RotoRooter

To make it more readable, let's post what kind of gas mileage we are all getting. Please post after 3tanks minimum so we can get an accurate representation. If yours is really high or low, please follow up with up post reply explaining any special circumstances or driving conditions. Thanks

Speed Racer

So far I've filled up 10 times (2,100+ miles) and the MPG has ranged from 14 to 24 but my average is 18.

seikx8

Drove for 784 miles with 35.5 Gallons total filled 3 times. Most of the driving is sitting in LA traffic (10 & 60 freeway). And of course very spirited driving when not in traffic. (>3k rpm)

Superfan

I'm keeping a log so here is what I've gotten so far.

Date Gallons Miles Driven Miles Per Gallon
07/24/2003 13.011 197 15.14103451
07/26/2003 13.823 208.5 15.08355639
07/27/2003 14.187 227 16.0005639
08/01/2003 14.524 193.4 13.31589094
08/03/2003 14.016 204.5 14.59046804
08/09/2003 14.123 192 13.59484529
08/14/2003 13.865 174.5 12.58564731
08/18/2003 13.979 210 15.0225338
08/23/2003 13.886 190.1 13.69004753
08/24/2003 8.214 127.1 15.47358169
08/29/2003 14.741 201.9 13.69649278
09/01/2003 14.224 195.6 13.75140607
09/05/2003 13.863 184.4 13.30159417
09/10/2003 14.254 186 13.04896871
09/14/2003 14.673 194.6 13.26245485
09/17/2003 13.033 171.5 13.15890432
09/21/2003 13.381 191.2 14.28891712
09/27/2003 14.396 174.5 12.12142262
10/02/2003 14.04 185.1 13.18376068
10/06/2003 14.693 198.6 13.51664058
10/11/2003 14.577 191.1 13.10969335
10/14/2003 13.369 188.1 14.06986312
10/29/2003 14.298 187.6 13.12071618
11/02/2003 14.806 177.3 11.97487505
11/09/2003 13.328 158.1 11.8622449
11/15/2003 14.56 176.7 12.13598901
11/20/2003 13.863 172.3 12.42876722
11/23/2003 13.577 223.6 16.4690285
11/28/2003 14.44 221.5 15.33933518

Average MPG: 13.7358

RotoRooter

So far not the greatest news, huh?

RodsterinFL

5 tanks and in town driving with AC on always. 16 MPG average Voted.

U. N. O.

this is just crazy.. i get about 14-15 mpg.. what a gozzler!!! and i had in mind that being a 1.3L would actually be very efficient!. It is like a ferrari or lamborgini but without the power/v12 in it.. whats going on? what if that car had a 2.0L displacement? what a might mare...
Defenetly the only disapointment i feel about the car.. any thought?

mantisflie

Yeah, I picked my car up on Friday (w/ a full tank of gas), filled up the next day on my way to San Francisco, filled up again on the way back that same night, filled up again midday Sunday, and am now going to have to fill up again tomorrow. I have driven it fast a few times, but I'm trying to keep the RPM's as low as possible. I didn't plan on spending this much on gas!! Oh well, worth it I guess.:D
P.S. Whenever I say if "filled up", I was adding 13.0 - 13.7 gallons.

RotoRooter

Quite a wide range, huh?

I thought I was conservatively driving, but I am getting 18.5 with hardly any a/C or high revs.

jdj1971

I've racked up about 1600 miles total so far. On my trip today I got just under 19MPG. That was driving with cruise set on 80mph for about 400 miles. First couple of tanks I was getting 16/17MPG.

DreamWarrior

18-19 - voted, last three tanks posted in the other thread if you want the individual numbers.

Mostly "city" driving, which I put in quotes because my commute to work is mostly what the car is used for and that goes something like 70-75 MPH for about 10 miles and then 5 more miles of 55 MPH stop light traffic. I haven't really sat at idle a lot (unless my friends are oogling the car), and I've been driving progressively more spiritedly.

However, since I do drive about 25-30% of the rest of the tank to/from the mall, store, dinner, etc. I figure I can qualify myself as "city" driving.

