[CP-Mike]

I'm working down in LA for the summer, and while I really like LA, I hate what it does to my gas mileage! Up in SLO, my commute is 22 miles per day, about 15 of which is on the freeway, and the rest is put-putting around on surface streets. My average MPG would usually be 17.5-19 mpg. When I do a tank of all highway driving, I've averaged above 24 mpg before, and always above 23 mpg.

So far, that consumption sounds pretty analogous to what most MO owners report for gas mileage. Then I moved to LA....

Now my commute is 8 miles per day, plus maybe 1 or 2 more miles of driving to the store or restaurant, or whatever, but not one ounce of gas is spent on the freeway. My average consumption peaks around 13 MPG, and sometimes dips below 10 MPG. :3:

I'm not ever really sitting in traffic for extended periods of time, although there are about four stoplights that I always stop at on my way to/from work. I don't stomp on the gas then slam on the brakes like most people like to do. I always put in 91 octane Shell (we don't get 93 here in CA).

Is this crappy gas mileage normal for my conditions? Is there anything I should check to make sure everything is OK with my engine (besides the oil)?

 

[Eric L.]

I'm working down in LA for the summer, and while I really like LA, I hate what it does to my gas mileage! Up in SLO, my commute is 22 miles per day, about 15 of which is on the freeway, and the rest is put-putting around on surface streets. My average MPG would usually be 17.5-19 mpg. When I do a tank of all highway driving, I've averaged above 24 mpg before, and always above 23 mpg.

So far, that consumption sounds pretty analogous to what most MO owners report for gas mileage. Then I moved to LA....

Now my commute is 8 miles per day, plus maybe 1 or 2 more miles of driving to the store or restaurant, or whatever, but not one ounce of gas is spent on the freeway. My average consumption peaks around 13 MPG, and sometimes dips below 10 MPG. :3:

I'm not ever really sitting in traffic for extended periods of time, although there are about four stoplights that I always stop at on my way to/from work. I don't stomp on the gas then slam on the brakes like most people like to do. I always put in 91 octane Shell (we don't get 93 here in CA).

Is this crappy gas mileage normal for my conditions? Is there anything I should check to make sure everything is OK with my engine (besides the oil)?

Yes stop and go driving (and short trips) will kill gas mileage. Being California, I recommend Chevron 91.

 

[zebelkhan]

Re: Re: I Hate LA (another gas mileage thread)

Being California, I recommend Chevron 91.

Why Chevron...is that because of Teckron?

 

[hfelknor]

Being a Major Metropolitan area, I would suggest that your gas has Hog Pee or somesuch blended in to lower emissions.
I know that when I was in Texas, and living out in the country I was good, but when I filled up in Dallas the gas had some kinda crap in it that cleaned up the air (But was carcinogenic).
So I got worse mileage and could die of cancer.
Thank you EPA.


Homer

 

[Eric L.]

Actually the entire state of California uses its own special blend, called CaRFG (California Reformulated Gasoline) and I think they are up to Phase 2 formulation now. I do remember though when super went from 92 to 91 overnight due to the refiners fighting over Unocal's blending patent. As a result, super is only 91 across the state now.

 

[CP-Mike]

I know that when I was in Texas, and living out in the country I was good, but when I filled up in Dallas the gas had some kinda crap in it that cleaned up the air (But was carcinogenic).

Yeah, so basically, you die from lung cancer due to the smog or you die from the carcinogens in the pollution-reducing additives.

But at least the sky isn't orange anymore. I remember when you could look up, and if the conditions were right, you could SEE the damn smog in the air above LA...it was a nice flourescent orange color with a soot tinting. Made you want to gag. Nowadays you can still see the smog when you're coming down from the mountains, but at least you can't see it when you're down in it.

 

[CP-Mike]

Yes stop and go driving (and short trips) will kill gas mileage

Why do short trips have anything to do with it? I've made the exact same short trips in my previous car (Jetta) and gas mileage didn't fall off the map like it does with the Murano. At worst it was 22 mpg as opposed to 28 freeway (for once, a car that actually achieves its sticker-quoted MPG), a drop of 21%. The Murano goes from 24 highway to 10-13 city, a drop of 45-58%.

Does anybody else get this bad of gas mileage?

 

[Eric L.]

Why do short trips have anything to do with it? I've made the exact same short trips in my previous car (Jetta) and gas mileage didn't fall off the map like it does with the Murano. At worst it was 22 mpg as opposed to 28 freeway (for once, a car that actually achieves its sticker-quoted MPG), a drop of 21%. The Murano goes from 24 highway to 10-13 city, a drop of 45-58%.

Does anybody else get this bad of gas mileage?

Short trips = open loop mode driving.

 

[CP-Mike]

Short trips = open loop mode driving.

Come again?

 

[Eric L.]

Come again?

Its a long story, you might want to search the forum for "open loop mode" to learn more - it refers to how the ECU uses the oxygen sensors. Basically on short trips, your engine runs rich (uses more gas) to bring the engine up to operating temperature (between 190-200F). At that point it begins to run efficiently and you might get EPA ratings. But if you make a lot of short trips, the engine will always run rich (in open loop mode) causing poor gas mileage.

 

[CP-Mike]

Ah, good to know. That's probably my problem then...damn ECU....

