Top down gas mileage - Camaro5 Chevy Camaro Forum / Camaro ZL1, SS and V6 Forums

tmaleck · 03-31-2016, 03:45 PM

Just curious how much the top down affects your mileage. This is not a complaint thread, just curious. I now have a 2015 2SS and I did the Hypertech tune to turn off AFM and used the 'improved' fuel and spark maps. I am top down if not raining and above 65 degrees so I don't have much of a top up baseline. I'm 40% in city 60% highway. I'm repeatably at 17.9 to 19.2. I'm not sure how some guys can claim 28+mpg in an SS model, unless coupe aerodynamics are just insanely better.

What say you?

theragtopguy · 03-31-2016, 04:41 PM

I just did a 3k mile road trip to the South and back, got mileage between 18 mpg (76-85 mph) and 21 mpg (65-75 mph) with the top mostly down. I get about the same either way. LS-3 2SS, M6.

95birdible · 03-31-2016, 06:06 PM

Had my 2012 since new in April of 12. No mods and bone stock. Only driven with the top down. I have kept track of my mileage in a spreadsheet since day 1 of ownership. 18-19 mpg combined city/highway. On road trips with the cruise set at 73 or so I get 21-22 mpg. I didn't buy a V8 convertible to bitch about mpg that is for sure.

dotbowels · 03-31-2016, 07:18 PM

I have a V6 and do mostly city driving with top down, My average for 7K Miles is 19.4
Dorothy

CCMADONNA · 03-31-2016, 07:45 PM

I drive a V8 2SS convertible with the top down in L.A.

I live five blocks from my work.

I don't care what mileage I get.

Baba · 04-01-2016, 09:39 AM

I drive a 2011 2LT convertible and my average SUCKS! But, since I only drive the 'vert between April and November, and then pretty much only on weekends and holidays at that, I'm really not too concerned about my mileage.

However, with only a mere 7.3k miles on her, I'm averaging 17.489 mpg with a "lifetime cost" of $1599.28 over the 4 years and 8 months I've owned her, thus far.

vegas girl · 04-01-2016, 10:18 AM

Mine is a 2LT/RS....top down almost always. My average is 18.5 mpg

EM1/SS · 04-01-2016, 03:34 PM

I don't drive mine with the top up. I normally get 17 to 18 mpg.

OrangeVert · 04-01-2016, 06:02 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Baba

I drive a 2011 2LT convertible and my average SUCKS! But, since I only drive the 'vert between April and November, and then pretty much only on weekends and holidays at that, I'm really not too concerned about my mileage.

However, with only a mere 7.3k miles on her, I'm averaging 17.489 mpg with a "lifetime cost" of $1599.28 over the 4 years and 8 months I've owned her, thus far.

Baba, hope you are well. Similar experience here - with the SS I get about 17 city, 24 highway, top up or down. I don't baby it, but rarely take it beyond 4,000 rpm.

It has 8,800 miles on the odometer at this point and I have no intention of getting a newer model. It's amazing how depreciation, registration fees, and insurance costs can drop on a 5-year old car when compared to new. I've paid for that, and it's done.

Only drive it in the winter between November and April if there has been a good rain to wash the salt of the roads. And then, only in good weather. So glad spring is here again!

ToddB · 04-02-2016, 05:47 PM

Have around 675 RWHP and get around 23.5 at 70 mph. Highway driving.

flipstyledsm22 · 04-13-2016, 09:01 AM

2014 ZL1, top up mostly. Average 12-14 mpg... 16-18 mpg on the freeway.

Chevy_cowboy · 04-23-2016, 11:59 PM

Ours doesn't leave the garage unless the tops down, lifetime average since we bought it hovers right around 19.

I'm really not sure which would be more wind resistance, the textured/ribbed top catching wind or the backseat and everything else with the top down... both would certainly be worse than a coupe though.

froglegs · 08-20-2016, 08:40 PM

I've put 15,000 miles on my car in 1 1/2 years, mostly with the top down (I live in the south). Most of my miles are highway and I have gotten up to 27.9 mpg on road trips. My usual is between 17 - 22. It doesn't seem to make any difference if the top is up or down.
I'm curious if anyone routinely uses the paddle shifters and if that makes a difference in mileage. I love driving manual transmission, but just can't seem to get used to the paddle shifters and no clutch.

Ryanbabz71 · 08-20-2016, 08:48 PM

City driving 15-16 highway best I have gotten was 23 don't really care about mpg. This is my economy car. My truck (DD) gets 10-12 mpg

Ryan

03-31-2016, 03:45 PM	#1
tmaleck Drives: Replacement 2SS 'Vert 67 Cutlass Join Date: Aug 2015 Location: austin, tx Posts: 124	Top down gas mileage Just curious how much the top down affects your mileage. This is not a complaint thread, just curious. I now have a 2015 2SS and I did the Hypertech tune to turn off AFM and used the 'improved' fuel and spark maps. I am top down if not raining and above 65 degrees so I don't have much of a top up baseline. I'm 40% in city 60% highway. I'm repeatably at 17.9 to 19.2. I'm not sure how some guys can claim 28+mpg in an SS model, unless coupe aerodynamics are just insanely better. What say you?

