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Subaru Legacy/Outback: MPG-Real World Numbers

130 messages,  Last post on May 04, 2012 at 4:49 PM

You are in the Subaru Legacy & Outback Forum.

What is this discussion about? Subaru Outback, Fuel Efficiency (MPG), Sedan, Wagon

Messages Page 11 of 14

#99 of 130 Re: Mileage [kidali] by lgandad

Jul 13, 2010 (11:27 am)

Replying to: kidali (Feb 05, 2009 11:45 am)
Hello,do not know if you still own this vehicle,just bought the same one used.My mileage is identical.VERY disappointed.Gave up a car that got 35 mpg hwy.that was very poor in snow and rain.Figured the outback would give up a little less mpg,but never imagined it to be 18 city maybe 22 hwy.Have changed pcv,o2 sens.,mass air flow,complete tune up,No difference.I love the way this car drives,and its reliability but my old Suburban gets 20 mpg hwy.So I"m on the fence about getting rid of the Subaru.Thats the reason for replying to this thread,has any one come up with a solution to this problem?

#100 of 130 Re: Mileage [lgandad] by kidali

Jul 13, 2010 (11:46 am)

Replying to: lgandad (Jul 13, 2010 11:27 am)
If you're talking to me about my 97 Outback Wagon, yes, I still have it a year and a half after purchasing it. Funny, I was just trying to figure this out again, recently.
I always watch my mileage, and last week gave me one of my worst ever, so I was wondering if something has got worse. (O2 sensor?)
 
Last week I got 13.5km/100l (if you're in the states, it's less than 17.5 miles to the gallon) but that particular week was nearly ALL city stop-and-go driving.
 
When I do week's with 80% highway, I nearly always hover around 10l/100k - a lot better (23.5).
 
The specs for the car new were 21mpg city (I'm getting 17) and 26 hwy (23.5). I realize with age mileage will worsen. Since you've changed all those items with no change in results, maybe you've save my pocket book some trouble.
 
I still like how it runs, but am having some torque issues. Some days I can press on the gas and have almost NO response, and others, it responds but feels gruff and sluggish. Only on Some days does it feel like I would say 'nimble' or 'more like it should'. Also, I've noticed when the AC runs, I hear a 'switching' noise in my dash - somewhere to the left, when the condenser turns on, and each time it does that, the car's torque responds differently (so in a 20 minute trip, I feel like I'm driving 2 cars every 4 minutes - a slow one, and a normal one). I suspect there's a central computer issue. I don't know if they can just replace a mainboard or something.
 
As for the mileage, I'm content to deal with it. Even if I did all that work and met the companies claimed specs, I'd only save about 8 litres or 8 dollars a week. It'd take me over a year, I figure, to pay off the labour and parts of having those items replaced.

#101 of 130 Re: Mileage [kidali] by kidali

Jul 13, 2010 (11:53 am)

Replying to: kidali (Jul 13, 2010 11:46 am)
Here's a year and a half's worth of almost obsessive observations:
 
My average week is somewhere around 11l/100k. (about 21.3 mpg).
I've been vigilant about putting in a good fram air filter.
I recently decided to try a synthetic oil to help both my gas mileage, and engine knock that I've been getting. It's helped with neither. (Castrol edge).
On weeks that I put in higher grade gas (91 octane), I get better mileage than weeks where I put in a lower grade (87), but then the trade off is the higher gas price, so there are no savings.
 
The car seems to like travelling best and runs smoothest at about 95k/hr (about 59 miles an hour). Deviate from this, and it affects mileage.

#102 of 130 Re: Mileage [kidali] by kidali

Jul 13, 2010 (12:00 pm)

Replying to: kidali (Jul 13, 2010 11:53 am)
Regarding my last comment:
 
If I usually drive between 105 and 120 (65 - 74mph), I still usually average somewhere between 19 and 21mpg if I'm doing 70 to 80 % highway driving.

#103 of 130 Re: Mileage [lgandad] by jccinoh

Jul 15, 2010 (5:26 am)

Replying to: lgandad (Jul 13, 2010 11:27 am)
Have had my 2009 Outback 2.5 now for about 18months. Mileage (90% city/10% highway) is currently standing at 25.2mpg.

