PT Cruiser Suggestions

[iriegnome]

I bought my PT Cruiser new in 2005. It gets 22 +/- mpg. I have a base model. No Air, Stick shift, No power anything other than windows. I keep the oil changed, tires fresh and rotated and correctly inflated, change the filters regularly, do everything I should do, but just wish I would be getting much better gas milage.. Any suggestions? I just don't really know.

[JanGeo]

Ouch, I was looking at them in 2005 ... Soooooo glad I bought a Scion xB. The gas mileage is really that low?
First thing is to reduce friction, make the oil more slippery and add some more pressure to the tires. Second is to get the fuel burning more efficiently with better spark plugs and fuel additives which are known to help.

[GasSavers_BEEF]

Ok, no offense...trade it in.

I actually looked into these a while back and the mileage is horrible. It is a chrysler product so mileage has never been a big concern of theirs. They are starting to get it I guess.

I honestly don't think you are ever going to see really good mileage in it. It just wasn't designed to deliver good mileage. I am honestly not sure what it was designed to deliver. It does have a unique shape and body style.

[VetteOwner]

yea they went all for the retro/outthere look instead of performance in any category...

id trade it in but you wont get beans for it...

[trollbait]

You're getting the updated EPA combined. Depending on your drive, can be good.

So, what is drive like? how much highway? what speeds?

The highway number is 26mpg, but the test doesn't exceed 60mph. Going above 65 usually means a rapid drop in fuel economy.

By tires properly inflated, do you mean the manufacturer's recommended pressure? That was selected for ride comfort. You'll need to increase it for better economy.

A grill block will help a little with aerodynamics. Not much else can be done there. I drive an HHR. An air dam is easier than a belly pan for cleaning the under airflow. The grill block will help with speeding up heat up times, and is worth it for that.

You do have more options with a stick in terms of driving technique. I don't have one, but what I hear is shift early, keep the rpms low for acceleration, and stay in high gear, open up the throttle to reduce pumping losses on hills.

[theholycow]

Originally Posted by trollbait

The highway number is 26mpg, but the test doesn't exceed 60mph.

http://www.fueleconomy.gov/feg/fe_test_schedules.shtml