and handles like a dream, you forgot that part... I think most of us didn't buy the car for those numbers, at some point it will click with you too. Car is about so much more, the idea of the engine for one... so 30k well spent I'd say :D And it doesn't flood without notice, follow instructions and it wont flood, oh and I get 20mpg, 162whp

 

20mpg? what gas you using? damn that's good! i'm at about 17.5 city hard driving.

 

No TRAFFIC and you only averaged 60-65 mph? Is something wrong with your car? Are you feeling ok? Is there anything we can do to help?

On a recent trip around Coeur d' Alene Lake in Idaho me and 3 other 8s averaged about 60 mph even with some 20 mph twisties through most of the drive :D .

 

Guess I should've mentioned that routes 50 and 404 heading to the shore are TREMENDOUSLY well-patrolled by State Troopers. And if that weren't bad enough, you have a lot of speed limit changes throughout the drive...one stretch it's 55, next ten miles 45, etc. But the worst is once you make it to the shore...Ocean Highway is US Route 1. It is a incredibly beautiful, super-smooth stretch of 6-lane highway. And for most of it, it runs at 35 mph with a highest-posted speed of 50 mph!! We're talking 6 lanes here!

I did have a chance to run her out on the way back home, however...the 8's high-speed stability really is amazing considering the razor-sharp handling it has.

Arvin

 

Whew! I feel a lot better now. I was afraid you weren't letting you car exercise and stretch her legs on the highway.

 

haha. you guys are awesome. about 20 mpg if I let her stay under 3750... normal driving of hearing the wonderful beep... i'd say 16ish.. just has to be an *** to the troll :D

 

I just went 352 miles on 87 and used 13.5 gallons. It was all highway, crusie set at 70mph.

 

I've never even come close. My average city mpg has been around 15 and hwy has been around 20.

 

In an Rx-8? Are you sure? lol.... did you strip it down to conserve on the weight or something??? I didn't drive mine very hard (break in period) and almost all freeway driving and I got less than 19mpg on my first tank.

One of the things I've noticed is the power is so consistent with the rotary, not like a regular engine where you can really hear the difference of the high rpms (until you get really high). I find myself on the freeway in 4th at times at maybe 5000 rpms but it seems like nothing... in my old car I'd notice if I was in 4th on the freeway and would shift right away. My old car had a redline of 8500 so not too much difference there but so much difference in the engine (and unfortunately the gas mileage). But hey, if I couldn't afford the gas I wouldn't have bought the car. Just need to know what the range on a tank is so I can make sure to fill up at the right time.

 

352 was the highest I have ever made it on a tank. On avg I get about 300 on a tank in highway driving.

 

I generally have to be looking for a gas station around 250 - part highway/part city - not driving very conservative either. I did get over 21mpg on my recent road trip but nowhere near that for everyday driving.

 

Bumped for an update.

 

Whoooo hoooo!

Finally broke 20 mpg!

It took three round trips to VA beach to get it!

21.192 MPG

And my average is up to 19 mpg!

 

17.5 seems reasonable for hard city driving.

 

My 8 is new < 1000 miles. Here are

Miles Gal MPG
167.5 13.479 12.43 Shell Premium 93 Oct
180.0 14.018 12.84 Shell Premium 93 Oct Got "M" flash 1/2 through tank
166.0 13.814 12.02 Shell Premium 93 Oct
164.0 12.911 12.70 Shell Premium 93 Oct

Looks like a nice average of high 12's.
I took it easy on the first 500 but after that I really race the engine. Either way it has not seamed to make much difference either way.

 

you guys must be running waaay too lean to get 18 or more MPG

theory:
wanna go fast, burn more gas

 

Something is wrong if Bean is getting 12 MPG. I can't get worse than 16 no matter how hard I try and I can easily get over 20 when driving carefully and many other find the same. Some, like Bean, are consistently getting dreadful mileage regardless of driving style.

If I were getting 12, I would park it at the dealer until it was fixed.

 

Bump
Compare to the guy who went across country. Very interesting

 

Bumped for an update.

Mileage does seem to be improving. I started to run regular gas as it is getting way too expensive and the car seems to be running smoother and the milage has gotten better to boot!

 

am I the only one who runs 93 octane?

 

Almost 2,500 miles since keeping a log and my average is 14.53 mpg with my auto.

 

I won't go into all of the details.
2300 miles since 04/15/04.
87 octane amoco/bp or shell gives me consistently 20.9 mpg.