Are there any mods out there that increase gas mileage?

Most seem to be for speed.

 

how about the large grade A ovum mod:
try putting an egg between your foot and the gas pedal.

 

besides what cristo said.. If its and MCS go to the LW wheel and tire combo. or any other wieght reduction. This will improve both performance and Gas mileage.

 

Here's some freebies:

• strip the car down to save weight (throw out the back seats, etc.
• increase the air pressure in the tires
• easy with the throttle
• be in a gear higher sooner than you normally would: for instance, you're cruising at 40 MPH and you're normally in 3rd gear, go ahead and shift into 4th gear.

As far as things to buy:

• light-weight wheels and tires...also make sure they're thinner too...Some tire are designed for fuel efficiency...but they have less traction.
• freer flowing exhaust systems
• freer flowing intake systems

Things to buy if they existed

• larger pulley for the supercharger (so it doesn't rob extra HP) (and so it doesn't create as much boost)
• smaller disc brakes (yes, save some rotating mass)
• better bearings for everything in the drivetrain.
• chop the top (better Coefficient Of Drag) and anything else to lower the COD.

 

I think the light wheels are a good approach and not to use AC too often.
Also your ECU will adapt to your driving habits so if you drive gently it
will try to save you as much fuel as possible.

Although in the wintertime where you get winterized/oxygenated gas,
the fuel economy takes a dive no matter what you do.

 

What everyone else above said: light wheels/tires, light brakes (i.e. the smaller BBK's like Wilwood or B3 16" kit), no-options/stripped out vehicle....and a few more:

A quality ECU product - Like UNIchip, will actually improve fuel economy around town as it leans out the engines air/fuel ratio (which is way too rich with stock ECU, regardless of its adaptation), thus using less fuel.

Low rolling resistance tires: Wide, sticky summer tires tend to have lots of rolling resistance compared to a harder, longer-lasting all-season touring tire. Yes you trade traction for fuel economy, but you have to compromise somewhere.

Cheers,
Ryan

 

I replaced the intake and exhaust on my Cooper with less restrictive aftermarket ones, primarily to try to increase the fuel economy, which has always been far below the EPA ratings, especially in the city. I didn't honestly think that increased fuel economy would eventually pay for the cost of the mods, I was mainly just looking to ease my conscience about driving a vehicle that I had bought primarily for fuel economy, but which had turned out to be less efficient than a much larger Accord or Camry.

Long story short, no noticeable change at all, with the same speeds, same driving style, same tire inflation. So, don't count on it, unfortunately. Fuel economy was obviously a very distant concern when designing this car. I just wish I knew that before I bought it. Most of the people on here raving about the fuel economy aren't thinking about the size and weight of the car; they're comparing it to their much larger vehicles and thinking that as long as it gets over 25 mpg (which mine doesn't, in the city!), all's peachy.

 

Watch the show Mythbusters on Dicovery, they tested this and busted it... Found that there was no affect on mileage with the AC on or off... But driving with the windows down DOES decrease mileage, the extra drag had an effect...

 

Thanks, greven, for a seldom-asked question. Thanks, chrisnl, for your candor about the Mini's fuel economy--yikes. And thanks, everyone, for the recommendations.

I read today (Motor Trend while at the grocery store) that one reason Mini is getting a new engine is because Europe will introduce CAFE standards in 2008. The current Minis are considered inefficient for their small size and the new motors are supposed to help.

I made a deposit on a new MCS (very long wait) after debating about gas mileage for 6 months. I finally talked myself into believing I know enough about driving to be able to get toward the more efficient end of the scale. My current car (which I have owned for 10 years) has been an embarrassment (20 mpg around town while I feather the throttle) despite its teeny motor and no performance whatsoever (I did not realize when I bought it that it had 4 wheel drive). I resolved to do much better with a Mini. Somehow I kept remembering what excellent mileage my old Honda Civic got, but forgot that that car weighed 600 pounds less than the MCS and was s-l-o-w.

Maybe my choice of color for the car will not be the only thing that will change weekly. I may have to reconsider waiting until the 2007s are introduced. Sigh.

Happy motoring.

 

Now that was a double blind totally accurate study... NOT!!!

They used BIG ole Gas guzzling SUV's not a small car with a small 1.6 liter 4 banger! Then they held the things to a constant 35 mph. Yea that is real world motoring. NOT!!!

