yes, it's a mileage thread

I was wondering what people are seeing as far as real-world MPG for the NC Miata (2006-2010), with a 5-speed.

I am just curious about what is the best it is capable of on the highway with the top up as well as top down, and what it gets when driven with a heavy foot around town.

Thanks,

Pat

Reply to
pws
Loading thread data ...

I live in a very rural area and my average is right around 30mpg. If I am doing a lot of town driving it will drop to 29.7 or 29.8 and then go back up to over 30 as I drive back home on rural highways. When I first got the MX5 I was getting 34+ from about 2000 miles to 2800. I now have almost 4000 on it and it has been steady at the 30+/- for the past 1000 or so.

TRCSr

Reply to
Auto

Is this with the PRHT or a soft top? Also, is the highway MPG with the top up or down?

I see a pretty large city/highway MPG difference, something like 29 or

30 on the highway and maybe 23 or so in town, even lower if I put my foot into it. This is with a boosted 1991 model with a 1.8 liter, but my 1996 Miata that was fairly stock also had at least a 5 MPG gap between city and highway driving, and more than that if I left the top up.

The NC has been growing on me and I am doing some research on them. It seems to take each new Miata model about 4 years to get me. :-)

Thanks,

Pat

Reply to
pws

Are there any good ideas on why this happens?

Reply to
pws

Reply to
Chuck

My guess is that the engine computer is learning how to provide more power by adjusting various parameters (e.g. mixture and timing).

Reply to
Grant Edwards

It would be a good guess but it's been happening since the Model "T"!

Chuck is correct, I believe, when he said,"Actually, I'd suspect the drivers foot getting a bit heaver."

Becoming familiar with the vehicle allows one to drive faster and many of us still take it easy for the first few hundred miles even though "THEY" say breakin isn't necessary anymore.

Reply to
XS11E

This is a PRHT and was with the top down for the most part through the first

2500 miles, and with the top up since then due to the cooler weather. It will be interesting to see what happens when the weather warms up and the top is down more and the engine temperature may be a little higher, or at least the incoming air will be warmer.

TRCSr

Reply to
Auto

Dunno about the NC, but NA and NB computers do not learn. The fuel and timing maps are fixed.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

Reply to
Chuck

Yes, I am aware of the winter/summer gasoline blends, but I am not sure that applies here since we are in a very rural area of SE NC. As I recall the blends were changed in urban areas in northern communities were emissions were a problem and where the engines run colder until warmed up. Are the blends now used everywhere?

TRCSr

Reply to
TRCSr

Dunno, but the entire state of Missouri now "enjoys" 10% ethanol year-round. It reduces both power and mileage by about 10%.

Reply to
Lanny Chambers

It has no effect if mileage is measured as I prefer to do it, I keep a log of gas purchases with date, number of gallons, odometer reading and amount paid.

After a year I can calculate mileage and have a *real* figure. Less than a year isn't accurate because of changes in wind, weather, how full you get the tank, different types of driving and, as you say, changes in fuel. People who figure mileage after one fill up have to realize that that is very likely an unreal number valid only for that one tankful.

Note that by keeping score of the price I can also calculate cost/mile but I stopped doing that when it got really scary...

There's another way to figure gas mileage, I learned it from a VW mechanic and it works very nicely! I asked how some got 30+ mpg when I couldn't, he said, "They lie about it!" Nothing will improve your mileage as much as lying about it will! ;-)

Reply to
XS11E

Very wise! I use two small free apps for my Bberry, "Mileage Meter" and "Smart Converter". They work well for overall fuel economy. The former I have set in litres, since that is how oue fuel is dispensed, and kilometres, since that is how my odometer reads. Enter the figures at each fillup, and then take the overall statistical result, and plug it (litres per 100 Kms) into the second app and convert it to whatever you want: MPG US, MPG Imperial (for us Canucks) or Kms/100 litres etc.

The only thing is to remember to enter the data every time you fill up, otherwise you get terrific economy!

Stuart H. '91 Eunos Roadster (hibernating for winter) Alberta, Canada

Reply to
Stuart H.

Are they talking about highway MPG or their average? I don't think I have ever met anyone who claimed to average 30+ MPG in their Miata.

The best I have ever gotten in any Miata is 33 MPG on the highway under mostly-ideal conditions, with a lot less in town.

The way you are measuring is great for a year-round average, but it does not show the difference between city and highway driving. I never drive off an entire tankful without highway driving, so I have only been able to measure it at all in town by filling it up, driving down a gallon or two and then re-filling and doing the math.

Not completely accurate, I agree, but it is certainly more accurate for a city/highway difference than trying to figure out how many of the miles are city and how many are highway over a period of a year.

I don't really want to admit how low my in-town mileage can get in my current turbo Miata. ;-)

On the highway I have driven about 330 miles, then refilled it with around 10 gallons of gas. The math told me that I was getting 33MPG, and I trust it within a gallon or two. This was in my 1996 Miata, since I haven't measured my MPG in over 5 years.

I would be very surprised if your 1992 Miata is not capable of getting over 30MPG on the highway.

Pat

Reply to
pws

You're very surprised, unfortunately. I've never got to 30mpg, ever.

Problem with an NA is it's straining to stay with traffic, 80+ mph is too fast for good economy in that car but below 80 mph is instant rear end accident.

NOTE: What IS reasonable highway speed? I've followed a guy in a 18 wheeler running 90mph between Indio and Blythe on I-10, a guy in a Surburban at around 108 mph (I was almost 7 years younger and much more reckless then.)

That was on the bike, of course, I don't know if the Miata will go 105 nor can I afford the cost if the CHP decides that's too fast!

Reply to
XS11E

I have a 2006, with a 6 speed, and consistenly get around 27-28 mpg. That is about 60% highway and 40% city driving.

Reply to
Raover

The '93 averaged 30-31 mpg while I drove it. That was a mixed driving environment In its early days: Daily commute was about 44 mi. one way - 2 mi. local small town - 24 mi. non-divided hwy (traffic lights - avg 50 mpg) - 14 mi. interstate (70-75 mpg) - 4 mi. in city (Philly). Even stop and go because of traffic and accidents did not change it much. Biggest difference was winter when it would drop to 29-29 mpg. My son claims to still get about 30 mpg now with mixed small town and hwy driving.

With the '06 I get 26-29 mpg mixed, And have gotten 35-36 on longer trips that were nearly all interstate (70-80 mph - top up). The mileage with the '06 seems to vary much more, but I haven't figured out anything I can attribute it to. I tend to drive the same style on most of the roads I travel, and always use the same brand and grade of gas. As with the '93 it is a little worse in the winter, but varies much more tank to tank

Reply to
Stephen Toth

I am talking about what the car can do, not what it can do with you at the wheel. :-)

If I bought your Miata from you, I am sure that I could squeeze better mileage out of it than I did out of my heavier '96M with a larger engine, unless you have something adversely affecting the fuel economy.

I typically drive 70-ish in a 65, almost never 80. No problems so far with being rear-ended at 70MPH, even in heavy traffic, but tickets are a guaranteed thing at 80MPH around here, and I can't really afford even 10 or 15 over.

Just one speeding ticket in the last 15 years, and two warnings, (one was for 65 in a 60, sheesh), knock on sheet metal.......

Pat

Reply to
pws

MotorsForum website is not affiliated with any of the manufacturers or service providers discussed here. All logos and trade names are the property of their respective owners.