Help Me Get Better MPGs

[blageo23]

My winter beater (1998 Subaru Legacy GT 2.5l) gets 18-19 MPGs. That SUCKS! My moms Mountaineer(that I was driving) gets that much. Anyone have some tricks to get better MPGs? I was going to replace the fuel filter, maybe make an intake with a K&N, And I also have a fuel system cleaner that I won at the dyno day. The car has new plugs and wires. Anything else I could do?

[Pushit2.0]

Driving style, look up the EPA on your car, if you are close then there is not a hole lot you can do.

~John

[FattyBoomBatty]

skinnier tires that are properly inflated (check yours anyway). You can also add aero mods like flat underbody panels and a lower air dam (an add on, not a whole new bumper).

A really helpful thing to do is simply slow down. Don't accelerate so fast and cruise at a lower speed. 55mph save an assload of gas. I remember a year ago when I drove behind my cousin's truck in my quest. he was pulling a trailer and wouldn't go over 60. I was dying cause it was taking so long, but it took less than half a 20 gallon tank to drive to fargo, where it would normally take almost 3/4 tank. the difference between 80 and 60mph is huge for milage.

[blageo23]

Edmunds says 21/26MPG. I dont accelerate fast cuz im afraid the trannys or engine is going to blow up! The car has 250000 miles on it so maybe thats a reason for the decreased MPG.

[FattyBoomBatty]

could be. change trans fluid and engine oil to synthetic ones that are low viscosity. if the drivetrain has less resistance it will take less power, therefore less fuel to drive.

[Pushit2.0]

Accel fuel uses a lot, if you stab the gas or are not smooth then you will see a drop in milage, if I drive my honda rev matching down shifts I only get ~26mpg but driving like a grandma and smooth with the gas pedal I get ~33mpg. New cars do not have Carbs but still need to put in more fuel with fast throtle movements. Check the exhaust, the cat might be clog, my honda has a cloged cat and when I do not have exhaust leaks it will not even get to the rev limiter.

~John

[JET]

With that many miles you are probably getting a lot of blowby, which hurts mileage. Slowing down is the only thing that is going to make a substantial difference. It isn't worth really spending any money on mods, you won't get the money back in gas saved. T

here are a few free things, inflate the tires higher than the car calls for, but not above what the tire says on it. Let off the gas early when you are going to stop and coast for a ways. Any time you are on the brakes, you are wasting gas. Obviously you still have to use the brakes, but try to limit their use. Driving slower is probably the biggest thing. You could always just buy a different car too. I had a $250 92 Sentra that got 38 mpg, it paid for itself in a few months.

[FattyBoomBatty]

I had a 50 dollar chevy malibu and I paid more in gas and a fix-it ticket than the whole car, so that wasn't cool, but the car was sweet. I'd look for a new beater with a <2.0liter engine.

an old golf or scirocco or something will get great milage. I know my scirocco would get 28mpgs on average and that was with messed up fueling because a sensor wasn't connected! lol. it probably would have gotten 30 or more otherwise.

[blageo23]

The car has a brand new cat from napa(car came without exhaust or cats so I bought a universal car) it also has brand new o2 sensors. I only paid $900 for the car and another $900ish fixing it.

[Pushit2.0]

unplug 2 of the fuel injectors, one on each bank, it will run ok but not have a lot of power, and possible use 1/2 the fuel.

~John