Help with gas milage problem?

Ok, I just bought an 02 xterra supercharged and it only has 40,000 miles on it. I drove it back to were i live in southern utah and i only got 225 miles on one tank. from what i understand i sould be getting around 15 -18mpg. i averaged maybe 12. I checked the filter and changed it and this is my second tank on it and now i might get 240 on this tank.
I called nissan and the tech said that he has had 2 xterras himself and that i sould expect to get over 12 mpg. I think that that is crap. the reviews state that it gets 15-18. what can i do. i really need help. if i dont get it fixed ill be forced to sell it.

Welcome to SC Xterra. You're not going to improve much, unless you drive differently.

Can your driving style be attributed to your mpg?

So if you don't have that extra 3mpg then you will sell it? 3 mpg will not make that much of a difference in money. You will loose more money having to resell it so soon.

well what i want is 18. I bought it cuz i am moving across the country at the end of summer. maybe i am missing something. but ihave read tht alot opf people on this forum are getting aroud 300 a tank.

Yeah, i think that 18 mpg is a little too optimistic. I was getting that before all my mods on a non s/c '02 that I have now. I drove it really conservatively, never went higher than 2,500 RPM's , cruising at like 55-60 down the highway. You might swing around 16 mpg, maybe if you drive light footed.

no offense man, i dont wanna come off sounding like an asshole, but i and many others here have seen plenty of these threads about poor gas milage,its an SUV, you can't expect good gas milage out of an SUV unless your driving an escape hybrid or something (and thats not even a real truck), the xterra is a real truck with an underpowered V6 (except for the supercharged 02+), it has the aerodynamics of a brick, and the 15/18 on the window sticker is based on ideal conditions, i get about 12-14mpg in the winter and i've hit 18mpg once in the summer, i didn't buy the X for the milage, i bought it for its capabilities, don't let the poor milage ruin your X for you

yea i know.. i love the xterra and have always wanted one. it just put a damper on things when i was not getting the mileage that i thought that i should be getting.

Hey mudx4x4 i noticed you live in Mass. i am actually moving there. I will be going to school in Turners Falls and probably be moving to greenfeild or somewhere arould there.

yea man, i hear you on the milage putting a damper on things, when i first bought it last year, i was really excited and loved it right off the bat, but the MPG sucked, plus i bought in the winter so it was even worse than i thought it would be, i was only getting like 12-13 most of the winter and i thought i had made a mistake in buying it, then i pretty much said to myself, its a great, reliable truck, its gonna be shitty on gas, so i just let it go and enjoyed it, i stopped measuring exactly how far i get, i know i get anywhere between 140-150 miles per half tank, depending on my driving style, plus once spring comes around and the winter blend gas is gone, your mpg should go up by a couple

and about moving out here, it'll be nice to have another local around here, we should def hook up for some wheeling when you get all settled down, greenfield is about 45-50 min from springfield

Drive 55
Make sure your tire pressure is correct

And draft whenever possible.

Check the computer for a knock sensor code. If the code sets (a knock sensor code will not turn on the check engine light) then it will kick off the boost, retard the timing and BAM will kill gas mileage.

Techs hate doing them, so many won't tell you that the code is there. You'll have to ask specifically to get it. Then, be prepared to dish out some coinage, 'cause the sensor aint cheap, neither is the labor.

Set your timing to +2° advanced from base spec and run some injector cleaner through the system. BG 44K works good.

Also remember, many places run a winter blend of fuel to combat the brown cloud. You'll run across several different blends as you drive cross country in the winter. Any cross country trip in the winter will result in less fuel mileage vs. doing the exact same trip in the summer.

Enjoy the S/C X!

Cyclemut:
you said run some injector cleaner through the engine. is that a simple pour in and drive kinda thing?

I get 200 miles to a tank, maybe. But I live at 9,000 feet and my commute in the winter is 4x4 everday (15 miles each way, plus about 5 - 10 miles each day at the mine site).
It sucks, but thats part of owning one of these things. Carpool to work, walk to the store, ride a bike, but stop bitching about the gas consumption. No car or truck tells the truth in the sticker mpg, it's not a realistic test that determines the rating. Plus everything is dependant on the driving conditions each person encounters, such as elevation, hills vs. flat, tires, roof rack, acceleration ...

My advice: drive like a grandma and carpool, it cut my monthly gas bill in half.

BG 44K is an in-tank fuel injector cleaner. Put it in on a full tank of fuel and run it to about 1/8 of a tank. Then fill up with good fuel (Amaco, Conoco, BP, the name brand stuff) and see how she runs.

The cleaner relies on the amount of time it's in the engine, not the dilution (I.E. don't use on 1/2 tank of fuel because you think it'll work better, use it on a full tank).

These are all excellent posts, plus winter is a poor time to judge gas mileage. You will be lucky if you see 18 this summer though. My N/A SE's window sticker punched in at 16/20 and that 20 is rarely seen. 19 is the best of the bunch. This winter without the need for 4 wheel drive I see 16 alot, so please don't feel to bad. I went with the SE over the SE S/C just for the extra fuel mileage, and it ain't there. If I would have known what I know now I would have went with the supercharger.

