any mods to improve gas mileage?

[scarfe6]

First, let me say Congrats on a great forum!I have read this forum extensively as a 'guest' and it made a HUGE influence on my decision to buy my Versa!

I use my Versa primarily as a commuter car, and my biggest decision-making question is: Will it improve my gas mileage?

I am DEFINITELY getting window tint - the large windows make the car hot in any direct sun, and I want to run the a/c as little as possible.

Other than that, I am considering:

after-market air filter (K&N is most obvious choice) to get more air in

will consider air charger and cat-back exhaust when mainstream models are available that can demonstrate reasonable claims to improve mpg

also considering lowering springs, b/c claims are to improve mpg based on lesser air flow around car - any experience on this? (also concerned about this mod affecting warranty to suspension, but (so far) this is such a rock-solid car, I would do it and 'hope for the best')

I read on another thread that a cat-back will be available this spring?

you guys are so knowledgable when it comes to info on the V, I really appreciate all your input!

[kcourtad]

cat back is already out... some guys have already have them on there V`s... and the window tint is a Deff in my book... i just got mine back with 35% and it looks sharp... but heres one that will help with the gas mileage... keep your car clean... even when you wash and wax your car after its been dirty u can feel it... make sure u have good tires... just your basic make sure list that everything is good and u`ll get what everone else is gettin high 20`s and low to mid 30`s... idk if anyone has hit 40 yet...

[Skim302]

cat back is already out... some guys have already have them on there V`s

The only cat back I have heard of for the Versa is the one on Blind Snyper's V and it was custom which I'm pretty skeptical about. But yes as far as I know DC Sports is supposed to have cat back and headers out sometime during May hopefully.

And I think Cold Air Intakes increase mpg if I recall correctly.

[kcourtad]

yea but are you willing to pay the $699 there talking about for all that just to what ??? add 1 or 2 mpg to your car and give it a little more HP ??? to me it isnt worth it... just keep the heavy foot off the gas peddle and dont jack rabbit it and you`ll do fine... yea the CAI is one way to bring it up too...

[scarfe6]

Look at this ACTIVE forum - you guys already have good ideas!

I guess that I am thinking I would spend a little money to improve mpg, now that I have bought the car, and am committed to a LONG love/hate (hopefully, very little hate!) relationship.

And I am used to doing air/exhaust on my SUVs because I see the gains on those big V-8s (and I have to own one for a big family!)

I love the response of the CVT and I don't necessarily need performance, but a mod which gives at least 1-2 mpg would be nice - I drive 2k - 3k miles per month

[matt_a]

The best mod I can think of for the Versa to improve gas mileage is what I like to call the un-mod. In other words, I won't put 100 extra pounds of amps and subs in the back, I won't put huge 35 lb chrome rims on it, and I won't screw around with engine settings for 5 extra HP. I expect these un-mods to save me around $3500.

[jmaclean]

Agreed on un-mods. The biggest thing that I do to increase mileage is keeping a light foot on the gas/ brake by driving ahead, always mindful of not impeding people -behind me (who are often going above the speed limit); coasting in 'N' on hills, when possible, etc. A friend at work is a hypermiler who employs a number of other techniques, which I haven't yet fully studied, and some of which I deem to be unsafe (catching the draft of trucks, coasting with the vehicle turned off); but here's the website which you might find interesting: http://www.cleanmpg.com. Also the scangauge site: http://scangauge.com/ where they can be purchased and has info on them.I will update on my mileage figures when I sit down to calculate gas receipts next week -- too busy this week.

[bucksnort]

I like the peeps that complain about bad mpg and have to change their brakes every 15k. Ever see the idiots on the freeway or boulevard that lite up the brake lights all the time when you follow them? You found one of them.

[biggie]

The unmod may save the most in the long run, works for me. I do have a K&N dropin, didn't really notice a difference in mpg, but do know that a one time $45 is better than $12-15 every couple months. I'm right at 31-32mpg doing about 2k miles/month.

Tint is next on my list as the windows are just too big. Also have wind/rain visors to put on, but that's just a nice to have.

