Amazing Outback Fuel Economy

[99obw]

The last tank was 31 MPG. The one before was 28 MPG. Both about 80/20 highway/city. We have been getting 24 MPG consistently all winter with plenty of idling. This is the best mileage we have ever seen out of this car, and it is happenning at ~153k miles. I guess my complaining about AWD fuel economy in another thread was poorly timed! I don't trust the readings yet, I am going to keep records for a while to see what it actually is.

 

I would love to credit the sythetic lubricants I am using throughout, but I don't think that is the only reason as I have been using those for a while.

 

The most obvious change was mounting the summer tires, Yokohama Avid Touring radials, and increasing the tire pressure to 35 PSI front and 34 PSI rear. I have no experience running pressures above the manufacturers recommendations, so I hope the wear will be even. I have been running Blizzaks since November 29 PSI front and 28 PSI rear, at those pressures the centers wear only slightly faster than the outside. Of course the summer gas change happens around this time of year, if such a change still happens in NY.

 

I don't know for sure why the outback is sipping gas but it is and I like it!!!

[pulloff]

Our 99 obw always got decent mileage. It has been like clock work since new at 29 mpg of mixed city and hwy. The mileage has been in the mid to low 20’s through the winter with the snow tires and after the head gasket replacement (also, much idling in the morning). I have yet to take the snow tires off, possibly next weekend and I am looking forward to seeing what the mileage is since the HG replacement. 31 is great mileage for an obw especially at +150k. Auto or manual?

 

 

I’d still trade some HP and pep for better mileage. In my opinion society is too hung-up on HP numbers. The high HP is nice when I am chasing someone down in a fit of road rage, or when I am street racing against a Honda, or possibly when I take the car out to the fields to pull a wagon full of hay. Don’t get me wrong I like power but I’d trade it for 40-50 mpg in a reliable awd car.

 

 

For now I’ll take upper 20’s but when someone comes out with a decent awd car that is reliable I’ll buy it. If not Subaru, hopefully it’s a Toyota or a Honda.

[99obw]

Our outback with auto trans has averaged about 26 most of it's life.

 

It's often said that people buy HP and drive torque. My '92 dodge 3.3 has less HP but is much faster off the line because of the fatter torque curve at lower RPMs. On the highway the dodge falls on it's face and the subaru is happy as a clam. The subaru will pull a 7% grade at 75MPH with 2 adults, 3 children, the back loaded to the roof, and a fully loaded car top box on the roof at about half throttle in 3rd gear.

 

Our next vehicle purchase will likely be a minivan (happy wife = happy life). I am looking seriously at the Toyota Sienna AWD or the Honda.

 

"The high HP is nice when I am chasing someone down in a fit of road rage, or when I am street racing against a Honda, or possibly when I take the car out to the fields to pull a wagon full of hay."

 

Jake, take several deep breaths and have a beer! I wouldn't chase, race, or pull anything with our subaru. It is a little peppy between 5k-6k, but that's about it. My dodge is so much fun at a stop light. It is the ugliest POS on the face of the earth, but stoplight to stoplight it smokes most cars. When I get the new timing chain in it this weekend it should be smoking the tires again.

[pulloff]

75 mph? I thought the speed limit here in NY was 65 mph? I used to live in CO and most of the roads I took were 65 mph and the expressways were 75 mph, I miss that, I still drive the same but I miss it being legal.

[pulloff]

Actually I wouldn't chase, race or pull anything with either of our OBWs. With the minor exception of putting on four tire chains and pulling someone/myself out of the driveway that has drifted in with snow!

 

If truth be known I'm a very conservative driver. I get smoked off the line by 95 Yr old women with walkers on the sidewalk. I just tell myself it's because women have a slightly faster average reaction time. I accelerate both + and - as gradual as possible to save on gas and conserve brakes, yeh I'm cheap like that, parts and gas go farther and wallet stays umm,,, less empty…

 

The Honda Odyssey is very nice, but so is the Sienna. I know minivans aren't "cool" anymore but they sure are quite a bite more refined these days. When my wife and I get around to having kids I won't hesitate one second to buy a minivan. Maybe a Town and Country or Grand Caravan if they still come in AWD. Although, it will take more than one progeny to outgrow the OBW.

