embarrassingly bad mileage... REALLY [Archive] - Toyota Yaris Forums

XYaris

01-19-2009, 11:59 AM

So I live in Brooklyn. Almost all of my driving consists of short trips within the city. I do spend a decent amount of time idling (when picking up the girl) and I also let the car warm up a bit. BUT STILL...

20mpg consistently. WTF?

Im frankly worried at this point. I check the oil, fine. I even took a trip north out of the city about thirty miles and considering I hit some traffic both directions, I was comforted by getting over 30 mpg on the trip.

I know the idling is a waste, and its cold out, and I make a lot of short trips. yadda yadda

Ive even drastically altered my driving habits by keeping the rpm below 3000 as much as possible. This engine is kinda tiny and frankly feels ridiculously underpowered at these rpms- do people get this great mileage (40+ in th city?!) by just farting around at 2000rpm?

Not looking to get grilled here, just curious if anyone thinks or knows of an issue I may have. Maybe I should get an ecu reflash, or is my youthful exuberance getting the best of my fuel economy?

(2009 LB 2500 miles, only mods are the 205/40/17 pnero zero m+s tires)

ChinoCharles

01-19-2009, 12:06 PM

Luna V 2.0

01-19-2009, 12:06 PM

Idling is terrible, and I never warm up my car. I just go easy on it till the cool light goes off.

I spend a little bit of time idling too, because of red lights and such, I would try to coast to the lights and stops, and if your picking someone up and you know you'll wait awhile, just shut off the car. Although since its cold you might not want to.

My guess is that the car is just too new, your mileage might improve after you've been driving it a bit. The worse mileage I got was 25 or 28 mpg and that was because I got my windows tinted and could roll them down, so I had to use the AC 100% of the time. I couldn't go without AC and windows cause it was pretty hot when I had gotten them. D:

firemachine69

01-19-2009, 12:08 PM

It definitely sounds like a problem with the car. I don't know what I'd have to do to get under 30 MPG and I drive 90% city and ignore the RPM mileage rule. I would keep track of mileage on a couple of tanks and take that info to the dealership and see what they say.

I'm averaging about 23-25mpg with the use of my starter, idling waiting for people, the extreme cold, and driving around in city traffic and heavy-working roads (snow/salt/slush/sand). Your tires (and I'm assuming after-market wheels) likely doubled what you had stock. So it doesn't really count as an "only" type of mod, as it's one the worst for killing gas mileage.

ChinoCharles

01-19-2009, 12:13 PM

Do you have 30 pound wheels? I see you have 17's. That could cost you 4-5 mpg like firemachine said...

KCALB SIRAY

01-19-2009, 12:16 PM

Are you driving in third with an auto or do you have a manual

TLyttle

01-19-2009, 12:39 PM

Slush + wide tires = lousy mileage. I am not a fan of wide tires to begin with, particularly with a small engine, but even heavy rain can slow you down and affect your FE.

Yes, check with the dealer, but I don't think you will accomplish much. Another check is to push the car for 10yds or so on dry, flat, pavement: if it pushes easily, then the brakes and alignment are fine.

XYaris

01-19-2009, 12:46 PM

The wheels are privat netz ( like 150 + a piece ) I think I gained a few pounds per wheel and tire setup, but not enough to explain the difference. I also installed a tach, and my first tank in the city consisted of very aggressive scooting about...that was my first really bad tank in terms of mileage. Is it possible that I taught my ecu to provide for that type of driving?

I bought the car in Mass....but Im planning on bringing to a dealer in NY this weekend. Ive been intentionally avoiding idling and my warm ups are short in that I dont sit and wait for the 'cool' light to go out, just until im satisfied the engine is well lubricated.

I start commuting to school tomorrow (~11 miles each way) and I will try to only drive that daily distance for the week. Ill report what mileage I get.

Will the first oil change help? should I go synthetic? What malfunction would cause this? Thanks by the way!

ChinoCharles

01-19-2009, 12:53 PM

There is no way your conventional factory oil is causing it. I would say yes if you were getting 30 MPG and wanted 35. 20 is just bad for this car. I'm thinking you may have a defunct MAF or O2 sensor... sounds like your AF mixture may be extremely rich. What does your exhaust look like? Blowing any smoke?