I for one would like to see them do the same test but this time in a small underpowered car with a tiny little 4 cylinder. Also put it on a loop that includes both in town stop light to stop light grand prix as well as a interstate section. Make those squirrels in the squirrel cages work! Run the things up and down through the gears and through the entire RPM range!

I remember a Pontiac catalog back in the 1980's stating that the Trans AM had 225 hp and it was so slippery that it only needed 15 hp to maintain a constant 55 mph speed.

 

ya, but they did another test. they put the same amout of fuel in and went around the track until the fuel ran out. the one with the windows down went much longer than the one with the a/c on. They concluded that the second test was right. showing that windows down was better.

 

Best rewatch that episode again. When testing with a full tank of gas in each vehicle, they did many many many more laps with the windows down, than they one with the AC on. When they testing with the computer equipment (which measured vacuum on the engine...if I recall correctly), they had similar fuel economy. It was around 13 MPG if memory serves. Yes, they were testing with fuel inefficient SUVs. I think it would have been much more dramatic with a 100 hp engine where the AC really takes a chunk out of the performance.

 

^^^^^ Talk about a double posting. Similar minds must work alike!

 

I drive a Honda Insight. If I were driving on the highway getting 75 mpg and the A/C turned on, the mileage would go down to just over 65. A/C is the largest drain on power a car can have (other than our SC, of course). Now the larger the engine (and less fuel efficient), the less effect it would have. 7-10 mpg on the Insight is probably 2-3 on the MINI and <1 on an SUV. An A/C draining 10 hp on a 300 hp engine is much less noticeable than on an engine that only makes 75-100 hp.

 

Want to increase gas mileage in a MINI?
Buy a MINI ONE or a MINI Diesel.

Just changing your wheels/tires to the stock MINI 15" wheels with Continental tires will help alot. They are light and thinner. Not much traction but we are talking mpg here.

Besides rolling up your windows you can keep your sunroof closed if you think that air drag above 40 mph makes a difference.

For most cars you're going to get decent mpg at about 35 to 40 mph kept steady. If on the highway stick to the speed limit or better yet 55 mph if you can. Stay away from gridlock and heavy urban traffic (like that was an option )

Keep heavy stuff out of your car. Don't haul bricks, sandbags, extra amplifiers, olympic weight set, or extra people if you can. The impact of added weight on a smaller car to decrease mpg is much greater than on a heavy car/van/SUV.

Always monitor and use correct air pressure- the biggest mistake and often missed. Slightly high is OK and reduces rolling resistance a little.

From:
http://www.mpgplus.com/
Always keep your engine "tuned up".
Always use the "best" full synthetic motor oil.
Use the Cruise control- Don't set it too "high".
Drive at steady speed- don't speed up going uphill.
Reduce drag- try not driving too far with your four surfboards, two kayaks, or three bikes.

And I guess, don't ride the brake pedal. And don't think that it's time to shift only if you hit redline.

Finally- I like: wash and wax your MINI. A "Happy" MINI is a fast and efficient MINI.

 

i'll let the first line of my signature speak for itself....

 

during the summer, I performed a test to see how good my gas milage could be, do I took my 2004 MC 15" continentals for a 3 hour ride on the highway, AC off, windows up, (wasn't a hot day at all)and believe it or not I kept my cruise control to 55 mph....do you know how hard it is to keep it down to 55 !.....my milage was 44 mpg.....although in the real world, I get about 37 or so on the highway

 

Me too.

Sort of.

I took my almost stock MCS when it was new through the same exercise to see how good mpg I could get. I did about a 100+ mile test and got about 32 to 33 mpg.

Many mods later, I usually can expect about 27 mpg but I hardly have the self control to drive at 55 mph anymore.

And most mods are not for "speed".
I'd guess that most mods are for "enhanced functionality or appearance".

 

I got 37 mpg in my '02 MCS on an all-highway trip. Speeds ranged from 75-85 mph. It's all in the technique - driving an Insight for 4 years really changes your driving style. Drafting, keeping the pedal in the same position going over overpasses (slow down going up then speed up going down), not changing speed rapidly...

It's not too hard to get over 40 mpg in a MCS is you keep the speed in the low-mid 40's in 6th gear. I don't mind driving for economy during the week and then having some fun on the weekends. Why pay the middle east any more than we have to?