Really doubt that lowering the car will improve mpg, as its not much of a drop and you are not actually improving the aero of the car. It may help in corners but not enough to notice in mpg for the $300 or so it would cost for springs/alignment.

[Great White Versa]

I have an AEM intake and when I first installed it i was very careful to be a boring driver for the first few tanks to see the gas mileage effect. I think that it had a minor improvement on the MPG, but not in the rest of its use cause for some reason people here in Vegas like to drive 35-40 MPH on the highway onramp so that I have to floor it at the last minute to merge safely. Very annoying.

[scarfe6]

I appreciate all the input.

In Chicago traffic, often the best defense is a good offense, so if any mods also give performance gains, that is a plus!

I will probably do a K&N drop-in for now, but I am interested in GWV saying he did an intake system - did you see much of a performance gain? I am wondering what the effect would be along with a n exhaust that allowed more air out.

Also, lowering springs does improve aerodynamics, because you reduce the amount of air going under the car, which means more air goes over, which also puts downward pressure on the vehicle. Less drag, and more grip.

I guess I am just a tinkerer - and I can't leave well enough alone!

[biggie]

Also, lowering springs does improve aerodynamics, because you reduce the amount of air going under the car, which means more air goes over, which also puts downward pressure on the vehicle. Less drag, and more grip.

I guess I am just a tinkerer - and I can't leave well enough alone!

With only a 1.5 inch drop there cannot be that much less air going under the car, it could be even creating more drag on the bottom due to slightly higher volocity and the fact there is not flat plate underbody.

Would have to be wind testing to know the truth and if someone starts wind testing modded Versas then the world will crumble soon.

[daan]

The #1 (cheap/free) thing to help MPG is keep your tires inflated! Just keeping the tires on the Explorer I used to have pumped up to 38psi increased the mpg by 4 points.

[bucksnort]

The #1 (cheap/free) thing to help MPG is keep your tires inflated! Just keeping the tires on the Explorer I used to have pumped up to 38psi increased the mpg by 4 points.

You've taken all the fun out of driving with your Exploder. All the peeps that flipped their Exploders had 22-24 in their tires. Not only were they a road hazard they were wasting gas.

[manvan]

hey your from chicago, sweet!!!!, if you see a little red versa with dark tints, lowered, and a ninja sticker on the back, honk and wave, any ways back to the point, i know if you have a manual car, keep your tires nice and inflated, use some gas additives once in a while, thatll help alot, and i didnt really notice much of a difference on gas when i put my CAI in but there is a tiny bit( gas wise) idk, for kicks put your antena tilted back in stead of straight up to keep it stream lin JK, but if you want were having a nissan meet around woodfield soon and you can see my "whip"

[kcourtad]

yea the antena helps keep the down force on the back end... if it wasnt for it my front wheels would never touch the ground...

[daan]

You've taken all the fun out of driving with your Exploder. All the peeps that flipped their Exploders had 22-24 in their tires. Not only were they a road hazard they were wasting gas.

Actually my Explorer flipped because the tie-rod separated. It did a couple somersalts before landing. I'm pretty sure the tires were aired up, ha ha. I don't miss that POS at all.

[my_new_v]

Thats not bad man, looks like all that can be buffed out.

[superskunk]

i do alot of freeway driving and i did 40 for about half a tank..... after that i said f*ck it and drove like an *** the other half..... lol..... are any of u guys gonna spring for that vis kit? im considering it

[Ever Victorious]

There's another thing that can be done to improve gas mileage, but it negatively impacts handling.

Get the lightest, narrowest 15" alloys you can find, and put skinny tires on there. Skinnier than stock. It will decrease your rotational weight and the amount of road friction you get, both of which will help with economy.

It will also make you handle like a model T with a Yugo strapped to the back.

[Vice]

There's another thing that can be done to improve gas mileage, but it negatively impacts handling.

Get the lightest, narrowest 15" alloys you can find, and put skinny tires on there. Skinnier than stock. It will decrease your rotational weight and the amount of road friction you get, both of which will help with economy.

It will also make you handle like a model T with a Yugo strapped to the back.

This is worse than an un-mod - it's a negative-mod!! Don't forget to air them up to 70 PSI.

