mikeb

what about the guy in the tech thread getting his low mpg fix from dealer hopefully

brothervoodoo

I'm hopefully waiting for that too, but I wouldn't hold my breathe. This is just one dealer making a claim, since it coming from a dealer you can judge for yourself what that is worth.

mikeb

too true

Mitch Strickler

On my four-month oil change, I asked my dealer to check why I had tanks ranging from 14.5 for largely city driving to a three-tank average under 22 almost all on the road with light foot (my wife took turns, cruising at 70). He told me afterwards that they had checked ECU settings, and they were all correct, so they could do nothing to help me.
As evidence that they were not just faking it, or trying to save Mazda money, they said they had found a leak in my oil mechanism and ordered a new part. (They said it was not a serious issue, and I was reassured because I had only had to add one quart after 3,000 miles during the 4,000 before the first change.)
OTOH, as evidence that the dealer doesn't keep up on that latest from Mazda, I had to tell the service manager about the Mazda bulletin authorizing oil pan replacements on early VINs (including mine). BTW, my oil light came on only once in four months, and only for a moment right after starting.

VelocityRedRX8

Hi,
That would be me, and it made no difference in my MPG. I'm running around 11 MPG now, with moderately aggressive city driving (90% city/10% highway). I get around 18MPG on pure highway driving though. I really dislike the low MPG in my normal driving!

VelocityRedRX8

Rotary Nut

Updated!

93rdcurrent

I have to say that the cold weather shouldn't make such a difference. My M3 didn't change enough for me to notice between summer and winter driving as well as my Audi A4 Quattro. I just got back from driving it to Utah through Idaho and Montana from Eastern Washington. I was driving through parts of Idaho with 3" of snow on the highway and in Montana for quite a ways with 7-10" of snow on the highway. Even with my quattro engaging often and the fact that I was driving between 40-50 mph in 4th gear the Audi still got 26.5 mpg. Was it cold? Yes! Was it winter gas? Yes! When I was driving on dryer roads I was averaging 28-30 mpg. The temps were as low as 12 f and at that time I was averaging between 75-90 mph. Why would my RX-8 be so much more affected by cold weather than my Audi? By the way the commute is the same for my RX-8 as it was for my M3 the difference is that my M3 was a 3.0L inline 6 cylinder engine and it was getting around 17-27 mpg depending on how hard I was driving and how much was city vs. highway driving. And 17 mpg was probably the worst. My RX-8 only breaks that 17mpg with highway driving and then I only get around 20 mpg.

brothervoodoo

After getting my oilpan replaced dealer also checked for PCM/ECU errors and found none, no reflash done.

Rotary Nut

Bumped for an update.

This tank was an interim fill up because I will be doing a bunch of higway driving this week this includes two hops to VA beach.:D

93rdcurrent

Just as an FYI and I know that I have stated this else where. I think that the mpg problems do stem mostly from the ECU. It appears that when Mazda brought the 8 over hear to the US they had to meet EPA standards on the cat converter. This year the law changed to 120k min. miles for those pesky things to last. The 8 seems to have been too hot and was eating them before this time requiring a change in how emissions were managed. Running the engine richer keeps the emissions cooler and that seems to have been Mazda's fix. I would want more documentation on this before I said that it was the honest to god truth but it does make sense. Where could we find out about this? And if it is the real mccoy can we have our ECU's reflashed to the original settings?

Rotary Nut

Bumped for an update!

Well l logged 242.9 miles in three days and recorded my second highest mpg to date, 18.53 mpg!. :D

I have been listing the incorrect octane. I was listing 87 when it has actualy been 89. :p

Also the Low fuel light came on at 236.2 miles at 1/8th tank left. :o

FirstSpin

16.88 on this fill-up. Mix of city/hwy with 93 octane. It's my 4th fill-up and each one is better than the last, so I'm hoping that the trend continues. I do an all-hwy drive today (about 150 miles round trip). I'll be interested in what that fill-up tells me about hwy mileage.....

bobclevenger

Just finished a trip from here (Ontario, Calif.) to Las Vegas and back. 23.5 going and 24.5 coming back. I just set the cruise control on the speed limit (60, 65, 70) and drove. No city driving at all once on the interstate.

Lufa

9.98 gallons, 152 miles... ugh.

50/50 city/highway driving, hit the red line 2 times in second gear, other wise kept the tach around 3-4k most of the time.

