06' Mustang GT Real world MPGs?
03-06-2012, 07:05 PM
#21
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: Palm Beach to South Carolina
Posts: 1,567
I've noticed a 2 MPG increase in city driving (hand calculated) when using pure gas. I haven't made a road trip lately, so I haven't seen how it affects my highway mileage. Car seems to run better...
03-06-2012, 11:50 PM
#22
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location:
Posts: 298
Indeed V6 mustangs get in 18-19mpg combined real world driving. I had one.
Start with the GT or you'll be sorry, trust the people in this thread man. I have an 09 GT and the 06 V6 gave me a lot of problems (not to mention that more problems were on the way for that year of car). Imho get an 07 or newer so you can avoid the rest of the issues that had not started for me yet (such as water leaking into the passenger area).
Wasn't 07 the first year for the improved 3V heads? I know the first style was 05 and 06. I have an 09 so I'm not even worried about that either.
Anyway I get 17mpg combined and the traffic here is heavy. I am not light on the gas when I launch. I'm running 3:55's. If you want better fuel economy than I get you'll want 3:32's but you're only going to see maybe 1-2mpg difference if you are lucky. The V6 got 19mpg. 2mpg of difference and the loss of 100ft*lb tq isn't a great idea. Not to mention that GT valences and rocker panels are still head turners where as the V6 lacks the extra styling from the factory. I still prefer the GT rear valence, whereas other members on here prefer the V6 rear valence with the extra dual exhaust cut out (looks cheap/wrong to me that way but everyone has their preferences).
I read in the V6 forums back in 2007 that people were gaining a couple mpg's if they switched to mid grade octane (I think it is 89 at the pump). I'm not sure if this is true or if it even could be true because I don't think the ECM recalibrates anything after 87 octane. I could be wrong, maybe one of you guys knows. Right now I have 89 in mine but this is only the second time I've put 89 in it and I don't expect to see a difference in fuel economy. I thought I'd just try it for s&g since all 3 grades of gas are inflated in price now anyway.
I heard also that CAI and tune can gain you a couple MPG but the debate is that will cost you 600 bucks and how much fuel you could buy with that money.
Oh and lastly I did see my V6 drop down to 18mpg for a minute but it always went back to 19mpg. The only time I ever saw it go above 20mpg was on a really long trip up to Chico. It had a really long 70mph stretch and then a much longer 50mph stretch (at which point I discovered the "hesitation on acceleration" TSB issue that these cars had at that time and actually I expect that they never fixed that. It may have just been cars that were auto who knows, what a nightmare anyway..)
When I first got the 09 manual GT, I had it at 19mpg for a while and now it has been at 17mpg for quite some time. I'm sure if I granny it as they say, I can achieve 19 again or more but probably would have to be driving that way all the time. I think what it gets now is fine, I can't complain and I don't spend a lot of time going to gas stations so it is fine.
Also with all the quirks I had, I indeed miss the 06 I think. Sign of the times though, always wishing I got the GT and eventually I got it. Beautiful car and the 06 looked nice as well. I just think the quirks confused the living heck outta me though.
Start with the GT or you'll be sorry, trust the people in this thread man. I have an 09 GT and the 06 V6 gave me a lot of problems (not to mention that more problems were on the way for that year of car). Imho get an 07 or newer so you can avoid the rest of the issues that had not started for me yet (such as water leaking into the passenger area).
Wasn't 07 the first year for the improved 3V heads? I know the first style was 05 and 06. I have an 09 so I'm not even worried about that either.
Anyway I get 17mpg combined and the traffic here is heavy. I am not light on the gas when I launch. I'm running 3:55's. If you want better fuel economy than I get you'll want 3:32's but you're only going to see maybe 1-2mpg difference if you are lucky. The V6 got 19mpg. 2mpg of difference and the loss of 100ft*lb tq isn't a great idea. Not to mention that GT valences and rocker panels are still head turners where as the V6 lacks the extra styling from the factory. I still prefer the GT rear valence, whereas other members on here prefer the V6 rear valence with the extra dual exhaust cut out (looks cheap/wrong to me that way but everyone has their preferences).
