Disappointed.

[johntesi]

Rant/

So, just ran the tank down to "5 miles remaining" to get a good complete measure of mileage again. I did this last time as well. Put in just over 15 gallons. Got 283.5 miles out of this tank. 35/65 city/highway. This comes out to an average of 18.9 mpg, in a time when I haven't been driving aggressively (can't remember my last race save for the dbag GT500), have had the Revo set at 0/0/0 after having my battery disconnected to fix the window regulator, and definitely don't have any diverter valve issues. This is downright pathetic. I don't want every fan boy to come in and say "gotta pay to play", because this isn't a car that "plays". If I had a V8, much more powerful turboed 4 or 6, I would be happy to pay. Given how miserably slow this car is, I expect better mileage. I have been conscious of my driving the past few tanks as I wanted to see how I do on gas driving reasonably, no sudden WOT antics etc. I don't think I exceeded 4k RPM at all on this tank of gas.

Also, the way first gear is a bit "off" from 2nd continues to frustrate. To explain what I mean, it feels like this is the actual shift pattern:

|_| _|_|
| | |
(edit, the computer wants the lines to all align left. Basically first gear feels like instead of being directly above 2nd, it is more like in between 2nd and reverse).

So no matter what, it is nearly impossible to cleanly engage first gear without feeling like you are driving the 1980 Pinto that your uncle taught his 5 kids how to drive stick on. And now going into 3rd gear is starting to get rough. Not necessarily grinding gears or refusing to disengage, but clutch fully depressed and not hammering out the shifts, it's quite rough.

Then there's the steering feel. I know I can't change it and should have known what I was getting into before I bought it. Way too numb, way too light. The car sticks like glue with the PS2s, PSS9s, and Hotchkis sways, but the steering wheel won't tell me about it and the seats want me to smash into the opposite side of the car with their lack of bolsters. I'm sure I'll get flamed, maybe even negative rep, but I had to vent to fellow owners. I guess I'm just not as enamored with the car as the rest of you. If anyone has similar issues and has experienced a fix, let me know.

/rant

[yettavr6]

do you have a high pressure fuel pump? I've heard that gas mileage is pretty bad with the APR or AWE pumps. If thats with a stock pump then there's definately something wrong.

[autoverruckt]

How many miles are on your car? Air pressure ok in tires? Sorry to hear your mileage whoas.

I am still getting 315-330 miles on my tank now with the chip and slightly heavier wheel/tires. I am driving 85% city, 15% highway and calculating 21-22mpg. I guess I am content considering this car is supposed to be 19 city. And I am not necessarily granny-driving either as I like to feel the chip's torque every now and then.

[johntesi]

26k on the odo, I'm a tire pressure fiend. My wheels are actually considerably lighter than stock... And no, only power mod is (when reset to power settings) Revo 93 stage 1 flash.

[autoverruckt]

A/C on alot? Do you haul people around alot too (or junk in da trunk)? Some people claim to clean out the filter box and/or check your air filter to improve fuel economy. What was your best tank to date?

[johntesi]

Rarely have more than 1 passenger, such a weight fiend that I take my golf clubs out of the trunk after every time I play. Best to date was ~330 miles. A/C is usually on but never more than 2 "notches" on the fan. Just enough to keep it from getting stagnant inside!

[AlexK]

I'd have the dealer take a look if I was getting mileage like that.

[supamannn99]

john,

i'm pretty much on the same boat as you. i average 220-270 miles per tank when i drive conservatively. and the thing is, i have the stock fuel pump. I even have an aftermarket intake that's supposed to increase the mpg of the car but it make a difference at all.

I totally agree with you on the steering feel. Its WAY too numb. I'm beginning to appreciate how light and responsive the steering wheels are on hondas lol.

[CX-7&A4]

Take the servotronic fuse out if you don't like the assist, I don't either but I chose to live with it.

The 2.0T is not miserably slow, a Yaris or Forenza is miserably slow. And considering the fact that you have to chipped, why is it so down on power? It's putting out 290BTQ. How long ago was it that you took the battery cable off? The KO3 is a quick spooler so it even at 2100rpm you're in boost. You sound unhappy so sell it for a turbo-I4(you would have a hard time finding something that put out more power and substantially better MPG w/ AWD), V8 or V6 something

[rbecker]

I get shit mileage as well - lucky if get 285 per fill up.

[cstarky15]

I'd go get the intake flap motor checked. I had an engine light on then went off the next day and i was getting bad mileage. brought it in for an oil change and they fixed it and I'm back to normal!

[SEXICÄN]

I ave like 23/24

[volcomic]

I ave like 23/24

That's cause you drive like a pussy!

[rpmfoundation]

That's cause you drive like a pussy!

hey now..