XYaris

01-19-2009, 12:53 PM

I have a manual. and the car pushes easily ( my girl got a complex after I asked her to push it a few feet the other day) and I had an alignment done after the wheel install.

205/40/17 doesnt really seem that big, but I suppose with less than 100 hp hitting the ground it is.

for the record, I have gotten 38 mpg on the highway with the hatched loaded with 150 lbs of gear and my 140 lb brother and thats with the new wheels and not driving 60mph (not on 95 south)

so this seems to be a city thing. all the snow and idling must be the answer. i hope my new car is ok:frown:

XYaris

01-19-2009, 12:54 PM

no smoke. the car seems to be running great otherwise. seems like a dealer visit is called for eh?

ChinoCharles

01-19-2009, 12:57 PM

Yeah, 20 MPG is a big outlier. Let us know what they say.

andries

01-19-2009, 01:08 PM

Maybe you have a defective Lambda sensor.
Then you get a higher fuel consumption.

Ask your Toyota dealer for reading DTC Error Codes, perhaps he find the problem.

kou

01-19-2009, 01:56 PM

after a search i found that your wheel with tire are around 46pounds this would definetly hurt your fuel in stop and go traffic,factory weight is somthing like 32 pounds.

andries

01-19-2009, 02:02 PM

after a search i found that your wheel with tire are around 46pounds this would definetly hurt your fuel in stop and go traffic,factory weight is somthing like 32 pounds.

Really? My stock tyres and rims are about 42 pounds.
I drive average 32 mpg (1.8 TS)

kou

01-19-2009, 02:18 PM

Really? My stock tyres and rims are about 42 pounds.
I drive average 32 mpg (1.8 TS)

you have a 1.8l :thumbsup:if you put some light 15'' wheels on your car it would be quicker and get a better mileage

andries

01-19-2009, 02:43 PM

you have a 1.8l :thumbsup:if you put some light 15'' wheels on your car it would be quicker and get a better mileage

At the moment i drive with 15" rims and winter tyres.
The mileage is almost the same as with the 17"

ROCKLAND TOYOTA

01-19-2009, 02:46 PM

even with the trd 18's on and my heavy foot i STILL got 30+ mpg..........

kou

01-19-2009, 02:47 PM

At the moment i drive with 15" rims and winter tyres.
The mileage is almost the same as with the 17"

does your car feel any quicker.
gas mileage will decrease in the winter due to the temp change,winter tyres are heavy.try them in the warmer months.

firemachine69

01-19-2009, 06:45 PM

Keep in mind folks, that 1.8TS was NOT designed for fuel economy. It was designed for zippy fun. Add in some very cold city driving, with plenty of stops and starting of the engine, and it becomes exactly like my case.

XYaris

01-19-2009, 06:59 PM

Kou, privat netz 17 inch wheel weight is 17 lbs and the tires are 19.............17+19= 36

(stock wheels are 15, and eagle LS are 17) that indeed equals 32.

Im not sure why some folks hate on larger wheels. Investing in light and/or larger wheels and nice tires has handling benefits especially over the awful stock tires. Its not like im running dubs on the thing.

The temp, and conditions were taken into account already in the analysis. something is up other than my wheels and tires

ps, thanks for answering my PM's

ZING

01-19-2009, 07:03 PM

kou

01-19-2009, 11:19 PM

firemachine69

01-19-2009, 11:28 PM

20MPG, woah. That sir is not normal. Going to uni everyday, getting stuck in the wort traffic imaginable every day as well, I still get 40+MPG, my best so far was around 52MPG.

Should definitely check with dealer.

And I'm guessing you don't see a day below 80F in sunlight, correct?

The Netherlands is a cold, cold place... And it would seem the Yaris is extremely sensitive to temperature. The hotter, the better!

kou

01-19-2009, 11:34 PM

the summer i average 40ish now in the winter its 32-35ish,but there is some extra get up and go in the cold.

Ryu

01-20-2009, 01:07 AM

Are you sure that you do the right calculation to get that 20 MPG?
I am guessing that probably the way you calculate might not be accurate.

