R56 500 Mile Club
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 15
From: Silly-con Valley
A few more 500-mile tanks in the books.
Anecdote: I mistakenly filled up with regular-grade fuel (87 octane) instead of premium (91). MPG improved slightly, less than 1 MPG which is pretty much zero change, when I would have thought it would drop.
Power may have been slightly less, but since I don't drive very often at wide-open throttle that was a non-issue.
Not something I will deliberately do again, but it's good to know it won't make the car blow up or anything...
Anecdote: I mistakenly filled up with regular-grade fuel (87 octane) instead of premium (91). MPG improved slightly, less than 1 MPG which is pretty much zero change, when I would have thought it would drop.
Power may have been slightly less, but since I don't drive very often at wide-open throttle that was a non-issue.
Not something I will deliberately do again, but it's good to know it won't make the car blow up or anything...
4th Gear
Joined: Apr 2009
Posts: 563
Likes: 1
From: Dallas, TX
Yay! I can finally join the club. My MINI has been downright perky since I put my summer tires back on and today she proved just how happy she is. I hit 505 miles on my fill up today for 36 mpg. It wasn't my best mileage but I'm happy that my MINI is back to normal after the cold winter we had in Boston.
Averaging 530 miles on a tank, however yesterday I filled up when I was down to two bars and the pump read 13.8 gals. I own a S which only holds 13.2 and I was not even dead empty. Thinking the pumps were either not accurate or someone messed with the electronics and short selling everyone, I called the County Weights and Measurements to look into this. Person who was in charge explained to me he would def look into this the next day but also explained to me what possibly could have happened. Car manufacturers use different suppliers for their parts including fuel tanks. Its possible to get a tank that only holds 13g or one that holds more than 13.2 due to manufacturing differences. Next day he calls me back and says that particular pump was accurate to within .6 tolerances which is all that is required in NYS, therefore I wasn't cheated.
I am also very well aware that gauges are susceptible to inaccuracies and the comp telling me distance to empty is just an estimate and not to be taken at gospel truth, but if my tank holds 13.2 and I had two bars in red showing, how did I fill up on 13.8? I don't top off either, when the handle clicks off, that's it.
I am also very well aware that gauges are susceptible to inaccuracies and the comp telling me distance to empty is just an estimate and not to be taken at gospel truth, but if my tank holds 13.2 and I had two bars in red showing, how did I fill up on 13.8? I don't top off either, when the handle clicks off, that's it.
6th Gear
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 2,064
Likes: 15
From: Silly-con Valley
Almost made it back into the 600 mile club! I finished up with 597 miles, on two red carrots. The third carrot disappeared at about 550 miles. I was going to try for 600, but I was heading up from the L.A. basin to the Grapevine, which certainly uses fuel on the uphill, and I wasn't sure there were any stations in the area I would have been in. I would not have been comfortable going uphill like that with only one carrot...
Fueled up on Monday, went to work M-Th, drove to L.A. Friday, drove around a bit during the weekend, and made it back to Castaic before having to refill.
I'd call that decent!
... Oh, and if I make the drive again, I will probably work the speed/MPG tradeoff the other direction. I think I'll live with less MPG in order to cut the trip down to 6 hours again. (Not gonna try for 5 hours again; that was when I was young and more stupid than now.)
Fueled up on Monday, went to work M-Th, drove to L.A. Friday, drove around a bit during the weekend, and made it back to Castaic before having to refill.
I'd call that decent!
... Oh, and if I make the drive again, I will probably work the speed/MPG tradeoff the other direction. I think I'll live with less MPG in order to cut the trip down to 6 hours again. (Not gonna try for 5 hours again; that was when I was young and more stupid than now.)
Close
2011 MCS, 6 speed manual, Sport mode off, cruising the 5 North at 75 MPH indicated, slowing down and speeding up with Cruise as needed, traveled 427 miles before filling, range still said 60 miles left, took 12.27 gallons to fill. I guess I COULD have joined the 500-mile club, but....not willing to chance damaging fuel pumps, I chickened out! Made it from Temecula to Livermore, probably could have made San Francisco...avg MPG was showing as 36.6. I absolutely HATE the inaccuracy of this fuel gauge! Takes over 100 miles to turn off the first "candy-corn", and much less once you get to the RED! You would think that should be reversed! How much "reserve" is really built-in, and how long before damage is done to the fuel pumps?
Did not do so well on the return trip. Cruise set at 80, with variations for traffic. 34.5 avg MPG. Next time, maybe I will try 70 MPH both ways. Right? Probably not.
Oh...engine oil consumption...24002 miles to 25547...less than 1/2 quart of Mobil 1 0w40 used. Not bad. I used Sport mode when not on the freeway...just for the burbles and pops around town, and when traveling the twisties on Hwys 84, 1, and 92. I was NEVER easy on the throttle then, and it showed, as my average MPG dropped to below 24 at some points. So glad to have the N18 engine. Time will tell if the N18 is truly a better design. I plan on some minor mods, and I never go easy on the throttle!
Did not do so well on the return trip. Cruise set at 80, with variations for traffic. 34.5 avg MPG. Next time, maybe I will try 70 MPH both ways. Right? Probably not.
Oh...engine oil consumption...24002 miles to 25547...less than 1/2 quart of Mobil 1 0w40 used. Not bad. I used Sport mode when not on the freeway...just for the burbles and pops around town, and when traveling the twisties on Hwys 84, 1, and 92. I was NEVER easy on the throttle then, and it showed, as my average MPG dropped to below 24 at some points. So glad to have the N18 engine. Time will tell if the N18 is truly a better design. I plan on some minor mods, and I never go easy on the throttle!
Last edited by renchjeep; Jul 14, 2014 at 02:47 AM. Reason: Oil usage info
We're getting close traveling through the middle of the country (CA to Lincoln, NE via I-15 and I-70). We got to Vegas at 460 miles, the computer was only saying 30 miles to go and there didn't seem to be too many gas stations past there.
Yesterday I Identified a gas station which would be 520 miles, at 103 miles to go the computer was saying 102 miles range. There wasn't another gas station in those 102 miles so we filled up.
Yesterday I Identified a gas station which would be 520 miles, at 103 miles to go the computer was saying 102 miles range. There wasn't another gas station in those 102 miles so we filled up.
We're getting close traveling through the middle of the country (CA to Lincoln, NE via I-15 and I-70). We got to Vegas at 460 miles, the computer was only saying 30 miles to go and there didn't seem to be too many gas stations past there.
Yesterday I Identified a gas station which would be 520 miles, at 103 miles to go the computer was saying 102 miles range. There wasn't another gas station in those 102 miles so we filled up.
Yesterday I Identified a gas station which would be 520 miles, at 103 miles to go the computer was saying 102 miles range. There wasn't another gas station in those 102 miles so we filled up.