I get about 330 mi per tank.. depending - HWY mileage is crazy great..and i drive like an ass.

I dont know why.. i think for the price i could of gotten a brand spanking new WRX STI fully loaded...

[AudiWxGuy]

I get about 400 miles/tank. However, that is a lot of highway driving. With city driving, it turns out to be a little over 300.

[Alkemix]

I think Quattros get relatively much worse gas mileage city than FWD. We're compounding our city driving inefficiency with all 4 wheels needing power every time you want to get going again.

Plus when you say 65/35 highway/city driving... keep in mind how long you actually are driving and not how many miles. 1 mile in the city with green lights all the way with minimal traffic is different than 1 mile on Wilshire Blvd. in Beverly Hills during morning or afternoon traffic. You can bet that the latter situation will net you TERRIBLE gas mileage. I drive that shit everyday.

Before I was getting 21-23 mpg mixed average for a full tank of gas when i lived 25 miles away from work driving about 45 min... now that I live 3 miles away from work, driving about 20 min, i get 16 mpg average on a full tank of gas.

It doesn't bother me so much since I still can drive it close to 2 months (theoretically) before I would need to fill up. Strangely, i still need to fill up once a fucken week.

[Zonacat]

I am in the same boat as you, mileage wise. For a puny 4-banger, the mileage is atrocious. I hand calculate every tank. Some tanks I try to nurse it to maximize mileage, some I hammer, and some I just drive normally. No matter, the BEST mileage I have seen is 20.2 mpg, and that was about 70% hwy at 70-75 (which is not my normal speed) as I was trying to nurse it and watch my live mpg to keep in the 30-35 range.

If you hit a hill in this car, bam, you drink lots of fuel.

Regardless, I can't hit the magic 23 mpg that Audi claims this car gets.

Tire pressure, 36psi all around cold. APR 91, BMC air filter, Motul 503 oil, 3,600 on the odo, mileage has not improved one speck.

[CX-7&A4]

I can't grasp why people believe that because the engine has four cylinders that it should sip on gas, and even though some are getting the same or better on a chip doesn't mean you will or that you will get what the EPA!(not Audi) claimed on a stock B7.

[colinisneat]

I dont know why.. i think for the price i could of gotten a brand spanking new WRX STI fully loaded...

then you would be regretting the gas mileage...in my WRX I'm getting 12.7-14mpg it sucks. I'd kill for 18mpg. 200-220 miles per tank.

[Sharkfin]

John,
I'm on the same page as you, even though I personally have heavier than stock wheels even with conservative driving, an empty car, and 93 octane all the time I can't manage decent mileage. I've got 48k on the odo and if I drive long highway trips (150+ miles) I get 25-28 but on short highway trips I get 20-23 (<50 miles) and in the city I get between 15-18. I'd like to go to the dealer and tell them to fix it but without a direct visual problem or a CEL they won't do anything (I have very good dealers too).

Someone help other than saying its my fuel filter (its not) or my PCV (its not) or my DV (its also not) or my driving style (its not because it happens with grandma driving too), my location (its not because it has happened everywhere from Pittsburgh to North Carolina), or my wheels (doesn't make a big difference), or my tire pressure (fill it up once a week to max pressure)

[Sharkfin]

You guys all compare your ACTUAL mpg to what is still theoretical on other vehicles and think it's shitty in comparison. MPG that are claimed by other manufacturers. You don't actually think that my 5speed EX Honda Civic special edition (my last sweet ride) did the 40 mpg that it was rated on the sticker? Yes, it was rated 40 mpg by Honda on the FWY on the sticker. I got 29-32 mpg out of the car, no probs, but DEF, never got 40 mpg on the hwy. You're all in the same boat. You didn't think your A4 Quattro actually put 200 hp to all 4 wheels out of the box when you bought it, did you?

I'm very realistic when it comes to what power my car has and its gas mileage. I'd expected something much better in city driving, much less complaints with highway driving.

[CX-7&A4]

John,
I'm on the same page as you, even though I personally have heavier than stock wheels even with conservative driving, an empty car, and 93 octane all the time I can't manage decent mileage. I've got 48k on the odo and if I drive long highway trips (150+ miles) I get 25-28 but on short highway trips I get 20-23 (<50 miles) and in the city I get between 15-18. I'd like to go to the dealer and tell them to fix it but without a direct visual problem or a CEL they won't do anything (I have very good dealers too).

Someone help other than saying its my fuel filter (its not) or my PCV (its not) or my DV (its also not) or my driving style (its not because it happens with grandma driving too), my location (its not because it has happened everywhere from Pittsburgh to North Carolina), or my wheels (doesn't make a big difference), or my tire pressure (fill it up once a week to max pressure)

Your 20" wheels and wider stickier tires probably have something to do with the poor city mpg don't you think? Especially the short trips with all of the extra rotational mass.

