# Rabbit gas mileage



## Rickatc (Apr 26, 2006)

Thinking of buying a used '07 to '09 Rabbit 5 spd. What gas mileage can I expect with the cruise on @ 65mph? Thanks. [email protected]


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

If you know how to drive in a way to burn the least amount of gass, then you could get about 350-400 miles to thje tank...
If you are a lead foot, I'd think somewhere in the 250-300
Normally, 320ish


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## tchilds (Nov 21, 2008)

30+ mpg highway depending on wheels, tires, elevation, etc. at about 1k above sea level w/16" vw wheels and continental extreme contact DWS tires, i get around 30mpg at 65mph, maybe a smidge more. 2009 2dr rabbit stock except for the oem 16" alloy, tires, and cold air intake at the time of this gas mileage.

the pre 2009 2.5 motors get worse mileage by a couple mpg than the 09+ too fyi

the rabbit is comparable to a mazda 3, ford focus, etc etc. go with whichever you like best or go for a fiesta if you want insane mileage in a fun lil car. i saw a fiat commercial today too, fiat hatchback would be the only car i might give up my vw for:heart:


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## Rickatc (Apr 26, 2006)

thanks


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## H3LVTCA (Oct 27, 2004)

thygreyt said:


> Normally, 320ish


This. I've calculated and documented every gallon of gas that has entered my car. The best gas mileage I've ever gotten since I purchased the car on Halloween 2008 was during June 2009, on the highway, no A/C, windows up, downhill, etc - 29MPG.


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## halbwissen (Jul 20, 2001)

Cruising at 65mph- not sure. 
I couldn't tell you the last time I cruised on a freeway. 
I can tell you this though- I've been calculating my mileage since the day I bought my Rabbit and consistently make 24mpg on city and backroad driving. 
I drive pretty hard too. 


[delivered by an iPhone]


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

today i got my worst milage... 280s\ish...

which was city only, and well, FULLY enjoying the 6spd... lol.
it was a lot of stop and go,and a lot of 6500rpms... cant say i'm sorry thou...


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## redrbt2.5 (May 11, 2009)

I got 400 to a tank once but typically around 340. Once got around 220 but I was doing over 100 for miles on an empty highway in NC:laugh:


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## DUSlider (Nov 15, 2007)

I've gotten up to 32-34mpg on pure highway tanks going around 65mph on non hilly terrain. It's worst in the winter with city driving, around 19mpg.

Depends on how heavy footed you are and how much stop and go traffic. My lifetime average through almost 28,000 miles is about 24.2mpg. Which is the EPA estimated combined mileage (24).


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## Vash350z (Jun 25, 2007)

Around 28mpg on my mostly highway commute. On city tanks I get around 24mg


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

Uh... Since I did the vc and catch can, Im guessing due to the crap not being pumped back into the motor I've been consistantly getting this: (OH and I got ~430 miles last tank)
Lowest so far has been 34.x this morning, and I was doing a few 3rd gear pulls!
70mph cruise on, and falken 912's stretched, stayed out of power for a whole week&half


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## GTACanuck (Feb 20, 2009)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


>


Umm, MFD on a rabbit? :thumbup::thumbup:

43mpg is amazing. I just got 370 miles on my last tank using 94 octane


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## b1aCkDeA7h (May 27, 2008)

GTACanuck said:


> Umm, MFD on a rabbit? :thumbup::thumbup:
> 
> 43mpg is amazing. I just got 370 miles on my last tank using 94 octane


I usually get 400 on a tank unless I'm in the city. I also have a MFD in my '08.


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## 2Golfs1Jetta (Jun 16, 2010)

*07 Rabbit 5 speed*

I get 750 km/ tank (about 465 miles) with 87 Octane cruising at 100 km/h, and typically 500 km (310 miles) in the city


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

GTACanuck said:


> Umm, MFD on a rabbit? :thumbup::thumbup:
> 
> 43mpg is amazing. I just got 370 miles on my last tank using 94 octane


*Yes I have mfd as well as my mkvi mfsw works as well *:thumbup:


*I must say its weird because before I did this I only avg. like 27 mpg highway!* 



b1aCkDeA7h said:


> I usually get 400 on a tank unless I'm in the city. I also have a MFD in my '08.


