My Fuel Mileage Experiment

[blake918]

Just thought I'd share my little experiment I've been doing to try to get better gas mileage. It's really quite simple actually. I lightly press the gas instead of pinning it. Lightly is being gentle enough so that the car revs no higher than 2k rpms. 2k rpms sounds rediculously low, but believe me at stop lights it's plenty enough power to keep up with traffic. The best part is my intellegent tranny caught on to what I was doing and automatically adjusted the shift points to the lower range to accomadate my new habbits. Oh yeah, all of this is in a 1995 LS400 with 225, 6xx miles, no mods whatsoever-100% stock, Shell 93 octane, and Mobile-1 full synthetic 5w-30.

What kind of results did I get?? Great results....my city mileage leaped from 18.4mpg to 21mpg. :D IMO that's excellent mileage for a V8 powering a 2ton luxury yacht! My ES300 doesn't even get that kind of mileage! I think it's pretty incredible that a car with this mileage still consumes gas like the day it left the factory. What's there not to like about Lexus??? :D

[silvermate]

whats interesting is i drive that way all the time :D

the only time i have it above 2-3k is merging on the interstate, you really don't need to have it over 2-3k in just normal driving conditions.

i guess thats why i get around 450 miles on a tank everytime. One time i really babyed her and i got like over 480 miles, and filled up right when the light came on so i still had some more to go.

i do just like to cruise around usually at minimum speed, but don't get me wrong i'll give her hell every once in a while too.

good post blake :)

[93LSOwner]

My ES300 doesn't even get that kind of mileage!

How much did you get on it? Because I thought the get 1-3 miles more. Just asking so, I would feel better that I bought the LS. Fuel mileage was my only Biggest concern when I bought the LS.

[blake918]

I don't go minimum speed, but I do take my time getting there! ;) You're right, Silver, you really don't need it to rev any higher than 2k around town unless somebody wants to race you! In that case you pin it!!!! B) Before I started this driving style, the car would shift around 3k or more, so I guess that's why I saw the mpg jump! I think it incredible that a V8 powered car can get 21mpg in pure city driving! For those of us that are getting low mpg, this might be something to try.

93, my '94 ES gets the 17.5-18.5 mpg bracket. The gearing is quite different in the ES as it needs to rev high to get power(0-3k rpms the car is a snooze; then, all of a sudden the power comes in like a Mack truck hits you from the rear. The ES has a top end powerband which is one of things I disliked about the car.)-on the highway the ES runs well over the 3k rpm marking to get 70-80 mph while the LS only needs like 2500rpms to get those same speeds. I think the ES gets remarkable mileage for the amount of rpms the engine turns. What kind of mileage do you get in your '93, 93? You made the right choice by getting the LS! The most noteable difference is the lack of weight in the ES, so you feel a lot of bumps. Don't get me wrong the ES is an excellent car, but it can't keep up with it's $60k big brother!!!

[93LSOwner]

I get 20 MPG, my daily driving does not have any stops in it[except the cars in front of me take a turn, or I have to change streets], speed of 45-55mph, it an State Highway. I drive 20miles everyday.

Starting today, I chose another way, which is half state hwy and half interstate hwy. A lot of people in LOC said that LS can easily get 25-27MPG on the interstate; so, I'm really exicted to get the numbers this time.

[99lsguy]

Blake,

I've trained the rpm's to shift around 1800 for my easy style! And you're right about still cruising @ 80....it's just about taking a little more time to get there

I'll avg around 22-23 around town in KC.

I'm going to try another experiment: remove my K&N2606 filter and replace with the stock OEM paper filter.....see if this lowers or raises my gas mileage?????

I do need to unhook the battery for a 10 minutes or so when installing the new filter - right???

99

[VMF]

hey guys, as far ai know you have to terminate the power for couple of mins to resent the computer and then it will take 40 first trips to learn about your driving habits. during those 40 first trips ECM is in the learning mode and adjusts the fuel usage and shifting requirments

[99lsguy]

Thanks VMF!!!

[SW03ES]

No, the LS gets better mileage than the ES. The ES actually doesn't get very good mileage at all, I'm at 17.5 right now. I think it may have to do with the car being somewhat underpowered, the engine has to work harder and use more fuel.

[VBdenny]

Although gas milage isn't a real concern to me, last time I checked I got about 23mpg on Interstate driving. Of course that was on fule purchased in NJ where they use reformulated gasoline which lowers your milage significantly.

I must admit that I was a little surpized hearing about luxury car owners talking about gas milage. Are you guys serious?

[silvermate]

why are you suprised about hearing that denny?

the gas prices these days are a huge economical issue.

i'm not going to sacrifice what i drive to accomodate gas prices, but on the other hand if one of our fellow LOC member have a good idea on how to get better gas mileage, i'm all ears.