I read in the V6 forums back in 2007 that people were gaining a couple mpg's if they switched to mid grade octane (I think it is 89 at the pump). I'm not sure if this is true or if it even could be true because I don't think the ECM recalibrates anything after 87 octane. I could be wrong, maybe one of you guys knows. Right now I have 89 in mine but this is only the second time I've put 89 in it and I don't expect to see a difference in fuel economy. I thought I'd just try it for s&g since all 3 grades of gas are inflated in price now anyway.
I heard also that CAI and tune can gain you a couple MPG but the debate is that will cost you 600 bucks and how much fuel you could buy with that money.
Oh and lastly I did see my V6 drop down to 18mpg for a minute but it always went back to 19mpg. The only time I ever saw it go above 20mpg was on a really long trip up to Chico. It had a really long 70mph stretch and then a much longer 50mph stretch (at which point I discovered the "hesitation on acceleration" TSB issue that these cars had at that time and actually I expect that they never fixed that. It may have just been cars that were auto who knows, what a nightmare anyway..)
When I first got the 09 manual GT, I had it at 19mpg for a while and now it has been at 17mpg for quite some time. I'm sure if I granny it as they say, I can achieve 19 again or more but probably would have to be driving that way all the time. I think what it gets now is fine, I can't complain and I don't spend a lot of time going to gas stations so it is fine.
Also with all the quirks I had, I indeed miss the 06 I think. Sign of the times though, always wishing I got the GT and eventually I got it. Beautiful car and the 06 looked nice as well. I just think the quirks confused the living heck outta me though.
Last edited by amptor; 03-07-2012 at 12:02 AM.
03-07-2012, 01:12 PM
#23
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 187
Mine is an 05', but it should be very similar. I have a 60 mile commute daily, with the first 25 miles with no traffic at a steady 75 mph, another 10 miles city, and the last 25 miles in mostly heavy traffic.
I average 19 mpg with that commute. If I drive pure highway with no traffic, I can get over 24 mpg.
This is for a slightly heavier convertible with 18" wheels and 3.31 gearing (not my choice).
I average 19 mpg with that commute. If I drive pure highway with no traffic, I can get over 24 mpg.
This is for a slightly heavier convertible with 18" wheels and 3.31 gearing (not my choice).
03-07-2012, 02:10 PM
#24
4th Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2007
Location: Northern VA
Posts: 1,454
I've heard people with V6s complain about MPGs in the teens. I wonder if they're ragging the engines out trying to compensate for the lack of hp?
My '06 GT has the factory 3.55s and UPR CAI, UPR/SCT Tune, UPR x-pipe, and it was a nice improvement in seat of the pants performance over the stock setup. It's supposed to be about a 30-40hp gain at the crank.
Anyway, my average over the past 10,000 miles or so, almost entirely city driving, is 23.0 MPG. And believe me, I DO NOT baby the car. I drive fairly aggressively all the time.
My '06 GT has the factory 3.55s and UPR CAI, UPR/SCT Tune, UPR x-pipe, and it was a nice improvement in seat of the pants performance over the stock setup. It's supposed to be about a 30-40hp gain at the crank.
Anyway, my average over the past 10,000 miles or so, almost entirely city driving, is 23.0 MPG. And believe me, I DO NOT baby the car. I drive fairly aggressively all the time.
03-07-2012, 04:55 PM
#26
2nd Gear Member
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: San Diego, CA
Posts: 187
Because that's downright amazing for city driving. Most GTs can barely do that on steady highway.
03-07-2012, 05:04 PM
#27
I'm using the computer for the MPG. I'll do a hand calculation on my next full tank and report back. However, I know I'm getting way better than 12-15. I'm getting 350-360 miles per tank.
Here's a brief generalization of how I drive: drag launch from all stop lights and stop signs, attack the corners like an HPDE, then set the cruise control when I reach 5mph over the speed limit. It keeps me from getting speeding tickets. (reckless op is another thing entirely) My daily commute is mostly in a 45mph zone, with some of it being a 35 zone and some in a 55 zone.
03-07-2012, 06:21 PM
#28
6th Gear Member
On average, the 05-09 on board's read about 1.5-2 MPG high compared to hand calculating. My wifes 06 Pony is one of the rare ones that is always within about 1/2 MPG.
But be sure that your speedometer is within 1-2 MPH using a GPS. If not, your indicated miles from the odometer will be off which throws everything else off.
But be sure that your speedometer is within 1-2 MPH using a GPS. If not, your indicated miles from the odometer will be off which throws everything else off.
