Ya Hoo, first posting. I've had my 2003 Mini Cooper S for just over two weeks now and I LOVE it, stink loads of power and gobs of grip. Now one reason I bought it was for the posted mileage of 45 IMP MPG (I'm in Canada) for highway. Now I know I'll never actually see that kind of mileage, but something close would be nice like 38 IMP MPG. I've read several posts and many, many people say they get poor mileage and they are OK with that because its a rocket sled for the road. Well thats fine, but I'm driving down to Mexico City in three months and I would like to get better than 32 IMP MPG doing 105 Km/hr (65MPH). I'm kindof ticked because Transport Canada (same as EPA) posts 45 IMP MPG and I'm not even close.

I too am a "spirited" driver and I don't mind paying for it when I am, but when I'm cruising down to Mexico I want the best mileage I can get.

I'm taking it in to the BMW/Mini dealer to see if there are any errors registered in the computer, but besides that I can only think of getting the latest program update, new air filter, and get the plugs checked. Is there anything else I should be looking for? Is the supercharger bypass electronically controlled? And if so, can it be changed to a higher RPM to allow for impoved highway consumption?

Cheers.

 

Be careful with that car in Mexico City. Watch where you park it and keep your eyes open when at stoplight intersections. It's also a completely different driving experience. I only have my wife and family drive in the city because they grew up driving there. It's a madhouse, but everyone cooperates, BUT you will NOT have a mexican tag on it and that will be noticed by everyone else. GOOD LUCK, mpg will be the least of your concerns.

 

I've done four days driving in Guadalajara in a crappy little Peugeot hatchback and the relatives we were visiting said I was starting to drive like a Mexican. Is my driving experience in Mexico City going to be simmilar?

So will not having a Mexican plate mean I will be a target in traffic, or given a bit of extra room?

I know about taking off anything easily removed from the exterior of my car (valve stem caps, wheel caps, antenna, badges, etc), but anything else I should consider?

Thanks for the advice,
Cheers.

 

I think CDMini means you should be concerned for the well-being of your Mini; being in Mexico in a Mini with US tags could be a target for an abduction.

Personally, I'd be concerned. But, then again, I'm very picky about where I park it in the US.

 

Yes, that's it. I don't think anyone tries to create accidents there. In fact I found it much more cooperative and less aggressive than in good ole USA. Everyone knows they are stuck in traffic in the largest city in the world and everyone has to get in. Watch out for the green mini buses, some of them I saw with spinning sabers on the ends of their wheels, ,maybe they were just plastic, maybe not. Don't leave it anywhere that is not enclosed or covered parking, there are plenty available just find them, or it may become a parts car very FAST...

 

The main thing that kills are cars on the whole mileage issue is wind resistance and aerodynamics. Basically all those set figures are done at 55 mph with no extra drains on the motor (i.e. A/C) So if you keep your speeds lower you should see some better mileage, but what is the fun in that.

Sorry I am metric illiterate.

 

We got the Green Hornet in LA, California over Christmas last year and drove it back to Guatemala City where we live.

I'm no boy racer but we were making time and did the trip in five days. The average for the whole trip was about 31 miles to gallon. The whole part across California, Arizona, New Mexico was about 75 MPH and pretty fast down the gulf coast of Mexico.

As an earlier poster said, if you want best gas mileage, stick it in 6th drive at 55 and don't stop ever!

I had California plates on the car for about six months and have had Guatemalan plates on it for similar amount of time. Either way, everyone wants to look at the MINI

Saludos

 

my 05 get at least 33 imp mpg at above 65mph.. mpg starts going down if I shoot for 85 mph. but 05 gearing is much aggressive then 03... I doubt you may need to change the air filter or spark plugs... tire pressure also affect mpg, check it if you are having the correct pressure.

 

My tips, based on my 2300 mile trip home with my new 06:

1. Speed - going 65 I could get 32 mpg easy (US mpg), but going 75-90 it dropped to around 29-30 mpg (US) pretty quick. Faster always equals worse mileage in almost any car. Usually your "best" mileage is 45-55 mph.

2. Wind is an issue for a Mini, so a head wind or cross wind will drop your mileage a bit.

And...if you are going into Mexico, make sure your insurance is valid there. A lot of insurance policies in the US/Canada are not designated for Mexico. You'd be okay, just be careful and make sure you policy covers you there.

 

EPA MPG estimates are going to be changing to be based on more current, real-world circumstances it looks like.


http://yosemite.epa.gov/opa/admpress...f!OpenDocument

 

You can dramatically improve your in-town mileage by shifting at lower RPMs. Granted, this is not "spirited" driving, but if you're in traffic and going from light to light, it's not that kind of experience anyway. For good mileage in town, shift at around 2500 RPM, max 3000. If you're on a slight downhill, you can shift at 2000 RPM. I have also found that it is OK to skip gears when you do have to rev it up a bit. For example, if you rev up to 4000 in 2nd gear, it is no sweat to shift directly to 4th, just wait a fraction of a second longer between shifts so the RPMs can drop. I have also been astonished at how well the MCS pulls at low RPMs--you can lug it around at 1500 RPMs with no problem--though I wouldn't do it uphill. True, you are not in the fat part of the power curve, but you can remedy that anytime by downshifting.

Don't accelerate hard uphill! There is one nasty uphill in my morning commute. I used to gun it up that hill (fun!) until I realized that accelerating hard on that long hill (about a quarter mile) was costing me several miles worth of gas. I guess the idea is to enjoy your spirited driving where it makes the most sense if you want to improve your mileage.

If you have the computer, just set it to display your current consumption, it is a very educational experience.

I do have to add, I feel the 6th gear on my 2006 MCS is not tall enough, it should be more of an overdrive. I can get 23.4 MPG at 70mph in my Honda Odyssey with 6 people and luggage in it and the AC running--it is only pulling about 1800 RPMs at that speed, and it's a 3.5 litre V6 and the van weighs lots more than the Mini. If the MCS would run at say 2000 RPMs at 70mph, we'd all get better mileage on the highway. Of course, we'd have to downshift for uphills and passing, but, hey, I like shifting!

 

Get yourself some bigger(taller) tires, that will give you a better overdrive ratio for long trips

You'll need to either get a GPS or recalibrate your speedo so that you can keep track of your real speed.

 

Ok, well I took my MCS to the dealer to get the computer program updated, and I could notice the difference in power right away. It was lacking that grunt when accelerating. Now the reason I went was to get better mileage, and so I went to do a test.

I talked to BMW customer service and they gave me a couple of hints for doing a mileage test. First go out and back on the same road to cancel out wind effects. Second was to use the same pump for both fills, and only fill to the first click. I followed the advise and also kept my speed over 100kph and only hit a shade above 110kph a couple of times. My average for the trip was 36.8 CDN mpg (30.6 US mpg).

The car has lost some power with the new program update but this is just fine because I'm going to want the best mileage for scooting down to Mexico.

That was my solution to the MPG issue.

 

your could try running 3oz acetone to a tank of gas for improved mileage

[FONT=Arial][SIZE=2]http://pesn.com/2005/03/17/6900069_Acetone/[/SIZE][/FONT]