 

Umberto, Minihune & Kapps, et al:

Encouraging information there. Glad I dropped by the forum while having breakfast. Good for the appetite.

When (yeah, when?) I get my Mini I must remember to set the cruise control as often as possible, leave the windows closed, not store the golf clubs and mulch in back, keep the surfboards inside (styrofoam anyway), nix the canoe and roof-mounted storage container, and Mini will have already taken care of that pesky spare for me.

I will get the best fuel economy possible while in "car" mode so that I can feel OK about slaloming (slalomming?) in the foothills while in "Mini" mode. Indeed!

Happy motoring. (Why didn't that thumbs up icon adhere?)

 

Before you go off and spend $100s on mods to increase your fuel economy consider how much of an increase the mod will give you and many miles you'll have to drive before you break even. You'll probably find that it simply doesn't make any economic sense.

Cheapest way to save gas is to simply keep you foot out of it.

 

An alta intake got me 3 to 4 mpg better fuel economy. I would have to agree that the cost of the intake system would take some long miles of use to justufy the expense. I also agree that an easy foot on the throttle is the best way to conseve fuel. Also make sure your tires are properly inflated, check them often. Motor on .

 

I'll ad my bit on the fuel usage issue.. I've noticed that most seem to have issues concerning this topic when the car is new or fairly new. Depening on the make mileage seems to be less when new and gradually gets better as the motor breaks in. How many miles? Well, in BMW's case with their 6 cyl it seems to take about 7 to 8 thousand miles before I noticed the milage getting better. At 20,000 it was at or a bit better than stated. Now that car has 100,000 and on my return trip from PA it averaged 32 to 34 mile to Phila and 28-29 on the way back with passenger and a full load of IKEA. All at an average speed 76 there and 65 return to michigan(traffic jam in OHIO!! You have to love trip computers!! Now to double check it all I needed to know was how many miles to my destination and how many gallons the car (325is) holds. The computer was spot on. Anyway, all I'm saying is when the car was new the mileage was TERRIBLE...It seemed I could almost watch the needle drop on the fuel gauge! Now my car has seen track duty is lowered, 18 wheels, wide tired, suspension mods I find the car's mileage is acceptible. As for my MINI I just hit 20,000 mile and I have noticed it's much better than when it was new. I have an alta intake, pulley, llowered and 18 inch wheels so far. I have done one trip to Phila from MI and at the time it only needed one tank to get me with in 100 of my destination. Again averaging, about 75. I would say it was about 31 to 34 to the gallon. No computer in my MINI...just took the distance and fuel capacity. I suspect that maybe some that are having issues with the mileage will see better number as the car ages. Also, despite the cars size it is NO Honda insite. Supercharged is not the way to go if your sole priority is fuel savings. I think for the capacity and what the car does get at 26 to 2700 lbs is pretty good. Hopefully like other BMW's the mileage will increase as it gets older..keeping mind to service the car and keep it in top shape, of which I doubt is a concern with this crowd . I do know one thing that the BMW and MINI share... both seem to get better as they age!

-C

 

Definitely a way to go. Increasing flow improves performance and mileage. Lots of money for maybe one mpg though.

I couldn't disagree with this one more! A pulley reduction for performance will also INCREASE mpg IF you drive it the same b/c it makes the engine more efficient. The key is driving it the same - but that's the key with most of these mods. If you add and intake and exhaust and love the sound so much that you drive it harder, you won't see the increase in fuel economy. Same goes with a pulley and the same goes with an ECU. Theoretically you'll get BETTER mileage if you don't drive like you stole it after you add these mods. I know that after a 19% pulley, intake and exhaust, I not only had gobs more power than stock, but I got better gas mileage even though I still drove it harder. So if I can take it easy, I could get even better mileage.

I HAVE seen a drop in mileage with an ECU with larger injectors. Although it's easy to blame on the injectors and probably rightfully so, I've been driving it so much harder now that I want to wait a few months before I make a final assessment on that.

 

Do NOT buy a MINI "just" for Gas Mileage

You are better off with a FUGLY Toyota Prius or a Civic

A MINI is about 100 times more fun and BEGGS YOU to punch it and GO FAST, especially in the city, on the hills and in the curves

HIGHWAY driving is the ONLY time my MINI gets a brake from "PUSHING IT"

Phil