new owner rx300 city mpg issue or normal?
#1
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Join Date: Mar 2006
Location: tx
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new owner rx300 city mpg issue or normal?
i am a new owner my wife drives the rx300 she picks the kids up from school
etc.. all CITY miles - and all i get is 15mpg ? its the 2wd model with only 67k
miles i thought city MPG = 17 mpg ? she drives with the a/c all the time is
this common city MPG? i drove it on the HWY and it shows 22-23 mpg on the display
i know i get good HWY mpg but city blows on this LEX. she is very nice
looking i put some 18" OEM lexus 330 wheels -
2001 Lexus rx300 - 67k miles
18 oem rx330 rims
etc.. all CITY miles - and all i get is 15mpg ? its the 2wd model with only 67k
miles i thought city MPG = 17 mpg ? she drives with the a/c all the time is
this common city MPG? i drove it on the HWY and it shows 22-23 mpg on the display
i know i get good HWY mpg but city blows on this LEX. she is very nice
looking i put some 18" OEM lexus 330 wheels -
2001 Lexus rx300 - 67k miles
18 oem rx330 rims
#3
Lexus Test Driver
Does your wife wait for the kids outside of school while idling? If so, that's a major hit on mpg's. Running the A/C all the time in the city, will also kill the mpg's. Is there traffic, I'd imagine not, as it's Texas? But I've never been there, so I don't know.
How's the air filter? What octane fuel do you run? Have you checked the tire pressure?
How's the air filter? What octane fuel do you run? Have you checked the tire pressure?
#4
Lexus Champion
Nope, nothing but wide open spaces as far as the eye can see. Seeing another car is so rare we usually flash our headlights at each other and if we see a Lexus we honk and wave and if it's another RX we stop and get a beer.
#6
Intermediate
I have noticed for sure more miles per gallon when using 93 octane, the reason why I use regular is because in Ontario we 13+ cents more per litre (approx 50 cents a gallon more) for 93 octane .. so I am happy with 87 octane.
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#8
It's more powerful if the timing is advanced because it is not detonating.
#10
Lead Lap
iTrader: (2)
The RX 300 is designed to use premium gas (91-93 octane). If you use regular gas (87 octane) in the RX300, the ECU will sense preignition (detonation) and will retard the timing to prevent this. The performance and gas mileage will go down a bit (1-3 mpg in most higher performance cars).
#11
Lexus Test Driver
The RX 300 is designed to use premium gas (91-93 octane). If you use regular gas (87 octane) in the RX300, the ECU will sense preignition (detonation) and will retard the timing to prevent this. The performance and gas mileage will go down a bit (1-3 mpg in most higher performance cars).
#12
Racer
iTrader: (1)
Please read page 264 of the manual. It states octane rating of 87. When I first got my 2000 ES300 and then the 2000 RX300 I had a number of conversations with Lexus corporate and local service advisers. There is complete agreement that this engine does not need anything above 87 octane. I had a number of dealerships indicate they only put regular in these engines on the lot. This engine is anything but high performance.
#13
Yep, manual calls for 87 minimum. I run it or 89 most of the time and have never heard it knock or ping once. I do think there is a little power to be gained with higher octane gas when the timing advances. Might not mean more gas mileage though. Most people are not pulling a load that makes much difference in daily driving. If I was going to tow something (crazy to tow much with this car) I would put higher octane gas in it.
#14
Intermediate
The RX 300 is designed to use premium gas (91-93 octane). If you use regular gas (87 octane) in the RX300, the ECU will sense preignition (detonation) and will retard the timing to prevent this. The performance and gas mileage will go down a bit (1-3 mpg in most higher performance cars).
#15
I usually put 87 octane in my wife's RX300, unless it's at a no-name station. I can tell a difference in the performance between the no-name regular and the national-brand regular.