Have 7,500+ miles now, and averaging 23+ MPG past 4 tanks in 50%/50% suburban city/highway mileage in my stone-stock 6MT Sedan.

I skip gears regularly (2nd to 4th to 6th, 1st to 3rd to 5th or 6th, etc.) whenever traffic doesn't allow for rapid acceleration or I'm just cruisin', but she's sees redline at least once a day, and usually much more often. Getting into 6th at 1500 RPM or more seems to be the key to decent MPG for this car. (This is REAL MPG, by the way - I have never used the Navi system's calculation of MPG, just the old fashioned way of miles driven divided by actual gallons consumed)

Also averaged 23.1 MPG round trip from SF Bay Area to Boise, Idaho on recent high speed run (in a heavy storm on the way up, too). 1308 miles driven total on 56.6 gallons of premium, ran 92 MPH on cruise control (it's max) most of the time (Ex: return trip 640 miles in 8 hrs. 20 min, average speed 76.8 MPH, and that INCLUDED a 20 minute gas/rest stop in Winnemucca, NV). Wonder how much the aero package adds at speed?

Been seeing a lot of concern on the MPG here - I think it's pretty damned good, overall - this ain't no Civic, guys.

My observation, and $0.02. What's yours?

Sport Sedan Fan - 2004 6MT Sedan
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Mine's about in-line with what you've got. With this car (or engine) one is greatly rewarded for feathering the throttle. Since bolting on 'go fast' part onto my car, I've average 19-20mpg due to the heavy foot syndrome. Just this past week, I've decided to indulge myself by going back to the old 'granny style' of driving and guess what? Bam! ~23mpg (w. some bumper-bumper daily commute). I have also gotten over 27-28mpg in the past doing 95% highway at 65mph.

Oh and by the way ... a full day at a open track event got me 8 mpg

Clint (THX723)<P ID="edit"><FONT class="small"><EM>Edited by THX723 on 07/31/04 11:03 AM.</EM></FONT></P>

 

Oh, forgot to mention ... I use to also skip gears as follows, 1-2-4-6. I believe the gains are marginal compare to driving style. The real key is to keep the revs down and accelerate as gently as possible. I generally make the shfit at 2000rpm, which is then brought down to 1500rpm when the next gear is selected. The process repeats itself all the way to 6th gear, working in the narrow band of 500rpm.

Selecting too high a gear too quickly can acutally hurt your MPG too, as the engine management goes into open loop mode to get a little more grunt out for you.

In any case, I think you're doing as pretty good job squeezing efficientcy out of the car


Clint (THX723)

 

Clint:

Thanks for the input - I thought I was about right, shifting so the car is running at about 1500 RPM in each succesive gear. In my case, when skipping gears, that means about 2600-2700 RPM in 4th, then to 6th. Don't get me wrong - I run it as hard as I can at times, just depends upon the situation/mood/opportunity - it's nice to know it's there, when you want or need it, eh?

I'm skipping gears less, now, also mindful of all of the problems others have reported with their 6MT's, and not wanting to baby mine too much so it doesn't fail (if it's gonna) AFTER the warranty expires - so far no grinding, just a little stiffness in the shifter/linkage (still).

Your track mileage also confirms the suspicion that WOT is "MPG be damned" mode in the "G" - which is just fine by me, too - LOL !!



Sport Sedan Fan - 2004 6MT Sedan
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My mom's 2003 MB C230 Kompy got 28 mpg on a short trip, about 180 miles (Glendale to Visalia, CA). There was some traffic on interstate 5 near Burbank and then at The Grapevine, which lowered average speed to 72 mph, door-to-door. 80% of the time was at 90+ and there was quite a bit of 75-90+ in order to pass on highway 99 (two lanes in some parts).

Even though the five-speed transmission was silky, and I mean smooth-freshly-shaven-legs-silky, I would have rather had the G and low 20's mpg. At least there would have been a grin on my face the whole time. ;>

<font color=blue>2004.5 Coupe ^ 5AT ^ DG/W ^ Z Tube</font color=blue>

 

eldy:

You're so right about those silky Mercedes tranny's - almost 180 degree contrast from my "brutish" feeling "G" 6spd.

But, as a road tester for Road & Track says, "drive it like you hate it ...., and you'll love it !!

Sport Sedan Fan - 2004 6MT Sedan
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Wow, that's nice.

The best I have ever done in my AT sedan, was 20.3 mpg in a very conservative driving mode (keep the revs low) with 30/70 (hwy/driving). This is not bad, and my car was far from stock at the time. The AT is however 2-3 mpg LESS economical than the MT, just as advertised! The best I have ever done on a hwy was 24.5 mpg at 75mph, and 23.-23.5 mpg at ~80mph. At 65, I would probably we close to ~26-27, which makes sense, as the TC is fully locked up (less than ~0.5% slipping) and behaves almost exactly like an MT (identical overall gear ratio on the fwy).

Now, with the TT's I am getting killed at the gas pump. B/C of my REALLY heavy foot now, I a mgetting about 13mpg (city). I will be doing a whole "no boost" 75 mph fwy mileage test on my way back from S.F. on Tuesday.

Gurgen

 

Mine is bone stock and the best I get is 18mpg in a mix of city and highway... but I like to get on it so the mileage doesn't bother me too much... but one note I checked the mileage when I first got the car and again around 15K miles and I didn't notice any improvement in gas mileage.