--Well i've watched the mileage posts , because I stated I don't care about mileage--But you have to realize that two or three /mpg means about 90+ bucks a month for a "constant" driver and I apologize for that , but you have to put that in your "overall equation" before you buy an Xterra--"RIGHT"--

Just got my X, all the tanks I've run through so far I'm averaging 15.5mpg. It's a 5 speed and I tend to short shift in an effort to keep the milage up, but I'm not gentle with it by any means.

I'd run injector cleaner through it, and if you are using a blended fuel try to switch as that will kill your mpg also.

I hope this isn't the most stupid question in the world, but what does the "SC" designation stand for?

SC = supercharger

See, knew that was a stupid question!

lol

I usually get around 280-290 miles before my gas light comes on...of course, i dont floor it on the highway either, i usually cruise around 60-65

Chuck, If you type "gas mileage" under "search" in the Performance section you will see tons of posts with your same concern. There are tons of suggestions, but, in my opinion, no remedies. People suggest spark plugs, muffler/exhaust upgrades, intakes, oil upgrades, etc. You might get a bit more throttle response/acceleration with these upgrades, but most aren't seeing measurable gas mileage improvments. I think most are getting what you are. My averages are around 230-250 before the light goes on. As far as the people who say they average 300 miles, I would like to sit in their X's and watch it hit 300.
My advice, enjoy the truck and drive it the way you want! Life's too short!

Don't know if this applies to xterra owners, but I was having lunch with people from work and one guy said that there is a chip that will help get better gas mileage. He also said that performance will also come down. Does Xterra have such chip available...anybody used it?

Here's a dumb question: how do you guys check mileage?

Thanks in advance!

Don't believe in any chips that advertise any gains.

Checking mileage: Fill full tank until the pump clicks and stops. Do not top off. Reset the trip odometer right there.

Drive as long as you can before filling up. If possible, run as low as you can, that will give more accurate numbers.

Fill up full thank again until the pump clicks and shuts off. Divide the mileage on your trip odometer by the number of gallons that you just put in the truck.

The result is your miles per gallon.

Thank goodness for the Summer season. Last month I had my best since I bought my 01 Xterra; getting 271 miles on a tank. I just pulled in the driveway today at 248 and I still have a quarter tank left. I have a 38 mile commute tonight so I am thinking I have a good chance of getting 280 or better before filling up.

Little things that I did to increase from 14 to about 16 - 16 1/2 MPG:

1. Drive at or under 2000RPM when at all possible. That also means when pulling away from a stop to be slow and easy. Also, 50 MPH is about 2000 RPM at crusing speed.

2. Plan your trips better. I leave 15 minutes earlier and take the older highway and drive 50MPH. You know, everyone has that old highway that they built an interstate around.

3. Take off the roof bin and the front fairing. Wind resistance is wind resistance no matter how aerodynamic it looks. Don't worry it will grow on ya, it did for me. Plus I finally found a purpose for that glass roof it came with. Damn, its a Sunroof

4. Tire Pressure is 33.5psi in the front, max pressure is 35psi. Different tires on back I run at 38.5psi with a max of 44psi. Its alot bumpier, but less resistance is less resistance.

5. Brake gently. The average person brakes their car in 10 seconds. By braking sooner and extending that period to 15 seconds, you are actually saving gas! Know your road and lights, anticipate when you are going to have to slow down and do it at a gentle controlled rate instead of waiting to the last minute and slamming the brake pedal.

6. Bought Satellite radio - If you are going to drive slower you need to have a lot of things to take your mine off the fact that you are spending more time in your X.

7. Laugh - Every time I see a Hummer H2, Dodge RAM, Chevrolet Avalanche go flying by me at 70/80 MPH I can't help buy chuckle at what those morons gas bill is going to be.

8. Owning an SUV, especially one like the X is about enjoying life. Learn to use the functional side of the X. For me there is nothing better than a Saturday afternoon to the local mountain bike trails for a couple hour ride. The more you take part in other things, the less time you will have thinking about the fact that your last gas bill was $45.

Enjoy!!

Here's one to think about: start the engine late and turn it off early. Say you drive your vehicle 4 times a day, and it takes you 5 seconds to buckle up, mess with the radio, and do whatever else you do before driving away. Same at the end, unbuckling and so on. If you start your engine first and turn it off last, you're idling for an unnecessary 10 seconds a trip.

Doesn't sound like much, but x 4 trips a day = 40 seconds daily x 365 = 14600 seconds / 60 = 243 min / 60 = a little over 4 hours a year your truck is running at exactly 0 MPG.

Can you tell I once worked at American Airlines, where they saved $100,000 a year by taking a small tomato out of the dinner salads? Well, back when there WERE dinner salads.

The only way to get 18+ mpg is with the 05 or 06 model. 1st gen X's are total crap when it comes to mileage and on-road performance.

