Good mileage my ass...

So I've got this crappy as all hell car (Mazda3) that's rated for 22MPG city on the new style fo ratings...I used to get that when it was new, then it went to 21...then 20...then 18...then 17...then 16...and my latest...wait for it...15MPG city!!! I ask you, how can a car built towards economy with a 2.3L 4 banger get 15 in the city? WTF?!?!?!?
(pic attached for proof and funsies)
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heavy foot?

maybe its just a crappy car..lol

 

So how old is the car?

Do you really expect it to get 22mpg forever without doing any maintenance?

If it was getting 22mpg when it was new - then I'd say you need to start looking things over and getting things maintained, cleaned, & inspected.
A little maintenance really does wonders.

 

A dirty air filter? Dirty injectors? Low tire pressure? Lead foot? or maybe all the above?

 

Changed the oil recently?

 

Seriously, there is something wrong with it. Either maintnence that needs to be done or something has gone wrong. I have spent alot time in these cars at work and they get better than 15mpg if you have them on a road course track lol. I would definetly carry it in for a check up.

 

My bad, I forgot to add in that its got 5600 miles, bought on July 23, 2008 (9-10 months old) brand new, has a "sporty" aftermarket air filter by Simota, Oil changed at 3064 to Mobil1 full synthetic then assholes at Mazda "didn't know" not to change my oil from the synthetic to the sunthetic blend so they changed it like 300 miles ago for free cause I was pissed about it, everything is well maintaned and I clean the engine bay and filters and stuff monthly at least, use Chevron regular 89 octane ONLY and I drive it to get up to speed.
I know that's really vague but here's a bit more detailed, the car's engien is underpowered by far so I run it up to 3.5K on the tach in first to get up to 45 then it's lower from there, I don't really floor it because there's not much power so there's not much thrill and other than that I'm pretty conservative with it. Not much stop-and-go not much sitting there running. Just has had some issues with itself in the past...and my transmission is FU*KED UP! But Mazda won't accept it. So yea that's the main biography on the car. Mileage has been going down ever since so I'm not sure but there's a bunch of engine related stuff on it that is just JACKED UP and doesn't work right.

 

Take it to the dealer and see what they say about it.

 

I've been on and on about this with the guys on the Mazda forums and they all say lawyer up, sell it, or blow it up (I think chris would enjoy doing that). This isn't the only thing wrong with it, it's been a pos since the first month.

 

You run it up to 3500rpms in 1st gear?? But yet you say you don't floor it?

What's redline?

Without knowing anymore about the car, I'd say ...you're gassing it pretty damn hard in 1st gear and that's gonna suck up gas BIG TIME.

Besides that - you openly admit of having engine modifications that aren't setup properly?

Ding, ding, ding..... I think you have your answer.

 

red line is 6500 and 3500 is just first gear, the tranny is so close knit that between 1 and 2 there's almost 1000 RPM of difference on acceleration no matter what. So 1 up to 3500 = 2500+/- in 2. It's about normal for Mazda acceleration.
I mean the only thing I have added to the engine is a drop-in Simota air filter. Higher quality, a little thinner, re-useable. Much better than the pillow of a stock filter Mazda throws in it. Other than a drop-in, there is nothing else modded on anything that connects to the engine.

Also, the suspension is shot from god knows what, it just kinda started sagging in the back one day and then the fronts got all spongy. The rear brakes might grab the rotors - I'm not totally sure, they do have an intense burning smell coming form them after normal driving in certain mostly sunny conditions...Mazda has not been able to re-create this problem either. They have almost caught on fire once.

 

Wow, my work car is a 2000 echo with a 1.5 liter 4 banger. It has 240,000 miles on it and still gets 40+ mpg.

It's got a home made short ram intake with a K&N cone filter, a header and 2" exhaust running out to a generic midas muffler. it's lowered 2 inches and I'm currently running 205/40/17's on it.

It gets driven every mile like I stole it.

There is something wrong with your car son...

Marc M

 

It might as well be a Ford. What do you expect?


What happened to getting the Tacoma? I'm sure the V6 will get at least that, and probably better. I manage to get 20mpg in the city with my 2.7L. That is with some really heavy E load range 265/75/r16 tires and a 3 inches of lift.

 

Sounds like the car needs some serious maintenance and repairs. You gotta take care of all that stuff or the car ain't gonna be worth anything when or if you try to sell it someday.

 

something's wrong... either the car or the driver (no offense)...

my 13 year old Mazda gets 31 MPG easy (highway)

 

Something is BAD wrong!

 

its a mazda....enough said

 

What a great quote


My Gf has a 01 VW Turbo Bug and drive it like a race car and get 25+. I love that car, it hauls ass.