My original message was posted in the main Volvo forum section.

My C70 Coupe (1998) just came to the island via ship. After driving it at average speeds and use for two days, I thought my gasoline gauge was wrong. Before buying, I'd been told that this car performed excellently in regards to fuel usage....now I'm worried that this car is not affordable. Premium is $4.15 a gallon here, highest in the USA.

Some of the tech guys suggested a checklist of items that will likely help a bit, but it's got to be something more significant either on the list or not. Something is VERY wrong with the fuel mixture, or there's a badleak I can't smell.

It would be great to hear what kind of fuel economy (Either in litres/Km or gallons/miles) that would be typical in nonwinter suburban driving.

I had a 1998 S70 nonturbo years ago, and it got 24 mpg driving sedatelyin Suburban driving, reliably. I was expecting at least 20 mpg's, given the information I was told before purchasing. Yesterday's fill-up told me it was averaging 9.8 miles per gallon. Frightening.

Stephen

 

Stephen, I just posted again on your original thread. I truly do not think your converter is an issue. I would clean the MAF and the throttle body at the very least. You then need to consider plugs and of course the mandatory air filters and etc. Second on the list I would consider the oxygen sensors.................you have sensors before the converter and after the converter. I should think that you would 'throw' a code however if one of the sensors were dirty. In any event Stephen, you will have to clean the MAF and the throttle body at some time and now is the time before spending and outlay of cash to accomplish those two tasks and then change the plugs.

r.

 

Both of my 850's has pretty much the same motor in it.
We average about 21 to 22 MPG around town.

 

Yeah, but TECH..........here's the real deal:
Weight of a 850: 3232
Weight of a c70: 3600

EPA fuel economy of a 1997 850, city: 19 MPG
EPA fuel economy of a 1998 c70, city: 16 MPG

Four hundred pounds is a lot of weight difference to haul around and the shifting points in an automatic c70 are higher than that of a turbo 850. Those two facts combined gives the c70 terrible city mileage. Now recall that at one time a couple of years ago while in Ohio, I experienced 36 MPG on the highway in my c70. It had just completed a complete and thorough tune up. The c70 is more aerodynamic than the 850 which I am sure accounts for a pretty good highway number in the c70. Lastly, it is my experience/understanding that drivers of c70's drive in a more "spirited" manner than the 850............contributing to poor MPG.

r.

 

I'll take both of your advice'.

 

But I have an extra 100 to 150 LBS in the trunk is stereo equiptment.
Also I always drive with the gas pedal to the floor. I loose about 1 to 2 MPG in sport mode.

 

The last 2 times I got fuel I did the math I came up with 18.5 mpg city and highway driving to work mostly 15 miles, and 16.5 same cept with snowy roads and alot of sliding around. As far as the dash readout goes. I took a trip out to Allentown PA to meet up with some folks from Swedespeed and Volvospeed and it was showing the highest by the time I got home was 25.1 mpg

01 C70 HPT with an extra 50lbs in the trunk due to the salt I forgot to take out

 

TECH, you must also have a 10 pound hasp on the deck lid just to hold it down when the sub woofer kicks in???????????

I reside in a university town and get a kick out of the children who have the boom box in the boot. When they crank it up at a traffic light so as to apparently impress the rest of the driving world, the fenders and deck lid start rattling and Def Leopard is lost to the rattling of the rock group Fenders and Deck Lid.

r.

 

Sorry no hasp.
But I do respect the areas that I drive through.
I like listening to the music when on the open road when it won't affect the people around me.
I listen to all kinds of music as well. The Def Leopard is also played in my car with enjoyment.

I agree about the annoying sounds of the body panels rattling. Nothing makes me madder than listening to that.

If you are going to spend the $$$ for the system do it right sound proof the panels to make it quiet.