XYaris

01-20-2009, 07:47 AM

miles travelled divided by gallons it took to fill up...off to school, ill do a mini test for this trip.

ZING

01-20-2009, 08:00 AM

And I'm guessing you don't see a day below 80F in sunlight, correct?

The Netherlands is a cold, cold place... And it would seem the Yaris is extremely sensitive to temperature. The hotter, the better!

That is indeed true. And I got a 1.3L :smile:

SilverBack

01-20-2009, 08:13 AM

(2009 LB 2500 miles, only mods are the 205/40/17 pnero zero m+s tires)

Was your gas mileage better on stock 15"s?

thebarber

01-20-2009, 11:29 AM

well, w/ 17's youre pushing all the weight to the outside of the wheel and tire....which increases the rotational mass....3lbs per corner is equaly to like 30lbs when you try to get it rolling....

i know crandall has 18lb 17's w/ 215-40-17's and he gets about 30miles less per tank than i do w/ 14's

also consider the cold weather....cold, thick oil is harder to get moving when you first start the car

and the idling....just burning gas sitting still

what also MAY be a case is if youre still trying to take off fast AND granny shifting at 2000 or 3000rpm.....wide open throttle is wide open throttle no matter what gear youre in

and what gear do you cruise at in the city....say at 30mph.....3rd? try 4th

XYaris

01-20-2009, 10:10 PM

39.8 miles, 1.6 gallons of fuel.

yeah, thats 24.8 mpg

spare me the wheel hating, thats just plain messed up. I keep reading folks comments that they drive hard and cant get below 30 mpg. I drove my impreza like i stole it (especially in the winter ) and got 25 mpg consistently.

I hear what yall are saying about WOT even if its only til 3000rpm. Im not gonna lie, I like to scoot around but i have been curbing my desires in the interest of not killing my car and seeing if the mileage improves. its strange that its running perfectly otherwise.

I can make it to a dealer until friday. hope the car lasts that long

gid

01-20-2009, 11:47 PM

XYARIS , I take it that it's an automatic ? Do you possibly have it in 3rd GEAR instead of OVERDRIVE ? How's your tire pressure ?

kou

01-21-2009, 12:32 AM

noones hating on the wheels just put your stock ones on and see if you have a change in power and FE.

Altitude

01-22-2009, 11:28 AM

XYARIS , I take it that it's an automatic ? Do you possibly have it in 3rd GEAR instead of OVERDRIVE ? How's your tire pressure ?

Ya - bet this is it. I remember another poster drove the auto for months complaining about low mileage and it turned out to be the same issue - driving in 3 instead of D.

gid

01-22-2009, 11:44 AM

or how about leaving the A.C. button on . Noticed I had somehow hit the A.C. button to the ON position ( GREEN lit up ) , is easy to miss , not very bright or large . Seldom use it for warm weather or the defrost mode for windshield , if windows fog up roll down window a bit , fresh air helps that . How long it was on I don't know :redface: . Sign of progressive aging :rolleyes: .

gid

01-22-2009, 12:27 PM

or both A.C. on and O.D. off . :iono: .

otterhere

01-23-2009, 11:31 AM

I wouldn't be TOO embarrassed... As Mark Twain said ("Reports of my death have been greatly exaggerated."), so -- methinks -- have the "great mileage" claims on the Yaris. Toyota advertises it at 29 city/34 highway, or maybe 36 (can't remember), and I imagine that's pretty close to the truth of the matter.

bzinn 1

01-23-2009, 12:14 PM

I put my stockies back on for winter and get 2mpg more than I did with my 17s,which made me feel pretty good.

Heavier tires,stop and go traffic and cold winters take milage down.Also look at the vent setting,if it is in the defrost position your compressor will run to dry the air,using more fuel,and it will do it most notciable at stop lights.

After getting my car realigned last week I also have gained another mpg,and am back up to 35 mpg for highway travel.

when I drive all city travel,with defrost or AC on with the17s I average about 25mpg,i have a heavy foot at stop lights......

