NOCSUCOW

I picked up my 2004 C230k Sedan in mid Oct 2010 with 67k

It was purchased from a dealer which did a B Service before I received it.

Within the first 30 days standard warranty I wanted to make sure all was good and took it on a 3.5hr roadtrip. I did about 25mpg...

My last few tanks are city and I've been getting 17-20mpg, WTF! My current tank is on a Lucas Oil fuel treatment, a few tanks ago I used a Prestone fuel system cleaner too.

What can I do to increase this? I'm doing under 300mi/tank (I don't stay in yellow too long, so fill ups are under 15gal)

MIKESV8

25mpg?!!! that's terrible! i get that on the highway in my c55!

samaritrey

how fast do you drive?

NOCSUCOW

Not at all. I bought this as a beater to my "Honda"

My other car is also 1.8 SC but much faster (M62). Does the 230 use a M45?

Xhale707

EWWWW gross dude.. Don't use any other fuel treatment's besides Chevron with techron. Don't let anyone at the counter sell you other cheap crap that isn't even made for a benzo.. Stick with what everyone uses and has proven to work. Make sure 91 is the only gas you put in. Make sure to stay away from cheap gas stations... That have water in there gas..

If chevron doesn't work maybe a new fuel filter is on its way. Do you know when anything was changed?

Javvy

25mpg is good IMHO...........I am getting 23-24 in mixed city/highway driving on my C280 4matic...........am I OK I think it is low too.....should be around 27-28pmg's atleast...........I drive 65/70mph on an average.........anything worng on my ride or any maitenance item I should look into.............I am using premium gas.......and ofetn drop in a Cheveron techonr fluid on a full tank but still no improvement.

Javvy

NOCSUCOW

standby, trying to upload service history

NOCSUCOW

Eh, got to leave work, I'll have it later.

Xhale707

I use to get 32mpg.. with stock rims.. I had a picture some place around here 72 mph 35 mins 32mpg I'm lucky to see 23 now

draz.amg

some of you get much better mileage than i do.. usually 17-18 in city and anywhere from 24-28 on the hwy depending on distance

LILBENZ230

The M271 that the OP has should be much more efficient that the 2.5L M272 in the V6 230s. Something is definitely up with it. Look at the basics, make sure your tires are all correct pressure, check air filter, is the car warming up to normal temp? My mileage went way down when my thermostat failed.

I averaged 27.6 MPG in February over 2,869 miles and am at 105k miles.

MW_ATL

Yeah, something doesn't sound quite right... I run about 22 mpg on my commutes (38 miles each way, mix of freeway and surface streets). I can get them up to about 27, if I try.

The on the highway it sees between about 28 and 32 or so, depending on the type of highway and my driving. Of course I have the M111.

Oh....and definitely Techron, Techron, Techron.

NOCSUCOW

Sorry for the tilted pictures. All were straight when working on them before it hit photobucket. Although it was done with my iPhone4 and my work computer that doesn't even have flash.

Stuff I've done to the car:
-35% tint all around (looks like 50%, I guess due to the grey interior?)
-AMG style grill
-w204 hood badge
-55w 6k HIDs with error cancellors
-Yakima roof rack for my bike
-Carbonfiber AMG style trunk spoiler

Future Plans
-Navigation?...suggestions on which?
-Lowering springs and that's probably it..suggestions?

NOCSUCOW

More about this tank's Lucas treatement.

I was running late for work this morning and couldn't let the car warm up as I usually like to. It was also about 35deg out. My gauge never dropped below ~20mpg as opposed to the 17.x I'd normally get, so there is definitely progress. However, the true test is my odo at next fill up.

LILBENZ230

Warm up the car?

35F is not cold enough to need a warm up. Give the oil pressure time to stabilize, drive gently till it is warm. I do 30 seconds and go. Always have. If your car spends time idling trying to get warm it will be running open loop, this can cause fuel dilution in the oil and will decrease your fuel economy (0MPH = 0MPG). Also, the car will be calculating idle time in the average fuel economy that the MFD is telling you. If I let my car idle for 10 minutes, the AVG MPG figure is 14.1. It takes a long time for that to come up.

There may be nothing wrong with your car after all, it might just be how you were using it. Long warm up periods will definitely decrease your fuel economy. It's just not necessary, at least not at 35F.

MW_ATL

Not sure I can go that idling is bad for one. Obviously it does impact fuel mileage, and if you want an accurate count you would need to reset the counter before you leave.

My personal car gets warmed up for 2 minutes each morning (exactly the time it takes to crank the car, come back in and feed the cats).

However, I know of several cars at work that have over 5,000 hours of idle time (of course those are MB's). Any modern engine management system should be able to handle idling as well as it can handle a constant speed on the highway.

LILBENZ230

It takes a long time for my car to idle itself to normal operating temperature. I'm not saying it will hurt the car (though obviously you don't want a lot of fuel in the oil) but I don't do it. It's a total waste. I was saying that if he's having fuel economy issues he might need to re-evaluate the "warm up".

SeaCoupe

How terrible! Geez, when I am driving like a dorkmeister, I can get 26 mpg with a mix of city and highway driving. I can do 31-32 mpg on the highway all day long. If I start to hypermile or get serious, I can push that to 34-35 mpg. In the city I never get below 24 mpg. Now that I am driving on the 110 through DTLA I am seriously having to get the most out of my MPG.

I didn't know that the 1.8 boys got such poor mileage.

phister

Just did a 3 hr trip and I got 30mpg on my M272 going 70mph on cruise control. Going to change my plugs this week cause its due for a change.

LILBENZ230

We don't.. I can get mid-30s without much effort.

splinter

Never known you to drive like a dorkmeister. How does your stout M111 consume less fuel than a pantywaist M271?
My 16-gallon tank barely goes 250 miles with the Mrs. lollygagging around town. Almost certain she seldom goes past half throttle.


*off topic*

How’s your new place treating you?

Thoroughly enjoyed living on Los Robles (between California and Del Mar) in the ‘90s. Sure don’t miss that 110 commute, although the Arroyo Seco Parkway section can be a kick when not congested! Less than a year after finding gainful employment in the South Bay, it occurred to me that I was either living or working in the wrong end of the city. Just dumb luck to have bought a modest shack when it was affordable.

Trust you know you’ve an open invitation for beverages and barbecue when next you’re down this way.

Carsy

In my opinion ,it is an absolute waste of fuel warming a fuel injected cars engine . In fact it is adding to the wear as it is warming the engine up more slowly than necessary.

The most wear to an engine occurs when it is cold because the oil is not circulating at the optimum temperature & the moving components are expanding at different rates so not at optimun clearances. .

If it was a carburettored engine with a poor choke system I could see the point.

You should start the car & drive with no heavy accelleration or high reving until the engine has reached reached operating temperature which is about 7 to 8 Km.

People who keep their cars for short periods will not be interested. I enjoy my vehicles for about 15 years & they become like comfortable old slippers !!

Glyn M Ruck

+1 - And to the OP - Those roof racks do a nice job of messing with fuel consumption as well. Especially on a car with a CD of 0.27.

Fuel consumption is so use dependent it can be misleading. As has been said - if you are using the on car consumption readings. Standing still & not clocking any miles screws up the averages.

If you think you really have a problem get the car onto an exhaust gas analyser. That will soon tell you if your state of tune is screwed up.

Jp's_C230k_W203

Damn that's crazy. Hauling tail on the highway with the cruise control set to 85 mph I get about 30 mpg I have gotten up to 35 mpg in my m271. I thought that was really high so I took a picture of it.

samaritrey

When i do 80 my millage drops some i get like 28-29
but 70-75 i can get 32