2003.5 5AT Sedan Black/Black Premium/Winter Packages

 

gurgenpb:

No drug has ever produced that rush I feel when the VQ is at WOT, so I'm sure your VQ with TT is "times 10" !! I've experienced similar rushes in a 426 Hemi Roadrunner back in the '70s (watching the dual four barrels try to inhale the hood), but never this economically and smoothly.

I'll bet those turbos will settle down and be about an average 4 MPG penalty in everyday driving, if we can only get YOU to settle down (LOL).

No sh*t man, you and the others are making all those killer mods we all want, but some of us can't have just yet (kids in college, etc.) - but we love hearing about yours, so keep 'em coming (the mods AND the stories!).

I think, at 23+ MPG for a 6MT, the VQ is the best balance of performance and practicality I've ever owned in a 4 door sedan - we are truly living in the golden age of automotive technology, man (and there's more to come) !!

Sport Sedan Fan - 2004 6MT Sedan
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Obsidian Black/Graphite & "Titanium"
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THX723:

Thanks for your educated responses. You've validated what I thought about long cruises at lower speeds - 27-28 MPG sounds great at 65 MPH, especially for a car with the capability of the "G". I was beginning to think I was the only one getting decent mileage, but I guess the majority of the posts regarding mileage are because they have a problem.

I'm afraid I'm going to become pretty fond of the "Loud Pedal" myself, once I get some mods on in the next year or so, like you. Oh well, it's actually pretty cheap entertainment, that fossil fuel (LOL)!


Sport Sedan Fan - 2004 6MT Sedan
Sport/Navigation/Premium/Aero; "Invisiguard" Bra, Madico Onyx Tint
Obsidian Black/Graphite & "Titanium"
SHE'S SILVER & BLACK - GO RAIDERS!

 

alderran:

Well, like Gurgen says, there is a 2-3 MPG "penalty" for the AT, so you're still about right, factoring in the extra 20%-30% you probably get on it more than me (so far - I'm getting drunk with this power). Like I said in another reply, though, this fossil fuel is actually pretty cheap entertainment, eh?!!

Sport Sedan Fan - 2004 6MT Sedan
Sport/Navigation/Premium/Aero; "Invisiguard" Bra, Madico Onyx Tint
Obsidian Black/Graphite & "Titanium"
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dbarnes...... LOL

Thanks for the reply...that was funny. The turbos are intoxicating, but i think that if I drive the car without going into the positive territory on my boost gauge - very possible if I settle down - then I will not see that big of penalty. The onyl price that I would be paying at that point would be the "small" back pressure increase created by the turbos; i say small because the wastegates remain largely open. But then again, if/when I go with the test pipes, that will remove the backpressure that the stock cats (and perhaps a restrictive stock exhaust) have in a stock car. At the end of the day, not knowing the magnitudes of the effect of these "exhaust barriers" on fuel consumption, I cannot assert if a turboed car can be "slightly less", "just as", or "negligibly more" economical than a stock car, but i DO believe that it is ONE of these three (meaning that it is not "significantly" but "slightly" different).

G

 

dbarnes,
Heh heh ... thanks. Yup, I only know because I was once obsessed with getting more MPG during the early days of G35 owenership. Don't ask me why ... it was just fun (I guess?) to see the engine get told to sputter down to 1500rpm ... knowing that I'm racking big point in the 'miser' game. LMAO!

Once the 'go fast' part went in one by one ... I quickly find myself in in the 19s and 20s :O I've tried to play the same miser game only to find myself 'fouling' 50-60 miles into it. It's been tough ... let me tell ya! The temptation to let her rip is great than ever. Hehe.

Thos 'Kompressor' Mercede's are great, because they have a supercharger that's can be disconnected from the driveline via a magnetic clutch. In effect taking away the parasitic loss when cruising. When power is demanded, it can almost instantly engages itself. Great for fuel economy!

My personal records:
Highest: nearly 29mpg (99% highway avg. 70mph)
Lowest: 8mpg (100% Open Track Event)

Cheers,

Clint (THX723)

 

got back from a 2300 mile road trip (soon to come pics of the G at the top of Pike's Peak in the snow in July) at speeds from 60-120 and I averaged 26 mpg. I took every back road I could find, I was everywhere from 4000 feet high to 10,000 feet high (not including the 14,110 feet of Pike's Peak), found every curve, passed everyone I could, and still averaged 26 mpg. This also included a 4 day stop in Colorado Springs city traffic

My normal in town mileage is 19-20

I have a 6MT w/ 40k miles on my car and I am running 225/55/17 tires. That means my mpg is actually 3% higher than what I calculated due to errors in my odometer.

Better Life thru Chemistry
Black on Black 03.5 Sedan 6MT - Goodyear F1 GS-D3's 225/55/17, Custom Intake Tube, '03 "Z" Suspension, Magnaflow resonator, 6 Wire 4 Guage Grounding Kit

 

3point5SE_Auto:

Thanks for the input - this bodes well for the future of my "G".

Not that many people have 40,000 miles on them - anyone else with similar mileage who would like to weigh in ??

Sport Sedan Fan - 2004 6MT Sedan
Sport/Navigation/Premium/Aero; "Invisiguard" Bra, Madico Onyx Tint
Obsidian Black/Graphite & "Titanium"
SHE'S SILVER & BLACK - GO RAIDERS!