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Chevrolet Malibu MPG-Real World Numbers

293 messages,  Last post on Dec 05, 2009 at 6:59 AM

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What is this discussion about? Chevrolet Malibu, Chevrolet Malibu Maxx, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Hatchback, Sedan

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#41 of 293 Re: Great mileage so far [cwesleyg] by southcarolina Aug 14, 2005 (8:59 am)
Replying to: cwesleyg (Aug 11, 2005 12:51 pm) Just got back from a trip to Myrtle Beach and we averaged 28.7 mpg for the 500 miles or so which we drove. I'm a little worried about the ice in Milwaukee. She's an excellent driver. And she's driven the Camaro over a hundred miles in a southern snowstrom (about 8 inches of snow) with no problems. But it does not get as cold here as it does in Milwaukee and I believe she'll be living a couple blocks from Lake Michigan and having to cross the Milwaukee River to get to work. Replies to this message: cwesleyg (Aug 15, 2005 6:00 am)
#42 of 293 Re: Great mileage so far [southcarolina] by cwesleyg Aug 15, 2005 (6:00 am)
Replying to: southcarolina (Aug 14, 2005 8:59 am) I wouldn't worry about too much. The weather up here is diddferent than snow in the southern regoins... me get more snow and less freezing rain. The terrain is fairly flat as well. I know a lot of people that buy 4 wheel drive and use the weather as an excuse for spending way to much on transportation. I live in a subdivision with 300 houses and I'll bet 2/3's have at least one 4WD. Most of them never shift into 4 wheel... and if they do, it is for 1 day in January... it is a big waste of money. Our first week living in MI, we moved to Grand Rapids in "94, we were driving a rear wheel drive 1988 Mercury Cougar... I passed more Explorers, Cherokees, Troopers, Passports, and Blazers in ditches... 4WD is no substitute for common sense. If she is going to live on paved roads, she won't need it. Stopping is a bigger issue than moving forward. 4WD does not equal 4 wheel stop.
#43 of 293 Better now by maxxoliver Aug 19, 2005 (6:34 pm)
Ok I take it back. We just got back from a trip to Brookings, Oregon, we live near San Francisco, Calif, and got 28 to 32 mpg's and that was driving alot of mountain roads we covered about 1200 miles. My husband says part of it is the difference in the fuel between Calif and other states. I still would not trade this car for anything it is alot of fun to drive.
#44 of 293 Long trip MPG 2005 LT by bamalt Sep 27, 2005 (7:43 am)
Just drove from Birmingham, AL to outside Chicago, IL on a roundtrip in my new 2005 Malibu LT. It currently has 3000 miles. I averaged 30.5 mpg the whole trip mostly driving at 71 mph. The DIC said I was averaging 29 mpg. I've found so far that the DIC has been 1-2 mpg on the low side. Our trip included two occupants loaded with full luggage and ice chest. I was very pleased with the gas mileage. The A/C was on about half the time. Replies to this message: clarencehollow (Apr 13, 2006 6:44 pm)
#45 of 293 Boston to Orlando Trip by brianma Sep 29, 2005 (12:47 pm)
We bought a 2005 Malibu LS 1B for our college daughter and drove down to Florida to get her settled into her second year of school. The car had just over a 1000 miles at the start of the trip. The trip was 1447 miles of mostly interstate driving (I-90 to I-84 to I-91 to CT-15 to I-287 to I-78 to I-81 to I-77 to I-26 to I-95 to I-4). We averaged 70-75 mph in light traffic and the car returned 33.7, 34.2, 35.8, and 35.2 for the four fill ups on the trip (mileage calculated by the miles/gallons, not via the car computer, although the computer was pretty close on each tank - always about 5% high). I ended up driving straight through with just two rest stop breaks in addition to the four fuel stops. The seats were super comfortable for the 20 hours of seat time and the cruise control was a welcome aid for the long interstate stretches with light traffic. I'm 6'5" and a bit wide too at 250#, so that is even more reason to praise the legroom, tilt/telescope wheel, and seat comfort.   I have a 2005 Maxx LT 1B that gets up to about 32 on pure highway driving for comparison and has averaged 26.2 mpg for all the driving to date (9400 miles). Replies to this message: willscary (Sep 29, 2005 7:07 pm) pao (Sep 30, 2005 10:30 am) willscary (Sep 30, 2005 2:43 pm) maxxoliver (Oct 01, 2005 6:41 am) and 1 more...
#46 of 293 Re: Boston to Orlando Trip [brianma] by willscary Sep 29, 2005 (7:07 pm)
