What's your worst mpg in the winter (relevant to areas that get snow)

[davemsc]

hey all,

Just curious what your worst mpg you got with your P5 in areas that actually get a winter (cold enough to snow)

Thanks!

Dave

 

[kms1990]

well for the few weeks a year it gets around 30ish or lower for highs in texas i can get as bad as 22mpg average but even in winter in general 50s and lower for highs i notice i get worse mpg (this car seems affected by temps more than any i have had) we even still use winter and summer blend gas and i notice when they switch over from winter to summer i get an instant bump in mpg

 

[MrGiggles]

I have been getting from 22 at the worst (cold weather, snow on the ground, half city/half highway) up to 30 (80% highway, temps in the 60s).

 

[Balls]

I go from about 330miles/tank during summer to about 270 miles/tank in winter. I also use my remote starter most every day, so that certainly sucks up a bit of gas.

 

[zackmac]

I just drove from Connecticut to Florida (and back) and averaged about 26 mpg for the whole trip.

 

[kms1990]

these cars even when driven consistently the same every trip swing up and down on mpg depending on the weather and how much gas they wanna use. i have a 5 speed and drive it easy most of the time. and it goes from 25-30mpg average.

 

[davemsc]

Thanks for the responses. I am getting about 16mpg. Mind you, it is all city driving in cold waether and very short trips (I have gone 220km in 3 weeks - all city...well, maybe a 10km stretch on the highway).

I got the car in oct and was getting about 28mpg mixed driving. Just trying to get an idea if 16mpg might be normal given the very short trips and very cold weather and winter gas, etc....

Thanks,
Dave

 

[kms1990]

is yours a stick or auto? and by short trips do you mean 1 or 2 miles? or longer? do you let it warm up for a long time before you drive? it may have 10w30 oil in it (which is factory weight) however it states in the manual that 5w30 can also be used i would suggest 5w30 i even use that all year round in the texas heat as 5w30 pumps up to the top end faster when cool so it 1. will lubricate better while cool and 2. will help your mpg as the oil pump will be able to pump more oil quicker and will not have to work as hard, i notice more consistent and better gas mileage on 5w30. also use synthetic as it will keep your engine cleaner longer(this is a touchy subject but i can attest that it has worked in every car i have owned) and a good name brand oil filter. if its really cold you may see if you can find 0w30 (mobil and castrol make it in synthetic) for winter (mobil even says warranty for 5w and 10w30 applications)

 

[davemsc]

is yours a stick or auto? and by short trips do you mean 1 or 2 miles? or longer? do you let it warm up for a long time before you drive? it may have 10w30 oil in it (which is factory weight) however it states in the manual that 5w30 can also be used i would suggest 5w30 i even use that all year round in the texas heat as 5w30 pumps up to the top end faster when cool so it 1. will lubricate better while cool and 2. will help your mpg as the oil pump will be able to pump more oil quicker and will not have to work as hard, i notice more consistent and better gas mileage on 5w30. also use synthetic as it will keep your engine cleaner longer(this is a touchy subject but i can attest that it has worked in every car i have owned) and a good name brand oil filter. if its really cold you may see if you can find 0w30 (mobil and castrol make it in synthetic) for winter (mobil even says warranty for 5w and 10w30 applications)

It's a manual and yes, the trips are about 3km at a time...to work (4km), park, lunch time going to get a coffee (1km), back to work (1km), back home (4 km), etc etc.

I do have 5w30 in it. Synthetic.

It just correlated with putting new NGK plugs in, so I'm hoping that wasn't the issue.....but they are the right plugs. It just coincided with really cold weather and short trips....

 

[pcb]

...to work (4km), park, lunch time going to get a coffee (1km), back to work (1km), back home (4 km), etc etc.....

It would probably be a good idea to take your car for a good run on the highway every tank of gas or so.... It helps to keep it "healthy"...

 

[kms1990]

every few day i take the interstate loop around to my job instead of going straight to there on city roads (its about 3 miles longer on the loop) but in the city its only 4 miles anyway so i do that every few days so that it gets highway miles, that and they moved the QT i stop at to right by that exit so when i need to stop there on the way for drinks or gas etc it works out anyway that and i notice it actually helps my mpg quite a bit and actually allows the tank of gas to last longer