I am going to take a photo to prove the it can be done..its all how you drive.

I have a 40 mile round trip commute to work 50/50 city/highway and in the summer time I WILL hit 300 before I fill up every time.

In the winter time with winter fuel I cant do it I may see about 260-280.

My city speed is 40-45 mph and I never go over 65 mph on the interstate. Ease off at the lights and brake ahead of time to roll to the lights, stop signs whatever....lol.

I've followed my fuel mileage for a long time and I see 17-19 mpg every fill up.

2000 4x4 Auto @ 89000 miles.

On a good note I used to commute 6 days a week, my new position I commute 3 days a week

Without paying much attention to driving differently (I drive easy most of the time, though), I get consistent 17.5 mpg figures around town with 32" tires, auto, 4x4, Shrock bumper and skids, lights on the bumper and roof and running 32 psi in the tires.

Granted, "around town" for me is somewhat rural, with most roads having speed limits from 35 to 55. Still, I do drive a very short commute (1.8 miles each way) to work. Short trips such as that tend to drop your mileage a bit.

I filled up with 294.3 miles on the tank. It only took 16.040 gallons, so that leaves like 2 -3 gallons left. So that is what 18.33 MPG. So yes, it can be done. Like I said, I did those steps I listed above and in my case, it added 30-40 extra miles to my tank before fill up. BTW, the light came on at 285 miles.

I regularly get around 17-19 with mixed driving. So far, all I have is new tires (AT's) and the poorest of the PMLs (shackles and torsion bump). I cruise 75. I don't wear a hole in the gas pedal when I am driving around town and I noticed that helps tremendously. The new ethanol gas is showing up more and I am getting better now than with the MTBE crap that was around. I'm sure that this time next year, I'll be saying something different. I use good quality gas whenever possible and I made it to 310 once before I pulled in for a fill up. I was sweatin bullets but it made it that far. All I can say is stay on top of maintenance, use the cruise control on the freeways, and don't gag it around town.

I will now stop beating on Trigger

Okay, You guys have convinced me that getting 300 miles can be done. I thought about why you guys are getting that kind of MPG versus what I get. I came to conclusion that where most of you guys live seem to be places where the pace of everyday life can be taken at a bit of a slower pace (if you so choose). In Southern California, if I drove 60-65 on the freeway, I'd get blown off the road, even in the slow lane by the white-hairs in their Cadillacs. I'm also more interested in getting to where I want to get than squeezing 30 more miles out of my tank (which equates to what...about $9+change these days?). For example, when my buddies and I are caravan-ning down to the ocean with our kayaks, I don't want get into the water 20 minutes later than they did because I needed to keep it under 2000RPM's. I also don't want to get to a head trail an hour later, because gas conservation is an issue. All those minutes add up in life (at least to me). I'm intetested in living my life, not squadering it on the freeway counting miles, taking my x apart for aerodynamics, and not driving the X the way it was made to be driven.
I'm not sure this was the direction the poster wanted it to go, but it prompted interesting comments.

Just to clarify, I hope I didn't come off as thinking that so. cal was superior than where you guys live. I actually envy those who live where the pace of life is slower and people are nicer. But pulling up roots here would be hard on the kids. Once they're in college, I'm moving to greener...and slower pastures.

No Worries.. I'd take California over Delaware any day.

They're saying now that cars/suv's are'nt getting the gas mileage the sticker says..

That's probably because they test the mpg in controlled environments that do not match driving. For example, testing on rollers with no wind resistance, every electrical systems off, no radio, no fan, no A/C, etc.

Since there are all tested in the same fashion, it's still a good gauge when comparing two vehicles, knowing that in real life both will be lower.

I bought my Xterra as a UTILITY vehicle, not as my basic transportation. It's just not practical.

I have a utility trailer, a trailered boat and I like to off-road on the beaches and have a nicer car for some road trips.

My other car is a 1985 honda coupe beater that gets 33mpg. I pay minimal insurance, repairs on it and drive it to get from point a to point b.

If people would drive utility vehicles for utility and not basic transportation, we'd be a lot better off.

When you factor in the cost per mile on my newer xterra, not just for gasoline but for everything else like depreciation, full insurance, I actually SAVE a lot of money by having the beater car. I've been using this strategy for about 4 years now (2nd beater car) and the numbers are great.

Plus, instead of having 100K on my X I have 55K. I'll have the car for at least another 10-15 years because I don't throw it away on commuting to work etc. That means while most people are shelling out 30K for a new SUV every 5 years, I'll still be driving mine in good condition.

Something to ponder...

I routinely get 19-20 in my X!!!!!! HeHeHe!!!!

Tim

From experience 468 miles out of a tank is possible with a 1 gallon reserve. But you have to be above 6k feet and go no more than 45mph with slow leisurely acceleration. At normal speeds 65-75 I have seen up to 20mpg but it was all above 5k feet.

Not a normal thing but it is possible.

When I was stock I have seen 300+ miles out of a tank while in the lowlands at highway speeds.