Reatta gas milage?

[NCReatta]

Im just curious what others out there are getting gas milage wise.. I've been averaging 22+ mpg for the last few tanks.

This last tank however.. I've gotten to 150 miles on just about a quarter tank. Which, if you do the math, is about 33 mpg. Assuming my gauge reads accurately, which i have found it to just about be spot on. I will see for sure next time I fuel up.

This is on my daily driver '89 with going on 144K.

What is everyone else getting?

[handmedownreatta]

my computer says 18 -22 everyday.as much as 28 on the interstate at 72 mph.

[KDirk]

Marck,

You are doing considerably better than the numbers I am getting on the 88. CRT readout of avg MPG is at 15.7, and has been for weeks. Keep in mind that my driving is skewed towards city, not highway, so that makes a big difference. On highway at cruising speed on a flat straight stretch, my instantaneous can stay around 25-27 pretty routinely, so I am pretty sure everything is running right. I will confess to being a bit heavy on the pedal at times: St. Louis traffic occasionally necessitates some aggressive passing/lane changes.

I am getting about the same numbers with the 91, although without the readout (no CRT) I have to calculate it out when I fill up. Also, I have no way to see the instantaneous MPG since the 91 instrumentation lacks this feature [regrettably].

Funny thing is, my Deville (a 2 ton beast with a 4.9l V8) is showing 17.6 avg, and has been for a while. It takes premium only, and I have advanced the timing to 13*, factory setting was 10*. The increase in timing has improved mileage a bit, with the caveat that I must run premium all the time or it will knock like a door to door magazine salesman.

At 10* advance, it can run on regular [87] in a pinch but may still be prone to knock, and of course sacrifices 3+mpg in the process, much as with the later 4.6l Northstar. The 4.9 lacks a knock sensor, and does not self-adjust spark advance as a result. Keep in mind that it still has a HEI distributor ignition, not a module/coil ignition as with the 3800 or Nstar.

In any case, I wish I was posting better mileage numbers than I am getting.

Edit: As was being discussed in another thread, the STL metro market gets minimum 10% ethanol in all grades. Maybe more, the sticker on the pumps state minimum of 10% ethanol content. This certainly explains some of the loss in fuel economy.

KDirk

[NCReatta]

I don't look too much at the CRT, and I just calculate when I fill up (nothing else better to do I guess!)

My driving is mixed, some city, some highway. Most highway is at about 60 MPH unless I go to the U pull it where it can get up to 75 on 40 east.

The only things I've recently done to the car are to cut the Cat off, put new plugs, wires, and a new magnavox coil pack.

You really ought to look into a mid-90s Caddy fleetwood with the 5.7 V8, Kevin. Much better fuel economy (my Impala with the 5.7 gets 25+), and you can use whatever gas you want. Plus on demand power. Corvette engine in a sedan..

[j3studio]

The EPA specification is 17 city/26 highway under the newly revised formula (19 city/29 highway in the "old" 1985 formula) for the 1988-89 cars and 16 city/25 highway (18 city/27 highway) for the 1990-1991 cars.

Anybody have a good handle on why the mileage dropped for those last two years?

I concur with Marck about the unexpectedly ridiculous mileage a relatively unstressed Chevrolet 350 with modern fuel injection gets. The Reatta might have been better off with an LT1.

[spiering.lucas]

I get 325 miles to the tank in my 90. I have gotten this consistently for months. I figure that averages between 18-20 MPG. My driving consists or 85% freeway. I drive 60 miles a day on the freeway to work and back. It not anything to brag about by any means but this car was not built for mileage it was built for comfort, style, and beauty. As it is I am enjoying the MPG's while I can. Next week ill be dropping in my supercharged motor and I can only imagine the mileage taking a big hit seeing as Daniel only gets about 15 with his SC Reatta.

[NCReatta]

I get 325 miles to the tank in my 90. I have gotten this consistently for months. I figure that averages between 18-20 MPG. My driving consists or 85% freeway. I drive 60 miles a day on the freeway to work and back. It not anything to brag about by any means but this car was not built for mileage it was built for comfort, style, and beauty. As it is I am enjoying the MPG's while I can. Next week ill be dropping in my supercharged motor and I can only imagine the mileage taking a big hit seeing as Daniel only gets about 15 with his SC Reatta.

I agree, I certainly didn't buy the car for the gas milage, but I'm very satisfied with the results I'm getting. The guy I bought it from said he consistently got 32 on highway trips with his other '89.

I might ad that my cruise doesn't work.. I wonder how much I could improve it by if I got that working..

[spiering.lucas]

My cruise doesn't work either and it pisses me off now that I think of it! lol It is one of the few things I need to fix on my car. Not that big of a deal, besides I don't usually go the speed limit. I'll admit it. I MOB in my Reatta!

[Craig57]

13.5 in city driving. Mileage has always been bad for me on this car. I've given her anything she ever wanted.(Tune up,oil change.) Would a new fuel filter help.

[Craig57]

MOB?

[spiering.lucas]

13.5 in city driving. Mileage has always been bad for me on this car. I've given her anything she ever wanted.(Tune up,oil change.) Would a new fuel filter help.

When I worked 5 miles from home and did nothing but city driving I got about 13-15 MPG. Does your car have a Catalytic converter? Have you ever replaced your O2 sensor? Do you have a Check Engine light on?
I unplugged my O2 and my MPG went up to about 16-17. MY car does not have a Cat.

