I have had my MINI for three weeks now and after a little over 800 miles and a few tanks of gas I'm still getting 3-4 MPG lower than I should be. Is this cause for concern or is it normal for a car in its break-in period? I have been running the A/C but not a ton and I have been driving pretty conservatively due to still being in the break in period. Any suggestions/comments would be appreciated...

 

How are you determining your "gas mileage"? By the on-board computer (OBC)? Or, calculated (miles driven since last refill divided by gallons used)? If you have been using the OBC, try calculating the mileage as the OBC is generally optimistic or pessimistic (my OBC consistently understates the mileage I am getting).

Also, you will see an improvement in mileage starting around 3,000 miles and it could take as far as 7,000 to 8,000 miles before the mileage improvement completes. This is due to the process of the drivetrain (principally the engine, but differential and transmission to some degree as well) breaking in.

The A/C will put some load on the engine and thus affect mileage, but I rather doubt it would explain 2-3 miles per gallon.

If you are really concerned about the mileage, do two tests: 1.) Refill the tank and run a calculated test on an urban cycle (lots of stop-and-go driving with no frewway runs); then 2.) Refill the tank and run a caclulated test on a highway cycle. If the calculated results are within 1 mpg of the advertised mpg numbers (24/32 if memory serves), then don't sweat it.

 

What do you think the mileage is supposed to be, and what are you getting? And is it a Cooper, or a Cooper S?

 

I'm just going by the EPA 28/36 for the MC. I've been getting about 24 city and 32/33 highway. I have calculated the mileage both manually and using the OBC. The OBC has actually been very accurate so far. But I may just be panicking too soon, besides I probably won't get good mileage after the break in period anyway because I'll be able to start pushing up the rpms But thanks for your input, I'll give it a few thousand miles and if I don't see improvement I'll take it in to the dealer...

 

My Mini just hit the 1000 mile mark and I'm still getting 20- 22 in mixed driving and 24 highway. The engine feels and sounds fine, I called my dealership and the service department said that many have been complaining about mpg's and that the low mileage is due to ethanol. Is this right??? I've been keeping the rpm's under 4500 and driving pretty conservatively as I am still in the break in period.
The guy at the service department said I could bring it in to reset the "computer". Has anybody done that? Has it helped?

 

I have had the same results as Bugster, between 21 and 24 per tankfull. I have an 06 MCc w/CVT with just over 2000 miles.

I'm not panicking because I know that AC use and top-down driving worsens the mpg, not to mention my lead-foot and stop-and-go traffic.

I say we just enjoy motoring and not worry about this stuff.

 

Mine is an '06 Cooper (non-S). Over first 12k miles my hand-calculated Mpg has ranged between 25 mpg (lots of stop/go fwy & short trips/AC on); 30 mpg (typical commute mileage - some wide open 75mph & some traffic jam stop/go; intermittent A/C use) to 33mpg (mostly open traffic, 70mph)

Except when having fun & taking it to 5K rpm shifts, I tend to drive with a pretty light foot. Its a 5sp manual, pretty light weight (no sunroof, 15" holeys, etc.).

 

I have a 2002 MCS, the on board computer records 27-28 MPG city with no top tier gas.....With Shell, I average around 31 mpg city...
I had an 2006 MCS loaner and could only average around 24 to 27 city....
I think the gearing on the newer models affects gas mileage....
just a thought.....

 

On my '05 MC with 13k miles, I average 33-34 mpg, with a couple of tanks at a high of 36-37 mpg. I've only had one tank below 30 mpg (and that was still about 29-29.5 mpg). Even with a lot of autocrossing on a tank, I still get 30-31 mpg. I seldom use the AC, there are no hills/mountains around here, and I always use 93 octane gas, all of which play a part in poor or good gas mileage. With 89 octane my mpg dropped by 1.5-2 mpg on average over 10-12 tanks.

-Keith

 

I have about 850 miles on the speedometer of my baby. My driving is about 1/3 highway.

23 mpg on my first tank.
26 mpg on my second.
Then my MINI wanted to be bad. It really wasn't my fault. Oh the twisties. Oh the starts. We got 23 mgp again on the 3rd tank.

We have agreed to be better in the future. Maybe.

 

Thanks for putting my mind at ease. Just wanted to make sure that my Mini S manual wasn´t an anomoly in the mpg dept. I didn´t buy it for the mpg´s but with the gas prices, my wallet is feeling it more than I thought I would. Is it worth it? Yes!!!

Question... Has anybody brought it in to be serviced because of mileage issues and had positive results afterwards?

 

My week-young 2006 MCSa is getting about 23 MPG in around-town (stop n' go) driving. With A/C on some of the time.

In comparison, my previous 2003 MC with CVT used to get 30 MPG around town, but the CVT tranny is very good on gas because it is very efficient in the way it holds the RPMs steady and smooth... on a few times we saw almost 40 MPG on long highway trips...which I thought was amazing.

I'm expected to maybe average 23-25 MPG in the 2006 MCSa. I think these engines are bulletproof at the cost of efficiency? In other words, they don't incorporate all the i-vvt (intelligent variable valve timing) and all that jazz that a lot of the Japanese cars (and now some of the American build) cars utilize. No biggie, I love my MINI...even if it doesn't "sip" gas as well as it could.

Rock on,

-boognish

 

lol, i finally got a good tank (25 mpg) and realized that the "defect" causing me to get 17-20 mpg for the last 2500 miles was lead in my right foot...

 

Ha Ha, when I did my two test drives in the S manual I got around 12 miles per gallon. I was not adhering to the breakin procedure and nothing was mentioned about it. its funny the MINI requires breakin. most motors these days have such close tolerances they are good to o off the bat I thought.

 

For best mpg numbers.
Do the calculations manually based on you filling a certain number of gallons and for going a known amount of miles, don't rely on the computer.

Inflate your tires ot the proper psi front and rear.
Try not to carry that much extra weight/cargo.
Accelerate evenly and smoothly off the line
Keep a constant velocity/speed or use the cruise control
45-55 mph is probably a good speed when you can and if traffic conditions and speed limits allow.
Don't take corners too fast, just smoothly.
Stay off your brakes when you can- the less speed you loose by breaking helps to keep the car going.
Use premium top tier gas all the time.
Try to reduce wind resistance- roof rack, open sunroof, arm out the windows.
Sometimes changing engine oil to a better synthetic than castrol can help mpg but only a little.

 

i buy new cars every year and what i noticed on all of them is that
they have bad milage the first two months of ownership..after that,
it starts getting near the advertised mpg...

not sure if it helps, but i get about 28mpg with A/C running and
30mpg without on the MCS's on-board computer readout.

 

I would rather just get bad gas mileage than drive like that

 

Only on weekends do I leave the city. (San Francisco). My 04 Cooper gets 17 and my 06 MCSa gets 15. My average speed is usually 15-17 as well. Just stop an go, never getting to any speed. On the weekends those numbers just about double.

 

Touche, Teresa! Actually, I've found that my MCS gets really good mileage at 70+ mph! Go figure!

 

I mean hec Clo I average 24 MPG by taking off like a bat outta hell from the line, going 70+ on the Interstate, taking corners as fast as possible, braking hard when I need to slow down real quick, & riding with the top down. So it's all good

 

Thats true i just 7000 on a road trip two days ago and it started hitting high 30s

 

1450 miles here. 22 mpg average (calculated at the pump with calculator) with very conservative driving habits. AC turned off and below 4500 RPMs. Pretty sure Vegas and no AC do not go well together.

****SIGH*****

 

Words to drive by!!