Realistic MPG?

[nirurin]

Hey everyone again  s:) s:)

Ok, now I have done a search on here, as well as using the Fuelly.com website, but the reports on fuel economy seem to vary wildly...
The "official" MPG figures for the mk3 seem to be between 35 and 40+, depending on whether its city driving or motorways etc. But on fuelly, the averages seem to be more like mid to low 30s.. which isnt *bad*, but its basically the same as a mk1 mx5, which is my alternative choice when it comes to buying a replacement car.

Obviously theres a lot of other reasons to buy an MR2, but one of the big points in its favour for me was its allegedly good fuel economy... these days that means a lot!

So what is the realistic MPG on these cars really? I'm talking to the daily drivers out there, not track days, just a standard drive to work etc.

The car I'm looking at is a 6-speed 2003 model, if that helps  s:) s:)

Thanks for any info, it will all go towards my decision, as I looked at a couple of very lovely classics today and its all getting a bit murky!

[dj2k21]

I get about 30mpg out of mine and its turbo put it that way. There great on fuel but to be honest. ... why would you buy a sports car and worry about fuel economy?  Just buy one and enjoy it  s:) s:)

[Pavett1990]

i drove to bolton and back on a tank and an eighth so around £55.. and it was a 500 mile round trip.. i normally averarge around the 350-400 miles a tank

[nirurin]

I get about 30mpg out of mine and its turbo put it that way. There great on fuel but to be honest. ... why would you buy a sports car and worry about fuel economy?  Just buy one and enjoy it  s:) s:)

I would enjoy it on the nice sunny days when I can tool around and enjoy myself, but sometimes it would be nice to have the option of driving it normally lol. Especially on the rainy days!

I will try and work out Pavetts MPG... how big is the fuel tank on the MR2? Somewhere said its 48l, and somewhere else said 40.8l lol, not sure if its a typo or different sized tanks!

[nirurin]

Oh it seems the fuel tank is 10.5 gallons... so basically thats 35-40ish mpg... which is pretty good then. Think MX5 mk1's are about 30-33.

[redcarblackhorse]

I get anything from 36 to 46mpg depending on how I drive her

[Maverikk]

I get about 350 miles from a full tank.

[mrzwei]

In all honesty I doubt that you could separate the MX5 and the Roadster in terms of fuel economy; similar sized cars, similar sized engines, similar performance, similar target customers etc. etc.

Not a criterion I would use unless there was a significant and real difference.

[nirurin]

In all honesty I doubt that you could separate the MX5 and the Roadster in terms of fuel economy; similar sized cars, similar sized engines, similar performance, similar target customers etc. etc.

Not a criterion I would use unless there was a significant and real difference.

From what I understand, the best you can get out of an MX-5 is about 33, maybe 35 if you drive super carefully. The average is more like 28-30. So it does seem like about 5-10mpg difference.... which is around £500-£600 a year in petrol, these days. (at 10k miles a year). Its not a lot... but its a fair bit. Its a full set of tyres and brakes, every  year.

It's also why the new (post-2001) MR2's are only £220 a year in tax, while the MX5s are about £260. The toyota VVTI's seem to be more efficient and cleaner. Course I only know this by doing lots of research, I havent actively tested these running costs for myself yet!

Mostly I was just curious, as the official MPG values for cars are usually a complete lie! Toyota seems to be vaguely accurate though

[mrzwei]

I respect your research and attention to detail.

It's just that I tend to buy cars more for emotional reasons than for logical ones   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[tomaky]

Sadly i do too much town driving and can struggle to get maybe 275 from full too redline, longest drive i do is 15 round trip on carriage ways a week.

[nirurin]

I respect your research and attention to detail.

It's just that I tend to buy cars more for emotional reasons than for logical ones   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

Ahh well, the illogical and impractical reasons were how I narrowed it down to these two cars  s:P s:P

Now I have to make an actual decision... and as they're both bags of fun, and the same price for a decent one, I have to tip the balance using boring facts!

MX5 mk1 seems to be cheaper and easier to maintain, plus easier and cheaper to find a ****ing hardtop for (grr). They also have an actual boot, for those rare times I might want one.
MR2 has a better engine, is a lot newer, and I think looks a little nicer/more modern.

Frankly... its a tough call. For me, anyway. Of course for you guys, the decision was obviously less difficult  s:P s:P

Thanks for the MPG figures anyway! They've been helpful, seems the average is at least 35mpg, more if driven nicely

[tomaky]

Having made the same decision as you i started with the mg tf researched and went against that then research mx5 and mr2 and on figures the mr2 tears holes in it, faster lighter more economical, the only point which you have correctly made is practicality, how ever i paid £50 for boot rack which i am only going to need for going away with the girlfriend and her many clothes etc! Of course looks is personal to each person hence the many different looks members have here. Best of look in your decision there both fantastic cars.

[nirurin]

Yeh, I had considered the whole boot-rack thing... but I've never used them before and I've always wondered.... surely they are incredibly easy to steal! (The luggage at least... not the rack itself).

The other thing the MX5 has in its favour, is that the MX5 specialist who has a pristine mk1 for me... lives 20 minutes up the road. The MR2 that I found (also pristine though) is 2 and a half hours away.