[VBdenny]

Even with the most economical driving, you'll be lucky to save 100 bucks a year. I have friends with giant SUV's who complain as well. Here is how I figure the deal, if you want good milage, get a hybrid or at least some little Toyota or Honda. The Corolla I just bought got 36.1mpg and that was before I found out the tire pressures were rather low.

Big V-8 luxury cars are for driving, not worrying about fuel. I only worry about fuel costs at election time. We can't control it, so why worry? Sorry to sound rude but if some poor people were to read this forum and see Lexus owners worrying about fuel milage, they would laugh.

I rarely even look at the cost when I buy gas, as long as they have pay-at-the-pump, I'm happy.

Denny

[austinls]

1994 LS---I get 17-18 in the city all the time...and I don't baby the throttle. One reason I bought the Lexus is for the quiet acceleration and performance, not gas mileage.

[SW03ES]

My dad always taught me you don't become wealthy by wasting money. Spend it on what you want, buy the things and do the things that make you happy, but never pay more for things than you have to.

So I agree, even for luxury car owners gas mileage is a huge concern. We were at the Toyota dealer the other day looking at the Priuses...Priii..whatever its called and there was a guy trading in a 2001ish BMW 540i on a Prius because he didn't want to buy the gas for the BMW anymore. I for one am very dissatisfied with how badly my ES wastes gas, I have to fill it up probably twice a week at a cost of nearly $30 each time. Its the only thing about the car I don't like. Its not going to make me get rid of it though.

[99lsguy]

Here are the numbers:

If you drive 10K a year (gas @ 1.50 gal), difference between 20 mpg & 35 mpg is savings of $325.

Same as above with gas @ $2.00 gal = savings of $430

Driving 20K a year (gas @ $1.50) = savings of $650

Driving 20K a year (gas # $2.00) = savings of $855

At the current gas pump prices......the extra cost of gas can = an insurance payment!!!!

These cars cost a lot in insurance, gas, & DEPRECIATION :( But so does everything else :chairshot:

99

[blake918]

Sorry to sound rude but if some poor people were to read this forum and see Lexus owners worrying about fuel milage, they would laugh.

No offense taken here, but why waste money if you don't have to?? Those same people that would laugh about us would laugh about every other thing we do here on LOC. We all own expensive V8 Lexi valued @approx. 60k(I know they were $35k in '90, but in current money it's all the same) , so why don't we all go to the dealer to have everything done and stop whining about their $100/hour service costs after you let them diagnose the problem for $100? Your climate control LCD is dead...screw Jim Walker or Mikado; go let your dealer put a new one in for $1,000. BS, huh? It's the same principle as conserving gas. I'm confused. The logic just doesn't add up to me...money is money rather you save it on gas or diy maintinance. Oil companies must love you!!! I do what Steve said-spend money on something makes you happy. Regularly racing my LS doesn't give me $300 of satisfaction...maybe it does to you, but I'd bet most of us would say no!

Here are the figures I came up with @ 21mpg vs. 18mpg using 20 gallons per tank(just to be safe!):

420 vs. 360 miles per tank= 60 extra miles per tank=60miles/21 mpg=2.85 gallons free just for going easy on the gas which then equates to 2.85gal x $1.80(what I pay per gallon here in N.O.)= $5.16 saved per tank. Then we can look at this in a year, and we're talking $5.16 x 52 weeks= $268.32. So at a minimum you are putting $268.32 in your pocket. I'm a Motor Trend subscriber; some guy in the letter or mail(whatever it is) worked out the math on a regular 4cyl Civc(that already gets something like 40mpg) vs. the Hybrid Civic, and he found out that you'd have to drive the Hybrid something like 50 years before it would pay for itself-the Hybrid is almost $5k more than a regualr Civc.

I never thought that a fuel saving tip would raise such a fuss! :o

[93LSOwner]

I think I mentioned this website before:

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/index.htm

It is a very informative website; it gives you Gas mileage tips, Gasoline Price Information [a lot of good info. in FAQ]. But the best part is you can Find and Compare Cars; you can calculate your annual yearly cost of gas; by putting in your own annual driven miles per year and as well as the price of each type of gas. {basically what Blake has done, but in matter of seconds}

[joeygoodtimes]

brand new to the club bought a 2001 gs 300 18000 miles, theres a site called www.gasbuddy.com that will give you the cheapest price for gas in your town.And the highest as well check it out sites been great help 1question should i put premium in this car last car was an avalon and i just used regular.

[93LSOwner]

Welcome to the club Joey. Just stick around for an hour or two and you will get attach to LOC. ;)

The fuel economy website says, Premium; so, I'm 99% sure thats probably what your owner's manual suggests too. You should put Premium because high octane gasoline gives you better miles per gallon and performance, [this is probably mentioned a lot in LOC]. Everyone in LOC will recommend putting Premium, because this is the best way to go.