MPG for your Reatta??

[bakersfield]

I have had my red '89 coupe for 16,000 miles now and have averaged

19.0 MPG with about a 50/50 mixture of city (Around 25 MPH)and Highway

(55 to 80 MPH)driving.

Incidentally, I drive my other Reattas so little that I have never kept

track of mileage results. Will have to attend to that.

How does this stack up against some of you other folks out there??

I am satisfied with my results. I use 89 octane regular unleaded out

here in Buck Owens home town.

We have extremely hot summers (usually 30+ days over 100 deg F), and

mild winters (Rarely under 32 deg F)Mostly flatland, except for trips

to Los Angeles when it is over the Tehachapi Mtns (4000 ft road elevation)

[Guest EDBS0]

EPA suggests 19 and 28.

I would say that you are doing well.

[Guest DTerry]

I commute 120 miles r/t 4 day a week. 15 turns, 3 lights, 6 stop signs and a railroad crossing on a mix of city streets, U.S. and state highways and county roads; 60mph cruise on highways. Regularly get 27 mpg on this trip. Freeway cruising at 70 it gets 31 to 33 depending on wind. Almost never any stop and go city driving. Calculated economy from pump/odometer is 1 mpg higher than computer. It's so good I'm afraid to repair the cam sensor. Is there factory tape to cover the SES light, or will electrical tape do? Right now I have a piece of white paper over it, but I'd like to keep it factory original.

[PAT 90 CONVERTIBLE]

LAST YEAR TOOK A TRIP TO BALTIMORE IN THE CONVERTIBLE AND AVERAGED 27.9 MPG USING REGULAR 87 OCTANE. THIS YEAR WE WILL BE TRAVELING TO INDIANA TO VISIT MY DAUGHTER AND GRANDSON AND WILL USE PREMIUM TO SEE IF THERE IS ANY IMPROVEMENT.MY SON IN LAW JUST STARTED A NEW JOB AT ELI LILY AND ARE IN THE PROCESS OF LOOKING TO BUY A HOUSE OUT THERE SO I DONT KNOW WHAT TOWN THEY WILL BE IN YET.THE 27.9 MPG SEEMED GREAT AFTER THE 12 OR 13 MPG ON THE 4X4 F 150.THE ONLY PROBLEM WAS THE PIECE OF CLOTH COVERING THE REAR DECK CONSTANTLY BLOWING AROUND BEHIND ME.

[jchudyk]

I get about 19-20 MPG around town with my '89. I have never been able to get better than 25 MPG on long road trips. I use what ever gas is cheapest. Car is completely stock except for a Jacobs coil & MSD DIS ignition controller.

[Guest imported_daddy3jr8]

Got 25.5 MPG on 90 coupe before adding Jacobs coil. Last trip got 30 MPG at 70 - 75 MPH. Running Rapidfire 3 plugs and stock wires. I use only Shell or BP 87 octane. Don't have front air deflector. Don't know if putting one on would + or - my MPG. Will probably put one on for trip to Atlanta in March and will let you know if it lowers MPG.

[reattadudes]

we have four Reattas that we drive regularly, three 1990s and a 1991. the mileage is almost exactly the same for all: 27 MPG for mixed driving, and 31-32 MPG for highway driving, with an average speed of 75 MPH. we never do much pure stop and go driving; the nearest traffic light is 22 miles away.

we have tried using different grades of gasoline to look for a mileage improvement, and never got one. the 3800 engine seems completely content with regular fuel.

Mike

[padgett]

MPG seems speed related - best (30+) at 50-60, less (28-29) @ 70+. I only run 87 PON. A/C off, sea level, 60F. 18-19 mpg in town (25-45 with frequent stop lights & a/c on). Stock '88 other than Delco ignition & 225x60x16 tires. Readings are from computer, actual is a bit higher.

[Guest EDBS0]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> Don't have front air deflector. Don't know if putting one on would + or - my MPG. Will probably put one on for trip to Atlanta in March and will let you know if it lowers MPG. </div></div>

In theory it reflects air around the car rather than beneath it. Air under the car creates turbulences increasing wind resistance and slows the car down. It should increase mpg with all else being the same.

[padgett]

Used to put air dams on race cars but was to enhance cooling by reducing air pressure in engine compartment, not to lower drag.

Most aerodynamic devices on the track are to redirect forces (reduce lift/increase downforce rather than to reduce them and mostly come into effect "over the ton". If you really want to reduce drag, you need a belly pan, skinny tires, and wheel disks.

We still really have large slow winding engines (yes, to most of the world, a 3800 is a big engine for a car) and one of the biggest drains is pumping and internal friction losses.

That said, I have not yet figured out why the Series II 3800 in the LeSabres I have had from Avis regularly get over 30 mpg. They do have a touch steeper axle (2.87:1).

