2004 Dodge Neon SXT - poor gas mileage

daagar wrote:
> I have a new (< 3000miles) 2004 Dodge Neon SXT (auto trans.). The
> sticker said the car should be getting 25-31 MPG. Unfortunately, I
> have yet to get anything above 22-23 regardless of my driving
> (city/highway/etc).
>
> Being a new vehicle, I don't expect it to be a problem with spark
> plugs, O2 sensors, tire inflation, etc. Is there anything else that
> can be checked? I fear a trip to the dealer would turn up empty since
> 22mpg is "close" to 25... however, a previous car with the same rating
> easily did 28-30 on average with the same useage and I'd like to
> regain something close to that.
>
> Could this really be something as simple as 'heavy-footing' it? Or is
> there are potential underlying problem? This car is a bit more
> powerful than the last (a 2001 Saturn), so I suppose that could be it
> (my wife is quite the lead-foot from a stop..)
>
> Thanks.

I had a '98 Neon with the 150 hp 2.0 L and an automatic. It never got
anywhere near the advertised milage. Milage was right around 23 mpg.

>I had a '98 Neon with the 150 hp 2.0 L and an automatic. It never got
>anywhere near the advertised milage. Milage was right around 23 mpg.

My 2003 gets about the same mileage but is only rated at 132 hp, 2.0 L SOHC,
automatic. Did they downgrade the horsepower for the later models ? I've never
tried a different gas station, only used the one I've gone to for the last
several years. Maybe I should switch and see if it improves my mileage.

Mileage drops about 1.5 mpg with AC on btw.

>I had a '98 Neon with the 150 hp 2.0 L and an automatic. It never got
>anywhere near the advertised milage. Milage was right around 23 mpg.

My 2003 gets about the same mileage but is only rated at 132 hp, 2.0 L SOHC,
automatic. Did they downgrade the horsepower for the later models ? I've never
tried a different gas station, only used the one I've gone to for the last
several years. Maybe I should switch and see if it improves my mileage.

Mileage drops about 1.5 mpg with AC on btw.

"Gdt876" > wrote in message
...
| >I had a '98 Neon with the 150 hp 2.0 L and an automatic. It never got
| >anywhere near the advertised milage. Milage was right around 23 mpg.
|
| My 2003 gets about the same mileage but is only rated at 132 hp, 2.0 L
SOHC,
| automatic. Did they downgrade the horsepower for the later models ? I've
never
| tried a different gas station, only used the one I've gone to for the last
| several years. Maybe I should switch and see if it improves my mileage.
|
| Mileage drops about 1.5 mpg with AC on btw.
|

At one time they had a DOHC 2.0 150 horsepower for the "sport" model and a SOHC
2.0 132 horsepower for the standard highline model. My wife has one of the
1997 sport models wit a 5-speed. She drove it hard and still averaged about
29-30MPG mixed and 36-38 highway.

"Gdt876" > wrote in message
...
| >I had a '98 Neon with the 150 hp 2.0 L and an automatic. It never got
| >anywhere near the advertised milage. Milage was right around 23 mpg.
|
| My 2003 gets about the same mileage but is only rated at 132 hp, 2.0 L
SOHC,
| automatic. Did they downgrade the horsepower for the later models ? I've
never
| tried a different gas station, only used the one I've gone to for the last
| several years. Maybe I should switch and see if it improves my mileage.
|
| Mileage drops about 1.5 mpg with AC on btw.
|

At one time they had a DOHC 2.0 150 horsepower for the "sport" model and a SOHC
2.0 132 horsepower for the standard highline model. My wife has one of the
1997 sport models wit a 5-speed. She drove it hard and still averaged about
29-30MPG mixed and 36-38 highway.

My 2003 Sebring w/2.7 got about 21-23MPG until it was fully broken in. I
get 25MPG now.