I have no idea where I would go in somerset for decently priced MR2 servicing etc. And that is a pretty big deal, unfortunately. More research must be done!

Though this is now totally off topic lol. Though it is my topic so I guess I'm allowed  s:) s:)

[ray835]

from here where i live between chester and wrexham a full tank of go-go juice at a steady 60 got us to inverness ....

[tomaky]

The only point about the rack is while your not in the car the case can always go in the car  s:) s:)  ps i get a set of golf clubs in bag snuggly in the cubby's doors shut  s:) s:)

[AndrewMason]

On a PFL 5-speed I got average 34mpg over 4000 miles with no thought of fuel consumption. Range 29 - 38 mpg. I'm sure that steady driving will increase that figure and I think the 6-speed box has 6th as taller gear so should be potential for a bit more again.

Re: "... MX5... cheaper to find a ****ing hardtop for (grr). They also have an actual boot, for those rare times I might want one. "

I have a hardtop but there is little difference to the raised soft top so wouldn't make a biggy out of it. When the roof is down (which is most times when not raining) the stowage bins are a lot easier to access and almost make sence! I looked at the MX5 as well and found most to have damp in the boot and rotted sills - maybe it was the price bracket I was looking at!?!

Does the Mk 1 have a plastic rear window? I know the MG F does and it has to fold in half when the roof is dropped. In the cold the plastic gets brittle and breaks (unlike the MR2 glass window). I saw this first hand when one enthuiastic garage saleman ignored my warnings and dropped the top on the MGF he was selling and trashed it. Woops!

[AndyM]

I drive a 2003 6-speed FL as my only car which involves a daily commute of about 50 miles (mainly motorway so 70-80 being realistic) and pleasure drives (of which I've done about 600 miles over two trips this week). I've been tracking it with fuelly since I put the first tank in 6 weeks ago and I'm consistently around the 33-34 mark.

Link in my sig for the full detail.

[nirurin]

As standard the mk1 mx5 comes with a plastic rear window, which *can* fold in half, but you are supposed to fold it flat. The specialist who is selling the car I'm lookign at though, also does new softop roofs with glass windows instead.

The hardtop I want is because of security and deterrence when parked in the city. Its not thief deterrence, as a determined thief would just break in anyway, its more for vandals who would just go "look mate har har gonna cut me a soft top".

I dont have much faith in the drunks of today. Granted it makes me sounds like an old man before my time, but unfortunately its also true. Even if its a placebo effect, I'd enjoy the peace of mind. Especially when theres no way I'd be able to afford a replacement softtop lol.

Tomaky: How on *earth* do you fit a full set of golf clubs in the storage bins?!? I tried putting my laptop bag in one of the storage bins yesterday, and it nowhere near fitted, even with the door open! And its only a 15" laptop!!

[tomaky]

Hahaha it didnt think i could initially so used to pick mate up then go to the course with clubs uncomfortably between his legs haha then i thought hmm this could work took the driver and 3 wood out put them behind seats (now relocated to his locker) and length is perfect little room and with minor poking the bog located with the wider lower part of back that door shuts too. I would provide a pic but the flash given me a red haze on the picture can see anything.

[tomaky]

To summarise try harder with your lappy bag, for me the lappy bag be hidden behind my passenger seat  s;) s;)

[nirurin]

Ahh see now, the problem I had was that it was someones car, and I was having a look around, and unfortunately his passenger side storage bin was full of his stuff lol. He did mention the passenger side one was a little bigger, but I didnt think it would be much of a difference... is the passenger side one significantly larger?

[mrzwei]

If you can get your hands on the owners manual you will see that it mentions two removable plastic bits either side of the bins. IIRC this means that you can in fact get a set of clubs in the back. Not a golfer so not entirely sure about that.

I bought my 2 because of the SMT gearbox and sold it because we regularly visit our grandchildren in Luxembourg and Germany and always 'ferry' more kit than we can get in the car.

At Christmas there was so much stuff that we had to take the Saab and not the Z which, despite its looks, has got a pretty small boot.

At the right price, I'd go for a 6 speed SMT with all the toys but I daren't mention that to the wife   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:   They can come to visit us. Not a lot of logic in that really.

[roger]

Hi.  I don't know if you checked out my fuelly (see below for link), but that is a total over a number of years. I did have about 10mpg on a couple of track days, but I reckon that's been averaged out by now. It certainly drinks more in town than on the motorway. I also found i got a better fuel reading after fitting the turbo! Probably to do with a better tuned "engine".

As for golf clubs...........if you look carefully, at each end of the bins is a plastic cover over wires and things. Take those out (just a couple of clips, but be careful I broke one  s:( s:(  ) gives you the  bit of extra room you need! You might also find it easier if you put the driver in seperately. It won't take a trolley bag though.   s:lol: :lol: s:lol:

[tomaky]

Aii i havent had to take anything out the diver and 3 wood in his locker and i have a key  s:) s:)  its your typical bag id rater the bloody golf club allocated me a locker but until the its bot a issue whacking them in, something i just thought to do which makes the clubs even easier to fit is putting the jack in the frunk  s:) s:)