i havent gotten over 300 per tank

 

going to find out next month what is the max mileage .I figure by then my Scion will b broken in and ready .

 

Hello everyone, this is my first post on here. I have Ordered my 2006 Scion xA SSM and should be receiving it within the next month. I've been reading info about Scion xA on these forums to get an idea of any problems, mods and improvements one can have. Then I come here to this post. No one really explaining why mileage is so all over the board.
Here I will attempt to explain why this is the case.

I am computer engineering graduate, and i have worked on the hybrid car project here at my alumni.
I have attended several seminars on controls and have learned a lot about how a road vehicle works.

Whilst I don't know every single aspect about how a car works (and please correct me if I'm wrong,) I do have a good understanding how cars these days work.

Most vehicles today, as far as i know, are around 35% efficient. (don't quote me on that.)

First lets start with what will loose mileage,
-too much air and little vaporized gas, this will result in no power. *rarely the case
-too little air and too much gas, this will result in over power and over heating the engine, and possible crack the header of the engine *and believe me this is a mess to clean up.
-using the A/C all the time. the power to drive the Freon through the car is controlled by a small electric motor connected to the engine on a pulley system, Similar to the alternator. This device must be driven to keep your cockpit cool. so a good 5% - 10% of the engine's efficiency is used here.
- Transmission gear ratio's, Too much revving and no power to the wheels. I don't know to much on transmissions.
- resistance during exhaust. this will block up air flow.
- fuel, this has been noted, and YES the type of fuel you us does have an impact
- weather. uncontrollable
- driving style. if you drive like a racer expect to lose mileage or if you drive in the city more also expect to lose mileage
- oil, the oil gets dirty. And becomes similar to sludge if left for too long. I.E. NOT GOOD
- Water/radiator. Dirty radiator water won't keep the engine cool.
- poor tire pressure

What will help with mileage
- cooler air during vaporization process. not too cold. this will help with combustion, and help keep the engine cool. So a cold air intake, and clean filters
- Less resistance during exhaust. I.E. New muffler,
- more controlled driving. Less race like acceleration.
- good quality fuel.
- open your windows except using the A/C. The moving air will carry the heat away from your body.
Tip, on a hot day, first let the heat out of your car by opening the doors or window. About a minuet. Don't turn on the A/C right away, let the A/C radiator cool by just letting air pass over it. Other wise more energy will be used to cool it off before it starts to cool the cockpit. Which means more gas waisted.

This is all mechanical, but there is an electronic component to the whole equation. The car's computer. The computer controls the majority of the sparking and injection of the combustion system. And when first installed on a car, it is usually default from the factory. From my knowledge the software for this is essentially a look up table depending on engine speed, road speed, fuel combustibility, engine temp., and THE WAY YOU DRIVE. This table or graph, depending on programing, is continually changing as you drive your car.
Like someone mentioned above about break in period. This is important because it sets the computer to the way you drive and the environment you drive at the very beginning. And the algorithms for controlling all the systems is complex.

Again, don't quote me on any of this, Toyota/Scion may have taken a totally different approach. All the above is just from my knowledge from workning on the hybrid project at my alumni

 

You mention a lot of good points. In my experience, I've found that there are still some others that will effect the milage still (or perhaps you even listed it and I missed it because your post was like a college report and you lost my attention ;)). I'm sure you already know though if you didn't list them. A/F ratio optimization to provide best punch for least gas. Rolling resistance and mechanical loss in the car(engine, tranny, wheels, etc) due to weight, momentum or lubrication. I won't get into it too much though because we could just go back and forth here and I honestly don't have the time to write novels on it.

Something I found interesting is that it seems that more people near the tail end of this thread are getting higher milage, 35+ than during the start. I'm starting to think that some of the parts on the newer models have improved quality to create the milage improvement.

Has anybody ever taken their car to the dealership to get this fixed?

I haven't posted here for a while, but here's my milage history,
https://www.scionlife.com/forums/vie...=433695#433695
I'm basically at a very dissapointed 25city/30highway at the moment and 14k miles later.

