How to improve your MPG

Posted on by Ian C.

With recent trips to Montreal and MINIsOnTop, I have seen MPG averaging close to 30 – GBMINI loves long runs at sensible highway speeds:

GBMINI#3 MPG chart

Conversely I get my worst MPG in cold weather when the engine takes ages to warm up and I drive just the short (11 miles) distance to work.
I also expect MPG to drop 10% if the JCW upgrade gets installed (if it is ever released/approved for the auto transmission!)

Overall, my good MPGs on GBMINI#3 are within 5% of the best on GBMINI#2, before that car got the JCW upgrade.
The auto transmission clearly does not hurt fuel economy very much – driving style has a much worse effect!

Coast To Coast

Posted on by Ian C.

Today Robert (known as “RB” with his regular comments here and on MotoringFile) flew in from Southern California to pick up a MINI at MINI Peabody – I happily collected him from the airport & took him to the dealership (we also enjoyed dinner at Legal Seafoods).
Robert & Joel (Sales Advisor for Robert and previously for me) sat down to check out the paperwork on the (pre-owned) MINI Robert was picking up (for his daughter).

Then outside the MINI was checked over one final time … after some last minute “hiccups” were sorted, Robert took the keys and prepared for his long drive back to the other coast:

Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC

I have “chatted” with Robert by email multiple times – it was great to enjoy some real chat time with him. I Hope his “coast to coast” journey is easy and uneventful …

UPDATE: Here’s the MINI, along with Robert’s own, in California:

5000 miles

Posted on by Ian C.

Broke through 5000 miles on the way to work this morning …

Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC
Minolta DSC

Basically problem-free, and perfectly happy with the Automatic transmission.
GBMINI#3 has thrown spurious SES lights a couple of times (a known issue for which there might be a resolution), and early on I had exterior lights problems due to a loose grounding block.
The “normal” cold start issue showed for a while as winter ended (and presumably the gas formulation changed) but seems now to resolve itself over time – thankfully!

Next stop, 10000 …