But coming from a gas guzzling hot rod to the yaris.......this thing is sipping gas......GTO ate up 15 gallons in 3 days,and that was only about 140 miles tops......much happier.

otterhere

01-23-2009, 01:17 PM

IAlso look at the vent setting,if it is in the defrost position your compressor will run to dry the air,using more fuel,and it will do it most notciable at stop lights.

Ah-ha! I've been wondering about that. Because I have to defrost it most mornings (ice on windshield), I generally just leave the vent open (in the recirculate position). I wasn't sure what effect this might have on mileage?

tetzyamis

01-23-2009, 01:48 PM

With the previous car ('03 Corolla), I changed original 15" to 17" and did not affect fuel economy at all. It was 32 mpg before 17" rims and 32 mpg after rims. 17" was much heavier than 15". I had a lot harder time carrying 17" from my condo to the parking lot.

My friend had '07 LB, 90% city driving, lots of short trips and idling, and still was getting 25+ mpg.

20 mpg seems to have something wrong to me.

XYaris

01-23-2009, 05:10 PM

1. Its a manual (so no overdrive issue )
2. I do have to defrost a lot ( the yaris windows like to fog up and its winter )
3. I talked to a few local dealers. One cool one said he doesnt think anything is wrong. That if the car was throwing a code the check engine light would on. duh. So I would assume that if the lambda or other sensor was bad this would trigger a code. He also said that the engine not being broken in at all may make a difference as well. Im gonna drive it as is until the first oil change which is a new debate altogether.

Should I wait until 5k to change the oil for the first time? especially with these concerns?

I have recently pulled of almost 25 mpg so that makes me feel better.

Thanks yall for your advice and concern.

brendenr89

01-23-2009, 07:09 PM

maybe, just maybe it's a bad fuel filter??

SpaceShot

01-26-2009, 02:25 PM

1. Check your tires and set to 32psi or the average of 32 and max sidewall rating.
(mine were under inflated at dealer pickup, but not quite low enough to trip the TPS)
2. Change the oil (perhaps going to a lighter weight synthetic for the cold weather) and make certain not to overfill it. (between the lines on the dipstick, NOT over the top line)
3. Borrow a scanguage or get a passenger for a weekend to watch your shifting.

If you don't upshift quick enough, ride the clutch, or spend too much time in 3rd or 4th (even in the city) your Mpg will suffer. 20 or more years ago you often needed to get the revs high in lower gears to get an economy car moving well. You don't need to do that with a Yaris. Try it for a week or more and see what happens.

TLyttle

01-26-2009, 10:59 PM

Mmmm, maybe. I NEVER make ANY 4-holer pull hard below 2,000rpm, including my Yaris, and I seldom rev over 3500, but I still get excellent mileage. The first thing I did was run up the tire pressure to sidewall max -2lbs, and resumed my usual driving style, ie don't slow down for corners, never floor it, read traffic so that I don't have to slow down any more than absolutely necessary. Works for me.

Altitude

01-27-2009, 02:13 AM

Lead foot. Get yourself a scangauge and get the lead out. You'd be surprised how much you can let up on the gas and still maintain speed.

voodoo22

01-27-2009, 07:15 AM

The first thing I did was run up the tire pressure to sidewall max -2lbs, and resumed my usual driving style, ie don't slow down for corners, never floor it, read traffic so that I don't have to slow down any more than absolutely necessary. Works for me.

Words of wisdom:w00t:

firemachine69

01-28-2009, 11:33 AM

I'm currently doing about 50km (30 miles) to a bar right now. :laugh:

TLyttle

01-28-2009, 01:48 PM

I prefer 8 beats to the bar myself...

The accuracy of the fuel gauges was discussed awhile ago, and the consensus was, don't depend on them, use them as a rough guide only.

minicorolla

01-28-2009, 08:40 PM

And I'm bitchin' about 36 MPG

firemachine69

01-28-2009, 10:39 PM

I prefer 8 beats to the bar myself...

The accuracy of the fuel gauges was discussed awhile ago, and the consensus was, don't depend on them, use them as a rough guide only.

I was in that boat for a while... And while accurate in the testament, mine seems to now evenly spread mileage between the first and sixth bar.

