Miata Mailing List: December 1993, Message #193
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   From: Herb Samuels 
Subject: Re: Texaco - Ethanol vs. MBTE - (Mileage)
   Date: Tue, 21 Dec 1993 20:00:49 -0500

I have a 1990 and have always gotten at least 27-28 mpg driving in the
warmer weather at varying speeds and up to 80 mph with shifting at
more than 4,000 rpm.  In the winter with MBTE last year I got about 1
mpg less.  This summer I had a BBR turbo installed and have noticed no
change in the mpg I get even though the car has about 50% more torque
and horsepower.  This is probably because there is much more torque at
2,000 to 3,000 RPM so its not always necessary to rev the engine at
very high RPMs.  In any case 22 mpg seems somewhat low to me unless
you are doing many very short trips which does not allow the engine to
opperate at its most effieient temperature.  Also 22 mpg at 70 or 80
mph seems also low since I used to get at least 27 mpg at those speeds
even when my car was stock.  Could Mazda have tuned the engine
differently after 1990 or can anyone think of other reasons for the
wide difference in mpg we measure.

Herb Samuels