I'm curious whats the lowest speed you guys will keep the car in 6th gear at? around 1000? I know I didn't buy the c5 for fuel economy but I'm 20 year old college student getting 14 mpg around city its driving me nuts while im reading that some of you guys are getting low 20s at the worst in city driving... I'm shifting out of first around 2000 rpms, and after that around 1500-1800 every other gear...Am I doing something wrong? I just wanna save some cash I'm not gunning the car every time I drive it...the car has 102k miles I just got it so it might need a tune up and such, but is there anything else that would improve mpg? thanks in adv

 

I generally don't go below 1200 rpm (about 55 mph) in sixth, although sometimes as low as 1000 rpm with minimal load on the engine (i.e., downhill).

Doesn't sound like you are doing anything wrong. City driving can vary widely depending on such things as number and duration of stops and cruising speed. If you make a lot of short trips starting with a cold engine, that will really hurt mielage also.

 

If you're using all 6 gears when city driving, that is your problem. Try starting off in 2nd gear and skip to 4th then to 5th or 6th as needed. Experiment and you'll find the right combination for your situation.

 

i would suggest that you forget about 6th for city driving. i try to keep above 1500 to keep the car from lagging in any one gear. i rarely get to 6th around town and find 5th is about 50% of the time on a straight-a-way. i average a bit over 20 in the city and usually get just a hair over 30 on trips (cruise control set just below 80, a/c on, 6th gear turning about 1650rpm). my car is an 04 ce convertible with 35k miles on it. now if it will make you feel any better, on my 78 4 speed pace car (383 stroker, cammed) i get about 9-10 in the city and am pretty lucky on the road to get 14-15. by comparison, my 04 is an electric hybrid, LMAO!!

 

Is it ok to start the car off from a dead stop in 2nd gear? I have been using all the gears, I use to own an s2000 got pretty good mpg considering it was a sports car...Ive only been driving manual tranmission for about 5 months so I'm not familiar with a lot of the tricks and stuff just know how to get the car around...thx for the help guys!!

 

just watch the instant mpg on the dash to find out whats best for your situation. i always use 6th in the city but only above 40mph to avoid lugging the engine.

 

how do I bring up the instant mpg? I just have the average always showing?

 

I have a 5 mile long street to navigate to get out of my neighborhood that is mostly 45 mph. Once I hit the 45 mph zone I'll usually set the cruise control at 50 mph and keep the manual transmission in 5th gear. I found that 6th was just too high of a gear for that speed. I always start off in 1st gear and may or may not skip a gear or 2 depending on how quickly I've accelerated.

 

I generally cruise around 1,500 RPM in any gear. I tend to shift between 2,000 and 3,000 and my stock 2,003 6 speed gets around 14 -17 around town. I have found that you don't really start getting the good miliage numbers unles you are on the freeway for long tretches at a time in sixth gear and the RPMs 2,000 or lower. This how it works out for me anyway.

 

I use 1st up to 2200-2500, then go 3rd to 2000, then 5th. My DIC shows 23.5 avg.

If I'm on a downhill at a stop, I'll start 2nd to 2500, then 4th to 2000, then 5th. I only use 6th on highway or speeds over 55. 5th seems to be the sweet spot for cruising my stock Z on the street and get decent mileage.

Another way to save gas is to look far ahead, if you see the light is red, why not take your foot off the gas and let the car roll to the light. Maybe by then the light will have changed. Plus it saves braking. I used to teach safe driving for a large courier company and it was shown to me red light to red light at speeds above the posted limit just waste gas.

Looking far ahead is a huge key to not only safe driving, but efficient driving. It's nice having the C5 be a performance car as well as a fuel efficient car. It's your car, drive it the way YOU LIKE. Not as some members will say, that's it's all out, ***** to the walls, red light to red light.

If that's their thing then so be it. But you may be bashed for suggesting you drive your car as you want. But look on the registration, it should show your name and not the member who tells you to trade in the C5 and buy a Prius.

 

You can safely start off in 2nd gear and not worry about your engine or clutch. You can also skip gears without harm. You have to learn what gears work for the speed and conditions you are driving in. For example; if you're in 6th gear doing 40 miles per hour, you cannot mash the go pedal and expect to accelerate rapidly. Experiment with your gears. If it seems the RPMs are too high, go up a gear or RPMs too low, go down a gear. After you get familiar with your car, you will know if you are working the engine harder than it needs to be working.

The DIC has various screens you can display. Instant MGP, average MGP, Odometer, trip odometer, etc. Just scroll through the screens using the buttons on the right side of the dash.

 

mine as well, average mpg

 

I'm right there with ya! I either go 1st to 3rd or 1st to 4th. But you can't drive it like that alllllll the time!

 

I get about 14-16 in the city (auto). I get about 27 (when I am trying to get the best I can) on the Hwy. I have seen claims of well over 30. I find that doubtful.

 

Thanks for the useful info guys, I'm gonna try shifting the way you metioned and see if it brings up my avg. any

 

Oh trust me, I have my moments when I:"Let it breathe like it was meant to".

 

I've never seen 30 mpg either........

 

I have a 2001 with the auto trans and performance gear ratio. If I baby the car I can get 20 mpg around town. On the highway my best is 29 mpg, cruising at 65 - 70 mph.

 

To the OP, don't overlook the obvious mechanical issues (correct tire pressures, clean air filter, good alignment, etc.). I've never focused much on driving for max MPG, and routinely pull low 20s in combined city highway driving, and usually get around 28-29 MPG on the open road. My all time best was a highway tank where I got 30.67 MPG with the cruse set on 72 MPH.

 

I get 16 mpg in city driving, 22.5 mpg in combined (driving to work, same as my V6 205 HP Impala!), and have gotten 33.6 mpg on a trip (flat land).

The Owners Manual gives the following speeds to shift: 15, 25, 40, 45, 50 mph for best fuel economy.

Note: The OEM Runflats are worth 3 mpg over plain radials. I run OEM Runflats.