spare Wheel and MPG

[versaman]

My versa is about 500 miles old and im only getting about 32 miles to the gallon and Im a real feather foot.

Does anybody know what the weight of the spare wheel is?.. id like to try removing it and then maybe ill get some better mileage ..will have to ask my wife to bring me the spare when i have a flat

[marleyfan]

I doubt that removing the spare will make any significant difference in mileage. 500 miles is not enough to worry about your gas mileage when you're getting 32 mpg. That's only less than 2 tanks of gas. See what you're getting after a few thousand miles. Besides, 32 mpg is within the range of what you can expect.

[Ever Victorious]

I would like to point out the fuel economy survey stickey thread near the top of the forum thread list. Getting "only" 32 mpg is actually very good.

The thread shows the 2008 estimated revised EPA figures (28/33 for the CVT), which are based on a better simulation of REAL-WORLD driving than the current standards (which are lab condition tests that do not simulate actual operation of the vehicle in real circumstances). If you're getting 32 MPG in mixed driving, you are doing well.

Furthermore, it also shows the average of all of the users that participated in the survey, all real-world drivers in real-world conditions, and the average came it out 28 and change. Your 32, again by comparison, is very good.

[OKVersa]

Actually that is on the top end of what most of us are getting, especially if any of that 32 is city miles. Are you running your a/c yet this year?

[proxim2020]

The spare tire doesn't weigh that much so you shouldn't see a significant gain by removing it. 32 isn't bad at all like others have said. I've been running the a/c a few times a week and I haven't seen much of a drop yet. I'm still getting 33 with about a 60/40 mix of highway/city.

[BBISHOPPCM]

Sounds like the time I stopped carrying jumper cables because I wanted less junk in the trunk of my car. Lo and behold, I left my lights on at work a few weeks later. Better keep the spare, dude!

[conrad]

I have an Aveo that has given me 2-3 mpg more since neutralizing some excessive wheel toe -- it may work for you also. My wife and I just bought a Versa, and will try the same thing if the mpg is below expectations.