I have had the vehicle since just before the oil change. However, I have driven it over 6000 miles since then. So, that's plenty of fill-ups to get a good understanding of mileage.

I refuse to believe that cold weather can kill my mileage by that much, especially when it's gotten progressively worse each tank, and since there is an actual fuel leak.

Since I was recently involved in a car accident and will be receiving a payoff for the repair of the car (seeing as how the accident was not my fault), I am thinking about using that money to fix the leak instead. >.< Urgh! Ugly car... Or safe car. Yay.

 

Believe what you want, but cold temperatures (and the winter-blend fuels that go along with them) play a pretty significant part in fuel mileage. I drive up to NH a lot to visit family, a couple hundred miles of the same route, speed, etc. In the winter I'm lucky to hit 34 or 35, while on a warm summer day I can hit 40 for the trip - 38 using a/c.

 

All summer long I got 38-40 MPG tankful after tankful. Since we switched over to winter blended fuel and the colder weather has come, I'm getting 35-37 MPG. Apparently it DOES make that much difference.

 

Same here. 40 mpg in the summer and lucky to get 35 now.
Sure wish the A/C compressor could be turned off in defrost mode. Between that and winter gas, the drop has been horrendous.

 

fOR CRYING OUT LOUD. AFTER YOU FINISH AN OIL AND FILTER CHANGE ALWAYS CHECK THE DIPSTICK. Wait 5 minutes after driving before checking. For best economy the oil level on the dipstick should be about 1/8" BELOW the upper mark. Never overfill the upper mark. You change oil by the indication on the dipstick not the quantity you put in.
And use 0-20 weight oil. Using 10W-30 will cut your mg by abot 4%.

 

There's a mod to do that. Check the DIY forum I think.

Here's a direct link.

https://www.fitfreak.net/forums/fit-...tml#post108654

 

colder air = denser air = more fuel being burned
colder air = longer warm up = more fuel being used
colder air = defrost on = a/c on = more fuel
driving through snow or rain = more rolling resistance = more fuel
= tire slippage = more fuel
cold = keeping engine on to keep heater on = more fuel
winter gas = more fuel?
cold air = less air pressure = flat tires = more rolling resistance = more fuel
snow on car = less aero = more fuel
even snow boots = lead foot = more fuel
cold = trying to find a better parking spot = driving in low gear in a parking lot = more fuel

and so on........

from the physical differences of the environment to the psychological changes of behavior,
one could write a whole volume of essays on why winter is extremely different to summer!!!!!


i would seriously look into checking your tire pressures as that can make a huge difference (as if people check their tire pressures, oil etc at every fill up)

as for your leaky gas tank, holes tend to get bigger over time (just look at grand canyon)

 

Haha. It was the hose connecting the fuel pump and gas tank. It came detached finally one day and my car dumped fuel all over the road. Was pretty... umm... sweet.

And the grand canyon is not a hole. It's a canyon. A large crevasse.

 

Same here, almost exactly.

I recently rigged up a warm air intake for winter use, and it seems to be helping. Once I have some more data I'll post up about it, but the short version is:

• Remove rubber connector that connects the intake box to the fender well
• Cover hole in fender well (I used duct tape, w00t)
• Attach ~30" length of 2" ID heat riser tubing to intake box where rubber connector used to be; slit hose to fit over intake and secure with hose clamp
• Stretch and bend heat riser tubing around so that it picks up air from behind the cylinder head, just above the exhaust manifold

I'm seeing intake air temps 20 to 40 degrees above ambient, sometimes much higher. And so far the MPG's look better too. As I said, when I have more data I'll start a thread.