So I have spent the last few hours searching and searching the forum for ways to maximize the fuel mileage of my 2005 MCS with approximately 65K on the clock. I drive approximately 60 miles to work one way and 55 of those miles are mostly flat open highway with a 70 mph speed limit. I utilize the cruise control as much as possible as well. I'm not talking about using neutral going down hill and restraining from the spirited driving, I get that. I'm talking about fuel additives, mods, oils, anything that has been "proven" to increase fuel mileage.

I am currently in the process of lowering the car (to reduce the cross-sectional drag) and am currently using Mobil 1 0W30 oil. The oil has not significantly done anything but decrease warm up times so I suppose I'm saving fuel there because I will rarely start the car and drive off without at least having the water temps above 100. I have also found that using fuel that has no ethanol in it has given me a 3 mpg increase.

In a previous vehicle I changed the trans oil to an appropriate Lucas Oil brand and found a sustained 3 mpg increase there, but am unaware if this can be done to the Mini as I can't seem to track down if the Mini transmissions are compatible with the Lucas Oil formulas.

If anyone has any ideas that they would like to share, or if you have an idea that you think might be of some help, I am open to them.

 

The lowering should help...as long as you can find someone to align it afterwards I've been struggling to find somewhere that can align mine post-lowering. They all say its too low in some way or another to use their equipment

 

Dont use the cruise control! As backwards as it may sound it kills your mpg. Now keep in mind im purely going off of the in-gauge meter to tell me how my mpg's are. I was inspired by an episode of top gear where clarkson took a audi s6 i believe (twin turbo v8) and did 800 miles on a tank of gas, the whole time he didnt use cruise and got better mpg's. So I tried this and by my gauge I was actually getting 7-10 mpg increase!!

 

+1 on the cruise control, the reason it kills your mpg is that the card doesn't care what the rpms are, just that it's matching your set speed. So it pulses the gas more so than if you were to for things like hills or if you dipped 2 mph and needed to speed up slightly. I think mythbusters might have also tried this one out.

 

When yout tires wear out, buy lowrolling resistance tires....depending on your needs, a slightly narrower set, while keeping the diameter the same might help a bit, or you can go radical, and get a lightweight set of rims...like 15' if you don't have the jcw brakes....
The vw crowd as lots of folks tgat do hi mpg stuff...the mini is mostly fun, but slowing down a bit...maybe a better exhaust, and a better air intake.....just remember....things that make more hp will hurt you IF YOU USE THE HP....so to see gains....a bit less throttle...will you ever see enogh reutrn on the $$ to pay off the improvements...no likly....but trading for lighter rims from heavy oems, or buying tires after yours wear out are simple $$ that will not cost more.
Fact of the life...the mini is draggy....and runs rich due to the sc...so will never be a hypermiler...but i find above 3200 rpm cruising, i burn much more fuel....so i bet not going 70 would help the most.
As for tranny oil....pre2005 cars had a basic thick manual transssion oil....post 2005 cars, when a lsd was offered, switched to a thinner oil....so not sure lucas would help, csuse it is basicly just a thinner oil...and you should alreaddy have that.

 

+1 or the LRR tires, 40psi, lighter wheels and skinny tires. I find my MINI wheels are HEAVY.
Synth tranny oil will help a little. Drive 65 instead of 70 if you can.
I like Shell gasoline the best. Try using 89 instead of 91 every other fill to save $.

Oh, don't let your car idle at warm up. Just drive it right away at low throttle inputs and keep the revs under 3.5k. There is no need to let a car sit and warm up. It is actually worse for the car because it takes longer to get up to temp and the engine wears more the longer the fluids are cold. The owners manual for my Saab insists that you drive off right away, just gently until it gets warmed up fully.
Leave your car backed into parking spots so that you can start and drive off. Backing up and slow maneuvering with a cold engine wastes fuel.

One more, I don't know how cold it gets where you are but if the winters are cold, you could install a block heater and plug in the car on a timer during winter. You can start off with a warm car and save a bunch of gas at warm up. A cold motor burns several times as much fuel as a warm one. The payback on this one is fairly long though, probably a couple of winters at least.

 

high flow air filter would be a good start. this will allow more air into engine. just dont use it! lol.

slow starts will help, (from a stand still), and even slow shifting. basically, slower will always be better.

otherwise, draft behind big trucks (dangerous :P ), or drive at the best rpm for your car on the highway. for me, i think its under 70mph, or just over, like 73 or something. there is a fine point where you can use more gas going slower, and less gas going faster. as others have said, best thing is go like, 65. its going to take you an extra 6 mins go get home, but probably save you a gallon along the way.

lastly, make sure your tires have the proper air pressure all the time. low tire = eats gas.

one thing i tried, not sure if its helped (hard to tell with so many power adders), but i lined the underside of my car with that "plastic cardboard" stuff; forget what its called, but i have a whole writeup on it, see link here: https://www.northamericanmotoring.co...dy-panels.html

 

I drove from DC to Tampa, single passenger on my 2002 MCS with 130k and got 300 miles per tank. Avg speed 75-85 miles/hr.

