MPG Check

Milelage will very but if you bought this car you the mileage than you bought the wrong vehicle, you should of got a car that doesn't way as much and is better for you...

Gee, thanks Matt. You hit the nail right on the head. That was my point exactly.

Just for reference...

V8 LR3 HSE, >15K miles on the odometer, loaded 7-seat with rear-locker running 91 octane. All 4 stock 19" tires at factory (door sticker) PSI recommendations. No roof storage installed; cross-bars removed. City/mixed use elevation is generally between 15-100 ft. Temperature varies, but I'm in Northern California... so we barely have weather. All MPG calculated by hand. US Gallons.

12/31/2005: 14.55 [mixed]
01/06/2006: 12.48 [city]
01/13/2006: 13.52 [mixed]
01/29/2006: 11.07 [mixed + mud/rock/off-road]
01/30/2006: 15.24 [mountain/highway - cargo loaded]
02/01/2006: 16.79 [mountain/highway + hard snow/off-road - cargo loaded]
02/06/2006: 17.87 [mountain/highway - cargo loaded]
02/11/2006: 13.81 [mixed]
02/19/2006: 11.71 [city]

It's been somewhat worse than my older averages... probably because I've been stuck in city traffic more with average speeds of less than 20.

Getting 12.8 mpg with city driving, living on one of the highest hills in Seattle, sport mode 70% of the time, lead foot. Didn't expect anything much different really. Even when I drive normally in city with normal transmission and easy on the gas, would average 13.5. Guys, it's a 3 ton Land Rover! Whether you're getting 13 or 15, you knew going in that you're mileage wouldn't be that great. If you're at 12 mpg or under, there may be a problem with your engine management system or as Grommet pointed out, your LR3 may still be in "transport mode". Otherwise, shrug your shoulders and enjoy yourselves. There are rumors of a future diesel/hybrid Range Rover so who knows?

Grommet,

Thanks for posting your data as it really puts it into perspective. Depending on conditions, the LR3's mileage seems to be within the "average mpg" +/- variables.

Well, I still think my 15 hwy is ridiculous. As I said, the 6 speed should help, my 70 mph cruise is around 800 rpm lower than my '99 4.0. Yes, it's 500 lbs heavier, but that should not matter so much at highway cruise. Also, the fact that when I first got it, it was 30% higher makes me think something is up. roverdawg, maybe you are right. I will talk to the dealer about the engine management system this week. Maybe they will have some insight.
Grommet, any reason to think that a couple months at 87 octane before switching back would have an effect?
Thanks,

grommet said:

Err, replace "It's has been" with "It's been" I use miss "edit"...

Click to expand...

Whats up with you not being able to use the edit feature, it works fine for me...

Oxygenated Fuel may cause your low mileage

roverman said:

Well, I still think my 15 hwy is ridiculous. As I said, the 6 speed should help, my 70 mph cruise is around 800 rpm lower than my '99 4.0. Yes, it's 500 lbs heavier, but that should not matter so much at highway cruise. Also, the fact that when I first got it, it was 30% higher makes me think something is up. roverdawg, maybe you are right. I will talk to the dealer about the engine management system this week. Maybe they will have some insight.
Grommet, any reason to think that a couple months at 87 octane before switching back would have an effect?
Thanks,

Click to expand...

Roverman:
You may check with the fuel station and find out how much oxygen is added in the winter fuel. Depending on locations/local regulation, Winter fuel is mixed with MTBE, which can lower mileage marginally. Wait until spring or summer, to see if your mileage goes up. I also noticed that different brand fuel may have some variations on mileage, depends on their formulations. Hope this helpful. I got about 14.8 m/g on mixed 50-50 highway-local with ambient temperature in teens-lower 20s. 298 miles for last tank.

lr305,
Yeah, thanks I have been thinking about the whole winter mix/cold weather aspect. Perhaps that has something to do with it, although in all the years I have been driving, I haven't noticed a drop off like this. For example, I bought the truck at the end of September. Like I said, I got 19 mpg right away on the highway. The next week, I did a lot of highway driving and avg'd about 16.5-17 highway. I just think it's kind of strange.
It's not really a huge deal. As Matt Grim so helpfully pointed out, mileage is not the reason I bought this vehicle, but it's the principle of the thing. I am very curious to see what happens when April or May comes around...
roverman

When my account was re-created, it lost it... and the admins can't fix it. Part of the site problem, it seems.