#104 of 130 Re: Mileage [kidali] by Stever@Edmunds HOST

Jul 29, 2010 (11:31 pm)

Replying to: kidali (Jul 13, 2010 12:00 pm)
I lost track of this discussion a couple of years ago.
 
Sorry to see you're still having mpg issues, Kidali. I'm way behind updating my spreadsheet on my '97 but I'll try to do that soon. Last April I was getting 23.10 lifetime. Got a bit over 78,000 miles on it now.
 
I've had about 5 tanks that have held over 13 gallons, but this week I set a (dubious) record, thanks to some poor planning. The Outback held 13.797 gallons. Hard to believe the tank really holds 15.9 gallons - I was sweating it a bit.
 
Steve, visiting host

#105 of 130 Re: Mileage [steve_] by Stever@Edmunds HOST

Jul 30, 2010 (6:37 pm)

Replying to: Stever@Edmunds (Jul 29, 2010 11:31 pm)
Updated my spreadsheet.
 
Worst tank so far this year was 19.28. Best was 33.03 on a road trip. Lifetime average is up to 23.31.
 
I'm only driving ~6,000 miles a year.

#106 of 130 Re: Mileage [steve_] by kidali

Aug 03, 2010 (11:05 am)

Replying to: Stever@Edmunds (Jul 30, 2010 6:37 pm)
I have no idea how you managed 33mpg. That's insane.
 
Your lifetime average is a little under mine (had the car about 19 months now).
I'd still say mine is around 21. Though lately I've been having terrible mileage, even with 94 octane gas I'm around 20. Maybe it's the air conditioner running in this heat.
 
Still trying to figure out my throttle response issue right now. Maybe I'll start a new forum. As stated in earlier posts, check engine has been on for months. My guy decoded it as an 'engine knock' sensor. Reset it. It went out. But a week later came back on. That was in the winter. I'm just living with it. Some days though, it goes out, and the car feels like a rocket. It will come back on after 10 miles or so, and once it does, I almost have to floor the gas for the a/t to drop a gear or kick in at all.
 
Anyone else have this problem? My untrained analysis is there's a faulty computer on the car. Anyone?
 
PS> Anyone have an issue with spider cracking in the paint on the hoods of these 97's? Mine looks horrible, and worse after waxing. No real way to resolve it, just curious if others also experience this with the 97 outbacks.

#107 of 130 Re: Mileage [kidali] by Stever@Edmunds HOST

Aug 03, 2010 (6:43 pm)

Replying to: kidali (Aug 03, 2010 11:05 am)
That was on a California road trip, loafing along in mild May weather. Tanks were 21, 27, 30, 33 and 30. Then 24 a few weeks later back home. On a road trip in July '09 the best tank was 28 - probably got hammered by the AC.
 
Most of my driving is around town or 50 miles RT up to the ski hill in the winter, and those are the 21ish tanks. Worse tank ever was 13.16 one January.
 
Mine's red btw, and the paint looks pretty good. Dings and chips, but no spidering.

#108 of 130 Re: Mileage [lgandad] '97 Outback by kidali

Apr 11, 2011 (7:36 pm)

Replying to: lgandad (Jul 13, 2010 11:27 am)
For the last year or so, I've been hovering between 10.5 and 11 litres per 100km (or between 21.4 and 22.4 US MPG).
 
Since December though, I keep getting between 13 or 14 litres / 100k
(16.8 - 18 US MPG) !!! Horrible. 50/50 Highway/City, which means my CITY mileage has got to be atrocious.
 
Tires are inflated. Used injector cleaner. Rarely used my heated seats. (Obviously no AC this time of year in Canada). Use full synthetic oil. Often try the 91 Octane gas, and sometimes, stupidly, even the 94 Octane! No, I'm not made of gold. Just trying to make a perfectly fine car last longer.
 
Any suggestions? Can my mechanic (not a Subaru specific guy) diagnose if it's a PCV issue without taking the car apart?
 
Dom

Messages Page 11 of 14

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