I'm now averaging 25-27mpg. ALOT better. :rolleyes::help::bs:

jambo101

01-29-2009, 10:50 AM

My crappy mpg is due to the engine never getting to operating temperature during the winter,my Scangauge tells me that i need to drive at least 5-6 miles at highway speeds to attain temps in the 180's and most of my driving these days is all city driving for no more than 20 minutes at a time. I'll see how it improves on an upcoming trip to Florida.

marcus

01-29-2009, 11:18 AM

well i hit my worst on 7 bars /36 liters.. i only did 450 kms...winter weather though but i think this is the worst ever for me.

otterhere

01-30-2009, 10:57 AM

"The first thing I did was run up the tire pressure to sidewall max -2lbs, and resumed my usual driving style."

Okay, I give; what 2 pounds under sidewall recommendation? I'm far from my car now...

TLyttle

01-30-2009, 11:50 AM

Depends on the tires, different makes have different limits...

otterhere

01-30-2009, 12:42 PM

Depends on the tires, different makes have different limits...

I've got my standard 15" (2008 2-door liftback) inflated to 38... Were at 26 when I got around to checking them (after buying it "new")... Expect to see some improvement in mpg at this level.

pennyracer

02-28-2009, 12:42 PM

hay guys my 08 lb has 45000 miles on it i had the cat changed by toyota at least 10,000 miles ago and i still get the shitty smell when i stand on it for a block straight or more and if i roll the throttle to the floor without getting the auto trand to kick down this has done this from day one when i got purchased the car from the dealer . can someone re flash the ecu in the car to stop this problem i here its dumping to much fuel in it and the smell is the cat doing its job someone help me please this is getting old right along with the piss poor millage i get off and on also i burn chevron premium or shell and texeco fuels thanks oh i run momo 15" wheels with 195-55-15 tires with more air in them than i really like due to the harsh ride

silver_echo

02-28-2009, 06:30 PM

are you normally running at any specific speed? and what gear are you normally in?

XYaris

02-28-2009, 10:32 PM

pennyracer

03-01-2009, 04:10 PM

i have a automatic trans and i dont drive it like i stolled it very often :)

rdenisonjr

03-03-2009, 11:16 PM

Two weeks ago i picked up my 2008 Yaris sedan -- first tank 36.8, second tank 38.1, third tank 40.2 mpg. I drive gently and haven't tried any hypermiling techniques. I drive about 40 percent highway, 60 percent around town.

silver_echo

03-04-2009, 12:14 AM

just to update. I have been getting 24-25 city mileage lately. This is REAL city driving. like half traffic half moving sometimes.

i have been slightly more gentle in between lights...i suffer from split personalities (one race car driver, and one conservationist)

I think my low (around 20) was due to snow, extremely cold temps, lots of short drives, excessive acceleration, and MAYBE the fact that its brand new, although this theory is questionable.

i now have 3500 miles and im torn between changing the oil ASAP or waiting til the recommended period. I know folks have thoughts on that, so i wont even ask. i may just do 4000..seems like a happy medium.

that mpg sounds reasonable if your speeds are low like that most of the time... i.e. stuck in traffic, not getting into 3rd very often, rarely into 4th

marcus

03-04-2009, 09:00 AM

i bet you its the calculator...give us ur conversion.....what unit are you using??

yaris prime

03-04-2009, 08:23 PM

I just figured out my first tank.... 37.62 mpg. I guess I can't complain too much coming from about 20mpg.

Spades

03-04-2009, 09:40 PM

wow...20s is WAY off...i have 17s with way oversized tread...much wider and taller than factory tires...i do mostly city driving, and i drive like i stole it half the time...and i havent ever gone below mid 30's.

if you are actually getting 20mpg i would wager the check engine light is on or should be on, cause that lil bugger is running pig rich!

otterhere

03-10-2009, 09:04 AM

I'd be crying if I were getting 20; my 29 (city) to 36 (hwy) is bad enough when I read about others supposedly getting 42-50 without even trying. It's rather disappointing.

Have you solved the mystery yet???

briman

03-12-2009, 10:48 PM

I've never got 39mpg. 35 at the very best.