[spiering.lucas]

MOB?

MOB:
The act of going somewhere, usually in a hurry.
"Im about to mob down there right now"
"**** only 5 minutes till it closes we gotta mob down there"

[NCReatta]

MOB:
The act of going somewhere, usually in a hurry.
"Im about to mob down there right now"
"**** only 5 minutes till it closes we gotta mob down there"

New to me lol.. Must be a west coast thing.

[Bushwack]

12-14MPG in the city. On a 270 mile trip (all highway), I have achieved anywhere from 25-28MPG going 55-70MPH. 75% of the drive is with the cruise control engaged.

[KDirk]

Well, guess my numbers aren't so bad after all, based on other posts here. My 91 has no cat, it was replaced with a straight pipe prior to my ownership. Have seen no reason to replace it, as anything pre-1996 [OBD2] is exempt from emissions testing in MO now. I do wonder if having it in would render a small increase in MPG's. The 88 does have it's original cat (about 40,000 miles on it now) FWIW.

Marck, my brother has a 93 Fleetwood with the 5.7l (350) - not the Corvette engine - that one went into the D body Cadillac starting in 94 I believe. It gets ok mileage (though my brother is notoriously lead footed) but power is lacking slightly compared to my Deville. It is TBI (throttle body injected) and is rated for 180HP I think. I've not driven a 94-96 equipped with the LS1, so cannot make an informed comparison.

Personally, I like the Deville better than the Fleetwood, the interior is nicer/more modern with vastly improved instrumentation and the car seems better thought out overall than the D body. Don't get me wrong, the Fleetwood is a nice car, I just prefer the Deville. Funny too, the Deville is quieter inside than the Fleetwood.

All that said, I have gotten to prefer driving the Reattas, and more specifically the 88, which has surprised me as I thought the 91 would be my preference due to the added power and the improved suspension and ABS. I try to save the Caddy for times when I am carrying passengers, or if I don't want to draw so much attention as the Reattae seem to. Of course, I try to rotate between the three regularly, so they all see regular use.

KDirk

[Craig57]

Has a new cat and 02 sensor.About 5 miles to work.

[edselsouth1]

My '88 w/156K shows an average of 18.0-18.2, and an instantaneous of 22-24. Most driving is short trips, 15-30 miles and avg. 65 mph, cruise used when able to. Full tune-ups and regular oil changes are performed. The cat is still on the car, but may have to leave. I believe mileage should be about 21-22 on the average.

[Recian]

In the next few months we'll see what mine gets. Im in the final stages of fixing my suspension and putting the engine back in. Im curious to see how it performs with this new engine. It was getting 15-16 when I drove it last in town. Ive changed the intake and will be opening the exhaust before re-install ontop of the new engine with .040" over bore Im curious to see how mine runs and does on mpg

[farnelle]

I have three 90's and a 91. One coupe and three verts. I do not keep up with daily driver type mileage, but on the highway, with two people and luggage, air on and driving about 74 mph my Reattas get from 27 to 29 depending on which one I drive. My 93 Olds 98 Regency with the same 3800 engine gets 20 to 30 mpg and my wife's Riviera 3800 supercharged gets about 25. Her 94 LaSabre got 28 mpg. So there you go- I figure the 3800 should get around 25 - 30 depending on the gearing and driving a reasonable speed. On one trip from PA to SC in the Olds with no passengers and keeping it at the speed limit, I actually averaged 31 mpg.

I have always been more than pleased with the GM 3800 for performance and gas mileage. Maybe that along with reliability is why Car and Driver voted it one of the top 10 engines a few years back.

[Mike_s]

I think the type of injector may also come into play regarding mileage. The originals in my 88 had a single nozzel, aftermarket and some replacement AC delco's have 4 ports for better fuel atomnization.

I've seen 32mpg instantanious on flat roads.

[Doug Harness]

I averaged 30MPG in the '89 on a trip from Dallas to Oklahoma City. I was using the cruise control, driving the speed limit, and nearly getting run over by every other driver on I-35.

[Squire Tom]

running 10% gasohol in my 91 at 114k and the cruise at 60 (1700 rpm) on 55mph four lane have never gotten more than 20 or 21 and as low as 17. i think they changed the axle on 91's but used 16 inch wheels as an offset. accelleration is gentle and usually not more than 20 or so miles at a time. had a vibe that got over 30 in the same conditions. very little freeway driving at 70 so i cannot comment on that aspect.

[Retired w/Reatta]

I just returned from a 1,000+ mile drive down to central California.
Driving in cruise set at about 65 mph I averaged just short of 28 mpg.
Car is pushing 212,000 miles.
My cooling fans have been reprogrammed by Ryan and I'm running a 180F thermostat. Coolant temperature stayed a constant 79C/174F.
Before Oregon mandated 10% ethanol year 'round I could achieve 32 mpg.

[handmedownreatta]

i plan to look into the special extra mpg tires several manufacturers are offering now and doing the math to see if they are worth the extra money.

[Richard D]

145,xxx miles A/C always on, 14 city, 29-30 cruise @ 70 mph, Dino oil changed every 2 K or 6 months. 1971 Skylark convertible, 350 cid, 350 tranny, A/C on 13-15 in town, 23 at 65 on hiway.