6speed8

At 4400 miles I have been getting a solid 19.9 (can't seem to get 20) mpg on 90-95% city driving. Yesterday I took a 120 mile run (round trip) with 80% highway avg speed 70 mph - 22.7 mpg. I believe I could have gotten 24 mpg if I fueled up right at the highway exit. Not good mileage, but right in line with the EPA estimates. The mpg has been improving with miles, so we'll see if the next tank or so I can get 20 mpg.

I should mention I like to hear the 'chime' so I get on when I can, but for normal driving I shift between 4-5k rpms and cruise around 3k rpm in the city driving.

FirstSpin

At about 1000 miles, my MT just got 19.5 in a 130 mile highway drive at 70 to 80 mph. Part of that drive (about 20 miles) was in 5th rather than 6th, so I might have broken 20. I've got two more such trips coming up for the holidays. Bottom line, I'm pleased with the mileage I've seen so far.....

loco4rx8

Just thought I'd mention that since winter's arrival here in Virginia, I've noticed my mpg dropping a bit. I'm now getting 19-20 mpg, rather than the 22-23 I was getting in the summer/fall.

Fleche

Just filled up my 8 for the first time. It had a full tank from the dealer.

12.42 Gallons, 235 Miles, 18.9 MPG, I'd say 70 Highway, 30 local,
some of which are bumper to bumper Oakland<-> San Francisco Traffic. Not bad...

TheTick

I have 1300 miles on my 8 and I have yet to break 14 MPG in the city. I think that there is a manufacture problem because it appears that some of you get great mileage and others of us terrible mileage. I am bringing my car into the dealer for the second time to try to get this issue fixed. I am curious if any of you think I can invoke lemon law on this car if I continually bring it in and they cannot resolve this issue?

Thanks

241Commuter

Why did you bother buying an 8? You shouldn't have to drive it like that to JUST get the epa highway numbers. The epa numbers are for the average driver. I would beat the epa numbers routinely with my '94 Mazda on the OC to Vegas run, and I didn't keep it at the posted limited. Not when the traffic flow moves at 80+, as you well know. I got just over 20 on the same run with my 8. Mazda played games with the epa numbers... I don't think they could sell too many 8s if they posted a more truthful 14/20.

BTW, I did a bit better coming back from Vegas than going there too. I've noticed that before. I suspect the net elevation gain going from OC to Vegas.

Elara

I just read something the other day stating that the mileage listed by the EPA is extremely flawed, and pretty much every car is going to get less than the stated MPG, which is what I assume is going on for many people with the 8. Mazda isn't ALLOWED to state what they think the MPG is, due to an outdated testing method and thereby flawed regulations. The example they gave was the Prius, which they estimate should get about 51-55 mpg. Instead, most owners get about 44 mpg. That's a pretty big loss.

I think this has been stated before elsewhere, but I thought I'd reiterate. If anyone wants me to, I can post the article tomorrow.

bobclevenger

Perhaps because I LIKE it?

Quote:

You shouldn't have to drive it like that to JUST get the epa highway numbers.

I drive it "like that" because I have a certain respect for the law, and because I don't like tickets, nor do I want to be looking over my shoulder for the police when I drive.

Quote:

The epa numbers are for the average driver. I would beat the epa numbers routinely with my '94 Mazda on the OC to Vegas run, and I didn't keep it at the posted limited. Not when the traffic flow moves at 80+, as you well know.

Yes, I know that the average speed on I-15 is quite illegal; I don't understand why there is little or no enforcement on that highway. And yes, I would be driving faster if it were legal. And yes, I always got over the EPA estimates on all my cars before the 8.

Quote:

I got just over 20 on the same run with my 8. Mazda played games with the epa numbers... I don't think they could sell too many 8s if they posted a more truthful 14/20.

Well, it wasn't Mazda who assigned the MPG numbers to the 8; it was the EPA.

Quote:

BTW, I did a bit better coming back from Vegas than going there too. I've noticed that before. I suspect the net elevation gain going from OC to Vegas.

I think this also.

bobclevenger

I find that interesting Elara, since I always got higher than EPA estimates in every car I've owned except the RX-8. My last two were a 1996 Mustang SVT Cobra that got 29-30 MPG highway and a 2003 M-B C230k coupe that got 34-35 MPG highway. Neither was rated that high. But then I don't race on the streets.

CERAMICSEAL

I read that article also: Automotive news. A lot of cars may not get quite the advertised numbers, although it seems there are some on this forum who are right in line.

Elara

Yup, that would be it. And bob, I'm getting right about and just over the stated mpg, in general, so it's not always correct. But it's interesting to know, and may be a good explanation for some members here having the issues they're having.