[Howard]

My driving is slightly skewed to highway driving (55-70 MPH) about 38 miles a day. It gets between 19-21 MPG. What's odd in November of 2002, I bought new Michelin Pilots, the MPG dropped from 20-22 MPG. My first thought was the air pressure was incorrect, but it was on the money. Mileage in stop and go city driving drops to about 16, sometimes even less. Highway only, is about 23-25 range. Howard

[Barney Eaton]

The 1991 that we picked up in Phoenix delivered an average of 25.7 for just under 2100 miles, One tank of that was in LA traffic. It will take me another three years to add anothe 2000 miles

[Guest]

I have an 89 with only 98,000 some miles and I only get around 15 to 16 mpg, and by the looks of it that's really bad, any of you out there know how to get these much needed 4 mpg or so? I live in the Columbus Ohio area so that should give you a weather idea and I don't do that much hard driving just around town and such.

[Guest Greg Ross]

Zero Cool,

What fault codes are in "History"? Almost sounds like you're not getting into "Closed Loop" with that milege

[Guest imported_dantm4]

Right after my oil change at christmas on a 400 mile trip to Cleveland averaged 28mpg - but normally average around 20 the rest of the time. Only use my Reatta to drive to dayton and back to see my gf and for short trips around town on the weekends/evenings. I don't think at least at this time of year it's warming up enough. I plan to change transmission fluid and the O2 sensor and will see what that does for my mileage, but around 20 seems to be normal for me at least. By the way, different tires have different shapes - the tires you bought may be making more contact with the road and lowering your mileage slightly (more friction and resistance).

Does the coil make that much of a difference in mileage? Do 91's get better mileage with an electronic transmission?

Dan

90' Black/Tan Coupe

[Guest]

Well first there is B447, I know that is an A/C problem and I'm hoping to get it fixed this spring. Next is B482, never saw this one before but the manual said it was an anti lock brake pressure problem it was in history and I didn't have any braking problems before I put it away for winter, but I'm going to get the system flushed and all that come spring as well just to be safe. Now the last one is one that I couldn't find in the manual at all, C331 I have no idea what it is or means, so maybe one of you can elaborate for me. Thanks. The B447 was the only current message the other two where in history.

[padgett]

No and No. I do believe the Delco ignition is less likely to fail and *may* handle poor gas a bit better than the Magnavox but in tip top shape, both will perform about the same. Suppose the biggest difference is that if one coil fails in the Delco, I can replace one coil.

E-trans should make no difference in MPG. 3.33 gear vs 2.97 will make more.

Reall change in mpg seems to have occured with the Series II & is generally an evolutionary development. Much better O2 sensors may have something to do with it.

[Guest Reatta1]

I have an 88 that is completely factory stock. It currently has about 77k miles on it. I have driven it on short trips, long trips and around town. Mileage ranges from 16 to 18 mpg in all city driving to 30+ on long haul and no hills. Long haul with hilly or mountain driving brings her down to the mid to high 20's.

[Guest]

Hi guys,

I would assume that 30 mpg should be attainable with the right conditions with these cars. On my '89 Riviera that I had, and I don't know of the exact weight differences between the Riv and the Reatta are for sure, even though they are somewhat similar, especially powertrain wise.

My parents took it to Chattanooga, Tennessee from here in Zeigler, Illinois, which is about a 5 hour at least trip, and they got according to the CRT, at least 30 mpg, sometimes a little over 30 mpg, and around approximately 350 miles on a half tank of gas, which if figured correctly, is pretty doggone good.

I averaged myself on the CRT screen around 19-20 or 21 mpg driving a 6 mile trip to work from Zeigler to West Frankfort, Illinois and back during the week, which seems about right city wise.

I guess it also depends on the conditions and everything as well.

I would figure the Reatta would be about the same mileage wise.

Does someone here know the exact weight of these cars, the Reatta and the Riviera? That might help a little as far as mileage comparisons go.

[Rawja]

The Reatta and Riviera's weight are pretty much identical.

88 Reatta 3350# 88 Riv 3364#

89 Reatta 3394# 89 Riv 3436#

Probably due to all that glass and I read that our rear shelf weighs more that the rear seats in the Riv did.

[padgett]

Anyone have info on 100K mile engines vs those with a new timing chain ? Bringing the cam timing back to the proper advance should be worth something.

[Guest Greg Ross]

<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Quote:</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> 100K mile engines vs those with a new timing chain </div></div>\Agree.

The Seat-of-the-Pants meter confirmed the improvement in performance. If it's apparent there I think the mileage would improve proportionately.

[Guest imported_Flash]

'88 daily driver (5 days a week/48 weeks a year) w/ 110K, 19.5 mpg combined city/hwy.