aside from cold air intakes and the obvious non-lead foot, what are you doing to achieve the higher mpg. also what do you carry in the car with you? people, tools, etc. I am usually by myself ( was 210 but am now 193lbs) with a 50lb tool bag, freeway mostly and I get no more than 30-31mpg.
any thoughts?
whats your commute like?

 

im about 280 and i do a mix of highway and city, i get 33mpg. i dont cary anything elts and i did not do any cold air intake or anything elts

 

after reading some other threads i realize i drive on the highway with the windows open. i am sure that has something to do with it. sucks because i like the wind and fresh air.

 

i have injen intake, strup header and exhaust, 165lb and dont cary anything else really in the car. Mixture of highway and city driving. today when i filled up i was at like 320 miles/tank. thats not driving really cautious....sometimes i get on it and i also drive 75 - 80 mph sometimes...

jake

 

i am stock aside from removal of the snorkle but i do also drive 70-80 in LA traffic. if i were to slow it down i would have to leave like an hour earlier to get there at the same time.

 

so if you slowed it down 5 mph to a steady 65mph you would have to leave an hour earlier everyday for work?

 

you have never driven from Orange County to LA on a monday morning at 6am. there is a 15 min window or a 70mph rule. its the cost of not living in LA. but i will gladly pay it to live in the OC

 

im 300 lbs, i have my sub bow which weighs in at a little over 75lbs fully loaded, and 20s... along with all the bolt ons... and im getting 35-37 mpg mix of highway and city...

 

I think you are there - I get same mileage. . .

 

The best I got was 38 not using the AC and keeping at 65. Make sure your tires are inflated properly. At least you are not talking about 20 MPG..........

 

that snorkle do anything? and doesnt a short ram replace that? but yeah check your tires they save u alot if properly inflated... and no rims right?

 

On winter blend fuel, my 17 year old son is getting 28-31 mpg. I can get a little better. We drove from Cleveland, Tn. to Pigeon Forge today ( 241 miles round trip ). 75-80 ( to keep from getting run over ) on interstate and then 2 lane through the mountains. Same on return trip and averaged 31 mpg. I can get up to 36 mpg if I keep it below 70. Stock with automatic, K&N drop in filter, American Racing 686 wheels on stock 15" tires. Forgot to mention that there were 3 of us, in the 180 to 210 pound range.

 

My bride's stock RS 2.0. Mobil 1, Iritum (spell?) spark plugs. Just her, same basic commute work and school. Total around 175 with books lap top, ext. Was getting 34-36. Exxon 87 gas. Until the last couple of months, no changes, new stock air filter, been in the low 30's.

My RS 3.0 is back on the road with the stock steelies, I'm 250, drive like I stole it. getting 34. Now it has a short intake, ground wire kit, Optima yellow top, and a capacitor.

My plan is to add the mods one at a time to her box and see what has the best effect. the intake should be here next week.so its first. The ground wire kit and capacitor may or may not effect mpg. But than again, the less the alternator has to work the better the gm.

The colder the air the better. I like the cheep eBay $50.00 intakes, and I make a cold air block off plate to keep the hot radiator air discharge away. I also remove the grill block off plate to bring in more fresh air.

 

I got about 33 on my last tank, I just have the TRD filter, 18" wheels and carry a 50lb sub box and a few other things, don't drive real aggressive, but 70-75 mph isn't unusual. I agree that tire pressure is very important when it comes to getting good mpg, I check mine weekly

 

you'd get better gas mileage with a hot air intake

 

Thanks to the 2 speeding tickets I've gotten in the past year, I get about 34 mpg...
BTW, I don't carry anything in my Box and I weigh close to 200lbs...

 

Took the RS4 on its first road trip...from the bay area to Las Vegas and back and going and coming back averaged just about 39 mpg....there were a couple tanks over that and then I let the b/f drive and Mr. Leadfoot....shot the mpg down the tube....but when I drive it all by myself both intown and freeway...usually between 35 and 38....not bad....for a completely stock xB...

kat

 

Driver, that block off plate is a sweet idea. i was going to invest in a K and N or a TRD drop in this week.
as for the removal of the snorkel, i am sure it has been covered but i only noticed a little better sound.

 

oh yeah I am on stock rims. i did get a gnarly screw in my back left tire 3 months after i got the xb. fing sucks. i will check pressure tomorrow. i used a can of green slim fix a flat. should i take it in and get it checked? says its good for life of tire.

 

As you've no doubt figured, slowing down helps dramatically. Keeping it under 65 mph is your best help. Figure anything above 3,000 rpms is just wasting gas.
Coast up to stops or when you see traffic slowing.
Obviously, using a light foot when taking off from a stop or accelerating in traffic makes a huge difference as well.
I'm not a big fan of ballooning the wee out of you tires, but it can definitely help. I run just 32 psi, but I know several other members are up to and beyond 40.
Stock tires and rims are a major plus. I get 3-4 mpg better with them over my aftermarket 205s.
Not hauling around a lot in the car will help, too. This car has a SMALL engine pushing around a body with the aerodynamics of a shoebox. The less weight it has to carry around while attempting to punch a hole in the air, the better.
And as far as mods go, I just have the K&N panel filter and removed the airbox snorkle.
I've managed over 43 mpg in L.A. traffic, so it can be done!
Good luck!