I've yet to take a long trip at 70-80 MPH constant speed...but I'd think I should (if I stay in 6th gear) get around 20-22 MPG doing so...we'll wait and see when the first trip over 200 miles comes up :D.

tribal azn2

im getting less then 200 miles per tank

jdwk

This is terrible news to me. I currently have a 96 MX-6 M, and get 24 MPG in pain in the *** city driving with the A/C on in Phoenix. I used to get 30 in Ohio with my 93 LS, but lived in the middle of nowhere and did a lot more cruising.
It's not so much the money, it's just the satisfaction that I get when I press the pedal. I find myself much more concious of using my right foot now that I am getting 24 instead of 30.
If I got 14, I would hesitate to even start her up.

Before reading this, I went to the Mazda dealer today. I have been in love with the RX-8 since I first heard about it, and they had 3 still for sale. They are getting a demo car I can drive next week, and I am real tempted to sign on the dotted line if they can get me a yellow one.
However, sports car or family sedan, 14 sucks. A Z06 is a sports car, will destroy just about anything in a straight line, and get 30 on the highway, 18 stop and go. Very different cars, but it's basically come down to these two for my next toy. Even if I only put a few thousand a year on her, MPG always factors into my total driving satisfaction.

The RX-8 has four doors and four real seats. It's supposed to be a more practical car. 14mpg is not practical. Maybe I should wait for the RX-7. It will probably be even worse on gas, but I don't think I would feel as bad about it.

Digisan

When I first picked it up I was getting ~15mpg, now I get 20-21 with A/C on most of the time. I have about 700 miles on it and I didn't drive it like a wussy while breaking it in (unlike others). The only thing I was cognizant of during break-in was keeping the revs below 7K. Now that the breakin period is over I have been going to 8 or 9K everyday, the engine seems to be much happier when I rev it a bit.

D-san

arcrftmech

I don't think anyone can really judge mileage until there are RX-8 s out there that are thoroughly broken in. I suspect the tip seals of the rotor are made of extraordinarily durable material, that may take longer to break in than a conventional piston engine.
On another note, I have a friend with a VW Golf that reports 24-26mpg in town and 29-30 on the highway. His car weighs a little over 3000 pounds and produces 115hp. 16-21mpg for a 250hp 3000 pound sports car, does not seem all that bad.
I do believe, over time everyone's mileage with increase a little.

8_wannabe

With most things being a bell curve, looks like you've got your datapoints set too high. We're only logging at the top end of the curve. We oughta redo the survey starting at around 13 mpg working up to maybe 22.

Elak

As pointed out previously by several RX-7 owners on this board, idling the engine seems to be an expensive habit.

I've been getting 18+ on my first 3 fillups, the 3 was past break-in and included very inspired driving on Hwy 1 north of SF:D. When my 4:th only gave 16 mpg, I at first could not see why. Last night it struck me that when I picked up my car from the detailer, they had it sitting outside idling as they were finishing off the wax job. It was probably running for 10-15 minutes while I was there and may have been for a while before.

I'm driving grandma style this tank to see how far that will take me.

/Elak

Supercharger

Does anyone fill up at Shell? Shell claims that you get better mileage with their fuel.

revhappy

Supercharger speaks!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Puppy1

I do. I am averaging 19.85 mpg after 5 tanks. I rev high from stoplights too. Over 1,100 miles now.

Still can't wipe the smile off my face.

8_wannabe

I would say this is typical cr@p marketing, except Puppy1 weighed in with good gas mileage using Shell. Any hydrocarbon chemists out there to give a scientific opinion on this? I somehow doubt that one brand is yielding better mileage than another.

sferrett

I have about 1450 miles at the moment, I did a San Diego - Burbank round trip last night (lots of cruising at around 85mph, 95 around San Onofre) and got 18.7mpg

*and* I got roadraged by some dick in a pickup.. I must say the brakes on the rx8 are simply awesome- I was surpised how drama-less the emergency lane change was at 70mph when the guy slammed his brakes on in front of me - I just reacted automatically, slowed (hard) and dodged to the lane to my right to avoid hitting him.

Then the guy sped up to 95 and shadowed me until I pulled the cellphone out, at which time he slowed down and went away.

myrx8

My gas mileage is terrible. I'm averaging about 15 miles to the gallon.

sferrett

How many miles on the car so far? I've read that it gets better after break in (according to some folks' observations) and I think I'd tend to agree, except I didn't take hard mileage figures until now...

I got 260 miles on the last tank, and from recollection back in the pre 700 mile days, I seem to recall not getting much over 200.

myrx8

I just broke 500 miles today. I have only had the car since Monday night.