So why did you recommend Chevron for California? Just curious.

 

[hfelknor]

Mike, I would assume you know that you live in the most beautiful place on the face of the earth?

We lived in Huntington beach for a couple of years and one time we decided to drive up and see Hurst Castle.
We stopped for lunch in this little town.
After lunch my wife wanted to stop in a shop so I wandered on down the street.
I had never felt like that before.
The town was amazingly beautiful.
She had to drag me out of a RE office.
Of course, the name of the town was San Luis Obispo.

Of course this was a long time ago (late 70s), and I suppose it could have changed..............

Homer

 

[Eric L.]

Ah, good to know. That's probably my problem then...damn ECU....

So why did you recommend Chevron for California? Just curious.

Because they make the best gasoline! Shell may have cleaned up their act, but in the late 1990's Shell and Arco used the same formulation for gasoline and this caused drivability issues for some Toyotas. As a result, Toyota dealers had a bulletin telling their customers not to use Shell or Arco. However, I also know all gas is the same, save the additives, so I wouldn't why Shell or Arco would make any difference (other than maybe a different additive package they used).

Chevron's Techron additive (in every grade of Chevron gasoline) is one of the few gasoline detergents that have been proven to actually work. I know a lot of mechanics will only recommend two types of fuel additives - Chevron Techron and BG44K.

 

[zebelkhan]

Chevron's Techron additive (in every grade of Chevron gasoline) is one of the few gasoline detergents that have been proven to actually work. I know a lot of mechanics will only recommend two types of fuel additives - Chevron Techron and BG44K.

That is good info to know. I will give it a try. Thanks...

 

[CP-Mike]

Mike, I would assume you know that you live in the most beautiful place on the face of the earth?

Yep. It still is beautiful, and it still has that wonderful small-town feel. No pollution to speak of, either.

Chevron's Techron additive (in every grade of Chevron gasoline) is one of the few gasoline detergents that have been proven to actually work. I know a lot of mechanics will only recommend two types of fuel additives - Chevron Techron and BG44K.

Thanks, Eric. Very good to know.

 

[Murano_driver]

I'm working down in LA for the summer, and while I really like LA, I hate what it does to my gas mileage! Up in SLO, my commute is 22 miles per day, about 15 of which is on the freeway, and the rest is put-putting around on surface streets. My average MPG would usually be 17.5-19 mpg. When I do a tank of all highway driving, I've averaged above 24 mpg before, and always above 23 mpg.

So far, that consumption sounds pretty analogous to what most MO owners report for gas mileage. Then I moved to LA....

Now my commute is 8 miles per day, plus maybe 1 or 2 more miles of driving to the store or restaurant, or whatever, but not one ounce of gas is spent on the freeway. My average consumption peaks around 13 MPG, and sometimes dips below 10 MPG. :3:

I'm not ever really sitting in traffic for extended periods of time, although there are about four stoplights that I always stop at on my way to/from work. I don't stomp on the gas then slam on the brakes like most people like to do. I always put in 91 octane Shell (we don't get 93 here in CA).

Is this crappy gas mileage normal for my conditions? Is there anything I should check to make sure everything is OK with my engine (besides the oil)?

Is it the real calculation (Miles/gallons = MPG) or is that the numbers from computer screen in the MO? I tried to reset my MPG meter in the MO once while been in the traffic and it was showing something like 7 MPG before I start driving normally again.

 

[CP-Mike]

Is it the real calculation (Miles/gallons = MPG) or is that the numbers from computer screen in the MO?

It's funny you should ask... This morning, my trip odometer read 24.6 miles, and my "MPG meter" said 12.3 mpg, right as I was passing the local Chevron. So I turned around and filled it up to see how many gallons I had actually used, and it was really close...2.04 gallons went into the tank.

While that's not really enough miles or gallons to get a reliable reading or calculation, it's always nice to see the computer and real world line up more or less.

 

[9495]

It's funny you should ask... This morning, my trip odometer read 24.6 miles, and my "MPG meter" said 12.3 mpg, right as I was passing the local Chevron. So I turned around and filled it up to see how many gallons I had actually used, and it was really close...2.04 gallons went into the tank.

While that's not really enough miles or gallons to get a reliable reading or calculation, it's always nice to see the computer and real world line up more or less.

See my other post with details on how close the computer is to actual mileage. I'm pretty impressed, really. Less than 5% off.

http://www.nissanmurano.org/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=4973

 

[CP-Mike]

Yeah, that's a good thread. Thanks for compiling all that data, Corin.

 

[9495]

Yeah, that's a good thread. Thanks for compiling all that data, Corin.

You're welcome, although I have to confess it wasn't just for you guys!

I had documentation like this for my Del Sol. When I sold it, I was asking for well over blue-book value (because I knew it was worth it). The people that came looking at it were skeptical at the price (since I stated in my ad that the price was "firm") but as soon as they saw the detailed records I kept they were very impressed. Sold the car in 3 days, got exactly what I was asking for, no questions asked, payment in cash. And they were thrilled with the whole thing.

Never underestimate the power of keeping track of everything you can. It can really pay off in the future, even if it's just peace of mind. No dealer will ever be able to refuse me warrantee work due to lack of maintenance with the records I keep, even though I do almost everything myself.