MPG On your C5?
Burning Brakes
Joined: Aug 2011
Posts: 1,071
Likes: 14
From: Odessa TX
bolt on 02 z06 , usually average 24 on highway. thats a 75-80 cruise. i can only get those 28-30 numbers that everyone reports if i go 60-65.
16-18 in city. managed 20 once but that was really babying it.
16-18 in city. managed 20 once but that was really babying it.
Tech Contributor
Joined: Dec 2003
Posts: 19,384
Likes: 87
From: Horncastle Lincolnshire, England
2023 C5 of the Year Finalist - Unmodified
My stock A4 in UK with 98 octane gas (US 94) does about 20 around town. If I take a trip at about 50-60 mph I can make 25-26 mpg. Really working hard I can get 28 mpg. The best ever was 31.
With gas at $8+ a gallon I take a lot of interest.
With gas at $8+ a gallon I take a lot of interest.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Jun 2009
Posts: 6,528
Likes: 752
From: South Dakota
My 99 Pewter FRC M6 (Borla cat back and blackwing) gets about 31 to 32 on the highway cruise set at about 72mph.
My 99 Blue Coupe M6 (LG longtube, B&B catback, Vararam, FAST intake, HP tuners tune) gets a couple better than my FRC at about 33 to 34 mpg at 72 mph. I haven't had this car very long but my first 50 mile highway average was 34.8 mpg.
My 94 LT1 M6 was my commuter car for a few years. I drove 50 miles each way to work. I got about 30 to 31 on the highway and my mix of driving (mostly highway) was about 28.5 (summer).
They are remarkable cars. I got a couple of them as commuter cars for the highway commute. They are a lot more fun than some of the econoboxes that don't get much better mileage.
My 99 Blue Coupe M6 (LG longtube, B&B catback, Vararam, FAST intake, HP tuners tune) gets a couple better than my FRC at about 33 to 34 mpg at 72 mph. I haven't had this car very long but my first 50 mile highway average was 34.8 mpg.
My 94 LT1 M6 was my commuter car for a few years. I drove 50 miles each way to work. I got about 30 to 31 on the highway and my mix of driving (mostly highway) was about 28.5 (summer).
They are remarkable cars. I got a couple of them as commuter cars for the highway commute. They are a lot more fun than some of the econoboxes that don't get much better mileage.
Pro
Joined: Jan 2010
Posts: 661
Likes: 2
From: Ca.
mmmmmmmmmmmm;
Our 2002 manual trans, 3.42 gears, stock was 29.8 mpg on the freeway at 70 mph for 182 mile run. After the s/c install, mpg went down to 27.8 mpg.
Now it is so much fun, I just don't care what the mpg is.
Our economy car "Ford Focus" only gets 33 mpg on the freeway at 70 mph.
Our 2002 manual trans, 3.42 gears, stock was 29.8 mpg on the freeway at 70 mph for 182 mile run. After the s/c install, mpg went down to 27.8 mpg.
Now it is so much fun, I just don't care what the mpg is.
Our economy car "Ford Focus" only gets 33 mpg on the freeway at 70 mph.
Burning Brakes
Joined: May 2002
Posts: 831
Likes: 0
From: Albuquerque NM
Prior to my 3.90 gears; 2001 M6, stock 3.42's, Longtubes, tune, intake, 6th gear running 78 it would get between 28.8 and 30.9mpg
Haven't had the 3.90's on a freeway trip, so I'm not sure what the difference will be, according to the charts, It'll only tach 250rpm more than my fathers '98 automatic with 2.73 gears.
My fathers '98 vette with 2.73's, automatic, drop in K&N, otherwise stock got 25.9mpg on the same trip that mine got 30.9. He says it used to get closer to 28 a few years ago. Not sure what could have caused the drop.
My wifes '08 V6 Direct Injected STS doesn't even get 27mpg. The only other vehicle that I've had that came close to 30 was an '86 corvette, I could go from Albuquerque to Phoenix, 454 miles, on a single tank
Haven't had the 3.90's on a freeway trip, so I'm not sure what the difference will be, according to the charts, It'll only tach 250rpm more than my fathers '98 automatic with 2.73 gears.
My fathers '98 vette with 2.73's, automatic, drop in K&N, otherwise stock got 25.9mpg on the same trip that mine got 30.9. He says it used to get closer to 28 a few years ago. Not sure what could have caused the drop.
