My one major complaint with the intrepid thus far

[Intrepidation]

So far we've been through 2 full tanks of gas since owning the car. The first tank got 218 miles on it...divide that by 17 and the car got a mediocre 12.8 mpg. Considering this is the base V6 I'm scared to think what the 3.0 and 3.5 would get!

In it's defense, this was mostly city driving. So far, on the second tank of gas I've got 250ish miles on the odometer with still gas left. This was more highway-like driving, since I took it to school this past week. Still, I don't think I'll break 20 mpg on this tank. What makes me sad is that Saturn's big new Outlook gets 20 mpg average in a mix of driving (according to Autoweek)

So, and suggestion on way to improve fuel economy? I've heard K&N Air Filters can help, though I don't know if it's by much or at all.

[Drew Dowdell]

stop driving it like you stole it. A smaller engine has to work harder to move such a large car than a midsize to larger engine does thereby negating the fuel efficiency of smaller displacement.

This is the main reason all 3 engines in the 300c get about the same mileage.

[Intrepidation]

stop driving it like you stole it.  A smaller engine has to work harder to move such a large car than a midsize to larger engine does thereby negating the fuel efficiency of smaller displacement.

This is the main reason all 3 engines in the 300c get about the same mileage.

225399[/snapback]

I don't drive it like I a stole it, neither one of us does.

[Cory Wolfe]

I have no idea how to help. However, the same thing happened with my Millenia. When I first bought it, the mileage I got sucked. It got better and now I atleast get the EPA rated mileage. I can't explain why or how, but that's how it went down.

[Buickfosure]

What year is it since my 2000 that i have gets really good mpg with the 2.7L V-6 I would replace the oxygen sensors and prolly other crap needs replacing. Did you check the air filter yet? Also it might be time for a tune up(plugs,wires, and the such) small things add up check them out.

[siegen]

The first tank got 218 miles on it...divide that by 17 and the car got a mediocre 12.8 mpg.

So far, on the second tank of gas I've got 250ish miles on the odometer with still gas left.

How are you calculating the mileage?

[Flybrian]

Step 1) Top off your gas tank completely. Reset tripometer or note odometer

Step 2) Drive until you're under 1/4 tank full.

Step 3) Top off you gas tank completely again. Make note of gallons filled and trip/odometer reading.

Step 4) Take miles travelled and divide it by gallons consumed.

If you're doing this any other way, your not doing it correctly. 17 gallons sounds like the total capacity of your car's fuel tank. Unless you ran it 'till it stalled for lack of gas and ended up with that figure, your math is screwy.

[Intrepidation]

Step 1) Top off your gas tank completely. Reset tripometer or note odometer

Step 2) Drive until you're under 1/4 tank full.

Step 3) Top off you gas tank completely again. Make note of gallons filled and trip/odometer reading.

Step 4) Take miles travelled and divide it by gallons consumed.

If you're doing this any other way, your not doing it correctly. 17 gallons sounds like the total capacity of your car's fuel tank. Unless you ran it 'till it stalled for lack of gas and ended up with that figure, your math is screwy.

225488[/snapback]

That's how I did the calculations. Filled it to the top, drove it until it was to a quarter tank, filled it up again and drove another quarter. Then I take the mileage on teh odometer and divide it by the number of gallons. Final results for tank 2 is 260.1 miles. That comes to 15.3 mpg. An improvement, though still nothing stellar.

[Intrepidation]

What year is it since my 2000 that i have gets really good mpg with the 2.7L V-6  I would replace the oxygen sensors and prolly other crap needs replacing.  Did you check the air filter yet? Also it might be time for a tune up(plugs,wires, and the such)  small things add up check them out.

225454[/snapback]

Mine's a 2000 as well. What milage are you getting? Those are good suggestions. i'll have to take a look at some of the stuff, and perhaps a tune up is in order.

[scharmer05]

That's how I did the calculations. Filled it to the top, drove it until it was to a quarter tank, filled it up again and drove another quarter. Then I take the mileage on teh odometer and divide it by the number of gallons. Final results for tank 2 is 260.1 miles. That comes to 15.3 mpg. An improvement, though still nothing stellar.

225586[/snapback]

you can't divide it by the number of gallons the tank holds, you have to divide it by the number of gallons you put in the car when you fill. Do that and i bet you are getting much better mileage, because if you are at a 1/4 a tank there are at least a few gallons left in the tank.

[Satty]

I saw high 15s in the Sebring, rarely did I do better than 17 on a full tank.

[Intrepidation]

you can't divide it by the number of gallons the tank holds, you have to divide it by the number of gallons you put in the car when you fill.  Do that and i bet you are getting much better mileage, because if you are at a 1/4 a tank there are at least a few gallons left in the tank.

225598[/snapback]

Hmm, I see what you mean. Ok, I'll try that next time I fill the tank.

[scharmer05]

Hmm, I see what you mean. Ok, I'll try that next time I fill the tank.

225657[/snapback]

If you remember the price you paid for gas and how many dollars worth you put in, you could still figure out how many gallons you put in.

[Buickfosure]

Well I take that back about the replacing the wires since I just remembered the intrepid uses the coil on plug system so there is no wires to replace since the coil is directly on top of the plug... But my average mpg as of a couple months ago was around 25 mpg combined about 50% city 50% highway. But if I'm driving all on the express way then I can break 30 mpg. I can go up to traverse city from my location there and almost all the way back before I need to fill up again. But don't worry about it keep driving it if its starting to get better by the tank it might just continue doing it until your mpg is acceptable.

