Let' s revisit the MPG issue...shall we?

[Rondog]

ok... i did a cursory search for a mpg thread but was unable to find anything.... so let me ask (i'm sure it's been discussed before)

What sort of mileage are you guys (and gals) getting in your cars????

I have a 2005 987S and while i must admit i do tend to race from one stoplight to the next (Southern Calif)... i was a bit unhappy to see my mileage around 15.5 mpg.....

DISCLAIMER-- i am basing this on the PCM readout---and once again i will confess my ignorance here--- I am not sure if i should be resetting the trip function everytime i gas it up --- or not... ( i wouldn't think this is necessary--but, HEY! i am STILL trying to figure out how to store my favorite radio station-let alone figure the TRIP functions)

So...my friends.... what sort of MPG are you getting????

RD

[BuffaloBoxster]

In stop and go traffic I get mid teens. On the highway I get high 20s. I got about 28 mpg on a trip from Buffalo to Washington and back last summer.

[Brucelee]

That's about right for the driving you do and where you do it.

In SOCAL, we mostly sit at traffic lights and curse.

[SD987]

18.0 987

I don't reset the MPG, but I do reset the range every fill-up.

Fuel-economy on the Box, pretty much sucks, especially for about the first 5,000 miles. Thereafter, about every 5k, it improves, or such has been my experience. I'm at 18k now, and get much better fuel economy, but the 18.0 is being dragged down by many miles of crap-economy. A couple of points, I've mentioned before:

* Top-down vs. top-up makes a big difference
* Freeway vs. not makes a big difference, and I think the off-freeway driving in SoCal is not conducive to good fuel-economy. The lights are spaced just far enough to get up a nice head of steam before you have to brake again. Irvine Center Drive, would be an example of what I'm talking about in your area. On the flip side, I don't think driving like a granny yields good economy in the Box either.
* Not having easy access to gas higher than 91 octane, can't help
* You're most likely pushing the gas pedal wrong, which leads to poor starts and not getting on the gas quick enough during shifts - bad on a car with fast-falling revs.

[Wintermute]

My daily commute is about 7 miles, mostly cruising between 35-45mph, with some stoplights sprinkled in for fun. I average around 20mpg for that. On the highway I'm getting around 25mpg. Better than my Honda Prelude; 200hp from a 4-cylinder, 2.2L engine require some serious tweaking and at that point, gas mileage is an afterthought.

I drive a 2002 S.

[mach schnell]

18-20 tooling around town (soCal) - I have seen 32-34mpg, with cruise at 82mph on the wideopen freeway!

Although I hate the gas prices here (was just in MI and gas prices are almost a dollar cheaper - if I could have figured out a way to carry it back on the plane...) I can't complain about the fuel economy with the box, considering the HP, Performance, etc - not a bad pkg!!! My 03 Beetle - luck if I ever got above 26-28mpg (even on cross country treks!)

[BoxsterSbob]

Around town usually 22 to 25.

Highway I got a high of 30 on a trip to Fla, but generally 23 to 28.

Not too bad.

Back in '96 I had a C4 LT4 Corvette that got a high of 32 highway. If you pushed it it drop quickly to 18.

Bob
04S
Borla
BMC

[smith12895]

I get around 22-24 mpg commuting down PCH, maybe 20mpg on weekends.

[2kwiq]

Originally Posted by Rondog

HEY! i am STILL trying to figure out how to store my favorite radio station-

RD

yeah this thing took me a while too. but like most intuitive radios where you hold down the button for like 3 seconds, the porsche is the same.
but for whatever reason until that third second or so, it reverts to the old preset...ended up lookin in the manual to find out...

just find your station. press the number you want to save to...then WAIT...it'll change station but finally just change back to the one you wanted preset.


btw, i was lookin at about 26.5mpg for a 800 mile trip last week. cruising between 70-80mph the whole way.

[70Sixter]

OBC says 25-26.5 in normal (95% open road) driving. Almost no stop-n-go. Regular but not constant trips to redline in lower gears,

Got almost 30 on mostly Interstate trip to Tampa area and back in Dec 05 @ 80 mph average.

Early months 22+ mpg until broken in.

http://986forum.com/forums/showthread.php?t=5724&page=1&pp=20

And there are way too many radio pre-sets for me!

[MNBoxster]

Hi,

Many variables affect your actual MPG. These can include Tire Pressure, your Driving Style (it doesn't take too many hard take-offs to put the MPG in the toidy), the terrain where you drive (Hilly, Flat), Wind (if you live in a Windy area, this will have an effect), the type and condition of your local roads (increased/decreased rolling resistance), the current Health of your Car and how well you maintain it, your own weight and that of your avg. passenger, even how many and how often you use the accessories - including the CD Player, how much stuff you haul in the trunk(s), the Wheels and Tires you use, and as SD987 points out, whether you are Top Up or Top Down.

In any event, consistency is the key to maxing your MPG. With a range of 300+ miles/Tank, just a few spirited miles or starts or varying your driving practices just a little can have a tremendously negative effect.

You cannot rely on the Manufactuers reported MPG because these are accumulated under Ideal conditions, even greater than Ideal conditions. They use no accessories, no hard starts, in 75° Temperatures, avg. 48MPH and never go beyond 60MPH. The EPA even admits that these are misleading and rarely can be duplicated in Real-World driving.

In fact, the EPA has changed their testing for the '08 Model Year to more closely resemble real conditions and this is expected to lower the MPG ratings on cars by as much as 30% on the Consumer's Fuel Economy Sticker. Ironically, the DOT is not going to hold Manufacturers to these new Testing Standards to determine compliance with Government regulations (CAFE) requiring automakers to produce fleets averaging at least 27.5 mpg for cars and 21 mpg for light trucks, they will still use the old methods for determining this MPG. See an interesting article here:
http://www.nctimes.com/articles/2006/01/11/business/news/20_07_141_10_06.txt

I get about 19.4 MPG fairly consistently with my '99 TipS with a high of 32.3 on a long-distance, Cruise-controlled trip...

Happy Motoring!... Jim'99

[slogans7]

I've been averaging about 22.8 MPG with a lot of freeway driving. Actually I'm now taking the train to work (in Southern California!?!?) and driving my Vespa (70 MPG) between my house and the train station. I'd like to contribute a great mirthful laugh in the general direction of (B)Hummers! :chicken:

[eslai]

17-18 MPG, mostly city driving. On the freeway I get the stated 28 MPG (I think that's what's on the sticker at least) when cruising at 80.

[Rondog]

Thanks all...seems i am pretty close--- i would imagine the base Box gets a little better milage than the S accounting for some of the higher responses---and the fact that i love that acceleration.....accounts for much of the rest....

2kwiq--- saving the stations was standard... but whats with Autostore!?!?!?!
Also tweking personal preferences in the PCM requires study---which i have not had the patience to do

Anyway...thanks again.... If y'all haven't noticed...... it is a totally gorgeous day here in So. Cal-- Time for me to drop the top and take the long road home......Wooohoooooo!!

[Rondog]

MACH----

your gettin at leat 3-4 more mpg's with those DAMN YELLOW CALIPERS!----

-jealous in the big orange.....

RD

[luxury1]

2005 Boxster: 20.8 MPG in mixed driving

[lexuspilot]

I reset about every 1000 miles and I get 21.5 everytime.

Mine is a daily driver with about a 10 mile commute. I get on it about half the time. The last mile to my house is all twisty hills and i keep it revved up for that part.

PS...If you switch it to metric you get a lot bigger number.

[Rondog]

reset at my last fill up....... currently at 14.6mpg