With all this reading about high mileage Elements, I'm wondering what's the worst tank anyone's ever had?

My worst was driving a passenger and about 6 snowboards on the inside with the seats folded up. The roofrack had a Thule snowboard rack that held 4 more snowboards. To top it off, I was trying to keep up with my buddies and their sedans, averaging 80mph with bursts of speed up to 95mph. My mileage that trip was abysmal. After a tank fuel up, the light came on after only 155 miles, which equates to about 13.2 mpg.

Anyone done worst than this?

I managed a long road trip that netted me 15.3 mpg. It was just me in the car with maybe 200lbs of other stuff (sub, amp, luggage, etc...) but I was driving like a maniac, averaging 90+ mph on the highway and accelerating like I was being chased by the DEA with 50 keys of heroin strapped to the roof rack.

Normally I get 20-22 mpg since everyday driving for me still means using a heavy foot.

12.2 Mpg running the beach. The tires were down to 4 Pounds of air for the soft sand conditions.


Dom

Man, I've heard of the E getting bad mileage but never this low. LOL. The lowest I've had was 20.9 MPG. It thought THAT was dissapointing. I couldn't imagine getting 12 MPG.

Roughly 18 mpg in a mid-winter cold snap of two weeks never above freezing, snow conditions and repeated short in-town trips with no highway driving. I was not a happy camper.

12.2 Mpg running the beach. The tires were down to 4 Pounds of air for the soft sand conditions.


Dom

12.2? Thats what most Chevy Suburbans and Tahoes average. I work on them junks and always click the average MPG on the dash. Even the Cobalt with a 2.2 engine will show an average around 21 to 27. For me, all the room and versatility the E is doing just fine. I can only wish it had more power AND better MPG.

The two tanks of gas from last Saturday's Covered Bridge tour with the wife and dog-so the E was loaded. Drove out in driving rain and gusty winds n the PA turnpike 70-75MPH 18.9 MPG. Driving around Lancaster then half the drive home in more gusty winds and rain 19.2 MPG. Also a couple weeks back on another long road trip with much 75 to 85 MPH running 19.8 MPG. YUK!! I usually average 23 ish and can get 25.5 in spring and summer.

12.2 Mpg running the beach. The tires were down to 4 Pounds of air for the soft sand conditions.


Dom

Our current winner in this thread!

You deflated your tires to 4psi? Didn't think a car would run on that little air.

If you were to spend the tank driving in 1st and 2nd, such as on the beach, or mountain roads, 15mpg or less sounds normal. You get optimal mpg using low rpms in overdrive - i.e. a steady 40-50 mph. At 80mph air resistance costs you. In 1st, the low distance to rpm ratio costs you (1/2 - 1/3 of the corresponding OD distance).

I got a few 15-16 mpg tanks on my 03-- cold chicago winters + lots of short trips + some time in 1st getting through unplowed streets... :rolleyes:

on the 07 I've gotten a few tanks of 17- all city, all short trips, lead foot :cool:

I don't know if I've ever been below 18. But I've gotten 18 a few times when I drive around all crazy (drive it like it's stolen, as they say), both with and without the intake and exhaust. :rolleyes:

Our current winner in this thread!

You deflated your tires to 4psi? Didn't think a car would run on that little air.


My E gets around 24 normally. On the sand with the low inflation, and being in first gear all the time, Kills the mileage. Driving on the sand dunes there are hills ( drifts ) that you must go over. However, driving on soft sand is like going up hill all the time.

I had to lower the tires to 4 Lbs. I was getting stuck at 10 Lbs. I took them down slowly in 2 Pound increments.

I was lucky not to loose the bead. I " DO NOT " recommend that you run your tires that low.

Dom

Mine is usually good but once fully loaded down with 4 bicycles on the back, a Yakima roof box and 4 adults we got something like 16 mpg going from Lincoln NE to Des Moines IA on a day with 45+ mph crosswinds on I80. The mileage was bad but you also had to counter steer the whole way until you go under an overpass where you'd almost end up in the ditch.

Saying that when we turned north to Minneapolis we got 28 mpg loaded down with that tail wind so the whole trip averaged out to be about normal.

I have got 14mpg pulling a boat over mountains with a side wind.