[Jmclark]

So my parents found an awesome deal on an LL Bean Edition Outback ($2850 for 188K miles and great condition) about a month ago, and got me it for Christmas. My dad drove it to work for about a week or two to make sure everything was alright before he gave it to me, and he was getting about 22-23 MPG with it.

Now fast forward to today, and I've been getting between 15-18 MPG. I can't figure out what it is. It wasn't too cold when my dad was driving, and now it gets really cold when I drive it in the morning, so I get that that would affect the mileage, but I don't think it would affect it that much. I don't warm up the car before I drive, and I do basically the same types of drives as my dad was doing when he tested it.

So any idea why I'm getting so much less than what I should be getting?

 

[nipper]

Actually cold weather can greatly reduce your gas mileage.

Before we can answer, where are you located, and how many miles on avg do drive per trip.

Tire pressure goes down in cold weather, and that will have a big impact, so chekc your pressures.

Since this is a new to you car, a tuneup would be a good idea. You can start with the simple things like the air filter, fuel filter and PCV valve, then wait for warmer weather to change the plugs.

 

[Jmclark]

Actually cold weather can greatly reduce your gas mileage.

Before we can answer, where are you located, and how many miles on avg do drive per trip.

Tire pressure goes down in cold weather, and that will have a big impact, so chekc your pressures.

Since this is a new to you car, a tuneup would be a good idea. You can start with the simple things like the air filter, fuel filter and PCV valve, then wait for warmer weather to change the plugs.

I'm located in Maine, and generally, I drive between 6-15 miles a trip, as I'm mostly just driving to school and work. I'll have to check the pressure this weekend, since I feel like that's a big one.

 

[Cobalt]

I'm guessing dads trip to work was not only warmer but longer then the trip you make to school.
Short trips in cold weather kill the MPG

 

[1 Lucky Texan]

does your dad work far enoug away to be mostly on the highway? That's gonna get a lot better mileage than someone going back and forth to school on secondary roads.

our 03 H6 gets about 19-20 when my wife drives locally. never got better than 26 on road trips - 24 is more typical.

 

[Jmclark]

My dad drove on ~15-18 mile trips to work, in basically highway conditions. We haven't had the chance to take it on any big trips yet, so I don't really know how it will do on the highway.

 

[nipper]

And how far do you drive it?

 

[Jmclark]

About 6-10 miles a trip, as I stated earlier.

 

[nipper]

probably part winter, part cold, part fuel, part tuneup, part driving style

 

[scoobythesubie]

Try checking your PCV. I've been driving about the same as you (7-10 miles/cold weather) and found that my PCV lines were condensing and mixing with the oil fumes from my crank case vent, causing "yellow mustard" to form and block my PCV inlet. Found out that the short trips weren't getting the lines hot enough to burn off the condensation. Common problem apparently....