[Sharkfin]

It def has an impact but even with my stock 16s and 18s it wasn't great

[yettavr6]

I'm gonna be pissed if i get these MPG figures in mine. I was getting 350 miles to a tank in my jetta (14.5 gal tank), and that was a dated VR6. Granted the car was slightly smaller and 2wd, but the Audi has a higher EPA rating and much newer technology. Best I ever got in my jetta was 370 miles on 13.7 gal.

[Alkemix]

I'm gonna be pissed if i get these MPG figures in mine. I was getting 350 miles to a tank in my jetta (14.5 gal tank), and that was a dated VR6. Granted the car was slightly smaller and 2wd, but the Audi has a higher EPA rating and much newer technology. Best I ever got in my jetta was 370 miles on 13.7 gal.

Get ready for disappointment if you're quattro. FWDs should fare better.

[RedS-line]

i read that stock settings are 1-0-0 not 0-0-0. perhaps you have the turbo below oem spec and thus the engine is working harder to produce the same power? put your car in stock mode and take it to a dealer for inspection. you can say you had a CEL which went away or something. then when you get it back turn on revo to factory settings 6-2-9 and go from there. you should see at least around 25 on the highway.

[muffinman]

damn.. and i thought i got crappy mileage - i usually get 315-335 per tank on my 2.0T quattro tiptronic... on the rare occasions that i'm mostly on the highway, i've gotten upwards to 400-405. all in all, i've been averaging about 22mpg with chip and 19's with HEAVY-ass tires.

[Alkemix]

I'm very realistic when it comes to what power my car has and its gas mileage. I'd expected something much better in city driving, much less complaints with highway driving.

Haha, I thought that my point there was more antagonistic than useful so I removed it. It wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular... just kind of trying to bring some perspective into what exactly you are comparing against. I'm thinking that the E90 325 probably gets worse gas mileage than our FWD versions.

[IceMole]

After I filled up on the way to WF

[autoverruckt]

john,

i'm pretty much on the same boat as you. i average 220-270 miles per tank when i drive conservatively...

Damn I was getting that in my S4 (about 230ish) and I had certain spots on my commute where I "got on it."

I currently drive pretty conservatively. I am gonna drive it like I stole it one of these days to see what I get.

[XCELR8]

Avg 27 mpg 20 miles of my drive a day is country roads, 50 of it is highway at 70 mph. Getting about 420 miles per tank. And I run it right down to 5 miles left before a fill up.

[a4dc89]

thats really weird man, i usually get around 26-28 in normal half highway half city. all city i get around 22-24

[rayiish]

I have NEVER seen my DIS say more than 355 miles EVER. And I thought it just had to be me but I burn gas really quick. 2 and a half tanks of gas every month and I only drive 4 out of 7 days with short distances only. My car sucks.

[yettavr6]

Haha, I thought that my point there was more antagonistic than useful so I removed it. It wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular... just kind of trying to bring some perspective into what exactly you are comparing against. I'm thinking that the E90 325 probably gets worse gas mileage than our FWD versions.

Our 335xi sedan averages 23, better than what alot of people seem to be getting on the 2.0t quattro. I can't speak for a 325i though.

[vtracer20]

i've been monitoring my mpg with the last three gas tanks...on my reciepts, i filled up about the same amount of fuel (about 14 gallons each time) and the first two tank fulls i drove normally. I got 24mpg on both tanks. The last one i tried to drive the speed limit or 5mph more than the speed limit and i was getting 23mpg. This tank i'm going back to stock on my chip and see were that goes. Im not impressed how crappy the mpg get when you dont drive 100% on the highway.

FYI: i had a 04.5 jetta gli (1.8t) before this with all basic boltons and averaged upper 20's with aggressive driving and into the 30's normal driving. Same distance as this car, same roads.

[Brent27]

this my MPG on a trip from Buffalo,NY to FL.....car was loaded down and full to the top......

I normally get about 430 a tank, I do about 80% hwy driving and don get on it unless its on I-75. Othwerwise I keep it under 3300 rpm around town. I fill up on 93 everytime either mobil or BP

[k-f-j]

i do about 80% city driving and when i filled up last week it said the range was 280 miles. I was like wtf that has to be wrong. I got right at 280 miles. I filled up last night and again it said the range is 280 miles

[Sharkfin]

Haha, I thought that my point there was more antagonistic than useful so I removed it. It wasn't directed at you or anyone in particular... just kind of trying to bring some perspective into what exactly you are comparing against. I'm thinking that the E90 325 probably gets worse gas mileage than our FWD versions.

NO worries, I know you weren't trying to start anything. Regardless anyone have any suggestions?