03-31-2016, 04:41 PM	#2
theragtopguy Lifetime Philly Fan Drives: 2015 Spring Edition 2SS M-6 Join Date: Mar 2012 Location: South Central Florida Posts: 1,862 View My Garage	I just did a 3k mile road trip to the South and back, got mileage between 18 mpg (76-85 mph) and 21 mpg (65-75 mph) with the top mostly down. I get about the same either way. LS-3 2SS, M6. __________________ 2015 Green Flash, Delivered 4/10/15 CAI, NPP Exhaust, Short-throw shifter BBK LT HEADERS 1 7/8” Tune by DynoSteve via SCTx4 Tuner One of 82 GF Ragtops built in '15 out of 811 Total [/SIZE]

03-31-2016, 06:06 PM	#3
95birdible Drives: 2012 1SS Camaro Convertible Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: Blaine, MN Posts: 1,674	Had my 2012 since new in April of 12. No mods and bone stock. Only driven with the top down. I have kept track of my mileage in a spreadsheet since day 1 of ownership. 18-19 mpg combined city/highway. On road trips with the cruise set at 73 or so I get 21-22 mpg. I didn't buy a V8 convertible to bitch about mpg that is for sure. __________________ 2012 1SS Crystal Red Convertible "Cherry Bomb" Winner of the #NameThatCamaro Spring Special Edition "Green Flash"

03-31-2016, 07:45 PM	#5
CCMADONNA Drives: 2014 SW 2SS/RS Join Date: Jun 2014 Location: So Cal Posts: 1,681 View My Garage	I drive a V8 2SS convertible with the top down in L.A. I live five blocks from my work. I don't care what mileage I get. __________________ 2014 2SS/RS VERT L99 SUMMIT WHITE AIRAID CAI BORLA ATAK CAT-BACK EXHAUST ELITE ENGINEERING CATCH-CAN RANGE AFM-DELETE MODULE HUPER OPTIK 40 CHROME PEDALS PREMIUM FLOOR MATS PREMIUM CARGO MAT DEDICATED 32GB iPHONE HD[/I][/B][IMG][/IMG]

04-01-2016, 09:39 AM	#6
Baba Drives: 2011 Camaro 2LT RS Convertible Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: USAREUR, CONUS/DOD-A, VA Posts: 1,745	I drive a 2011 2LT convertible and my average SUCKS! But, since I only drive the 'vert between April and November, and then pretty much only on weekends and holidays at that, I'm really not too concerned about my mileage. However, with only a mere 7.3k miles on her, I'm averaging 17.489 mpg with a "lifetime cost" of $1599.28 over the 4 years and 8 months I've owned her, thus far. __________________ 2011 Camaro 2LT RS Convertible Summit White Black Leather 3 Pedals Build Date: 06/27/2011 Purchased: 07/30/2011 Title Received: 08/15/2011 1984 Camaro (3rd Gen.): Traded: 1987 "Meet the new boss. Same as the old boss."

03-31-2016, 07:18 PM	#4
dotbowels Drives: Convertible RS 2014 Join Date: Feb 2016 Location: Hometown Posts: 67	I have a V6 and do mostly city driving with top down, My average for 7K Miles is 19.4 Dorothy

04-01-2016, 10:18 AM	#7
vegas girl Drives: 2013 2LT/RS BRM convertible Join Date: Nov 2015 Location: Sin City Posts: 352 View My Garage	Mine is a 2LT/RS....top down almost always. My average is 18.5 mpg __________________ 2013 2LT/RS BRM Convertible

04-01-2016, 03:34 PM	#8
EM1/SS Drives: 11 2SS/RS M6 vert Join Date: Dec 2010 Location: NSB, FL Posts: 705	I don't drive mine with the top up. I normally get 17 to 18 mpg. __________________ LSA supercharger, Borla S-Type cat back, BMR/ Pedders Suspension, Kooks stepped LT's, GM 3.91, and RDP tune.

04-02-2016, 05:47 PM	#10
ToddB Drives: 2011 2SS Convertible Supercharged Join Date: Nov 2010 Location: WI Cert Welder Navy NSSN Posts: 1,157	Have around 675 RWHP and get around 23.5 at 70 mph. Highway driving.

04-13-2016, 09:01 AM	#11
flipstyledsm22 Let's go fishing! Drives: a car with 8 cylinders Join Date: Apr 2016 Location: Seabrook, Texas Posts: 1,129 View My Garage	2014 ZL1, top up mostly. Average 12-14 mpg... 16-18 mpg on the freeway. __________________ "When choosing between two evils, I always like to try the one I’ve never tried before." Mae West 1892-1980

04-23-2016, 11:59 PM	#12
Chevy_cowboy Drives: 2011 IOM 2SS/RS M6 Convertible Join Date: Feb 2014 Location: Southern Illinois Posts: 1,287 View My Garage	Ours doesn't leave the garage unless the tops down, lifetime average since we bought it hovers right around 19. I'm really not sure which would be more wind resistance, the textured/ribbed top catching wind or the backseat and everything else with the top down... both would certainly be worse than a coupe though. __________________

08-20-2016, 08:40 PM	#13
froglegs Drives: 2011 Camaro convertible (yellow) Join Date: Aug 2016 Location: Mississippi Posts: 4 View My Garage	I've put 15,000 miles on my car in 1 1/2 years, mostly with the top down (I live in the south). Most of my miles are highway and I have gotten up to 27.9 mpg on road trips. My usual is between 17 - 22. It doesn't seem to make any difference if the top is up or down. I'm curious if anyone routinely uses the paddle shifters and if that makes a difference in mileage. I love driving manual transmission, but just can't seem to get used to the paddle shifters and no clutch.

08-20-2016, 08:48 PM	#14
Ryanbabz71 Drives: 2018 Hyper Blue 1SS 1LE Join Date: Jul 2011 Location: Brownsburg, Indiana Posts: 6,231 View My Garage	City driving 15-16 highway best I have gotten was 23 don't really care about mpg. This is my economy car. My truck (DD) gets 10-12 mpg Ryan __________________ Ryan * 2018 1SS 1LE Camaro Hyper Blue Metallic Car Build: http://www.camaro6.com/forums/showth...0#post10049680