I'm thankful every day (I travel for my job) that I don't live around places where driving less than 80 is considered to be dangerously slow. My car gets 3-5 mpg better when comparing 80 to 60, FWIW.
MPG on a 2005 Accord with 60k miles
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I'm thankful every day (I travel for my job) that I don't live around places where driving less than 80 is considered to be dangerously slow. My car gets 3-5 mpg better when comparing 80 to 60, FWIW.
My old Subaru, rated 28 highway, did this:
63 mph - 40 mpg
75 mph - 28 mpg
85 mph - 23 mpg
63 mph - 40 mpg
75 mph - 28 mpg
85 mph - 23 mpg
My new Subaru is a bit better at high speeds, but, not as good a lower speeds. It's an automatic. It gets 34-35 on flat terrain at 60 mph. At 80, I drop just below 30 mpg, unless I have a tailwind.
Same here... on the stretch of California freeway that I drive on - anything under 80 will get you killed or cause an accident. It isn't rare to follow traffic at 90+mph. Cops here tend to get people driving faster than the flow of traffic.
Same here - in my vehicle - I only get a 1-2MPG difference between 70mph and 85mph - not worth it as it causes problems and is dangerous (road rage).
Same here - in my vehicle - I only get a 1-2MPG difference between 70mph and 85mph - not worth it as it causes problems and is dangerous (road rage).
Our '03 Accord V6 automatic returns around 23 mpg with our usual mix of around town and freeway driving and moves up to 28-30 MPG on long highway trips. I've not been able to detect a fuel economy or performance difference when going between 5W-20 and 5W-30 (Havoline synthetic from a clearance sale) motor oils. We have about 65k miles on it now.
Fuel economy drops like a rock if you use all of the available power though
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Fuel economy drops like a rock if you use all of the available power though
For the past probably ten or more fill-ups on the '07 Accord V6, I've literally been between 27.3 and 27.8 mpg. Almost no variance as you can see, but then there's very little variance in my driving style or location. Now at a little over 19K miles.
With my new 2006 Monte Carlo with the 3.9L engine, I've been averaging just 18.5mpg. Granted, I have a 3 mile commute, and I frequently am making trips that are just 3-5 miles. I'm also notoriously bad for putting my foot into it, and when really cranking, I've seen it show as little as 1mpg instantaneous economy.
On the rare occasions that I've had a chance to take it up on the highway, setting the cruise control yields about 32-33mpg at 60mph on flat ground. I did do a little experimenting (with the open road I had), and in the 55-65 range, it runs about 30-33mpg, in the 65-75 range, between 26-29, at 85 it was about 24mpg. I did also reel it up to about 105 mph, which I was able to hold for about a minute, during which time it showed about 20mpg, which isn't too shabby considering the amount of air and road resistance you're getting at that speed.
I suppose I should add that my car is rated at 18/28 under the old EPA standard, and 16/26 under the new testing standards. I think it would do better as well, if GM hadn't given it such a gas-guzzling FDR. This 3.9 turns almost as fast at a given speed as my old 3.1 did; yet is producing almost 50% more torque. Overall, I'm very impressed with the balance of power and speed (not to mention noise and smoothness...no joke, from a GM!) that this engine delivers.
On the rare occasions that I've had a chance to take it up on the highway, setting the cruise control yields about 32-33mpg at 60mph on flat ground. I did do a little experimenting (with the open road I had), and in the 55-65 range, it runs about 30-33mpg, in the 65-75 range, between 26-29, at 85 it was about 24mpg. I did also reel it up to about 105 mph, which I was able to hold for about a minute, during which time it showed about 20mpg, which isn't too shabby considering the amount of air and road resistance you're getting at that speed.
I suppose I should add that my car is rated at 18/28 under the old EPA standard, and 16/26 under the new testing standards. I think it would do better as well, if GM hadn't given it such a gas-guzzling FDR. This 3.9 turns almost as fast at a given speed as my old 3.1 did; yet is producing almost 50% more torque. Overall, I'm very impressed with the balance of power and speed (not to mention noise and smoothness...no joke, from a GM!) that this engine delivers.
My Accord is the previous Generation to Busters I4 and yesterday I took an all interstate reading of 31.5mpg at a constant 72mph with the AC off. I'm currently at 174K+ miles and I was a little disappointed. I used to average better than 35mpg with this type of driving when I was a road warrior for DEC. I'll be checking my log to see when I last replaced the copper NGKs and air filter. This sedan is still a pleasure to cruise on the interstates and my only real concern is if the Honda reman autotrans is good to reach 300K. Looking forward to the 8th Gen.
The 2.3 engine should be using NGK Iridium plugs, not the coppers, but that shouldn't affect your MPG. At 174k, if you still have the original oxygen sensors, that may be the reason why your fuel economy is suffering. In addition, have you had the valve clearance physically inspected and/or adjusted?
Actually, this engine came with NGK dual platinum(laser) plugs from the factory. I replaced the original plugs at 102K with NGK V-power coppers which I replace about every 40K. The difference in price is about $10/plug and there had been no degradation in performance or efficiency in the past. I might pull the plugs and check the gap. I just checked my log and they've only been in there about 25K, but it's time for a new Fram air filter.
BTW the O2 sensor is original, as is the distributor cap/rotor and plug wires. Lots of other factory parts on this car also: alternator, front calipers and rotors, rear brake shoes. Unfortunately the auto trans was not up to the task, even with ATF-Z1 drain/refills at 10-15K intervals.
