Gas mileage
1/4 mile/AutoX
Joined: Jun 2014
Posts: 11,442
Likes: 2,186
From: Buffalo Texas
You are absolutely right but I love it when you are at car Meets/shows and the Hot Rodders get all mighty and talk Classic's and such !!!!! I love to say "What's Classic is driving down the highway 78 mph with the smooth,Ac,Music,the Vette Mode(the wave) and 400 hp getting 28 mpg"
Burning Brakes
Joined: Oct 2008
Posts: 800
Likes: 12
From: Wichita Kansas
I get 30 on the highway trips easy. longest trip was from Kansas to South Carolina averaged 30.4 for the trip including setting in road work a few times. set the cruise on 75mph for most of the trip. 6 speed car though.
Racer
Joined: Nov 2015
Posts: 496
Likes: 35
We've got a 1997 with a 408, big cam, high stall converter and a supercharger so we don't even want to talk about around town mileage. It still gets around 25 on the highway though. I'm pleased with that. Getting ready to change rear dif and the new one has 3.42's instead of the 3.15's in there now so I'm expecting to drop maybe one or two MPG's on the highway but not really anything in town. I see people with several hundred more horsepower than we have still claiming almost 30 MPG on the highway but they're 6 speeds and have turbochargers. No load cruising with a turbo is like not having a power adder at all when it comes to fuel mileage. I envy those guys.
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Drifting
Joined: Jun 2013
Posts: 1,965
Likes: 343
From: Shell Point (Crawfordville) Florida
To respond to:
"Yes indeed, 6th is double overdrive. There lies the secret of 30 mpg. The automatics just can't compete."
And,
"with a 3.73 6th is like 5th lol
80mph is about 2200/2300 rpm"
Look at the pic I posted. Mine's an A4, 76 mph, 2100 rpms, 30.4 mpg.
No different than the M6 at speed cruising along. And my day to day intown and short trip driving for me averages ~24 mpg. I joke that this is my economy car, much better than my Saturn Vue or my Suburban, and I don't have a light foot, I enjoy driving. The automatics do very well in this regard.
"Yes indeed, 6th is double overdrive. There lies the secret of 30 mpg. The automatics just can't compete."
And,
"with a 3.73 6th is like 5th lol
80mph is about 2200/2300 rpm"
Look at the pic I posted. Mine's an A4, 76 mph, 2100 rpms, 30.4 mpg.
No different than the M6 at speed cruising along. And my day to day intown and short trip driving for me averages ~24 mpg. I joke that this is my economy car, much better than my Saturn Vue or my Suburban, and I don't have a light foot, I enjoy driving. The automatics do very well in this regard.
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
Does it really matter ???? The cost of fuel is a non issue be it, 15 mpg or 30 mpg, when you are driving such a sensory gratifying sports car like a C5 Corvette, or any Corvette for that matter. Id rather drive a 15 mpg Corvette to work any day, than a 40 mpg Prius or a Honda civic.
Le Mans Master
Joined: Apr 2012
Posts: 7,815
Likes: 2,266
From: Brighton MI
Does it really matter ???? The cost of fuel is a non issue be it, 15 mpg or 30 mpg, when you are driving such a sensory gratifying sports car like a C5 Corvette, or any Corvette for that matter. Id rather drive a 15 mpg Corvette to work any day, than a 40 mpg Prius or a Honda civic.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Feb 2014
Posts: 2,725
Likes: 149
From: chicago area IL.
Does it really matter ???? The cost of fuel is a non issue be it, 15 mpg or 30 mpg, when you are driving such a sensory gratifying sports car like a C5 Corvette, or any Corvette for that matter. Id rather drive a 15 mpg Corvette to work any day, than a 40 mpg Prius or a Honda civic.
Drifting
Joined: Feb 2015
Posts: 1,883
Likes: 343
From: Chicagoland
St. Jude Donor '16
Does it really matter ???? The cost of fuel is a non issue be it, 15 mpg or 30 mpg, when you are driving such a sensory gratifying sports car like a C5 Corvette, or any Corvette for that matter. Id rather drive a 15 mpg Corvette to work any day, than a 40 mpg Prius or a Honda civic.
True story!!
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,398
Likes: 768
From: jefferson texas
I've already commented above about the mileage on my 99 vert, but reading the comment by Evil Twin got me to remembering about years gone by. When I was much younger (in my late 60's now), growing up in the 60's Southern California car culture, me and my car buddies would bust our butts to get performance that is laughable now compared to a good running C5. Horrible idles, narrow power band, abysmal mileage (well below 10) and constant fiddling to keep it going. Today a good C5 will run circles around just about any, if not all, of the performance cars I so revered (including corvettes) in my youth, all the while getting what I consider phenominal mileage and driveability, providing just an astounding driving/performance experience that we would have killed for long ago in a different time and place. Best wishes to all!
Team Owner
Joined: Mar 2001
Posts: 21,325
Likes: 3,841
From: small town in S.E Pa. PA
St. Jude Donor '03-'04
I can remember gas at 18 cents a gallon at the Texaco station ( 1949 ). and also the four guys who came out and washed your windshield, pumped your gas, checked the air in your tires, and checked your oil.
I can remember 23 cents a gallon in 1960, and 28 cents for premium. Times were slower, the world was safer, and we had family picnics, and time to enjoy a Baseball game with your dad.
I can remember 23 cents a gallon in 1960, and 28 cents for premium. Times were slower, the world was safer, and we had family picnics, and time to enjoy a Baseball game with your dad.
Advanced
Joined: Jul 2011
Posts: 72
Likes: 21
From: Cape Coral Florida
'99 Coupe with 6-speed and 3.42 rear...no mods. My wife and I took a 670 mile trip through the Florida Keys.....and got 30.7 mpg. Unbelievable!
I average a little over 19mpg...mostly because I refuse to use 6th gear except on the highway.
I average a little over 19mpg...mostly because I refuse to use 6th gear except on the highway.
Last edited by OldSchoolII; Mar 30, 2016 at 09:14 PM.
Melting Slicks
Joined: Jan 2016
Posts: 2,398
Likes: 768
From: jefferson texas
I can remember gas at 18 cents a gallon at the Texaco station ( 1949 ). and also the four guys who came out and washed your windshield, pumped your gas, checked the air in your tires, and checked your oil.
I can remember 23 cents a gallon in 1960, and 28 cents for premium. Times were slower, the world was safer, and we had family picnics, and time to enjoy a Baseball game with your dad.
I can remember 23 cents a gallon in 1960, and 28 cents for premium. Times were slower, the world was safer, and we had family picnics, and time to enjoy a Baseball game with your dad.