[c5neb]

My comments come from an extreme side of driving, but I am sure you will get my point. I go to work from 4:00-9:00 AM and my drive is 20 miles each way. There are no hills to speak of and few stoplights. Needless to say, my Versa lives on cruise-control at 45mph for about 70% of its life. Tire pressure is always at 32 psi. I continue to get 32-35 mpg. Aside from making physical mods, I would recommend changing driving habits as said by others. Also, if you have a choice of routes to take, use the one that is least conjested if it is close to the same distance and use cruise whn you can.

[feloniousmonk]

I wouldn't waste money on a K&N filter. Factory paper filter is just fine as long as you replace them when you're suppose to. The K&N type filter may allow the engine to breath easier, but it also allow more debris to enter your engine. The minute performance benefit does not warrant the damage it can cause in the long run. And speaking of performance gains, I have seen cases where K&N filter equipped cars make less power. Its merits are mostly attributed to marketing. Don't be duped by the hype. For best fuel economy, just keep an eye on the RPM gauge. Keep the RPM's low, use smooth gradual throttle input. Sudden acceleration and high RPM kills fuel economy.

Oh yeah, I'm new. Working on a getting S hatchback for commute and general duty before the month is over. I'm in my mid 30s and have pissed away plenty of money on modding cars. If I could do it all over again, I wouldn't repeat over 70% of it. If you are young and want something fast, be patient, save your money for a fast/faster car. Oh... I also work on advertising for Nissan/Infiniti.

[keanucosmo]

The unmod may save the most in the long run, works for me. I do have a K&N dropin, didn't really notice a difference in mpg, but do know that a one time $45 is better than $12-15 every couple months. I'm right at 31-32mpg doing about 2k miles/month.

I got a k&n and did not notice any mpg change related to this. The savings will come from re-using the same filter. It will filter better than OEM and maybe get a little more air also.

[jfanaselle]

I wanted to chime in on this topic in regards to the AEM Cold Air Intake. I owned my V for about 6 months before I installed my AEM CAI. During that time, I put about 14,000 miles on the car. I drive 140 miles round trip, 5 days a week at speeds between 65-75 mph, depending on traffic. Two days out of the week, 10 miles of that drive will be bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic. Before installing the CAI, I averaged right around 28 mpg.

I installed the CAI and ran around 6,000 miles more (to a total of 20,000). The first few tanks, I experienced 24-26 mpg. I assume this is because I loved the sound and the noticable increase in acceleration, so I kept my foot on the gas -pedal more often.

After I finally settled down, I noticed a significant increase in MPG - averaging 30 mpg. A 2 mpg increase at 700 miles a week and $3.50 a gallon is a very, very noticable difference.

Recently, I sold the CAI and have gone through 16 tanks of gas since. The average fuel economy of these 16 tanks has been 26.89 mpg, the highest one being 27.7.

I don't think anyone on this forum has really done a full experiment to determine if the CAI affects MPG or not, but I can certainly say that in my experience it does. I'm not sure if it's because I was driving differently (maybe holding different RPMs because of the sound), because I had more power to climb up and down the hills that I drive, or another reason, but the difference was significant and this was over a large sampling.

Just my $.02

[keanucosmo]

I wanted to chime in on this topic in regards to the AEM Cold Air Intake. I owned my V for about 6 months before I installed my AEM CAI. During that time, I put about 14,000 miles on the car. I drive 140 miles round trip, 5 days a week at speeds between 65-75 mph, depending on traffic. Two days out of the week, 10 miles of that drive will be bumper to bumper, stop and go traffic. Before installing the CAI, I averaged right around 28 mpg.

I installed the CAI and ran around 6,000 miles more (to a total of 20,000). The first few tanks, I experienced 24-26 mpg. I assume this is because I loved the sound and the noticable increase in acceleration, so I kept my foot on the gas -pedal more often.

After I finally settled down, I noticed a significant increase in MPG - averaging 30 mpg. A 2 mpg increase at 700 miles a week and $3.50 a gallon is a very, very noticable difference.

Recently, I sold the CAI and have gone through 16 tanks of gas since. The average fuel economy of these 16 tanks has been 26.89 mpg, the highest one being 27.7.

