Lowest Gas Mileage?

[NewNeptune]

I think I just set a new low for gas mileage in the Vibe. Last tank was 22.5 MPG. Here's what happened:Tank prior to the 22.5 MPG tank:MPG: 26 MPGCruise speed: 80-85 MPHAcceleration: HeavyTires: Pirelli P300022.5 MPG tank:MPG: 22.5 MPGNeedle started moving at merely 30 miles.Cruise speed: 75 MPHAcceleration: Moderate to Moderate-HeavyTires: Goodyear Assurance ComforTredCurrent Tank:MPG: ?Needle has not started moving yet and I have over 40 miles on itAcceleration: ModerateTires: Michelin Pilot Exalto A/SMoral of the story? Don't get the Goodyear Assurance tires unless you are willing to sacrifice the mileage.Anyone else who can beat that low?

[ColonelPanic]

Heck yeah, I can beat that low... Try like 16-20 MPG. Mine was bringing in those great numbers when the cat crapped out and needed that and the computer replaced. It had NOOOO power and I had to floor it to make it move anywhere... Of course these *bleeps* at one dealer I took it to told me that was normal for it to get that low. I'm still mad about that, they owe me $90. Even once it was fixed, it still did pretty crappy, nowhere near as good as it did when it was new. I really don't miss the car when I pull up at the pump, lemme tell ya.

[NewNeptune]

Quote, originally posted by ColonelPanic »Of course these *bleeps* at one dealer I took it to told me that was normal for it to get that low. I'm still mad about that, they owe me $90. Idiots. "Oh yes Mr. Panic, 1/2 EPA estimates are just fine." I hate it when dealers act so stupid like that. I had a dealer like that for my '04 Malibu. I rode around in it for half an hour with a transmission tech. It slipped like crazy and slammed into gear a whole bunch of times. Tech said, "normal until it quits shifting or the CEL light comes on."How is your current car doing?

[joatmon]

When the gas gauge needle in mine starts to move earlier than usual, I just assume that I did not fill up the tank as much as I usually do. I have noticed that I get less in the tank if the drivers side of the car is lower than the passenger side, and maybe also if the rear is lower than the front. I don't think it is valid to attribute a 15% hit on fuel economy to the tires when you only have one tank for data. I assume you had proper pressure in the Goodyears. I'd say the one tank fluke on the Goodyears was coincidence, not cause&effect. 26 and 22 are pretty low numbers though, I would be pissed at the 26 highway before the tire change.My worst tank was 22.6 mpg, but the tank after that was 39, so those two average to a tolerable number

[NewNeptune]

In another thread I figured out that 26 was normal. I run the A/C all the time, it has been very hot and my highway speeds are usually 75 MPH.

[Mrizzle05]

you are in AZ, maybe your cars running teh fan more or trying harder to keep the engine at normal temps and give you a/c?I used to be out there with no a/c so i couldnt tell ya if that was the case.

[northvibe]

dang, my lowest mpg tank was like half hwy half city and i drive "heavy" accelerating and on the hwy hit over 100 a couple times and i got 25mpg on that tank with my stock eagle tires. check your tire pressure and maybe throw in a bottle of fuel injector cleaner with oil changes.

[coldmm803]

i'm in the same boat as ColonelPanic, i hit a low of 17 as a result of my cat goin bad. wow time flies, that was a whole yr ago. if different tires really do make a difference then i cant wait to get rid of these stock conti's cause i've hit 40 mpg a few times (crusing 70 on highway)

[NascarXprt]

i got about 24 doin the same if not more harder driving than Northvibe, but i was on the stock crappy continentals.