Everyone out here thinks its weird I have a mfd, one of my buddies had a red 08 rabbit and his did not have mfd, and another currently has a 08 jetta and his does not have mfd as well? We must be the weird lucky few :thumbup:


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

OH and I only filled up to 3/4 of a tank last time :thumbup: I think I could have broken 500 mile range :laugh:


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## GTACanuck (Feb 20, 2009)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


> *Yes I have mfd as well as my mkvi mfsw works as well *:thumbup:
> 
> 
> *I must say its weird because before I did this I only avg. like 27 mpg highway!*


You are making it really easy for me to support buying more mods.. Especially for better mileage! 

I have yet to see a rabbit up in the great white north with MFD yet. Must be a hit or miss thing in the States.


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

GTACanuck said:


> You are making it really easy for me to support buying more mods.. Especially for better mileage!
> 
> I have yet to see a rabbit up in the great white north with MFD yet. Must be a hit or miss thing in the States.


Well ina is selling some of the valve covers from eurojet, and a couple peeps on the tex are selling ej catch cans :thumbup:


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## a7xogg (Nov 25, 2008)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


> Well ina is selling some of the valve covers from eurojet, and a couple peeps on the tex are selling ej catch cans :thumbup:


What size are your tires?


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

a7xogg said:


> What size are your tires?


215 40 18 on 9" wide wheels all 4 corners. :beer:


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## a7xogg (Nov 25, 2008)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


> 215 40 18 on 9" wide wheels all 4 corners. :beer:


I need a catch can.


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

a7xogg said:


> I need a catch can.


The first few days with the catch can I collected a full can full of gunk and water! Then after that the motor had a rough idle for 2 cold start ups but I let it run for about 15 mins each. Then when the idle chilled out I got roughly 22 mpg on the highway, and when I changed out my spark plugs to ngk and did a new fuel filter I now get consistant mpg's in the high 30's low 40's. So if its said you lose a few mpg's going to ethanol sign me up! :laugh: Its all in good time because I was getting pissed off hearing mkv r32 guys getting better mpg's than me with a heavier, full time awd, vr6 version of my car.


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## a7xogg (Nov 25, 2008)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


> The first few days with the catch can I collected a full can full of gunk and water! Then after that the motor had a rough idle for 2 cold start ups but I let it run for about 15 mins each. Then when the idle chilled out I got roughly 22 mpg on the highway, and when I changed out my spark plugs to ngk and did a new fuel filter I now get consistant mpg's in the high 30's low 40's. So if its said you lose a few mpg's going to ethanol sign me up! :laugh: Its all in good time because I was getting pissed off hearing mkv r32 guys getting better mpg's than me with a heavier, full time awd, vr6 version of my car.


Im pissed cause i get 31 mpg at 65 mph and u get 43 at 70. Im def jealous, but it looks like ill be saving up for one......


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

i didnt see such changes... :S


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## TylerO28 (Jul 7, 2008)

b1aCkDeA7h said:


> I usually get 400 on a tank unless I'm in the city. I also have a MFD in my '08.


Love my mfd so freaking much... Plus its integration with my premium 7 and dice I pod set up was crazy... It just worked!

Gotta love having the 08's


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

a7xogg said:


> Im pissed cause i get 31 mpg at 65 mph and u get 43 at 70. Im def jealous, but it looks like ill be saving up for one......





thygreyt said:


> i didnt see such changes... :S


Ya Its weird... I vagcom'd it yesturday and it looks as if the mfd is working perfectly, so those mpg's are right. Im not saying its the vc doing it, but my car does run worlds BETTER since I installed this. Almost seized my motor last night tho It was a monsoon and I was driving on the highway going 50 mph and hit standing water my cel came on the motor started violently shaking and I just shut it off waited a few mins, started her up let her idle and work its self out and all is good! :beer:


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

mine too runs better, plus oil analysis confirms that the catchcan is working, since it showed next to no water and no fuel on the oil.

the oil itself was VERY clean.

and i do get good milage... going at +80mph i can get +400 miles... a thing that was impossible on the auto, since at teh same speeds i'd get 22mpgs, or about 300 per tank.

well, i guess more power to you.


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## Schagephonic (Feb 5, 2009)

Before any mods on my 2008 Rabbit, I avgd 29-31mpg. With mods (chip, catback, CAI) I consistantly got 33-34mpg at 75mph and 36+mpg doing 65mph. Tire/wheel combo is also an important factor. I run 205/55/16's (Michelin Primacy). Wider 17's+18's mean more weight and rolling resistance.