Replying to: brianma (Sep 29, 2005 12:47 pm) I figure you will get better mpg with the LS simply because the tires are about 4-5% narrower. I have stated many times the mileage I get, and I have averaged 37.3 mpg over the life of the car. I have found that my best mileage (right around 40 mpg!) is during warmer weather with the cruise set at about 56 mph. At 60 mph I drop to about 38 mpg, and at 65 mph my economy drops to about 36 mpg. With gas prices being what they are, I do not drive over about 66 mph, even on the interstate. At 70 mph, my mileage drops to around 32 mpg. (I experiment a lot as my commute is exactly the same every day, and the 'bu is my work car). I have also found that, although I have NEVER put anything other than top tier gas in my car, the 10% ethanol blended gas yields about a 7% DECREASE in economy over straight gasoline. I recently introduced my car to Mobil 1 5W-30, and although I doubt that it really made much of a difference in mileage, the car does definitely start quicker (turn over quicker) and seems to warm up quicker (as I said, I drive exactly the same every day, and it seems that the temp gauge gets to normal about a half to full mile sooner than it did on conventional 5W-30).   By the way, I have adopted the methods I learned from the "Short Silver Haired Lady School of Driving"
#47 of 293 Re: Boston to Orlando Trip [brianma] by pao Sep 30, 2005 (10:30 am)
Replying to: brianma (Sep 29, 2005 12:47 pm) you ahve the standard 2.2L 4 cylinder engine correct......I love the mileage..but I have the V-6 engine in mine....and usually pulls 28 on a good day on the highway..sometimes 29....and around 24-25 city driving Replies to this message: willscary (Sep 30, 2005 2:43 pm) maxxoliver (Oct 01, 2005 6:41 am) willscary (Oct 01, 2005 4:33 pm)
#48 of 293 Re: Boston to Orlando Trip [pao] by willscary Sep 30, 2005 (2:43 pm)
Replying to: pao (Sep 30, 2005 10:30 am) I have the 3.5L V-6. Replies to this message: maxxoliver (Oct 01, 2005 6:41 am) willscary (Oct 01, 2005 4:33 pm)
#49 of 293 Re: Boston to Orlando Trip [willscary] by maxxoliver Oct 01, 2005 (6:41 am)
Replying to: willscary (Sep 30, 2005 2:43 pm) You guys on the East Coast must have way better gas than those of us on the West Coast. I do ok on the highway on long trips and especially if I get my gas outside of California. But my everyday around town is not great. Yesterday I filled up and my mileage for that tank was only 15.7 and no I am not one of those hurry up and race to the next light people. I am very easy on my car. We have had a problem with the mileage on this car since we got it. I hoped after the break in period it would get better. My husband drove it on its first long trip and got only 21 mpg on the freeway for over 300 miles. I don't usually get better than maybe 18 to 22 with a mixture of highway and city. I just love this car, the ride and driving it is so much fun. I am frustrated by the mileage and wish I could improve it, so if anyone has any suggestions I would love them. I also thought that willscary had a 4cyc and that is why he does so well could there be that much difference between the sedan and the Maxx Replies to this message: willscary (Oct 01, 2005 4:33 pm)
#50 of 293 Re: Boston to Orlando Trip [maxxoliver] by willscary Oct 01, 2005 (4:33 pm)
Replying to: maxxoliver (Oct 01, 2005 6:41 am) To get that mileage I set the cruise at 56 or 57 MPH. I live in Wisconsin and my commute is 62 miles. It is 1.2 miles to the highway. 16 miles later I slow down to 30 mph to go through a small town for about a mile, then it is back up to 57 mph for another 29 miles, where I turn onto a freeway and drive 65 mph. The freeway lasts 13 miles, then I turn onto a 45 mph county road for the remaining 2.8 miles. There is a total of 4 stop signs each way. My tires right now are each inflated to 35.5 psi. I use Mobil 1 5W-30 oil. I use nothing but 87 octane Shell 100% gasoline (some of the Shell stations sell 10% ethanol blended gas, but my mileage suffers about a 2 mpg hit).   Maxxoliver...If I drive in stop and go situations or if I drive around town for a half hour or so, my fuel economy takes a big hit. I can see how most people get mid to high 20s for mileage if that is the type of driving they do. My job location and the type of work I do makes me drive an average of about 900 miles in an average 5 day work week. I have a lot of time to experiment.   While I am quite sure that the difference between a sedan and Maxx will be 3-5 mph under normal driving, I must admit that my commute is not what most people have. For instance, if I drive 60 mph, my mpg goes down. It drops even more at 65 mph. I would venture to say that if I got in my car and took a freeway trip to my brother's house in Cleveland, OH, I would only get maybe 38 mpg at 66 mph. If I drove 70 mph, I doubt that I would get 36 mph. On the other hand, If I take a US highway from my home to Minneapolis (about a 5 hr drive each way), and kept the cruise at about 56-57 mph, I am quite confident that I would see at least 39 mpg and possibly 40 mpg.   My car is not a supercar. I just have a LOT of driving time in which to experiment. Where I live, I can set the cruise at 57 mph and see maybe 50 cars on my morning commute. On the way home, I may see 200 cars. I just don't have a large amount of traffic to contend with. In fact, I am much more worried about the 10-15 deer I may see next to the road in the morning, or the 20-30 turkeys picking in the afternoon shoulder gravel (suckers are like hitting a bowling ball!)   By the way, I don't live in Hicksville...I just decided to take a job going away from the metropolitan areas here in northeast Wisconsin.

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