 

In Jan.'06 I bought my Scion Xa .Since then my mileage varied from 31-37 mpg.Needless to say I was somewhat dismayed.After driving my Scion for a month changing my driving habits and such I finally got fed up and installed a tornado fuel saver .It really helped as it always did with my other cars that I have previously.Despite debunkers ,with it installed I was getting 1-4 mpg xtra.Since that time I have installed another with it and am getting now 42-47 mpg.I also discovered that driving habits ,watching the psi in ur tires,and monitoring ur A/C use can greatly improve mileage(y'all I live in Mississippi).Just doing 1 of these things I have found out can increase gas mileage on ur car.Rite now at this moment I'm getting 43-45 mpg.If anybody here wants more info on the links to these devices that greatly improve ur gas mileage please,E-mail me . I am going to do a few more mods and hopefully reach 50mpg and beyond hopefully getting into "hybridville".

Thank U

 

I own a '06 Scion Xa silver,auto.. Just got my 6000 mile fuel change and have 2 fuel savers on my car.I'm fixing to do other mods on my car to try to 50+mpg and beyond!

 

27mpg. Automatic. Just passed 2000 miles.

someone please tell me my mpg will get better.

 

Apple guy,
those tornado fuel savers really work?
whats the power output from when you installed it? better or less power. because i find it strangely odd taht you can gain that much mpg from them. do you still have the stock intake or aftermarket,
send the link too, i want to check it out.

 

Tornadoes work.I have had 3 vehicles in the past and each has given me at least 2mpg.Also the tornado gives u 2hp as well .Ur not going to win any dragraces with it,lol but it's tried and tested with me .All that hearsay I have heard about it not working I think is poppycock.

 

apple,
on a stock intake or on an aftermarket?

 

my '06 is a stock model

 

bump

 

Update --
Switched to Denso Iridium plugs at 26,000 miles.

Recorded a best of 42mpg on a long freeway trip at 60mph. Average for all miles is now 29.9 with 75% stop and go driving. Average for 29,000 miles is now 29.9.

 

Anybody else have luck with these Iridium plugs? I'm starting to consider them. Thanks for the data Saronian!

 

Would that be relevant for those with a manual transmission? I would like to see the comparison with gas mileage between XA Automatic Transmissions vs. XA Manual.

 

Most I've ever seen was 37.0 MPG, on my way back from the SL BBQ.

 

I remember leaving my car stock for 2 months the best I got was 37 mpg and that was just the hwy.Since,installing 3 fuel savers and checking my air in my tires (anally ,I mite add)I have been getting 43+ mpg .This last week I have calculated with the A/C on full blast (most of the time)I have recieved rite around 39-40 mpg .I drive around 54-59 mph and don't have jackrabit stops/starts.I blieve fully that if u drive 65+ mph u mite as well b throwing ur wallet out the door.Compared to 3 Toyota Prius's I have blown them away with my gas mileage .I have only been beat by 2 and they were Honda Hybrids starting at 56mpg and 64 mpg.For $10,000 less I have been beating Prius's.U can do this as well if u want to go there?So far this year I have only paid about $ 426 dollars on gas .It's been only 5 months and about 9,000+ miles on my odometer since I have recieved the car !From the knowledge I have recieved from this I am going to cut down on my traveling around that much,lol.I have been adament that the Scion xa could do better than what's posted so here it is.Instead of buying hi-performance parts like springs and rims and such which I personally don't dissuade others from getting It's just not me ,I have instead watched constantly my driving habits and so on.I hope this helps y'all a little ?

 

I have a 2006 xA with 1,200 miles on it. i consistenly get 33mpg with mixed city and highway driving, plus zipping around and "racing" around a little.

I just did a 100 mile test and drove about 60 highway and 40 city and tried to drive very efficient and i got 39mpg.

I'm very satisfied i've been getting over what the sticker says...

 

I tried "granny" driving for a tank-full and I got 30.8 mpg. I usually get 28-29mpg when I zip around town...the extra 30 miles per fillup ain't worth crapola!

 

That's right about what I get with our '06 AT using air in the summer. A 20 mile mixed city/highway commute gets 34-35, and a long drive at 55 brings it right around 40. And that's all without blowing money on fuel savers, mystic crystals, or wearing out over-inflated tires.

There are either large differences in engine tuning, fuel quality, or everyone's personal definition of easy driving.