[northvibe]

Quote, originally posted by NascarXprt »i got about 24 doin the same if not more harder driving than Northvibe, but i was on the stock crappy continentals. Harder? oh comeon i drive like ricky bobby your like that french dude... hahah jk i bet we both drive it like we stole 'em!!! and that my friends is how i get performance parts...by breaking the stock ones

[deege]

just and intresting readwhat do you think http://www.lubedev.com/smartgas/additive.htm

[DavidPIL]

Quote, originally posted by NewNeptune »Moral of the story? Don't get the Goodyear Assurance tires unless you are willing to sacrifice the mileage.Anyone else who can beat that low?My lowest was in the 19-20 range last Winter after changing my plugs, changing the PCV and changing the Tires. The plugs were the Denso Iridiums that were supposed to be in there. (This Summer after continued low MPG I checked the gaps, they were fine except for 1 plug which was a little under .4mm) The PCV was a Fram though I don't think that had anything to do with it. And the tires were Toyo Proxes4 245/45-17. Before that I had Continental Extremecontact 235/45-17 and had a low 30's average (now can't seem to break 30 very often) and never had an MPG below 24.Could it be the catalytic converter? I just changed it to a high flow Magnaflow so we'll see. Next Spring I will once again change the plugs. Will go with the NGK this time and will need new tires sometime over the Summer. Hopefully I'll see some improvement, of not now with the catalytic converter, then later with the tires and plugs.Dave

[Tubaryan12]

Wow! The lowest I've ever got is 31.75 mpg. That was the 1st tank after it had been sitting on the used car lot for a month or 2. It was also in the summer while running the air alot.

[ragingfish]

I have to agree with the above statement that you cannot honestly attribute a single poor tank to a set of tires. You need to give them an extended run. Assuming the tires are installed properly, balanced properly, and most importantly, at the MRP of 32 psi, then if during an extended run (of several months say) you see a significant drop in fuel economy, yes, maybe the tires play a part.No person in their right mind however should attribute a single instance of something to a particular cause.

[djb383]

There are way to many variables, to blame a brand of tire for lower mileage and using the movement of the gas gauge needle as a method of calculating mileage is going to be about as inaccurate as you can get. Too many apples and oranges here.

[damronjr]

I average 18mpg all the time, but I drive like an idiot and have a S/C, CAI, header, exhaust, W/I, 19" wheels, etc...

[scherry2]

Quote, originally posted by NewNeptune »Tank prior to the 22.5 MPG tank:MPG: 26 MPGCruise speed: 80-85 MPHAcceleration: HeavyTires: Pirelli P300022.5 MPG tank:MPG: 22.5 MPGNeedle started moving at merely 30 miles.Cruise speed: 75 MPHAcceleration: Moderate to Moderate-HeavyTires: Goodyear Assurance ComforTredCurrent Tank:MPG: ?Needle has not started moving yet and I have over 40 miles on itAcceleration: ModerateTires: Michelin Pilot Exalto A/Sdo i understand this right? you had 3 tanks of gas and for each tank you went out and got new tires? that had to be expensive. I'm on my second set of tires,1st were Goodyear RSA's for 40,000 miles and I never got less than 28 MPG (+/- 3) and the Kelly Explorers I have now I get about the same.I think the problem is tied to the Toyota engine and the heavy foot.

[ColonelPanic]

The tires will make a difference but from what I've seen, that is only if they're way low on air. I've been having some problems with my dealer thinking I need 25 PSI in the tires on the new car instead of 30 like it says on the label, so if I don't top them back off each time the car leaves the shop after an oil change, I do see a slight change there...In the Vibe, I didn't see much of a change between my softer 15" Blizzaks I ran in the winter versus the way stiffer all seasons that were on the stock alloys.Barring any mechanical issues with the car, how you drive it is everything and it's amazing how every little thing you do adds up to really crappy mileage. It's all the same too with any other car out there... I've found many people griping about their new Accents/Rios getting 20 MPG but they also say they're hard on the car... Meanwhile, I got 39 MPG out of mine yesterday by taking it easy.

[NewNeptune]

Yes, I was working with Discount Tire trying to find a set that didn't vibrate.Note: I never used the needle movement to actually determine MPG, it was just a shock to see it moving that soon, it had never done that before. All tires were at 32 PSI. I might consider that it wasn't the tires if:- I drove a different route from the one I usually drove- I idled significantly more on the low tank- I filled up at a different gas station- I hadn't had these tires before on a different car and gotten consistently less mileage- I didn't change the tires immediately after and see the mileage go right back upIt *could* have been me. But all of the data I gathered points to the tires.I've come full circle now, back to the factory wheels and tires and I'm getting my usual 26-27 MPG. Yes, I'm still using the A/C from time to time, since it gets up to 85-90 during the day.