Gas Mileage/Gas Gauge

[tweak89]

Now that I've had a chance to drive around in my '02 Bird I've got a question on gas mileage. The car had a good maintenance history and currently all fluids are fresh with a clean air filter as well. No leaks of any kind, car runs smoothly, idles well, no smoke out of the tailpipe. I know some cars have oddball gauges that drop faster initially then slow down and eventually sync up with what's actually in the tank. I ask since I drove my Bird to work, about 45 mile round trip and my gas gauge dropped by almost 1/4. I have not checked the plugs/coils, which was my plan this weekend regardless (I always give any car that's new to me a tune up).

Just looking for feedback on mileage and how the gauge functions.

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[JW in Dixie]

Just remember this, the cars are beautiful, a dream to drive, garner nice compliments, and will pass everything but a gas station! 🙂

 

[tweak89]

Haha, that's a great way to look at it. It's not really a big deal, since this car will likely only see weekend duty.

 

[stevedaphotoman]

Last summer I was getting about 18mpg cruising the countryside. and for the couple trips we took on the highway, I got about 22 - 23 mpg. My guage stays on full pretty much for the first 40-50 or so miles then it starts to tell you your not in a Prius.. It drops pretty smoothly and consistently.. I get about 320 mile range just cruising around with some highway and some stop and go at stop lights.. Very rarely does it see city stop and go driving.. I also try to find non-ethanol 91 octane gas when I can.

 

[stevedaphotoman]

I little side bar, I pulled ours out 3 times this winter (once a month) to let it idle for about 20 -30 minutes each time.. I started with a full tank and I just noticed the last time when I was pulling in back into the garage, the gas gauge just stated moving off full... We are supposed to get rain over the next few days (finally wash the salt off the roads) and nice on Saturday.. Saturday may be my first day for our bird to take flight this year.. 🙂

 

[pblach]

I also have a 2002 Blue Bird, with about 83K miles on it. I usually get about 18 mpg driving a combination of city and highway miles. On the open road, I sometimes get 21-22 mpg. When I told my Ford service manager the gas mileage was going down, he just gave me that "So what do you want me to do about it" look. The gas gauge seems to go down pretty evenly.

 

[hippymailman]

many gauges will act differently the only real way to tell if anything is off is check your mileage by filling up driving a couple hundred miles and fill up again. miles divided by gallons. if average is under 20 mpg on open drives something is askew if its OK then learn how the gauge works or don't go further than your mpg than gallons our tanks hold.sadly I don't know off hand but I have put 14.5 in mine with 24mpg on hwy @70

 

[jbeakl1]

I get 24 mpg on the road at about 75 mgh. Love it.
Gauge drops slowly for first 5o or so miles and then faster. Keep it full of good fuel is my recommendation.

 

[Pelagic]

It's a high performance V8.............. 🙂

 

[RetroBird03]

My 2003 gets 22 mpg.
It has 87 thousand miles and has been decent on gas. But I’ll pass along a comment from Jim Lovell that sums it up best.
Al Shepard picked him up in his corvette and Lovell loved it. He asked Shepard, “ but what kind of mileage do you get?” And Al Shepard said, “ if you have to ask you can’t afford it. “

 

[John Hayman]

My 2003, which I drive every day, has gotten 24-25 mpg

 

[RetroBird03]

I must not drive as well as you do .....

 

[Netconn]

I just drove out my first full tank of gas. Mostly hiway driving with little stop and go. I'm seeing a bit over 18 mpg. For a small low performance engine, not impressive. Compared to my 94 Corvette, larger engine, more HP and HiPerformance, with the same driving it gets about 22 mpg, straight freeway driving it gets 32+ mpg.

 

[stevedaphotoman]

IMHO wow 18mpg sounds low if your doing highway driving unless you are in a mountainous area or cruising at 80+ mph.. I usually get over low 20's on the highway... Ambient temperature, top up and down also makes a difference..

 

[Netconn]

Prescott, AZ. Temps now run from the low 50's to the mid 60's. Hard top on, windows closed, no A/C, speeds in the 50's / 60's, 10 mile trip each way, tires at 32 ~ 35 PSI, some uphill with some downhill. Run's smooth, no missing or hesitation, tracks straight down the road. And since the speedo is a bit fast it actually is getting less than the mpg I stated.

 

[RetroBird03]

We’re moving out there (Arizona) this summer so if there’s a difference I’ll find out then.
As for now, the 2003 larger engine is holding solid at 22 mpg

 

[stevedaphotoman]

Prescott, AZ. Temps now run from the low 50's to the mid 60's. Hard top on, windows closed, no A/C, speeds in the 50's / 60's, 10 mile trip each way, tires at 32 ~ 35 PSI, some uphill with some downhill. Run's smooth, no missing or hesitation, tracks straight down the road. And since the speedo is a bit fast it actually is getting less than the mpg I stated.

You're not pulling that 30' Airstream are you... 🙂 Just kidding.. In the winter around upstate NY, I will get constantly 2-3 mpg less in my focus and in my wife's Frontier.. The Frontier is even worst as my better half knows how to use the remote car starter obliviously not to mention putting it n 4 wheel drive.. I got nothing Netconn, , Other than what RetroBird03 said "Al Shepard picked him up in his corvette and Lovell loved it. He asked Shepard, “ but what kind of mileage do you get?” And Al Shepard said, “ if you have to ask you can’t afford it. “ I believe they should / never put those MPG calculators in cars that suck gas.. That being said, I know in some cases, MPG is a way to tell how the engine is performng..

 

[Netconn]

I wasn't expecting great mileage but for a 238 ci, fuel injected, computer controlled, 5 speed OD tranny in a small two seater car, 18 to 20 mpg is pretty pathetic. It's certainly not a fast car or a huge car, and looks to be aerodynamic. It's a ford.
I had a girlfriend way back that bought a new T-Bird, newer than my 2002, that we used to drive it from Los Angeles up to Sacramento every so often and I don't recall her car getting very good mileage either.
Oh well, like the man said.......
I haven't decided if I'm going to keep the car or pass it on after I fix it up a bit.

 

[hippymailman]

even though it is a relatively small car ,at 3700 pounds is not light---makes a difference

 

[Gus Gutz]

I drive from San Diego to Ontario, CA and back every week, 10 miles one way. I get 19 to 20 miles per gallon, a little better with cruise control on. New tires, new COPS and plugs, top up windows closed using premium gas. I cleaned the MAS and throttle body. I figured the problem is in the gas pedal.