 

Both our OBWs are manual and when cruising down the expressway I wouldn't mind a six speed with an expressway gear for +65 mph. I don't know if it would improve mileage but I just hate looking down and seeing the tach so high.

[theotherskip]

i track mileage every tank. there was a noticable increase from when i increased the tire pressure from the factory 29f/28r to 32 all around. i was running in the 23's, and am now up to around 25. lifetime for the car (60k-95k) is 23.6. all time high is 27.6, and that was after increasing the tire pressure. my current driving is about 90% highway, 10% city, 90 mile daily commute usually running 75-80, manual transmission. i have noticed that the car has more slip in turns on wet roads, but nothing that isn't controllable. i don't think i would go any higher, though.

 

i currently have the michelins xw4's on the car, which i have liked, but i think they tend to suck the gas a bit. i'll have to remember what you switched to when i replace them.

 

side note: my brother and sister-in-law recently bought a toyota sienna and have been really satisfied with it - good layout, a lot of useable room, and drives well, for a minivan at least...

[99obw]

Camosuba has asked that I offer the conversion for liters/100km. I will post it here for the benefit of all.

 

Let's see.. 31 MPG to liters/100km

 

31 M/G = 0.032258 G/M

 

0.032258 G/M * 0.0621371 M/km = 20.0322E-3 G/km

 

20.0322E-3 G/km * 3.78541 l/G = 75.83E-3 l/km

 

75.83E-3 l/km * 100km/100km = 7.583 l/100km

 

MPG and liters/100km are inversely proportional, so

liters/100km is ~235.214583 divided by MPG.

 

That hurts my brain this early in the morning!

[duane b]

That's great! Our 96L awd wgn has never gotten better than 27mpg. But it has the 4eat also. I would hope the 5mt gets better.

 

I gotta say I find it funny that there is so much Toyota and Honda bashing that goes on this board until some of you want to buy something that Subaru doesn't make such as minivans, hybrids,and trucks. Then it's ooh, ahh, Toyota or Honda all the way.

[Flowmastered87GL]

I got 31 MPG in my 98 impreza L with a 2.2 and a 4EAT up in the mountains going between portland oregon and reno NV. That included many runs up to 95 MPH to pass RV's on the hills up at 4000 feet.

[99obw]

I gotta say I find it funny that there is so much Toyota and Honda bashing that goes on this board until some of you want to buy something that Subaru doesn't make such as minivans, hybrids,and trucks. Then it's ooh, ahh, Toyota or Honda all the way.

You're right, everyone is the same, we all bash those makes and then come cryin' to mommy when we need a vehicle more reliable than a Subaru. FWIW, the toyota tercel SR5 4WD wagon that got me interested in this type of vehicle ran circles around our outback in the snow. It's still going at 210k miles with the original head gaskets. I am not saying one make is better than another, but I have enough experience to take my hand off of the stove when it's burned.

[SubieFinn]

You're right, everyone is the same, we all bash those makes and then come cryin' to mommy when we need a vehicle more reliable than a Subaru. FWIW, the toyota tercel SR5 4WD wagon that got me interested in this type of vehicle ran circles around our outback in the snow. It's still going at 210k miles with the original head gaskets. I am not saying one make is better than another, but I have enough experience to take my hand off of the stove when it's burned.

I totally agree with you 99obw! In my younger days I kept my Subaru facination and then my preferences were Chevy for every other vehicle. And of course Ford was my arch nemesis.

 

Here is a funny story to boost Subie owners. On the ship I would get razzed about my '78 BRAT. Oh, at the end of the day somebody would need a ride home, or a couple of times there would be a need for a truck and I would offer. During the ride or load "The BRATster" was the cat's meow, as they say.