In a recent trip from Baton Rouge to Tampa I got 360 miles to a tank, 2 passengers, 1 Pekinese and a suitcase. The only thing I did changed was I put a CAI and this time I had the tires well inflated 35 Psi( gas station gauge, not sure about accuracy).
Having the right tire pressure certainly helped.

Both times i put 89 octane, I'm sure 91 octane would have added some more miles/tank.

 

I just drove from sanibel island to Miami (about 160 miles). Cruised at 67 mph, averaged 39.8 mpg. 2006 justa five speed with a k&n panel filter and a new set of kumhos ecsta 4x on the 16in r83, 34 psi. About 65 deg ambient. Used less than a 1/4 tank. Sometimes I miss my r53 sometimes I dont

 

After reading some of the responses I have noticed that I might need to give more information about the car and its environment.

So as the car sits currently, its a 2005 MCS with the stock 17" S-lites wrapped in Fuzion 215/45/R17 (non RFT) with probably 60% tread remaining at 40psi, installed the complete 3pc. M7 Ultimate Grill set, has a K&N panel filter in the stock airbox, and a 2" stubby antenna. Generally the car carries myself and one passenger (call our average weight 400lbs).

I currently reside in Idaho Falls, ID where the winter temps can (and do) get down to the south side of 0*F (on average call it the low to mid teens), but during the summer months we average around the mid 90's. I would love to be able to install a block heater and plug it in at night, but alas I live in an apartment and my parking situation makes that impossible.

I will definitely try not using the cruise control as I have noticed using the computer that I can generally get better gas mileage than the car can, but always thought that was more of an instantaneous thing than over the long haul.

I have been contemplating doing the "one ball mod" on the exhaust until I can afford one of the engineered systems (and have had my eye on the Ireland Engineering cat back system). I looked at LRR tires when I bought the Fuzions back at the beginning of the summer and felt like the higher pricing of the tire was not worth the savings. I realize that it sound like I'm a total cheapskate, but I assure you I have no problem spending the money as long as I know I am getting some return from it. My next upgrade after the exhaust will be a set of 17" Breyton wheels as they are IMO the lightest AND best looking wheel for the Mini, of course they will have to be black as I drive a PW/B car.

One question I do have is how can I tell if my car has a LSD installed from the factory? I have the 6-spd Manual with DSC, so can I just call the dealer or is there a PN to look for? I only raise this question because if I don't have the LSD then I might actually see an improvement by changing to a lighter Trans fluid.

@AstroBlack: Have you been able to tell any improvement with the belly pans? I thought about doing this when I first purchased the car but when I actually looked underneath it I found that the bottom of the car is pretty flat to begin with.

I thank all of you for the input and still welcome any further input.

 

kdelder,

To be honest, its hard to say. I know for sure it has reduced road noise quite a bit. I think, according to "butt dyno", that the car actually accelerates slightly faster as well (less resistance of course). As for increased MPG, well put it to you this way: i have a fairly modded JCW, pulley, intake, all that jazz, and im Still getting an avg of 26 city and the computer says i cruise at around 30-32 on the highway. Computer says avg highway mpg is 28-29. i also have a short cummute, about 35 miles one way daily. i avg 325 - 340 per tank, depending on how much city driving i do, or how much gas is wasted at stop lights :P

IMO, i think the rear of the car is probably the biggest drag point (aside from the front of course). if you look, its basically a big parachute under the exhaust up to the rear bumper. Maybe look into making a pan for that (i am working on that soon). I have seen other ppl write about making rear diffusers and gaining 1-3 mpg!

lastly, noticing your nearly at the north pole with outside winter temps, the car will always use more gas due to the cold dense air. you may have a hard time getting around that right there.

every consider removing your side view mirrors? replace them with cameras? less wind resistance!

 

You are not a total cheapskate because you bought a Mini and not say a Civic.
16" wheels and tires will be even lighter plus narrower for less drag and friction loss, but it is a looks thing.
The LRR tires generally pay for themselves in the tests that I have read, but not much beyond that.
There is a thread in here about "find out all the options you have" It is followed by a dealer rep who looks up your VIN and gives you the listing. I found it very helpful.
I really want to stress that you don't have to let your car warm up in winter. Just make sure you can see through the windows and go. Try not to use the defroster or A/C more than are necessary.

 

Yo kdelder - what are you getting for mileage right now?

Cheers,

Charlie