Why does my Cavalier only get 23.8 mpg in the city? I have a 2.2 liter 2200 SFI 02 Cav LS sedan. It has a 14.1 gallon tank, and once i hit 40 miles on a tank, the gauge moves past the first white line.
Even on the highway, my mileage sucks. Every time I blink, it seems the fuel guage creeps past those little white lines. This winter, it was at 100 at the quarter mark, 190 at the half and 227 at the 3/4 mark. I understand winter is a little bit worse for mileage, but...
14.1 gallon tank means the "check gages" light comes on when I still have 2 gals. left. I'm glad that it gives me a heads up, but i'd love to see how far i could go before running out if i ever had to. nowadays i fill up once it hits the 3/4 mark instead of going the full way.

Recently I did take a mixed hwy/city trip and it was 127 at the quarter, but the next white line to the left it was stuck for 50 miles, and then it got "unstuck" and dropped like normal. I hit 220 at the half and 355 at the 3/4 mark. Calculated it to be 34 mpg on a mix of both...Has anyone got 450 plus on a 2.2 Non-Eco Cavalier? I have a 4speed THM, not even a 5speed auto. How much worse am I if I had a stick?

I used to have a '93 Civic D15B7 (slow) but it got 401 miles on a 11.9 gal tank once. Normally 340 to 370 in the summer, 270 to 330 in the winter. And it was auto! The Civic didn't have abs though, which I love with my Cav. Avg. Fuel Econ for the civic was 29 mpg city/37 hwy...with a 4sp. auto.

Is my Cav in bad shape? It's an 02 with 19k on it, almost brand new. It is due for an oil change in 1000 mi or so, but other than that, I don't know what's with the bad fuel econ. It seems the stock 2.2 LD9? is thirsty...but in the summer it seems to be better...

SHOULD i sell my cav and get a geo metro? gas is 2.10 or so around where I live (Kent, OHIO)...

I wanted a Chevy Prizm but it was 10,000 and it had 50k on it. It's like a Corolla, gets 40 mpg and has 125 hp, unlike my 115 hp Cav. I got the cav for 7300 because of where we live...standard of living is very high so unfortunately cars cost more...

thanks,
Josh Echt

air filter? clogged cat? There's a lot of reasons

http://auto.howstuffworks.com/fuel-gauge.htm

this clears things up a little...

I have an 01 and the sticker that came out of the window when it came from the dealership said this exactly: City MPG 23 HWY MPG 32. So I'm gonna say you're "average".


Officer: Do you know how fast you were going??
Me: Fast enough to get you to put down the coffee and doughnut!
Officer: (scowls)
Me: great, now I'm REALLY gonna get a ticket huh?

Well the sticker says 24 city, and 34 highway for mine. I'm at 98 miles at 1/4 tank, using A/C though quite a bit and that is mostly city.

I drove a 900 mile road trip and got like 31mpg with A/C on.

Sounds like your about right man.




- 2004 Cavalier - 124k, owned since new

HELP ME TOO!!!!!!

A year and a half ago I replaced front brakes on my 01 Cav. Immediately I was getting 150km/tank less, but I didn't clue in until a few weeks ago when the front brakes were completely gone down to the backing plate. They were replaced, and it looked that there was too much fluid in the reservoir - so I took that down to the 'MAX' line. Maybe the new pads are thicker than the last set put on.

Now it's about the same or even worse.

I relubed the sliders again and I hope that was the problem but I think it should have been taken care of with the fluid.

WHAT can be the cause of this????? It's costing quite a bit of money in gas.

450 miles on the tank? shheeeet, i was happy when my 00 cav got 380 highway... saved a lot of money on my trip from SC back to MD for break

It's cold out.

I can get about 31 per gallon in summer - in winter I get about 25.

-Seth

wow im lucky to get 14 in my truck hence why im getting my cavy.

My car--->http://www.cardomain.com/ride/2569452

It's an American car. You can't honestly expect good gas mileage out of an American Car. The BEST mileage I ever saw out of my 05 LS Sport 5 Speed was 30.5 that was 100% highway (drove all the way down I-5, about 300 miles, then filled up) at 70MPH. Only mods were Tein S-Techs, CF hood, and ditched the POS RS-A's for some Goodyear Tripletreads.

I just bought an 07 Corolla S 5 Speed. And I drove down to San Diego on one tank, about 80MPH THE WHOLE WAY (including over the grapevine and Pacheco pass), and got exactly 39.8mpg. My car has 3000 on the clock at the time. Bearly broken in. Next time I'll go 70 and see how much better it is.

Surprised about bad fuel economy in an overweight, underpowered american econobox? I wouldn't be. I've NEVER driven an american car (rentals, personally owned, etc) that ever gotten anywhere NEAR the EPA ratings. Old Lumina Z34, EPA 19/29, I NEVER saw over 23mpg (all highway, drove down to San Diego). Dad's 95 GMC Safari 18/21, rebuilt engine with less than 50k on it currently (car has 265k on it), ALWAYS sees 15mpg no matter what, 17 if it's 100% highway. Mom's '04 Cavy LS Auto, dad said last tank was about 24, freeway is 29-30. Rented an '04 Impala LS (3400 V6) for a family trip a few years back, 25MPG 100% highway. I can red line my car once a day, drive 80MPH everywhere, 100% city driving, try to keep up to my best friend's Evo, and I've never seen less than 30MPG. EPA is 32/41. AND it's faster and handles better (now with the new wheels and rubber) than my old pos cavy.

Also you mention gas being $2.10. I don't even REMEMBER gas being $2.10 here in California... that was like... 3 year ago? I think? $2.10/gal. would be a blessing here in California.

i know it's an american car..that's why i want a corolla.
truthfully the cav wasn't that bad at the beginning--i got 36mpg hwy on one trip in summer 05.

why do all these jbody people (including myself) even consider cavs when a corolla is so much better statistically? is it more emotion than reason? I got the cav because I couldn't afford a corolla and i wanted a corolla or another civic to replace my last one.

the cav was a (unfortunately) snap decision. my mom had a rental corolla and liked the fuel economy but not the small space.

the cavalier with automatic is like a short fat kid at recess...not good enough at anything. not big as a malibu/corsica/lumina/impala and not efficient as an aveo or a corolla or civic. it's too small to be a mid-sizer and too inefficient to pass as an economy car.

I'd take the Aveo any day.

(bye) wrote:Also you mention gas being $2.10. I don't even REMEMBER gas being $2.10 here in California... that was like... 3 year ago? I think? $2.10/gal. would be a blessing here in California.

2.10 sorry man its only about 1.90 here.. (SC) i love it...

yeah i guess it kinda sucks....but still city that aitn too bad............my 24 only gets about 24, but freeway about 28 or so...

Can you help me out??

From one tank to the next, economy went down quite a lot form 650km/tank to 500/tank now 450/tank. The weather of course was THE SAME in a couple of days.
All I did was change the brakes and made sure the fluid wasn't overfilled.

WHAT could I have overlooked??