Gas mileage.

I filled up today after my trip to California last week and the average
came out to around 28.4 mpg for the entire trip, that includes some
driving around there and here but mostly freeway and highway driving.
I think the average might have been higher if I could have avoided the
traffic jams on I-15 heading to and from San Diego on Wednesday and the
equally bad jams on I-10 coming home.

Most of the interstate travel was around 80mph with sections of stop
and start... Most of the off freeway driving was around 40-50 mph.

Does that sound about right for a 1600cc Miata? I was hoping for a
couple more miles per gallon but I guess it's not too far off, is it?
I'm wondering what mileage others have recorded on overall driving (as
opposed to all freeway).

That's as good or better than I get with mine. These cars just run so darn
many RPM's. I love that in the lower gears but would really like a taller
cruising gear. I thought they would address that with the 6 spd but from
what I've heard 6th gear is barely taller than the old 5th. I think that's a
huge mistake they made there IMHO.

In around town driving I pretty much get arount 22 to 24. Not too pretty but
since it's not the top priority, I can live with it. The great thing is,
that's running the snot out of it all the time, not a huge difference if you
babied it.

Sounds like a fun trip, keep us posted,

Chris
92BB&T

"XS11E" > wrote in message
...
>
> I filled up today after my trip to California last week and the average
> came out to around 28.4 mpg for the entire trip, that includes some
> driving around there and here but mostly freeway and highway driving.
> I think the average might have been higher if I could have avoided the
> traffic jams on I-15 heading to and from San Diego on Wednesday and the
> equally bad jams on I-10 coming home.
>
> Most of the interstate travel was around 80mph with sections of stop
> and start... Most of the off freeway driving was around 40-50 mph.
>
> Does that sound about right for a 1600cc Miata? I was hoping for a
> couple more miles per gallon but I guess it's not too far off, is it?
> I'm wondering what mileage others have recorded on overall driving (as
> opposed to all freeway).
>
>
>

"Chris D'Agnolo" > wrote in
:

> That's as good or better than I get with mine.
<snip>
> In around town driving I pretty much get arount 22 to 24. Not too
> pretty but since it's not the top priority, I can live with it.
> The great thing is, that's running the snot out of it all the
> time, not a huge difference if you babied it.

Thanks a bunch. I was mostly concerned with the condition of the car.
I always keep track of fuel mileage and use it as an indication of
needing a tuneup or such. Since I've not had the Miata long I haven't
established a baseline for mileage and your experience is very helpful.

> Sounds like a fun trip, keep us posted,

It was and it wasn't. I had a fun ride over from Phoenix to San
Marcos, the run over the mountains through the twisties on California
74 was great (like most trips, there's a lot of freeway and little fun
road!) and I enjoyed watching the determined (or demented?) guy in the
Suburu wagon who tried to keep up with me.

On Wednesday, my sister's birthday, we got to run her dog down to San
Diego for eye surgery and the morning traffic on I-15 wasn't fun at
all, lots of stop and go. We spent the day at the zoo, picked up the
dog and headed north into the same miserable traffic jam.

Thursday I headed home and I-10 slowed to a stop out of Phoenix and I
spent about 20 miles in stop and go traffic again so......

Some of it was fun, some of it was definitely NOT fun!

Much as I enjoy driving, this trip has me thinking seriously about the
wonderfulness of not taking the Miata next time in favor of something
maybe a little better in traffic, specifically the deHaviland Dash-8.
America West will take me from Phoenix to Carlsbad in a couple of hours
with no traffic jams.

That sound about right for a general average.

"Kumo '96M" > wrote in
oups.com:

> That sound about right for a general average.

Thanks.