[capriceman]

For reference Traverse city is 270 miles one way from the shores which is just north of Detroit

[Sixty8panther]

The fact that many GM cars with excellent V8s get

teens for fuel economy makes me not desire any

small six cylinders or 4-bangers... plus my Datsun

gets low 20s even when I drive it like it's stolen.

[Flybrian]

The fact that many GM cars with excellent V8s get

teens for fuel economy makes me not desire any

small six cylinders or 4-bangers...

225779[/snapback]

Or better get, GM V6s that get mid-/high-twenties.

[Farkas]

Here's how I figure my mileage:

miles on trip computer / gallons put into car = mileage

Last fill-up:

302.2 miles / 13.56 gallons = 22.28 mpg

It's usually higher, but I've been warming up my car in the morning.

[Casket Demon]

Wait till the transmission fails and you start getting puffs of blue smoke out of the tail pipe upon start up.

[Buickfosure]

Wait till the transmission fails and you start getting puffs of blue smoke out of the tail pipe upon start up.

225941[/snapback]

I agree with the puffs of blue smoke but not with the transmission going. The transmission is very solid, and I know I don't baby mine, but initial start i puff a very minor bit of smoke but nothing more the that. Edited December 15, 2006 by Buickfosure

[NOS2006]

For reference Traverse city is 270 miles one way from the shores which is just north of Detroit

225775[/snapback]

Wow, I thought it was farther than that. I'll have to take a road trip up there sometime.. Summer?

[Intrepidation]

If you remember the price you paid for gas and how many dollars worth you put in, you could still figure out how many gallons you put in.

225662[/snapback]

Yeah, I do.

Well I take that back about the replacing the wires since I just remembered the intrepid uses the coil on plug system so there is no wires to replace since the coil is directly on top of the plug... But my average mpg as of a couple months ago was around 25 mpg combined about 50% city 50% highway.  But if I'm driving all on the express way then I can break 30 mpg.  I can go up to traverse city from my location there and almost all the way back before I need to fill up again.  But don't worry about it keep driving it if its starting to get better by the tank it might just continue doing it until your mpg is acceptable.

225755[/snapback]

We'll see how it goes, at any rate the Prizm gets 40 mpg so we've got that for furl efficiency

The fact that many GM cars with excellent V8s get

teens for fuel economy makes me not desire any

small six cylinders or 4-bangers... plus my Datsun

gets low 20s even when I drive it like it's stolen.

225779[/snapback]

I can't defend the gas mileage but I still love this damn car

Here's how I figure my mileage:

miles on trip computer / gallons put into car = mileage

Last fill-up:

302.2 miles / 13.56 gallons = 22.28 mpg

It's usually higher, but I've been warming up my car in the morning.

225920[/snapback]

Yeah, I used that method and the readjusted mpg is 17...so it's better than it was at least!

Wait till the transmission fails and you start getting puffs of blue smoke out of the tail pipe upon start up.

225941[/snapback]

Yeah, it's got 174k miles on it with original motor and transmission. The transmission shifts smooth as silk and the engine runs and sounds beautiful. Try something more constructive than spewing out crap.

[CARBIZ]

I had a low mileage, 13 year old K-car that gave me 24 Can. gallons per mile, which works out to be about 19 or so American gals. Horrible. But I know I was tough on that 2.2 and it was an automatic. Those old 3 speeds were truly slushboxes.

I think a lot of vehicles lose significant fuel mileage in the trannies - at least non-GM vehicles anyway. With a 2.2 ecotec in the Malibu I am currently driving, I can get 28 American mpg, in city driving. It is amazing what 20 years difference in technology can make!

[Intrepidation]

I had a low mileage, 13 year old K-car that gave me 24 Can. gallons per mile, which works out to be about 19 or so American gals.  Horrible.  But I know I was tough on that 2.2 and it was an automatic.  Those old 3 speeds were truly slushboxes.

  I think a lot of vehicles lose significant fuel mileage in the trannies - at least non-GM vehicles anyway.  With a 2.2 ecotec in the Malibu I am currently driving, I can get 28 American mpg, in city driving.  It is amazing what 20 years difference in technology can make!

228130[/snapback]

When the Shadow was in better shape I remember my dad saying it got close to 40 mpg on the highway once.

But yeah, the Prizm easily gets 40 mpg on teh highway...going 80 or so...

[occupant]

I don't know about technology being too much better. Back in 1994 I bought a 1986 Mercury Lynx from an impound auction. Carbureted 1.9 liter engine, 4-speed manual, cable operated clutch. I got exactly the 36/42 EPA ratings out of that thing, as abused and neglected as it was. Keep in mind I learned to drive stick on that car (drove it home from the auction in heavy snow even!) That car cost me $60, plus $6 for the title, and $24 for the tags. Sales tax back then in Indiana was 5%, so $3 in sales tax. I spent more than that on my first BMX bike!

I haven't had a car since that did that well. Fuel injected 1989 Escort, 5-speed, was in the mid-30s but I never got 40+ on the road. 1995 Ford Aspire came close with a 1.3 liter engine. 1995 Geo Metro with the 4-cylinder and automatic got 32mpg no matter how hard or gentle I drove it. 2000 model Saturn SL topped out at 38mpg or so and it's supposed to get 40mpg highway.

[A Horse With No Name]

Actually my Chryser Concorde got about 26-28 in mostly highway driving.

Chris