My car's petrol consumption is getting worse?

[mariner2]

It's a Mazda RX-8, the one with the rotary engine, and I used to fill it up and get about 270 miles for a tankful, but now I'm lucky if it's 220 (and a tankful costs more now too)
It doesn't seem to make any difference how you drive it, and even though it seems happy in 5th gear at 45 mph, driving it around like that doesn't help either. I make sure the tyres are at the correct pressure and can't think of any other reason, any ideas?

[Brummie 22]

when you next fill the tank up put about a egg cup of redex in the tank and run it for a bit so it goe`s around the system, and try that.

[mech29]

Hi, Mariner, Change the air filter and put a new set of spark plug's in,

[spaced]

check tyre inflation, make sure you aint put something heavy in the boot. All these thins are minimal but will affect fuel consumption

[mariner2]

When I first got it 2 years ago and kept an eye on the mileage I was getting 270 per tank, but the last 6-7 months or so have been down to 220 I've had a set of new tyres, about a year ago and when they were first fitted there was an encouraging rise in "miles per tank" but this soon went back to normal and then got worse.

[david1702198]

crappy wankel rotary engines.

[mariner2]

The oil consumption thing is a complete myth always bandied around by people who haven't actually got an RX8. All the owners have said they need about a litre every 1000 miles.
The car is great (didn't you see Top Gear's test?) I just want to know where my 50 miles has gone!

[McNoodle]

Open windows, air con, makes of tyre, electrical devices - especially heated rear windows (I watch top gear too!) all affect consumption...

[Chatterbank]

what bhp is it? my car is 200

[mariner2]

Yeah, I put the best oil in it 5W 30 maganatec, and to answer the other question, it's 230 bhp but I don't think I drive it all that fast . . . . maybe I drive too slowly for the gear I'm in, people have said it's a common mistake to change up too soon but I wouldn't have thought that would use more gas

[Chatterbank]

so what is your current mpg then mariner? I got a type r at moment. i was thinking of getting one of yours next

[mariner2]

Right, last time I filled it up it was �57 at about �1 a litre, so say 57 litres = 220 or 270 miles whatever that is in gallons . . . . . sorry, just come back from a liquid lunch

[MatydaLover]

Ah! .... that's it. A liquid lunch. You've put on weight haven't you? Back to the gym at lunch times, then you'll get your miles back!

[jayney 12]

hi mariner2
i know i'm just a lowly shemale ha ha but have you checked out your co2 sensor, it should be located in your exhaust in the region of the manifold downpipe area if that is knackered then fuel consumption goes up and the mixture goes haywire sometimes on revving causes clouds of dark smoke.
hope this helps

[tufty7]

My couson has one of these , great car and really stylish ..., but even he moans about the mileage he gets from the tank ......... you can't have everything ........

[tali1]

Wankel engines are known for excessive MPG.
BTW my mondeo 2.0 auto does 15 mpg -thats barely 200 miles on full tank