16 replies to this topic

[gills85]

Apologies if this sounds like a really dumb question, but I'm fairly new to the mini scene and wondered roughly how far a full tank of fuel should get me?
I drive a 1989,998cc automatic mini 30, and with a full tank today, took the car for a spin.
In total I covered approximately 30-40 miles.
My fuel guage is now reading half a tank.
Surely I should get better MPG than that?
Is there anything I can do to improve MPG?

[Moggyton]

Get it on a rolling road

[fattail95]

I get around 250 miles on a full tank, driving enthusiastically to say the least! Averaging between 30-35MPG on my '00 MPi.

[anthonysjb]

I get around 150 out of my MPi probably. 80% of it is driving around town, and I do drive like an absolute idiot far too often! Need to try to keep my revs below 2500!

[mini-luke]

You are making the assumption the fuel gauge reading half a tank actually means it has used half a tank, mini fuel gauges don't really bear any resemblance to the contents of the tank

[Camel]

Reckon I could get 250 easily.

My gauge reads empty when there's still a good 22 litres in the tank...

[gills85]

Ok. so I should take the guage reading with a pinch of salt?? Anybody know of a rolling road around the Taunton area????

Edited by gills85, 17 April 2013 - 08:55 PM.

[Camel]

I'd take it with a bucket full.

[Andrew O]

I'd take it with a bucket full.

That one made me laugh

Andrew

[Dan]

How many cars have you driven? There are very few cars on the road with a properly linear fuel gauge. You have to get used to how your gauge works in the car you have. You should get roughly 300 miles on a full tank with normal driving even in an auto. You haven't got enough info to even start working out your MPG. You can't do it off the fuel gauge. Record the mileage when you fill up, and keep the receipts. Maybe write the mileage on each receipt. Do this for about 5 full tanks, obviously you need to relate the difference in mileage to the amount of fuel purchased before you drove those miles. Then you can work out how many miles you are getting to each actual gallon you buy, not just on how many segments of the gauge you have used.

Oh and you have a 7 1/2 gallon tank. If you aren't putting in around 30 litres when you fill up, there is a lot more left in there to use.

[pierres]

I get 48 to the gallon in my 998cc mayfair

[Dan]

That's about right. A standard 998 manual in good condition should be getting high 40s to mid 50s on average, an auto somewhere in the mid 40s.

[Alex_B]

I always only ever fill to when the gauge says half, one because I am a penniless student and also the lower half of the gauge lasts longer because as its said its not linear,

[Tommyboy12]

Mine is completely useless. Reads empty when I still have about 4 gallons left! The first gallon goes really slow then the next 2-3 are quite quick. Then its just guesswork!

[gills85]

Thanks for the advice. I'm planning on doing a proper MPG test over the coming weeks and would like to get the car on a Rolling Road.
Anybody know of one in the Taunton/ Yeovil area??