I have an auto coup 08. City driving I'm in the mid 20's. Highway I'm at low 30s. I drive at about 75mph on the highway. I'm disappointed. Is this normal or should I take it in and complain?

silver_echo

03-12-2009, 11:59 PM

what is your speed in town? average?

yaris-me

03-13-2009, 04:24 AM

just to update. I have been getting 24-25 city mileage lately. This is REAL city driving. like half traffic half moving sometimes.

i have been slightly more gentle in between lights...i suffer from split personalities (one race car driver, and one conservationist)

I think my low (around 20) was due to snow, extremely cold temps, lots of short drives, excessive acceleration, and MAYBE the fact that its brand new, although this theory is questionable.

i now have 3500 miles and im torn between changing the oil ASAP or waiting til the recommended period. I know folks have thoughts on that, so i wont even ask. i may just do 4000..seems like a happy medium.

During warm up the engine runs richer and a higher RPM. For the first two miles in warm weather you won't go above 20 MPG. Cold weather would make this worst. Add to that a lot of short trips where the engine never fully warms up and you get the kind of mileage you're getting. It takes three mile in SoCal to get the engine to operating temperature and then your MPG goes to the 30's. Hang in there! :wink:

yopauly

03-26-2009, 11:01 AM

just to update. I have been getting 24-25 city mileage lately. This is REAL city driving. like half traffic half moving sometimes.

i have been slightly more gentle in between lights...i suffer from split personalities (one race car driver, and one conservationist)

I think my low (around 20) was due to snow, extremely cold temps, lots of short drives, excessive acceleration, and MAYBE the fact that its brand new, although this theory is questionable.

i now have 3500 miles and im torn between changing the oil ASAP or waiting til the recommended period. I know folks have thoughts on that, so i wont even ask. i may just do 4000..seems like a happy medium.

I actually did my first oil change around 2k. Kinda the old school way. I think when I rebuilt my motor for my 77 TA I changed the oil after 10hrs.

Also.....all I run is Mobil 1 Synthetic with the factory filters. Never before did I do this till I bought new.

yopauly

03-26-2009, 11:03 AM

Forgot to add that the worst FE I have gotten is 26 while delivering pizzas and the best so far is 35.....I think.

Spades

03-26-2009, 11:09 PM

I actually did my first oil change around 2k. Kinda the old school way. I think when I rebuilt my motor for my 77 TA I changed the oil after 10hrs.

Also.....all I run is Mobil 1 Synthetic with the factory filters. Never before did I do this till I bought new.

ok, well, your old school v8s should actually be changed in a few minutes after running. older engine tolerances arent as exact as the new engines, meaning that when the piston rings are grinding up against the rough cylinder wall edges, they are in the process of "seating". not only are they forming a seal, they are creating alot of very small metal shavings in the process.

with that being said, on alot of high performance engines i have helped build, we have fired them up, and changed the oil after running for 10 or so minutes, changed the oil, then, ran oil in it for a while during a hard run(if its in the car, take it out and run it through the RPM ranges) and then change it again.

using synthetic oil on ANY engine near the break in point is not a good idea, the molecules in most synthetics are so fine, that sometimes a proper ring seat is never achived because there isnt enough friction. as time goes on, more and more auto manufactures claim their engines do not need break in time, and that synthetics are ok from the start.

my personal recommendation for breaking a new car in...

run the factory oil in it for a day. drive the car through all the RPM ranges, even close to redline. dont push the car hard up hills or be abusive, but never granny it. run it through all the ranges at a steady pace, and never keep the RPM's the same for a extended period(if you are commuting, bounce between 3rd, 4th, and 5th if its a manual). change the oil with a high quality petrolium based motor oil of the vehicles recommended weight. run that oil for a few hundred miles and replace it with the same stuff.

if you plan to run synthetics, start running a blend no sooner than 5,000 miles. for the first few thousand miles, change the oil every 3k, sooner if you are doing city driving, lots of idleing, or start up-shut off driving.

after at least 10k, start with synthetics. you can start stretching the oil change intervals out if you have a high grade synthetic.

personally, i go:

