Unexpected Gas Mileage

[MikeP]

I took an overnight trip yesterday and returned home today. I was curious to find out what mileage I could get and was pretty surprised at the results. These are the factors:

'04 LS430, Premium Package with about 2800 miles,

one passenger,

baggage, car detail stuff (quick detail spray, wet towel, etc.) folding chairs in trunk,

full tank of gas (Shell Premium)

Temperature was mid 60's (no Climate Control on)

Relatively flat Interstate, about 75 miles total distance

Tank Avg. = 31.1 MPG (message center display)

While I was easy on the accelerator, I maintained posted speed limits of 70 MPH but did not use cruise control. I don't think any of us bought an LS for fuel ecconomy, but I think over 30 MPG for a car this size and with V8 power is unbelievable. Can't imagine what MPG the hybrid LS will get.

Now that my "ecconomy run" is over, next trip I can enjoy the power more and forget about getting the ultimate in fuel mileage. The LS430 is so quiet and smooth, it's tough to stay at the posted speed limits. But then again, maybe watching the "Tank Average" in the message center will be one way of preventing unwanted stops by the State Troopers :cries: The longer I own this car, the more I am in awe of it.

Mike

[99lsguy]

The longer I own this car, the more I am in awe of it.

Mike

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Right -O on that one Mike!!!

I rarely take my LS on Highway trips. but I got 28 MPG once...so I believe it.

70 mph is absolutely "idling" for the LS - it feels like your just crawling

I get 23 mpg everday - usual driving.....

I do have a discrepancy in my computed mpg though...I always do the math myself and get about 1/2 mpg LESS than what the computer says....have you checked it this way??

[MikeP]

The longer I own this car, the more I am in awe of it.

Mike

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Right -O on that one Mike!!!

I rarely take my LS on Highway trips. but I got 28 MPG once...so I believe it.

70 mph is absolutely "idling" for the LS - it feels like your just crawling

I get 23 mpg everday - usual driving.....

I do have a discrepancy in my computed mpg though...I always do the math myself and get about 1/2 mpg LESS than what the computer says....have you checked it this way??

←

I haven't figured my mileage manually, but I do suspect the readout is a little optimistic. If it is only about 1/2 MPG as yours is, the fuel ecconomy is still great. In town, I usually use my car for short trips (no freeways), where the engine just gets up to normal operating temperature. According to the dash readout, I have averaged between 18 and 21 MPG for city driving. I usually check the "Tank Avg." on the loaners I have gotten (ES330 & RX330) and have not seen better on the V6's.

Mike

[ronsadvice]

ANOTHER great reason to have a LEXUS!

I have a 1990 (wow) and get 18MPG and am very happy with that for an 8 cyl, well powered car! Have fun with your new LS and blow the Beemers off the road!

Ron

[MikeP]

ANOTHER great reason to have a LEXUS!

I have a 1990 (wow) and get 18MPG and am very happy with that for an 8 cyl, well powered car!  Have fun with your new LS and blow the Beemers off the road!

Ron

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Having been a FORMER BMW fan (8 of them), I can relate to your comment. Lexus is not thought of very well on the BMW discussion groups, I suppose because Lexus owners spend much less time in service than BMW drivers do. The BMW's I've owned were great fun to drive when everything worked and you didn't hear the rattles. That was maybe half the time, the other half I waited in the service lounge until my cars were ready, watching CNN. I was really up on world events, but didn't get to drive my cars while being convinced the world was going to end. Which brand is really the "Ultimate Driving Machine"?

I guess I'd have to give some credit for my gas mileage to the 6 layers of Meguires Tech wax. It probably lowered the drag coefficient by 10 points.

Mike

[flanker271]

Just at a curiosity: does cruise control have any factor in your MPG?

[Jacob]

Mike,

Out of curiosity, what RPM do you get when cruising at 75mph?

Jacob

[MikeP]

Just at a curiosity:  does cruise control have any factor in your MPG?

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I didn't use cruise control, in fact I prefer not to use it.

Mike

[MikeP]

Mike,

Out of curiosity, what RPM do you get when cruising at 75mph?

Jacob

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Jacob,

I only hit 75 a few times on my trip and didn't notice the tach, but if I remember correctly, at 70 MPH the engine was turning about 1900 RPM.

Mike

[VBdenny]

I don't use the cruise unless I need to rest my leg. Usually I prefer to not use cruise as I found it gets worse gas milage. I can anticipate situations which the computer can not. For example, hills, the computer brakes all they way down the hill then accelerate all the way up the other side. I run it right up there down the hill and ease off going up. I can always beat the cruise on anything but flat terrain.

My LS is a 1990 so I would never expect it to get what a new car would with technology advances and all, but I do get 23 or so on the highway and maybe 17-18 in short drive traffic. My Interstate driving is rather fast. I have never had the opportunity to check my milage at the spped limit but I'll bet I could gain at least 4mpg. These cars suck gas at a steady 90.

[SW03ES]

In my experience the LS gets better mileage than the ES. The best I can hope for is 25 or so on a trip and it stays 18/19 around town. I think while the LS is a bigger engine its even over powered for its weight, meaning the engine doesn't have to work as hard as the ES, where the power is just adequate.

[99lsguy]

I haven't figured my mileage manually, but I do suspect the readout is a little optimistic. If it is only about 1/2 MPG as yours is, the fuel ecconomy is still great. In town, I usually use my car for short trips (no freeways), where the engine just gets up to normal operating temperature. According to the dash readout, I have averaged between 18 and 21 MPG for city driving. I usually check the "Tank Avg." on the loaners I have gotten (ES330 & RX330) and have not seen better on the V6's.

Mike

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Mike,

Fill the LS up this morning...... 437 miles @ 19.02 gallons = 23 mpg

The computer readout said 24.1 mpg so it's really about 1 mpg high........Avg computer speed is usually around 35 mph.

That's my typical everday city/hwy combo route.

[RCRFAN3]

I have a 98 LS that I drove from Chicago to Minneapolis [352 miles] three people in the car with luggage in 5 hours 28.5 MPG WHAT A GREAT CAR!!!!!!!

[RedAE102]

My '96 LS (actually my mum's too, but my name is on the car as well) gets between 23 and 25 mpg on highway trips (the last trip I took with 1 passenger and luggage for both of us, cruise control set at 80 mph, climate control set at 72 for driver and passenger, approximately 75-90 degrees F outside through the 300+ mi trip... 25.2 mpg).. highest I've seen with it is 25.8 on a run... On the flip side, with my mum doing day-to-day driving (15 mi round trip commute, surface streets the whole way), it never sees the high side of 16 mpg. It used to be good for 18-20 mpg in her daily commute (when it was 25 mi with more open surface streets), but in recent years, my Corolla and her company Bonneville have replaced the LS400 as the errand hopper of choice. The Bonneville (2001 SSEi, a FWD car weighing about as much as the LS) is good for 29-30 mpg on a run like above (also on premium petrol), and is every bit as quick as the LS400 up to about 100 mph, above that, the aerodynamically superior LS400 leaves it for dead... but I digress...