18 mpg around town....is this OK?
#1
18 mpg around town....is this OK?
I drive my 05 s60 2.5T around town mostly. Most trips are short. Once a week I go 40 miles on the freeway. I am getting pretty low mpg (about 18). I am guessing this is probably what I should expect from my driving pattern, but wondered if anyone else could confirm.
What (apart from short trips) could cause low mpg. And yes - the tires are at pressure!
Thanks
What (apart from short trips) could cause low mpg. And yes - the tires are at pressure!
Thanks
#2
Short trips and frequent stops whether they are lights or signs will keep the mpg low. I have a 35mph speed limit on my daily drive. If I can, I will drive 38+ because I know the car will upshift into a higher gear = better mileage. Aside from changing how you drive or where you drive all you can do is make sure the car is in optimal condition.
Has it been a while since the spark plugs were replaced? It's something like every 2 years that they should be replaced. It doesn't hurt to clean the MAF sensor either. I clean mine twice a year just to be safe (I have an oiled air filter = more crud). And just make sure your air filter isn't nasty. Be sure to get out for some spirited driving once in a while. Too much low-rpm driving will build up carbon in the engine.
Has it been a while since the spark plugs were replaced? It's something like every 2 years that they should be replaced. It doesn't hurt to clean the MAF sensor either. I clean mine twice a year just to be safe (I have an oiled air filter = more crud). And just make sure your air filter isn't nasty. Be sure to get out for some spirited driving once in a while. Too much low-rpm driving will build up carbon in the engine.
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I just drove my 05 2.5T on a 250 mile trip with the AC on, averaging 72 mph and got 30.2 mpg. This was all Freeway driving and I used the cruise control as much as possible. The drive was a combination of flat and two small mountain passes between my house and the SF Bay area. I absolutely keep up on maint. and try to only burn Chevron premium gas. My car currently has 34k miles on it.
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You're right. It is listed on the maintenance chart to change them at 60K (Volvo dealer Platinum). I also know that a lot of people will replace copper plugs about every 2 years or 30K miles. Just personal preference I guess. I checked my Iridium plugs after 2 years and they still look good. No noticeable wear on the electrodes.
To the original poster, 18 mpg around town isn't terrible. And certainly, everyone's definition of city driving differs. I can tell you that I get 29 mpg city but I consider any roads below 50 mph to be "city". Its more like the outskirts of city.
To the original poster, 18 mpg around town isn't terrible. And certainly, everyone's definition of city driving differs. I can tell you that I get 29 mpg city but I consider any roads below 50 mph to be "city". Its more like the outskirts of city.
#15
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