I don't think anyone on this forum has really done a full experiment to determine if the CAI affects MPG or not, but I can certainly say that in my experience it does. I'm not sure if it's because I was driving differently (maybe holding different RPMs because of the sound), because I had more power to climb up and down the hills that I drive, or another reason, but the difference was significant and this was over a large sampling.

Just my $.02

This is good information, but even at $4.00 per gallon the gas cost difference per mile is less than 1 cent when going from 28 mpg to 30 mpg. This means driving over 20,000 miles to break even between cost of CAI & gas savings. Even at $5.00 per gallon, you have to drive 18,000 miles to break even. Assuming a CAI cost of $220.

Gal * MPG = Miles12 * 28 = 33612 * 30 = 360

Gal * PPG = Cost12 * $4.00 = $48.0012 * $5.00 = $60.00

Cost / Miles = Cost Per Mile$48.00 / 336 = .1429 - .1333 = .0096$48.00 / 360 = .1333

$60.00 / 336 = .1786 - .1667 = .0119$60.00 / 360 = .1667

[scarfe6]

I just got my first two 30+ mpg tanks of gas!!

Actually, I got 30 mpg, then 32 mpg!!

It took 6,500 miles to break in my engine to finally get the better gas mileage.

I also got tinted, to minimize my use of A/C and try to save gas this summer. It looks great, too!

[srellim234]

Want better gas mileage? Buy A Civic, Yaris, Prius or Aptera. Or, move down along the I-98 in Florida. The Versa seems to be engineered perfectly for that highway.

The Versa is what it is. The CVT seems destined to average in the low 28s for the general driving of the population. Heavy city/stop and go driving will get 10-20% less, steady highway driving will get those drivers 15-30%more.

The Versa is probably the best for creature comforts for the entry-level price tag, but not the best gas mileage car and certainly not the best for fit and finish. A good little car never the less.

[Diznum]

I don't agree regarding the CVT's fuel economy, I have an SL with the CVT and I drive from the SF Valley to Mid-Wilshire on my commute (28 mi. each way) and I always get 31+ mpg, Route "A" is through Topanga Cyn's (OLD and NEW) PCH and the 10, the same way back. I have started to take the 101 to the 405 and shoot up Wilshire, which is not only faster 22min. avg. or Route "A" 35-40min. avg. I am now getting 35-36 and one tank (Last Week) I got as high as 37mpg!!!! I attribute this to the freeways being wide open and I am able to cruise at a consistent 80mph, and the drive up Wilshire is much nicer when you can catch the signal lights, it takes about 10-12 mins from the 405! and i leave the house @6:00am I also bought a Scan Gauge which helps me with the real time fuel consumption, I can see exactly where and how to get the best mpg by just watching the throttle input. I also just did the first oil change and put in Royal Purple synthetic, the engine doe's run smoother and I did get that 37mpg tank. My tires are inflated to 40lbs as well. The car is still breaking in, and I have noticed a lot more power since it was brand new. Also aero wise when you lower a car, you can cut down on your frontal area also with an air dam you keep the air from creating turbulence under the car, it can help a good amount. The Versa is a very Aero car for what it is and what it offers, tons of room inside: Head and Leg, to achieve this you have to design the vehicle tall which gives you better people packaging, but less Aero. I agree the roof is way too tall, but bigger people than me purchase this car and to them it's just right.

[srellim234]

Read your reply again. You did agree with me. Steady cruising speed is getting you 30% better than the 28 mpg which is exactly what I suggested. Plus, you're doing other things to get that kind of mileage at highway speeds (tires to 40, the scanguage).

My tires at 36 psi and cruise control got me 32.9 to Florida and back. But 100% stop and go driving gets 25.5 - 26.5. Scanguage might get that close to 28, but overall the Versa is getting people in the 28s nationwide, and that includes people doing 100% city as well as people doing 100% freeway.

For what it's worth, my nephew just bought a Civic. He's done nothing to it like adding tire pressure or a Scanguage. 100% freeway commuting. First tank, 39.8 mpg. Second tank, 40.3 mpg. If he started tweaking it who knows what he'd get out of it. And it's NOT the hybrid.