Quote:
Originally Posted by scottymx48
Hi Folks,
1999 Toyota Corolla LE Auto here trying to establish what kind of MPG and miles per tank other owners are getting. I have a little over 110,000 miles and am only averaging around 25-28 miles per gallon. I regularly check my tires and recently invested in new struts, tires, brakes and alignment. Here are some recent figures:
Test 1: 11.485 Gallons, 334 Miles (very low)
Test 2: 11.171 Gallons, 330 Miles
Test 3: 11.486 Gallons, 340 Miles (very low)
Test 4: 12.505 Gallons, 340 Miles
Test 5: 12.200 Gallons, 324.2 (Very unusual reading compared to previous)
Any advice? I try to stay below 2,000 to 3,000 rpm's at all costs and regularly stay within a 55-60 mph limit to try to maximize gas efficiency. 80% stop and go, 20% freeway. 340 miles per tank seems very low to me. I recently ran a fuel cleaner based on the last test reading alone hoping it may help.
Cheers,
Scott
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I think you're doing everything right. The one thing you can't control is your time spent on the road, which is 80 percent city. City driving eats away at your total gas mileage. Try a long highway drive sometime and you might see different results. If you notice the replies, the common denominator is city or highway. Those with mostly highway miles have higher averages while those with higher city miles, have lower averages.
Suggestions:
1. Engine maintenance? I know you've done the drive-train/ suspension but is everything up to par in under the hood? ie oil changes, clean air filter, new spark plugs, basic tune-up etc.
2. Tire pressure pumped closer to max as marked on the sidewall?
3. When you first leave the house or in general when the car has sat for a long time do you drive off slowly or do you let it sit for a "warm up?"
4.Do you anticipate lights? In the route you take, you should know which lights are finicky and which are well timed so coast accordingly with the light.
5.Because you have so much city driving, do you condense the trips? IE Office supply, supermarket, gas station, hardware store all in one trip verses office supply back home, then suppermarket back home, etc.
6. Opportunities to avoid city driving by walking?---I only say this so we can up the ratio of Highway vs City.
There is more but lets hit these first.
Quote:
Originally Posted by TRD-Corolla-TypeS
I average around 125 miles per 1/4 tank. So if by specifications my VE has a 13.25 gallon tank, I'm getting around 38MPG combined highway/city. So by theory I'm getting around 500 MPT. I never let my gas get below a 1/4 tank.
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The more accurate way is to take the total miles each tank and divide it into the amount you fill as you might know already. A lot of the fuel gauges are estimates at best, especially any numbers before the half mark. Be that as it may, it sounds like you know your car better than I do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kyle Hamelin
Replace your spark plugs with Toyota Iridium Spark Plugs. 14$ each X 4. Install them yourself and it's cheap. Toyota will charge you over 160$ to install them those crazy guys.
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Iridium Plugs can be had for far less. Just as you said, install prices at the dealership are steep and so are their parts prices. If those plugs have the Toyota name on it, most likely they are re-branded Denso or NGK plugs. It's better off buying Denso or NGK elsewhere. I've had sucess going to ngk.com. The last time I shopped the net for NGK or Denso plugs, I did not break 10 bucks per plug. Try to stay away from Bosch, for some reason, Toyotas don't like them.
Now concerning iridium, it's not the fact that they are iridium that they are helping out your mileage. It's more likely that you are putting in fresh plugs which give off nice sparks which help the efficiency. Remember the plugs you are replacing were in there for at least 60k miles, anything new will give you better results. The advantage in iridium or other precious metals over standard plugs is most likely the service interval. You can go farther with iridium over the standard plug.
Press22, refer to what was written to Scott. 90 percent city is hard on the mileage. There is a reason why there's two EPA numbers when you buy a car.
) I'm pretty much 90% City if that matters too.
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