The valves were last adjusted at 55K and I've been procrastinating about this for the last 30K.
BTW the O2 sensor is original, as is the distributor cap/rotor and plug wires. Lots of other factory parts on this car also: alternator, front calipers and rotors, rear brake shoes. Unfortunately the auto trans was not up to the task, even with ATF-Z1 drain/refills at 10-15K intervals.
The valves were last adjusted at 55K and I've been procrastinating about this for the last 30K.
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You can get the correct Autolite Double Platinum plugs for $3.99/plug, even less considering the current MIR on them. Copper plugs need to be replaced every 30k, max, on most cars.
The distributor cap and rotor, as well as the wires need to be replaced. Maybe even the upstream O2 sensor. Replacing the plug wires alone in my DIS equipped GM at 96k miles yielded a 2-3 mpg increase on the highway.
The distributor cap and rotor, as well as the wires need to be replaced. Maybe even the upstream O2 sensor. Replacing the plug wires alone in my DIS equipped GM at 96k miles yielded a 2-3 mpg increase on the highway.
Bosch Rotor/Cap, Autolite Double Platinum Plugs, Autolite Wires, and Bosch OE upstream O2 sensor will run you $180 total.
Forget the O2 for now (too much $$ if there's no CEL) and do the other parts. I'm not particular about my cap&rotor, but my wires are always NGK and plugs too.
I change my v-power's at 30k as the one time I went to 40k, I actually saw a 1mpg improvement after the change - so I'd left them in too long.
I change my v-power's at 30k as the one time I went to 40k, I actually saw a 1mpg improvement after the change - so I'd left them in too long.
Nice!
For comparison, on a recent 150-mile trip, with the cruise control set at 78 mph most of the time, I got 29 mpg in the 530i. Overall, I get about 23 mpg in mostly city driving, which is not bad for a 6-cylinder engine, IMO.
If I remember correctly, I was getting around 22 mpg in my '00 Accord V6 auto in mostly city driving.
Here is my mileage history since January. I have a 98 chevy lumina with the 3.1 v6 & 152,000 miles. It still has the original O2 sensors, but i did change the spark plugs last year.
The lower winter MPG is because, sometimes I will let the car warm up for 30+ min. I don't care what damage that does. When it was -10 in the morning, I want clear windows, and a warm car.
Monday, January 22, 2007 25.0
Saturday, January 27, 2007 23.1
Monday, January 29, 2007 26.4
Thursday, February 01, 2007 26.6
Monday, February 05, 2007 25.7
Thursday, February 08, 2007 25.0
Sunday, February 11, 2007 27.2
Friday, February 16, 2007 25.6
Monday, February 19, 2007 27.7
Thursday, February 22, 2007 29.8
Saturday, February 24, 2007 25.4
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 28.9
Friday, March 02, 2007 30.2
Tuesday, March 06, 2007 25.1
Thursday, March 08, 2007 29.2
Sunday, March 11, 2007 27.3
Tuesday, March 13, 2007 31.2
Sunday, March 18, 2007 28.2
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 28.3
Saturday, March 24, 2007 29.3
Friday, March 30, 2007 30.2
Thursday, April 05, 2007 28.6
Saturday, April 07, 2007 28.2
The lower winter MPG is because, sometimes I will let the car warm up for 30+ min. I don't care what damage that does. When it was -10 in the morning, I want clear windows, and a warm car.
Monday, January 22, 2007 25.0
Saturday, January 27, 2007 23.1
Monday, January 29, 2007 26.4
Thursday, February 01, 2007 26.6
Monday, February 05, 2007 25.7
Thursday, February 08, 2007 25.0
Sunday, February 11, 2007 27.2
Friday, February 16, 2007 25.6
Monday, February 19, 2007 27.7
Thursday, February 22, 2007 29.8
Saturday, February 24, 2007 25.4
Wednesday, February 28, 2007 28.9
Friday, March 02, 2007 30.2
Tuesday, March 06, 2007 25.1
Thursday, March 08, 2007 29.2
Sunday, March 11, 2007 27.3
Tuesday, March 13, 2007 31.2
Sunday, March 18, 2007 28.2
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 28.3
Saturday, March 24, 2007 29.3
Friday, March 30, 2007 30.2
Thursday, April 05, 2007 28.6
Saturday, April 07, 2007 28.2
Quote:
Actually, this engine came with NGK dual platinum(laser) plugs from the factory. I replaced the original plugs at 102K with NGK V-power coppers which I replace about every 40K. The difference in price is about $10/plug and there had been no degradation in performance or efficiency in the past. I might pull the plugs and check the gap. I just checked my log and they've only been in there about 25K, but it's time for a new Fram air filter.
BTW the O2 sensor is original, as is the distributor cap/rotor and plug wires. Lots of other factory parts on this car also: alternator, front calipers and rotors, rear brake shoes. Unfortunately the auto trans was not up to the task, even with ATF-Z1 drain/refills at 10-15K intervals.
The valves were last adjusted at 55K and I've been procrastinating about this for the last 30K.
do the valves need to be adjusted at all? It's kind of painted as a maybe maintenance item, some service guides say it doesn't need to be adjusted at all unless something in the valvetrain was changed.
I am at 90K miles and thinking about getting the valves adjusted, but at the same time if they are going through that I am thinking about just having them throw in some cams.
I guess buster has answered my question about how many miles he's logged.
He was at 63k a few days ago.
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