Mpg

12-30-2005, 06:47 PM

I'd imagine this has been talked about quite a bit, but I am disappointed in the mileage my wife has been getting on her first 2 tanks in her Alero. We have had it for a few weeks and she is only getting 18.775 MPG. I figured with her even blend of city and highway she should get about 23 or 24 MPG but this is depressingly low. For the difference in MPG I'm thinking I probably should have gotten her the new HHR she wanted. It would have paid for itself and had equal horsepower w/ more room.

Anyway, not really here to complain although I'm sure it will come across as such, just curious to see if this is what I should expect. If this thing can't get any better mileage then that I may have to consider getting her something else. I could have gotten her a light SUV that got 18 MPG or better. My truck only get 14 MPG and I can's afford 2 gas hogs. If I have 2 gas hogs I think they should be bigger and roomier than the Alero.

Thanks,
Stephen

doubleN0alero · 12-30-2005, 06:52 PM

Hey bud, you're in the same boat as the rest of us. We all seem to be getting just about that. I think my last tank I only got 18.3 or something like that. We have come the conclusion of the winter gas blend that we have going on right now. To prevent the gas from freezing in our gas lines, they change the blend of gas and it hurts MPG. I usually sport somewhere in the mid to high 20's for city, around town driving and low 30's on the highway.

12-30-2005, 09:31 PM

Ouch! Sounds like the oil companies have found a new way to get our money.

doubleN0alero · 12-30-2005, 09:41 PM

well the northerns can appriciate the unfrozen fuel lines, but its hard to draw a line and do a half production type deal, so we all get it.

BlackJack · 12-31-2005, 03:03 AM

then again, somebody may be dropping the hammer on the 'lero when nobody's looking. I noticed my mileage is decent when I drive softly, but that's a rare occasion. My mileage averages ~18 or so most often, but I drive it like I stole it.

As for Northern fuel economy, I couldn't tell ya. It was 72* on Christmas here in AZ

Redog · 12-31-2005, 01:02 PM

I've been getting about 19 to 21 MPG since moving to the burbs, in the city I got about 18, 19 sometimes.

Roads trips, I avg about 33 MPG. one time I got 37 but I may have done the math wrong, haven't gotten that since

natedawg9640 · 12-31-2005, 03:02 PM

well it doesn't evn really matter what type of gas it is... (yeah that's probably a factor also)... but you should expect a drop is gas milage in the winter becasue it feed your engine more fuel for one... and it takes more energy to turn cold parts and cold oil...

BlackJack · 01-01-2006, 04:41 AM

not to mention changes in the air temperature changes the way the computer interprets fuel needs.

Youngblood77 · 01-01-2006, 01:50 PM

I think Stephen's estimation is right on the mark in terms of summertime driving, as my 2000 3400 coupe gets 27mpg highway on average in the summer. ( she's been off the road since september, so I have NO idea what she'd do now )

I also think Double0 hit the nail right on the head with his fuel mixture remark aswell. In the past, I've found that most of my fuel-related troubles happen in the early spring of the year. They start serving up the summer mix, then we'd get a late cold spell for about a week....BAM. Cars dead in their tracks in parkinglots all OVER the place. That summer fuel don't like the cold....or more importantly, the CAR don't like it.

I have to assume that with what you all are saying in terms of winter fuel consumption, it's just not NEAR as wallet-friendly. Plus, the PCM compensating for the cold air doesn't help, either.

One thing that would indeed help your wife's car Stephen, is a WAI. THAT much is certain; better fuel economy in both summer AND winter, and a nice growl, too.

01-01-2006, 05:35 PM

since i live in the midwest and the coldest cold is usually above 0 degrees i think i could get away with a Cold Air intake. the best i ever did with my Ho was a 31.3 MPG comin back from Peoria Illinois with the AC on

01-01-2006, 08:22 PM

Thanks for the replies.

I've been on vacation for about a week and a half and when I ride I drive so I've been driving her car. I have a heavy foot. That might have been a factor in the last tank, but the first tank which she ran through was near as bad.

Youngblood77 do you have a link for this WAI you speak of? I don't think she will care for a growl, but if it is inexpensive enough and will pay for itself I might be interested in.

I looked at Advance and Autozone and didn't see any chrome exhaust tips I liked. At least looking at them I didn't think they would look good on the car. If anyone has put some on and has any pictures and where I can buy them I might be interested in. I put a chrome plate cover on it just to add a little more chrome to it.

I doubt seriously I'll see below 0 here. It might get below freezing a few days every winter, but that is about it. We have more ice than snow and it isn't much of each. North Carolina we used to get rain every other day. The last several year we have been having droughts.

misslindseysue · 01-01-2006, 08:48 PM

They don't change fuel so it doesn't freeze, they change it so your car still starts. They make the vapor pressure higher, so more fuel vaporizes at lower temperatures. Summer gas would just sit in your tank and not make any vapors at these temps. They add more light stuff so at lower temps there's vapor in the system that will light off when you turn that key and give it a spark.

