New here with a 1999 Saturn SC2

[ninetynineSC2]

Hi everyone, been lurking around for a while finally joining the forums here.

Got the car (first car I bought and paid for myself, second car I've had) a couple years ago. Burns some oil (Like almost every S-series). Averaged about 32 in town before I moved, now due to shorter drives everywhere it dropped to 24.

It has an auto trans, 158,8XX miles currently and I haven't done any fuel economy related mods to it other than relocated the radio antenna inside the door trim.

[Daox]

Welcome to the site ninetynineSC2. You got a good little car for mileage.

What is your daily commute like? 24mpg seems pretty low, even for an automatic.

[ninetynineSC2]

Originally Posted by Daox

What is your daily commute like? 24mpg seems pretty low, even for an automatic.

5.5 miles to school in the morning, back again in the afternoon

About 3.8 miles total to work at 5 (Drop my roommate off at his job then go to mine) Pick him up after work and head home at 9.

About 18.6 miles a day (Seems like less than that but google maps doesn't lie...usually)

I'm thinking its the relatively short trips, combined with the car sitting between going there and back giving it time to cool off that is mainly effecting it.

I try to coast whenever possible and use a light foot.Pretty much just the basics.I also have started putting it in neutral at longer lights (waiting a few more tanks to see if it helps). If I know I'll be waiting more than 5 minutes or so I do shut the car off.

[spacemanspif]

Saturn autos can be flat towed so it's safe to coast in neutral with the engine off if you want to explore EOC. I'd get a scan or ultra gauge so you can start testing methods to maximize your commute. Any hope for a block heater plugged in at the spots you park? With your location and type of commute that car won't warm up to temperature at all in tbd winter time. Instead of coasting in gear, do it in neutral as Saturn DFCO can be hard to activate, plus you'll coast farther so you won't need as much acceleration to get there. I completely blocked my grill and converted to bottom cooling and got a small gain in MPG; you may warm the engine faster by doing the same

[2000mc]

I've been as low as 19 for a tank, in the winter, with a short commute and traffic lights that seem to of been designed to stop everyone as often as possible. Block heater helps, even if it only helps on 1 start per day... I don't like being cold anyway. Kill switch and a more convienent start button, would be the most help of what I've done for city driving