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

Schagephonic said:


> Before any mods on my 2008 Rabbit, I avgd 29-31mpg. With mods (chip, catback, CAI) I consistantly got 33-34mpg at 75mph and 36+mpg doing 65mph. Tire/wheel combo is also an important factor. I run 205/55/16's (Michelin Primacy). Wider 17's+18's mean more weight and rolling resistance.


Well I'm running 18x9's all around :thumbup:


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## bryce917 (Dec 16, 2008)

It looks like the OP's question has been answered but I'll throw my two cents in anyways. I have a completely stock '08 Rabbit and I get about 28mpg on the freeway.


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## BlackRabbit2point5 (Sep 6, 2007)

I've gotten a few 11mpg tanks but that's with dyno pulls and hard driving in the same tank compounded by a bad maf

Sent from my HTC Evo 4G Shift using Tapatalk


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

i dont think i have ever done less than 20 mpgs.


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## BlackRabbit2point5 (Sep 6, 2007)

Heh well when your pretty much in boost for a whole tank of gas numbers can go way south

Sent from my HTC Evo 4G Shift using Tapatalk


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

sooner than later, i wont have to imagine whats that like...


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## PlatinumMKV (Sep 12, 2010)

I can pull off about 30mpgs on my 300mile trips back and forth from school. Its mostly 75mph driving, so you should get a little better than 30mpgs. I don't even know what the epa rated our highway mgps as...

Sent from my UPC300-2.2 using Tapatalk


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## Cherb32 (Jun 18, 2006)

I get about 330 miles a tank with spirited driving(VF CAI installed):thumbup::thumbup:


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## Cherb32 (Jun 18, 2006)

GTACanuck said:


> Umm, MFD on a rabbit? :thumbup::thumbup:
> 
> 43mpg is amazing. I just got 370 miles on my last tank using 94 octane


 WTF!!!??? 43mpg is crazy!!!:thumbup:


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## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

Cherb32 said:


> WTF!!!??? 43mpg is crazy!!!:thumbup:


Not if you know how to do it. e.g. I got 46 MPG driving from San Diego to Sacramento with an average speed of 60 MPH in my gas Jetta and without having to fillup in between.


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

the_humeister said:


> Not if you know how to do it. e.g. I got 46 MPG driving from San Diego to Sacramento with an average speed of 60 MPH in my gas Jetta and without having to fillup in between.


Ya my 40mpg avg is at 72 mph... If I only cruise 60 I can break 50 I gaurantee it :beer:


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## halbwissen (Jul 20, 2001)

I have to call b.s. on you guys. 
EPA estimated highway mpg is 33-35. *Correction EPA estimates are lower then what I said. 29mpg highway on MkV 2.5ls. 
40+mpg? 
No way, I'm sorry.
50mpg?
You're out of your mind. 
You would need the narrowest tire available, perfect tire pressure, absolutely ideal environmental conditions, no inclines and the cruise dialed in at 45mph. 
If you think you're hitting 40+mpg in your 2.5l you're lying to yourself, for real. 
Perfect, real world conditions, cruising strictly highway over an entire tank, *might* yield high 30s. 
I'm just keeping it real guys.


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## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

DriveVW4Life said:


> I have to call b.s. on you guys.
> EPA estimated highway mpg is 33-35.
> 40+mpg?
> No way, I'm sorry.
> ...


Just because you don't know how to do it doesn't mean it's not possible. My Jetta is 2008, so it's EPA highway is even lower at 29 MPG. 50 mpg on the same route I took is very difficult and requires a manual transmission. However, it would be very trivial to do with the TDI version of the car. And no I'm not lying to myself or you. 
Really, San Diego to Sacramento on less thsn one tank of 87 octane averaging 60 mph. Pulse and glide actually works.


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## halbwissen (Jul 20, 2001)

the_humeister said:


> Just because you don't know how to do it doesn't mean it's not possible. My Jetta is 2008, so it's EPA highway is even lower at 29 MPG. 50 mpg on the same route I took is very difficult and requires a manual transmission. However, it would be very trivial to do with the TDI version of the car. And no I'm not lying to myself or you.
> Really, San Diego to Sacramento on less thsn one tank of 87 octane averaging 60 mph. Pulse and glide actually works.