Also! Gas is adjusted by market. If you have really bad air quality you'll get more additives in your gas. Detroit gas is awful for fuel economy because we have so much damn smog, so they put lot of oxygenates in it. Just last week I did a distillation of our E85 and some E85 that some calibrators brought back from Denver. Totally different, except for the % Ethanol. So it does matter where you are.

Anyway... I think you all are just hosed, somehow. I'm still getting above 20. Like 24-26 with mostly highway driving. It sucks compared to summer, but it's definately not halved. I won't expect it to go up a ton in the summer.

A new HHR would still be cool.

Those aren't terrible on gas. That 4-banger is good on gas, it just runs hard to get it moving. Chevy is good at underestimating their mileage, depending on how you drive a car.

01-01-2006, 10:29 PM

Winston Salem shouldn't be that bad as far as air quality.

We bought this car several weeks ago. I had 5 days to take it back and cancel the loan agreement and get my downpayment back with no questions asked. I'd lose money to get rid of it now for sure. When we buy cars we drive them til they aren't worth having, so resell value and upfront cost take a back seat to dependability when we purchase a car. We owned many Oldsmobiles and GM's and they have always done good for us. Ford's let me down every time I buy one.

The HHR we were looking at was not much over $20,000 and was about as loaded as they come. It had a 2.4 that was supposed to get as much as 30MPG and have 173HP. My wife loved that car also. Our beef was we would have had to special order it and it would take over 2 months to get it. She blew a head gasket on her wagon and needed a new ride.

I know I paid too much for this Alero, but my wife wanted it and after a day of research, looking up the VIN through GM I told her I'd get it for her. Even after the downpayment I still finance more than the retail book on it. We did get a 4 year 48,000 warranty that we believe is from a reputable insurance company so we shouldn't have any large unexpected repair costs.

I have the same problem with poor mileage on my truck and have a few plans for it. Electric radiator fans, cat back exhaust and perhaps a new chip. Already put a K&N on it and haven't seen a difference. 14MPG stinks though. I drive it less than 50 miles a week though so it is hard to justify the cost. My wife however drives the wheels off her grocery getters so the Alero might be a totally different situation. I can see her putting 200miles a week on her car easy so if I could add a couple miles a gallon it could really add up after a few years.

doubleN0alero · 01-02-2006, 04:17 AM

GM Chrome Tips

Warm air intake

hope these links help...

jackal2000 · 01-02-2006, 03:01 PM

driving from muskegon, mi to toledo, oh i got 16 miles to gallon. i also had a flashing SES light lol. (o2 sensor i presume). then when i filled up in toledo, the light stayed off and i got about 360-375mpt the rest of the way to NC. i have a 3400 btw.

Youngblood77 · 01-03-2006, 05:33 PM

Hey Stephen, here's a few Warm air Intakes I found on Ebay. These all come with crappy filters, but keep your eyes open for a vendor that sells silicone couplers with sensor bungs so that the "accordian" found in between your throttle body and Mass Air Flow sensor can be tossed in the garbage where it belongs, aswell. This piece helps very little in terms of performance, but I have to believe that the smoother the pathway, the better the flow, thereby posatively effecting fuel consumption aswell.

WAI 1

WAI 2

WAI 3 <---actually, this one comes with a "BOMZ" filter, which is what I'm curently using, and I've got no complaints with mine. BUT, I see it comes with a solid pipe instead of a silicone coupler, which makes for a harder install if you run into fitment problems. My best advice would be to search for one of Naich's old intakes, or maybe look into Double0's reproductions....they're not as cheap, but they're made of QUALITY components, and in most cases, the money helps support the site.

Hope this helps man.

doubleN0alero · 01-03-2006, 05:51 PM

those are all junk...they don't get rid of teh accordian AND the shipping cost is off the hook 24.50! Just go with the above mentioned and you'll be fine.

01-03-2006, 06:00 PM

double0alero The 2 links you have above are the same.

I read something about these for my truck one time. They are cutting the boxes open on the F150's to do similar to this with the open filter. My truck has a similar looking filter and I put a K&N on it.

How much would this improve my Fuel mileage? The K&N did little for my truck that I can tell. Will that thing void a warranty? Doesn't the filter get dirty real quick?

doubleN0alero · 01-03-2006, 06:17 PM

oops, here's the link WAI. you can expect around 5 mpg or more

01-03-2006, 07:01 PM

5 mpg or more? Wow!

My Alero's been consistently getting at least 8 mpg less this winter. It's also been a total dog with power. I have to floor it to get on the Interstate now. I've only got 10,000 miles on it, so it must be the gasoline blend. I usually get 28 mpg with mixed driving with my 3400.

TT