I'm with Gomez - this thread is as dead as Elvis.
(I always said Gomez was astute - an astute, observant, shifty bastard. )

Hey Gomez, the doctorr says "Hi".

I just use that new Chevron gas with their "Placebo" additive, it gets me nearly 33 bushels per league.

S

 

And a big hi to the doctorr...!!

Now lock this thread, you crazy Northerner.....

 

FYI...lower octane gas burns faster than higher octane( usually ) Do a search...there are lots of discussions/arguements about gasoline on here and other forums

 

Sorry Gomez, WAY too much fun left in this thread to close it!!

Have you never heard of the flogging of a horse that is no longer alive? Endless hilarity! Besides - it looks like the "DSC Turner-Offers" have switched to be "Lower Octaine User"ers!
Miles more smiles in this topic -

S

 

garynjr --
In my case, you are right. I do get lower gas mileage when using a higher octane gas. Then it gets 18-19 mpg.

Your disbelief suggests you need to try the change to a lower octane yourself, unless you think your gonna blow your engine with a few tankfuls of that 'inferior' petrol.

 

O by the way --
She gets redlined with every drive. My route to work (75 % Highway) just begs for it at least twice each way.

 

It's your engine... I'll spend the extra couple bucks a week...

 

I always get a kick out of this.....

People...higher octane does not mean " better" gas. It's different..............If you car does not detonate on regular there is no benefit from higher octane

Some of the higher octanes have more additives that make them " clean" better but the gasoline is no better......

 

that may be true of the off-brands/Costco/etc., but the major brands generally don't put more additives in the higher octanes. I don't know this as a fact of every major, but for Texaco and Chevron as examples, it's categorically true.

 

^^^ even more of a reason not to use the high octane gas unless you need it

 

My 8 runs much better on the higher octane. I tried 2 tanks of regular just to give it a try and she hated it... Loves the 91-92 Just runs smoother and quicker...

 

This thread title is truly annoying!

 

I think the RX-8 is very sensitive to octane changes and driving styles. While I know a lot of people are running 93 octane, and there is a ton of discussion about 89, 87, and the use of 85, I looked in my owners manual, and it calls for 91 octane. I have a hard time finding stations with 91 octane pumps so I normally mix 89 and 93 (half and half). I have found that the car runs better and gets better mileage on 91. I have tried to use 89 octane but the engine sounded strange to me and did not run as smooth.

I have always seemed to get better then the norm regards gas mileage on all of my cars. With my 8, get approximately 20.5 to 22 as a combined city-highway mileage. Now the strange thing. I recently made a rather fast run, 262 miles in 3 hours and 17 mins. with a significant portion of the trip was over 90 and some shots as high as 110. I filled up at the end of the trip. 262 miles, 12.92 gallons, approx. 20.27mpg. Of interest, I used very little oil also.

I called and talked to the Mazda service manager I deal with and he stated that the rotary engine is far more efficient at high speeds. It is all the 0-60 shots that suck gas. He was however a little surprised about the low oil consumption.

 

those of you still getting crummy mileage like 14 mpg or less have you checked your thermostats and made sure they are opening up?

 

What do you mean by Thermostats? Like the Outside temp? Or the Engine temp?

 

I just drove from St. Louis to Dayton (365 miles) this weekend for Mardi Gras. I averaged a 10 MPG increase per quarter of a tank when I turned off the DSC as stated in the beginning of this thread. This could also be because of my new Borla exhaust but I think it is a bit of both. I was driving 85 mph and avoided drafting off of other cars in order to make the results as uniforma s possible. So I think it works.

 

I wish I could get 381 miles to the tank of highway driving like the epa estimates says I should get. =/

 

no kidding. At one point I was getting what I thought was good gas mileage on the highway, it was 16.6 mpg. Its a good thing that rotar hum is so nice it relaxed me right back into a state of bliss.

 

I average 200 miles a tank thanks to cold weather and city stop and go traffic. It's pretty depressing. I could deal with my car being underpowered, but man this thing sucks up gas like a v8 SUV.

Love this car... maybe when I do a extensive road trip in a month or two and hopefully get my mileage up there to give me better peace of mind of owning a rotary.