My wifes '08 V6 Direct Injected STS doesn't even get 27mpg. The only other vehicle that I've had that came close to 30 was an '86 corvette, I could go from Albuquerque to Phoenix, 454 miles, on a single tank
Le Mans Master
Joined: Feb 2007
Posts: 9,285
Likes: 1,515
From: Oviedo Florida
2024 C5 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2024 C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2023 C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2021 C2 of the Year Finalist - Modified
2016 C5 of Year Finalist
Auto with 2:73 gears and 700 hp=24 mpg plus if i don't fool
around. Thats on the highway.
around. Thats on the highway.
Instructor
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 107
Likes: 13
From: Fairview Hts. Illinois
I got 34.675 mpg in an econo run put on by our club. 100 mile loop on 2 lane 55mph roads, short shifting, coasting when possible and the tires pumped to 40psi with a 03 vert ,6spd. Normal driving at 70mph I get 30-32 mpg and around 23-25 around town
Corvette Stories
The Best of Corvette for Corvette Enthusiasts
10 Most Common Corvette Problems of the Last 20 Years!
Joe Kucinski
5 MOST and 5 LEAST Popular Corvette Model Years in History!
Joe Kucinski
2027 Corvette Buyer's Guide: Everything You Need to Know!
Joe Kucinski
10 Things C8 Corvette Owners Hate (But Won't Tell You)
Joe Kucinski
10 Best Corvettes Coming to Barrett-Jackson Palm Beach 2026!
Brett Foote
Every Corvette Grand Sport Explained! (C2, C4, C6, C7, & C8)
Joe Kucinski
Grand Sport & Grand Sport X Launch Alongside All-New 535hp LS6 V8!
Michael S. Palmer
5 Reasons Bad Drivers Crash & 5 Ways to Avoid a Costly Mistake!
Joe Kucinski
7 Bolt-On Upgrades From Extreme Online Store to Level Up Your C6 Corvette
Pouria Savadkouei
Safety Car
Joined: Sep 2005
Posts: 4,052
Likes: 97
From: Southeast, Tennessee
St. Jude Donor '09 thru '26
my 04 m6 ce convertible averages a shade over 20 (combined driving). on the highway, a/c on and the cruise set at just under 80 (usually 78) i usually get just under 30mpg. i have achieved almost 31 on a couple of trips, but generally it is right at 30. my car has a K&N CAI, corsa X pipe and borla stingers, other than that, the mods are all cosmetic. as contrast (i also have a C3), it blows my 78 away mileage wise, and it bests my hemi magnum across the board. same basic HP on the hemi, even has the economy feature where it will drop out of 8 cyl to 4 cyl on none stressed highway terrain (it drops in and out depending on need of acceleration). the hemi gets around 17 in the city (combined type) and a good avg mpg on the same type of highway cruise the vette gets 30 on will get me just a bit over 24.
no one except a vette owner knows how good they really do fuel and power wise!!
no one except a vette owner knows how good they really do fuel and power wise!!
Le Mans Master
Joined: Oct 2010
Posts: 7,373
Likes: 1,128
From: cold & windy
are y'all reading these numbers off the dash or are you setting Trip B and counting the gallons at every fill-up?
the manual method's the only way i use, and before the blower - averaged about 28-29 with a stock Y2K FRC, 31 with headers (untuned and a little lean), and now about 26-27 with the supercharger (mainly because i won't drive much under 1500rpm with 60# injectors)
and
at the guy reading instant... in that case, i've seen 99.9 many times. then again, i've also seen 3.0 a lot, too!
the manual method's the only way i use, and before the blower - averaged about 28-29 with a stock Y2K FRC, 31 with headers (untuned and a little lean), and now about 26-27 with the supercharger (mainly because i won't drive much under 1500rpm with 60# injectors)
and
at the guy reading instant... in that case, i've seen 99.9 many times. then again, i've also seen 3.0 a lot, too!
Administrator
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 367,271
Likes: 24,567
From: In a parallel universe. Currently own 2014 Stingray Coupe.
C7 of the Year - Modified Finalist 2021
MO Events Coordinator
St. Jude Co-Organizer
St. Jude Donor '03 thru '25
NCM Sinkhole Donor
CI 5, 8 & 11 Veteran
My '00, which was a 6-speed, consistently got 30+ mpg on the highway. My '03, which is an automatic, gets between 25.5 and 27 mpg on the highway.
Pro
Joined: Aug 2009
Posts: 537
Likes: 4
From: Roseville Ca.
2001 A4, aFe intake, bassani x-pipe and borla stingers on stock size Hankook Evo's I get 19-21 mixed and have gotten up to 29 on the freeway but normally get 27-28 at 73mph. This is the most comfortable freeway cruiser I have ever owned....amazing! 
