Gas Mileage
 

I have a 2001 S80 T6. The car runs great and is very quick, but mileage seems on the low side. I drive almost all city and get around 15.5 mpg. Is that low? What are some of you seeing? Any tweaks I can do to improve it?

Hi BigV592, major tweaks you can do which I did are changing the tires to the lowest specification by the car (See Fuel tank cover), Fuel Filter change, Air Filter, if you have over 150 K Miles, replace injectors if possible, timely change spark plugs, Throttle body clean up. PLUS I must say do not use fuel injector cleaner or tank clear etc they are harmful for oxygen senors.

One thing you can do to clean injectors to get service from professional gas stations they directly clean the injectors through machine rather putting any additive in fuel tank.

Regarding major tweaks, I personally do not prefer for such cars unless you do not have your own garage for experiments because there is say about Volvo cars to keep them fit is to maintain it as per Volvo specs. Good Luck.

Thanks Majorcode, good stuff. I would think you would want the tires at the highest possible pressure, no?

wow there are soo many things one can do to improve the mpg. Just what majorcode said is all true. plus your driving habits, and if any unnecessary items not needed in car can be thrown out ( beside the passengers..lol). As for the tire pressures just stick with what is recommended and you will be good.
Even things like changing all the fluids..

I always say the nut behind the wheel...

...I practice what I preach. Air up tyres to 40psi, when you see a signal up ahead just coast down to it. No need to waste fuel when you still end up having to stop. As a bonus, sometimes the light will change and now you're still rolling, say, 20mph. You have just precluded wasting that much fuel to roll that car from a dead stop to that 20mph. Those will be your biggest things, though there's much, MUCH more you can do.

My Echo went from about 32mpg in my wife's hands to 37mpg in mine doing little more than what I suggested above. I got an UltraGauge last Christmas and am now averaging north of 40mpg in it.

I could see a 20-22mpg performance in urban driving just by being careful. Your driving style will ALWAYS net you more than any mechanical mods.

I do the same... coasting as I approach a red light. Interesting that about half the time someone will angrily pass me, accelerate towards the light and then brake hard. All ages all sexes...doesn't make sense.

That is the big Ah Ha right there, the UltraGauge. I got a ScanGauge and bumped the mileage in my 960 from 21/24 to 25/29. The darn thing saved me about $575 the first year I got it. If you had a choice to pump $3.45 per gallon or the pump next to it for $3.16, which pump would you use? No brainer. Well, these UltraGauge type tools help you tweek the nut behind the wheel to get at least 10% better gas mileage and they do it subconsciously. Plug the thing in and watch the numbers and before you know it, you'll be getting better mileage. After a couple of years your driving habits will be so well trained that you'll do it without trying.

Also, if you are driving short trips, say under 5 miles and the car never really gets warmed up, you will get low mileage because the car is running rich because it is cold.

You should also make sure your t-stat is good and the car warms up fast and runs at the designed temperature.

I COULD go much further...I hang out with a gang that gets 100mpg out of Priuses (Prii?), 70mpg out of Civics, and routinely past 50mpg in the Echo I drive, albeit with manual trans, not the slushbox I have.

http://www.cleanmpg.com/garage/images/his3893.png
http://www.cleanmpg.com/garage/images/4165.png

Driver>mods.

Mechanical mods can tweak only what a driver is capable of/willing to do. A mileage-minded driver can take their car far, FAR beyond what its EPA rating is.

Having said that, 15mpg does seem low...does the car exhibit any peculiar habits at all? Mods may not make much of a difference, but keeping up with basic maintenance can be a big factor.