It's not that I don't know how to do it, it's near impossible in real world conditions to pull off 40mpg+ in our cars.
If you drafted a truck on the freeway on perfectly flat roads, sure you could pulse and coast for an entire tank but that's NOT realistic. 
Even doing so, I find 40mpg+ unattainable. 

San Diego to Sacramento is about 500 miles on I-5.
The Rabbit has a 14.5 gallon tank iirc. 
To go 500 miles on a full tank would require approximately 34mpg. 

I'm not being a hater because your mileage means nothing to me. I'm just being a realist.

I drive to the upper peninsula from Metro Detroit quite regularly in my Rabbit and several other cars over the years. 
Exceeding EPA estimates by 30%+ (based on these claims) never happened. 10-15% increase in mpg over EPA estimates is achievable, which is still nowhere near 40+mpg.


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

DriveVW4Life said:


> I have to call b.s. on you guys.
> EPA estimated highway mpg is 33-35.
> 40+mpg?
> No way, I'm sorry.
> ...


Apparently you have not seen the picture I took on the last page :facepalm: EPA is you said it estimated... and at stock tune+hardware, and on sh*tty gas :thumbup: I get better mpg's than my neighbors prius!LOL and about the same as my buddies tdi jetta wagon! Over the past weeks I've avg 430 miles tank range, shell vpower and 72 mph cruise controlled speeds.


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## halbwissen (Jul 20, 2001)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


> Apparently you have not seen the picture I took on the last page :facepalm: EPA is you said it estimated... and at stock tune+hardware, and on sh*tty gas :thumbup: I get better mpg's than my neighbors prius!LOL and about the same as my buddies tdi jetta wagon! Over the past weeks I've avg 430 miles tank range, shell vpower and 72 mph cruise controlled speeds.


430miles per tank is 29-30mpg. 
How is this "better then my neighbor's Prius?"
Hell, I'll give you a gallon and a half and you're still only pulling 33mpg.

40mpg would require you travel nearly 600miles on a single tank. 
Show me that and I'll believe you.


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

Actually Im being modest with that range. I never fully fill up my tank, From last fill up to today when I got gas I did 430 range with ~8 gallons in the car.. I drive ~90 miles to and from work every day. Ive worked the last 4 weeks straight This is my 3rd partial fill up bro


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

Im going to be doing a road trip from cleveland to chicago soon to pick up some yummy mkv bits so I can make a spetical out of it if needed... I know what I get most days about 41-44 mpg's and with my past months avg I came up with ~ 38mpg's based on my receipts and mileage. :thumbup: Ill break 50 today just for you


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## halbwissen (Jul 20, 2001)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


> Im going to be doing a road trip from cleveland to chicago soon to pick up some yummy mkv bits so I can make a spetical out of it if needed... I know what I get most days about 41-44 mpg's and with my past months avg I came up with ~ 38mpg's based on my receipts and mileage. :thumbup: Ill break 50 today just for you


Good luck, bro. 
I still don't see it happening. 
If you filled up your tank to the absolutely max and drove until your gas light came on, you would need to travel 700 miles. 
700 miles on a tank? No way.


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

DriveVW4Life said:


> Good luck, bro.
> I still don't see it happening.
> If you filled up your tank to the absolutely max and drove until your gas light came on, you would need to travel 700 miles.
> 700 miles on a tank? No way.


When I picked up my wheels, I drove to philly from cleveland and filled up once before I left and Once before the way back with wheels in my car, and once more when I got to Mentor Ohio. I have no reason to lie, I blame these stretched falkens I have, When I have everything off they give off a hollow road noise with zero resistance I love them. 

38mpg average is not out of the realm of normality :thumbup: Ill get a 50+ mpg pic for ya after work today


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## halbwissen (Jul 20, 2001)

kevin FaKiN spLits said:


> When I picked up my wheels, I drove to philly from cleveland and filled up once before I left and Once before the way back with wheels in my car, and once more when I got to Mentor Ohio. I have no reason to lie, I blame these stretched falkens I have, When I have everything off they give off a hollow road noise with zero resistance I love them.
> 
> 38mpg average is not out of the realm of normality :thumbup: Ill get a 50+ mpg pic for ya after work today


Cleveland to Philadelphia is 420-440 miles. 
A tank there would mean you're getting 30mpg. Give or take a mpg. 
Needing a tank back and filling in Mentor (before Cleveland) is yet again 30ish mpg.
Still nowhere near 40mpg. 
You can keep telling yourself you're banging out 40mpg, but you're not. 

