39mpg buick lesabre for real?

[katoranger]

Well after about 5 days of really trying to get the best mileage I am happy to report that I covered 354 miles on 9.051 gallons. My wife filled it up tonight. She filled until it clicked off like we always do. The gauge says full, but I am alittle skeptical.

My only mods are a lower air dam and taped off lower grille in the bumper. Tires at 40psi. Nearly all the miles are with the AC on. It 95+ here in Hotlanta.

I was only expecting high 20s. So a few more tanks to see how I average out now.

[tumnasgt]

I always get it to click a second time, because sometimes it goes early.

I don't know about other car's fuel gauges, but my Camry says full for the first 150 miles or so (25% of the tank or something like that), so it could be that you are just close enough to full for it to show that way.

[katoranger]

Well, my wife filled it up. I was going to do it tomorrow. Will see what the second tank reports. This car will go about 75 miles before it moves off full.


I was skeptical, because she doesn't even look to see if the gauge reads full. Just gas and go for her.

At least I got her to keep the receipt and I knew how many miles there was. I put alot of work into that tank to have all my data lost.

[katoranger]

Update. Wife didn't fill it all the way up. She missed about 5 gallons. Real mileage 26mpg. Still better than before.

[Phantom]

26MPG was about the best I got on my 93 LeSabre and on the 93 Bonneville, actually both of my Grand Prixes 2000 and 2003 did the same at 26MPG but that was before I tried to get better. Now my best tank is 29.2MPG and the only real change is tire pressure and driving style.

You should be better than me on the highway since the LeSabre has a larger gear set so there will be slower acceleration but lower be at RPM when at speed.

Good luck, and can you tell I like the 3800 engine, now to add a turbo or supercharger.

[katoranger]

I would be happy to maintain 26mpg. I stop and go alot. Traffic can be pretty rough here.

[gascort]

26 is good on the 3800 with stop and go. Wife's car (98 intrigue) gets about 26 when she drives with no AC and mainly highway, and I can get about 27-28 from it even with city driving and traffic pulsing the AC on and off, and also off under acceleration.
Tires are at 45 psi cold
Power steering pump has been whining lightly for over 160,000 miles (now has 230k)
Needs front bearings and an alignment

[katoranger]

I run the air most of the time. It his been extremely hot here. If its just me I will turn it off more. I am very happy with 26. I have two school drop off lines. Been trying to pick the right time for the least amount of waiting.

I picked the buick because of the 3800 and knowing that it was capable of good mileage while being about to transport 3 kids in car seats. Plus if needed it can beat out all the little hondas.

Allen

[Phantom]

Does the Buick have a bench or bucket seat? The only reason I ask is it will be easier to do neutral coasts if you have one of the few bucket seat versions.

If the shifter is on the tree see if you can easily pop it into neutral from drive without pulling in on the shifter or skipping past N to Reverse. The Bonneville I had with it on the tree did not always stop at N and went in to reverse shutting down the engine or if slow enough jerking it to a stop. But remember I was 16 at the time of doing that so it could have just been me pulling back on the leaver and forcing it into Reverse.