"daagar" > wrote in message
om...
>I have a new (< 3000miles) 2004 Dodge Neon SXT (auto trans.). The
> sticker said the car should be getting 25-31 MPG. Unfortunately, I
> have yet to get anything above 22-23 regardless of my driving
> (city/highway/etc).
>
> Being a new vehicle, I don't expect it to be a problem with spark
> plugs, O2 sensors, tire inflation, etc. Is there anything else that
> can be checked? I fear a trip to the dealer would turn up empty since
> 22mpg is "close" to 25... however, a previous car with the same rating
> easily did 28-30 on average with the same useage and I'd like to
> regain something close to that.
>
> Could this really be something as simple as 'heavy-footing' it? Or is
> there are potential underlying problem? This car is a bit more
> powerful than the last (a 2001 Saturn), so I suppose that could be it
> (my wife is quite the lead-foot from a stop..)
>
> Thanks.

My 2003 Sebring w/2.7 got about 21-23MPG until it was fully broken in. I
get 25MPG now.

"daagar" > wrote in message
om...
>I have a new (< 3000miles) 2004 Dodge Neon SXT (auto trans.). The
> sticker said the car should be getting 25-31 MPG. Unfortunately, I
> have yet to get anything above 22-23 regardless of my driving
> (city/highway/etc).
>
> Being a new vehicle, I don't expect it to be a problem with spark
> plugs, O2 sensors, tire inflation, etc. Is there anything else that
> can be checked? I fear a trip to the dealer would turn up empty since
> 22mpg is "close" to 25... however, a previous car with the same rating
> easily did 28-30 on average with the same useage and I'd like to
> regain something close to that.
>
> Could this really be something as simple as 'heavy-footing' it? Or is
> there are potential underlying problem? This car is a bit more
> powerful than the last (a 2001 Saturn), so I suppose that could be it
> (my wife is quite the lead-foot from a stop..)
>
> Thanks.

In article > "James C. Reeves" > writes:
>
>"Gdt876" > wrote in message
...
>| >I had a '98 Neon with the 150 hp 2.0 L and an automatic. It never got
>| >anywhere near the advertised milage. Milage was right around 23 mpg.
>|
>| My 2003 gets about the same mileage but is only rated at 132 hp, 2.0 L
>SOHC,
>| automatic. Did they downgrade the horsepower for the later models ? I've
>never
>| tried a different gas station, only used the one I've gone to for the last
>| several years. Maybe I should switch and see if it improves my mileage.
>|
>| Mileage drops about 1.5 mpg with AC on btw.
>|
>
>At one time they had a DOHC 2.0 150 horsepower for the "sport" model and a SOHC
>2.0 132 horsepower for the standard highline model. My wife has one of the
>1997 sport models wit a 5-speed. She drove it hard and still averaged about
>29-30MPG mixed and 36-38 highway.

Yep -- my '98 R/T got comparable gas mileage. The 5 speed made a huge
difference over the 3 speed automatic.

My 2001 R/T gets about 27 mpg mixed, and my wife's '95 Voyager (3.0 L
w/ 4 speed auto) gets about 20 mpg, mixed or highway. These are both
close enough to the EPA estimates IMHO.
--
Jeff Wieland

In article > "James C. Reeves" > writes:
>
>"Gdt876" > wrote in message
...
>| >I had a '98 Neon with the 150 hp 2.0 L and an automatic. It never got
>| >anywhere near the advertised milage. Milage was right around 23 mpg.
>|
>| My 2003 gets about the same mileage but is only rated at 132 hp, 2.0 L
>SOHC,
>| automatic. Did they downgrade the horsepower for the later models ? I've
>never
>| tried a different gas station, only used the one I've gone to for the last
>| several years. Maybe I should switch and see if it improves my mileage.
>|
>| Mileage drops about 1.5 mpg with AC on btw.
>|
>
>At one time they had a DOHC 2.0 150 horsepower for the "sport" model and a SOHC
>2.0 132 horsepower for the standard highline model. My wife has one of the
>1997 sport models wit a 5-speed. She drove it hard and still averaged about
>29-30MPG mixed and 36-38 highway.

Yep -- my '98 R/T got comparable gas mileage. The 5 speed made a huge
difference over the 3 speed automatic.

My 2001 R/T gets about 27 mpg mixed, and my wife's '95 Voyager (3.0 L
w/ 4 speed auto) gets about 20 mpg, mixed or highway. These are both
close enough to the EPA estimates IMHO.
--
Jeff Wieland