I've driven from Rochester, MI to Marquette, MI several times in my 2008 Rabbit with cruise locked at 70mph and just got there on a tank of gas. That's 450ish miles. Although it's been a year since I made that trip, it doesn't matter. It always took a tank or more. 
There's no way you could alter the way I was driving to make 700 miles on a tank. Impossible.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

my best was like 35 mpg when i was auto, and traveling at 55mph.

with the 6spd i have gotten good numbers, but nothing as high as 40... i havent REALLY tried... but under the same conditions as kevin, i get 29-30ish


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## kevin splits (Aug 23, 2010)

DriveVW4Life said:


> Cleveland to Philadelphia is 420-440 miles.
> A tank there would mean you're getting 30mpg. Give or take a mpg.
> Needing a tank back and filling in Mentor (before Cleveland) is yet again 30ish mpg.
> Still nowhere near 40mpg.
> ...


Yep with a 120ish pound girl friend in the passenger seat and ~140 pounds of 17" goals with pirelli sottozero's on them. Also I never let my gas light come on so ya I got ~ 33-35mpg's that trip


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## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

DriveVW4Life said:


> It's not that I don't know how to do it, it's near impossible in real world conditions to pull off 40mpg+ in our cars.
> If you drafted a truck on the freeway on perfectly flat roads, sure you could pulse and coast for an entire tank but that's NOT realistic.
> Even doing so, I find 40mpg+ unattainable.
> 
> ...


It's not impossible. I made the trip up and down twice with similar gas mileage results. I-5 between LA and Sacramento is mostly empty. Even in LA it is fairly empty at night, if there's no construction. So I just picked times to drive when traffic was lightest.


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## halbwissen (Jul 20, 2001)

50mpg?


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

havent done the math, but on the first quarter tank mark, i hit 180 miles!  !!! i drove like 100 miles at 65-70 non stop. 

i usually get 125 on regular hwy or 100 on city... so thats a hella good number. 

god, i love the 6spd.


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## itskohler (Jan 7, 2011)

I think the first quarter of the tank is inaccurate. My needle wont move for like 3 days. Then it starts going down, and quick. I need to do my 60k maintenance. Hopefully that'll help. My gas mileage is TERRIBLE, and I dont even get down in it.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

on regular mixed driving, i usually get this milage with the 6spd MT while driving it a bit fun...

125 miles on the first quarter
200 on the 1/2 mrk
280 on the 3/4
and 320 on the tank...

if i Hypermile the car, i get +350 miles with mixed driving... and +400 on hwy driving.


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## itskohler (Jan 7, 2011)

Im not too far off from that. I'm just at 240 at the 3/4 tank.


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## magics5rip (Mar 17, 2004)

I did my usual this week: 306 miles miles to 12.7 gallons = 24 mpg. 87 octance, 80/20 city/hwy mix.


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## the_humeister (Sep 25, 2008)

DriveVW4Life said:


> 50mpg?


Trivially easy with a TDI: drive 55 mph on the highway and you're already way above 50 mpg.

Exceedingly difficult with the 2.5L engine: pulse and glide with the engine off while gliding (ie only ever feasible with a manual transmission).


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## b1aCkDeA7h (May 27, 2008)

387.1 miles to 12.713 gallons. 30 MPG, not bad.

I rarely push the car though and if I do, I still shift between 3-4k. Really liking the BSH engine mount. 6-speed is also a plus.


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## itskohler (Jan 7, 2011)

Damn, I shift at 3.5k unless im passing and I still only get 22mpg-ish.


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## thygreyt (Jun 7, 2009)

b1aCkDeA7h said:


> 387.1 miles to 12.713 gallons. 30 MPG, not bad.
> 
> I rarely push the car though and if I do, I still shift between 3-4k. Really liking the BSH engine mount. 6-speed is also a plus.


Which nount?? Motor? Tranny? Dogbone?


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## b1aCkDeA7h (May 27, 2008)

thygreyt said:


> Which nount?? Motor? Tranny? Dogbone?


A bit off topic but BSH Motor Mount, BFI Stage 1 Transmission Mount Insert, BSH Dogbone Insert.

That combo is pretty solid.


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## StlVDub (Aug 1, 2010)

I normally average around 390 to 400 miles on a tank. So I believe that's around 27mpg. Mix of highway and city driving, semi-spirited.


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