100 miles or less(regular oil change)
300-500 miles(regular oil change)
3000 miles (regular oil change)
6000 miles (synthetic blend oil change)
every 3k a syn blend oil change(i do mostly city driving).

this is a VERY excessive and overly carefull break in process. you dont have to do it, you dont really need to do it. but, if you want to do things perfectly and you want to keep the car till it dies, its a few more bucks on oil changes, but its the obsessive way to do it.

p.s. forgot to mention. the side affect to piston rings not seating is oil consumption at later milage. most imports make it alot of miles before oil burning regardless of how they were maintained...im just obsessive compulsive on the proper break in stuff,lol.

dccurrent

03-28-2009, 04:22 PM

Gentlemen, how are you able to determine exactly how much gasoline was used up to do a mileage test? I was never clear on how someone obtains exact numbers to the tenth like the type posted here in this thread and other places. How do you know you used 1.6 gallons, 4.3 gallons, etc.?

voodoo22

03-28-2009, 08:39 PM

I'd be crying if I were getting 20; my 29 (city) to 36 (hwy) is bad enough when I read about others supposedly getting 42-50 without even trying. It's rather disappointing.?

29-36 US MPG is nothing to be upset with on the Yaris. It isn't possible to consistently get over 40 US MPG without having a favorable driving routine and putting effort into how you drive.

Woody_Woodchuck

03-30-2009, 07:49 AM

Dccurrent: For the gas used I record it when I fill up the tank. For the miles driven I use the difference between the last odometer reading and the present one.

Example: Friday I filled up using 6.181 gallons US (number right from the gas pump). The previous Odometer reading was 8,873.7 miles, when I filled up it was 9,172.9 miles, the difference is 299.2 miles. Dividing the miles by gas used: 299.2 / 6.181 = 48.406 miles per gallon US.

This is actually an approximation for the tank due to the actual amount of gas pumped. Did I fill to exactly the same amount as last tank? Most likely not even though I use the same pump at the same station. But, it all averages out over several tanks so if you are consistently getting about the same mileage it all good.

And yes, I work very hard to get this mileage! Light touch on the gas (drive like grandpa), no speeding, plan trips, use momentum up the hills-coast down them… It all adds up for me. I WISH I could get to the magic 50 mpg by driving like a nut but it isn’t going to happen. I believe anyone getting 40 mpg or better has modified their driving habits to get better mileage.

yopauly

03-30-2009, 11:06 PM

ok, well, your old school v8s should actually be changed in a few minutes after running. older engine tolerances arent as exact as the new engines, meaning that when the piston rings are grinding up against the rough cylinder wall edges, they are in the process of "seating". not only are they forming a seal, they are creating alot of very small metal shavings in the process.

with that being said, on alot of high performance engines i have helped build, we have fired them up, and changed the oil after running for 10 or so minutes, changed the oil, then, ran oil in it for a while during a hard run(if its in the car, take it out and run it through the RPM ranges) and then change it again.

using synthetic oil on ANY engine near the break in point is not a good idea, the molecules in most synthetics are so fine, that sometimes a proper ring seat is never achived because there isnt enough friction. as time goes on, more and more auto manufactures claim their engines do not need break in time, and that synthetics are ok from the start.

my personal recommendation for breaking a new car in...

run the factory oil in it for a day. drive the car through all the RPM ranges, even close to redline. dont push the car hard up hills or be abusive, but never granny it. run it through all the ranges at a steady pace, and never keep the RPM's the same for a extended period(if you are commuting, bounce between 3rd, 4th, and 5th if its a manual). change the oil with a high quality petrolium based motor oil of the vehicles recommended weight. run that oil for a few hundred miles and replace it with the same stuff.

if you plan to run synthetics, start running a blend no sooner than 5,000 miles. for the first few thousand miles, change the oil every 3k, sooner if you are doing city driving, lots of idleing, or start up-shut off driving.

after at least 10k, start with synthetics. you can start stretching the oil change intervals out if you have a high grade synthetic.

personally, i go:

100 miles or less(regular oil change)
300-500 miles(regular oil change)
3000 miles (regular oil change)
6000 miles (synthetic blend oil change)
every 3k a syn blend oil change(i do mostly city driving).

this is a VERY excessive and overly carefull break in process. you dont have to do it, you dont really need to do it. but, if you want to do things perfectly and you want to keep the car till it dies, its a few more bucks on oil changes, but its the obsessive way to do it.

p.s. forgot to mention. the side affect to piston rings not seating is oil consumption at later milage. most imports make it alot of miles before oil burning regardless of how they were maintained...im just obsessive compulsive on the proper break in stuff,lol.

