I used to have a 1999 Camry LE which got 29 MPG overall. I'm trying to figure out why the car I have now, a 2000 LE, only gets 26 MPG overall. As far as I know, everything related to fuel efficiency between 1999 and 2000 is the same: same engine, same body aerodynamics, should be the same weight, same driver/driving habits/driving location. What is different: the 2000 has 15-inch instead of 14-inch wheels, this 2000 was originally sold in California so I'm guessing that means the emission control is more stringent, and the 2000 has 128,000 miles instead of 180,000.

Does the California emission system lower emissions and lower fuel efficiency? Or would you consider it normal to see a 10% variation in MPG beween essentially identical cars? Any other ideas?

 

LOL i'm getting horrid mileage but yeah- wheel size difference has an adverse affect on cars. Bigger wheels are harder to turn and harder to turn meaning- more gas.

1999 and 2000 had subtle differences where 2000 saw an asslift and facelift for a bolder stance.. so there's more weight difference.

California carsuses a pre-cat in theexhaust manifold..some restrictions and backpressure - power being robbed which in turn you have to gas it more often.

But at a solid 26mpg avg. is not bad at all. Im probably getting around 22-23 avg.

 

Your poll is largely useless. There are no allowances for driving habits, engine maintenence, tire pressure, terrain, carrying loads, temperature, and the most deficient - long term averages. Mileage tank to tank can easily vary1-2-3mpg depending on many factors. Mileage is more meaningful when done on your own vehicleover a long period with running averages.

 

I drive mainly highway, and live in a rural area. Slowest speed limit I encounter with any regularity is 45 mph. Milage is always above 30mpg.

 

While I agree that there are many factors not considered by the poll, I didn't anticipate receiving enough responses to have poll options for all factors. Unless you know some way to incorporate all of those influences in a simple poll, I would have needed a couple dozen poll choices and would get one or zero responses to each poll option. I just wanted a general idea of what others were getting.

As it turns out, Navy Vet seems to have similar conditions to mine, and his reply endorses my belief that I'm at the low end of the mpg I think I should be getting. I'll wait a few more months and see if my fuel efficiency improves with the weather.

 

I just bought a 1996 Camry Wagon, my first Toyota product. It had 196,000 miles on it when purchased. I did a tune-up, timing belt, oil pump o ring, it runs great. I am a very conservative driver so I am currently documenting 30.5 to 31.5 mpg. I have only had it one month and I put 400miles a week on it.

 

ok, so ive got a 96 le, just barely hit 100k and im getting 18 mpg, anything i can do to improve that? seems low, its not highway driving, but not stop and go city either, mostly rural, around town.