snot out of my car, with all the toys in my signature!