[b6onboost]

1. You don't have to drive aggressively to get bad mileage, if you simply drive 'normal' you're likely still not babying the car like you should if MPG is your goal. (You mentioned you didn't exceed 4K rpm the whole tank, well for starters that's revving way higher than needed and likely in the boost so its a double wammy for tanking MPG). The A4 2.0T can easily lug around without ever running the engine past 2500 rpm. Drive slow, stay out of the boost, and you're MPG will go up.

2. Your shifter or shift linkage could be out of alignment, or you could have a bad 1st gear syncro.

3. Servotronic steering. A4 is suppose to have a luxury car feel, not a sports car feel. Had servotronic on our A6, great for parking lots and highway, but taking corners sucked as you have no feedback.

Rant/

So, just ran the tank down to "5 miles remaining" to get a good complete measure of mileage again. I did this last time as well. Put in just over 15 gallons. Got 283.5 miles out of this tank. 35/65 city/highway. This comes out to an average of 18.9 mpg, in a time when I haven't been driving aggressively (can't remember my last race save for the dbag GT500), have had the Revo set at 0/0/0 after having my battery disconnected to fix the window regulator, and definitely don't have any diverter valve issues. This is downright pathetic. I don't want every fan boy to come in and say "gotta pay to play", because this isn't a car that "plays". If I had a V8, much more powerful turboed 4 or 6, I would be happy to pay. Given how miserably slow this car is, I expect better mileage. I have been conscious of my driving the past few tanks as I wanted to see how I do on gas driving reasonably, no sudden WOT antics etc. I don't think I exceeded 4k RPM at all on this tank of gas.

Also, the way first gear is a bit "off" from 2nd continues to frustrate. To explain what I mean, it feels like this is the actual shift pattern:

|_| _|_|
| | |
(edit, the computer wants the lines to all align left. Basically first gear feels like instead of being directly above 2nd, it is more like in between 2nd and reverse).

So no matter what, it is nearly impossible to cleanly engage first gear without feeling like you are driving the 1980 Pinto that your uncle taught his 5 kids how to drive stick on. And now going into 3rd gear is starting to get rough. Not necessarily grinding gears or refusing to disengage, but clutch fully depressed and not hammering out the shifts, it's quite rough.

Then there's the steering feel. I know I can't change it and should have known what I was getting into before I bought it. Way too numb, way too light. The car sticks like glue with the PS2s, PSS9s, and Hotchkis sways, but the steering wheel won't tell me about it and the seats want me to smash into the opposite side of the car with their lack of bolsters. I'm sure I'll get flamed, maybe even negative rep, but I had to vent to fellow owners. I guess I'm just not as enamored with the car as the rest of you. If anyone has similar issues and has experienced a fix, let me know.

/rant

[Louis J.]

John,

I can relate to your concerns. You may be feeling disappointed about the car overall because there is more than one thing irritating you but remember there is no perfect car out there and the grass does always seem greener on the other side.

The fuel issue can hopefully be fixed (read below), the shifting problem can be fixed with an adjustment to the linkage and the light steering...well, that's something you'll just have to learn to live with. You live in TX and your warm, humid climate can thin out your power steering fluid. I live in mild to colder weather most of the year and after driving this car for the summer, I feel for you guys in TX, CA, FL and everywhere else that sees hot weather. These cars heatsoak and performance drops like a rock. Needless to say, FMIC is next in my list and if it's any consolation, my steering feels much firmer and responsive in colder weather.

I'm on the same page as you, even though I personally have heavier than stock wheels even with conservative driving, an empty car, and 93 octane all the time I can't manage decent mileage. I've got 48k on the odo and if I drive long highway trips (150+ miles) I get 25-28 but on short highway trips I get 20-23 (<50 miles) and in the city I get between 15-18. I'd like to go to the dealer and tell them to fix it but without a direct visual problem or a CEL they won't do anything (I have very good dealers too).

Someone help other than saying its my fuel filter (its not) or my PCV (its not) or my DV (its also not) or my driving style (its not because it happens with grandma driving too), my location (its not because it has happened everywhere from Pittsburgh to North Carolina), or my wheels (doesn't make a big difference), or my tire pressure (fill it up once a week to max pressure)

I get the EXACT same consumption and I've tested the car by pussyfooting (slow acceleration and shifts at 2,500-3,000) for an entire tank on the hwy and for an entire tank in the city. The dealer has fixed my DV and PCV. Two months ago I experienced fuel cut and a cell exactly as described in the diagnosis for cam lobe wear here: http://www.audizine.com/forum/showthread.php?t=153392. I only experienced this once so maybe there are others that have cam lobe wear but haven't felt the symptoms yet. My car goes to the dealer on the 21st and I'll post back here with the results.