[WALJR]

I test drove a 2008 Sentra with 99 miles. During the drive I glanced at the mpg readout and it had 13.2 mpg. Later in went to 13.3.

The sales manager said because it was new and not yet through its first tank of gas, it would adjust properly after 2 or 3 fill-ups. That doesn't sound right! Can anyone help shed some light on this for me?

Thanks.

 

[_specV_]

When i bought mine, the trip computer showed 23.? mpg. I was wondering if i could do better so i reset the computer. It started at 36 and slowly went down. The computer is measuring the average of your mpg. It just does not show how you are doing then and there. If you ever drive it again reset the computer for mpg and see how it works.


13 mpg at 90 something miles, means someone has been driving the **** out of it!!!

hope that helps.

 

[WALJR]

Thanks for the reply. To only get 13 mpg, broken in or not, caused concern.

 

[larryinbucks]

I bought this car new and now have ~3000 miles on it. The reading you saw must have been a point in time calulation - someone may have reset then shut the engine off.

I EASILY get 30+ mpg in the car and I am getting better mileage now then when I first got it - especiall on the hwy.

 

[_specV_]

Thats awesome that the mpg got better. Mine is getting 26.5 at almost 1000 mi. and im hoping to get better mileage still.

 

[larryinbucks]

It also matters how you drive the car, of course. Try being a bit smoother on breaking and acceleration and you'll see a big difference. I reset my trip computer before certain rides to see what I'm getting. On a recent trip from Bucks County, PA to Harriburgh, I got over 34 mpg! From Bucks County to Long Island - 32 mpg ( and the roads are horrible). Providing the the trip computer is accurate...

 

[_specV_]

I'll have to take a long trip one of these days just to see what kind of mileage i get. almost every trip for me is 5 miles to day care and another 5 to work, mostly highway and city around work so mine is a mix.

Quick question ?

Which Sentra do you drive ?

 

[larryinbucks]

I drive the "s" model. Yeah, with the drving you just descibed, you probably won't see 30+. I drive an average of 500 miles a week with a lot of hwy miles. Do you drive the sport version?

 

[_specV_]

Yeah I drive the ser spec v. Maybe one day ill take a peek at 30 mpg and see what it feels like. Until then I really dont think i can even imagine myself driving 500 miles a week. Too much driving for me and i know its really bad but i also get tired quick on the road.

 

[larryinbucks]

My guess is that the spec-v doesn't have the same mpg ratings as the "s", and I'm sure the spec-v is way too much fun to drive like you're trying to get the best mileage!

 

[_specV_]

Yeah it is pretty fun! I traded a nissan titan that was giving me 12 mpg for this car just to save on gas. I am trying but every once in a while i just can't hold back. Still wont do anything stupid though.

 

[_specV_]

So I took a nice trip yesterday to Florence, SC which is about 45 min. from where I live. I reset the mpg counter and guess what? I saw 33.5 mpg going about 77 mph. that was pretty sweet. Then on the way home after buying a couple of things at Sams club, it gave me 29.5 mpg. not as good as 33.5 but i was still happy about it.

 

[WALJR]

How often does the computer recalculate the mpg while you are driving? A couple of times per minute?

 

[bossfn]

I'm pretty sure it checks every 30 seconds. The 13mpg could have been for numerous reasons, you can reset it every time...so if you clear it, then floor it, you'll see terrible mileage.

I reset it at the pumps to see what I avg per fill up. Driving out of the gas station in 1st usually has the read out showing 20+L/100KM (12+MPG). I wouldn't worry about it.

I currently get about 8.5L/100KM (27MPG) and I drive very "spiritedly" I always get really high up in 3rd and 4th gear on my way onto the expressway, I rev match all the time, leave my windows down, and accelerate very quickly.

It's really great for fuel economy. In spring, when it's neither heat nor AC weather, on a long distance trip in 6th gear, I'll get 6.5L/100KM @ 115km/h (36MPG at 70MPH).

 

[michaelahess]

I've been getting over 31 consistantly.

Go to www.************** select Fuel Econ. from the menu and login as guest, choose the nissan sentra from the list. It brings up a list, mine is the first '08 with all the mnts entries. That's what I've gotten in the first 3k.

And no, break in will make no noticable difference. The only difference people "see" is their getting accustomed to the way their new vehicle drives. It's natural to get easier on a car as you drive it. Unless it's a Spec-V of course BTW NO econo class vehicles need breakins, heck most non performance vehicles don't for that matter. Hemi's do though

 

[michaelahess]

What the heck? Stupid forum, www truedelta com

 

[Pyros777]

One thing I noticed about the MPG on this car is that sitting in traffic idling doesn't seem to affect the readout. I think it should go down gradually if you're just sitting in one place going 0 mph while still burning gas, but it doesn't.

I kinda like that, but at the same time it tells me that its either not 100% accurate, or the reading isn't real-time.

 

[michaelahess]

Mine goes down when Idling, I noticed it right after a fill-up, I reset it, and came to a stop right after it's first update of 17mpg, it went down to 15.

 

[bossfn]

Right, if you haven't reset it in a bit, it will take a lot of idling before it drops the avgerage.

However, right after you reset the counter it takes MUCH less for the average to be affected one way of the other.