Hey Spades. You are correct. Its been so long I forgot. I just knew it was pretty dang quickly.

Now something else. This is soooooo very important. Keep an eye on your air pressure. I forgot to follow my own rule of max pressure minus 2-5 psi. I hadnt checked it in like 3 or so months. Down to 28 I think right before we went on a vacation. I air them up and for the first time EVER I ALMOST broke 40!!! 39.11 with almost no town driving. I wanted to do NO town driving and actually put more than 170 highway miles on it before I checked but it was just a minor vacation.

Twistoffate0817

04-14-2009, 10:00 PM

I also feel like im getting very LOW mpg, and no im not driving in "3" I cant figure out how to improve the mileage.

Yaris Hilton

04-15-2009, 06:32 AM

Look here: http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510

Scroll down to Section II, Basic Driving Techniques.

Equipment has far less to do with it than driving.

voodoo22

04-15-2009, 07:05 AM

Look here: http://www.cleanmpg.com/forums/showthread.php?t=1510

Scroll down to Section II, Basic Driving Techniques.

Equipment has far less to do with it than driving.

More sound advice from Yaris Hilton:thumbsup:

briman

04-19-2009, 10:43 PM

I am a bit disappointing with with my 33mpg today, mostly highway.

ozmdd

04-19-2009, 11:30 PM

Tire pressure and TRULY mellow acceleration are the keys to high MPG. If you've upgraded to bigger/wider tires/rims, you'll also see a slight loss of MPG due to more rolling resistance, but you get increased grip.
I drive "normally", without much attention paid to coasting, and try not to do to much jack-rabbit stuff in traffic, but I occasionally do have to double downshift and pass the ultra-morons on their cell phones. Also, I run some fairly stick tires 215/40/17 (Azenis 615's) on 17x7 Draglites, but I keep the pressure fairly high (35-ish) and the stock TPMS is happy. Most of my driving is city/freeway. I generally average 34 in town. I've gotten 41 on a tank on the highway on this same setup, but it was in the winter (no A/C), 65 MPH on cruise for literally 95% of the tank on west Texas highways (zero traffic, one restroom stop). On the outbound leg of that same trip, I was on the Interstate where the speed limit is 70, 75 and 80 mph, and I only averaged 36.5 with a headwind. The Yaris really suffers above 65-70 MPH, due to the simple physics of drag and a smallish HP rating. I suspect that a 55 MPH long-distance road trip could go well above 40 MPG, but I'd rather spend a few bucks more and get where I'm going in this lifetime.
Hypermiling is a fun game, and I did it quite a bit when I initially bought the Yaris (novelty, $4/gal gas and new car break-in), but I personally think I'm doing my share for the environment by simply driving a Yaris. I like my driving better now that I don't overthink it. Hypermiling is a lot like dieting.

Lafiro

04-24-2009, 03:16 PM

I live in NYC as well, and during the winter, the snow, and the cold make me get around 26-28MPG, this is both stop and go, and mixed highway.

Now I'm getting closer to 28mpg average per tank. But honestly even on the highway in NYC, if its a quite night, everyone including me is driving at 70mph+, and when its the day, the highways are stop and go. Thats all because of the city/people going from long island o NJ and vise versa. Then there are the college kids driving too.

Wait until its the end of July, and there wont be as much traffic anymore.

But also, to add to my low MPG, I am on ADR Model Flite 4, with 205/45/17 Falken 912? tires.

So I know for a fact the day I went from stock tires in the summer, and 35+MPG, I dropped to 30MPG at the best because of these rims/tires. And it just gets worse with the cold weather and traffic. I ain't complaining though, because 28-30mpg is still wirth it. Especially the way I drive lol... heavy foot 80% of the time.