Fuel Tank Replacement

[BevoDub13]

Is there anyone that makes an aftermarket fuel tank that's larger than factory. There are days I drive 250 miles one way and I am barely able to get there on one tank. I know there are companies like Titan XL Fuel Tanks that make tanks for diesel trucks that are up to 50% larger than factory. I would like to find something that is at least 12 gallons but 15 gallons if possible. Any help is appreciated.

[Cobrajet]

Is there anyone that makes an aftermarket fuel tank that's larger than factory. There are days I drive 250 miles one way and I am barely able to get there on one tank. I know there are companies like Titan XL Fuel Tanks that make tanks for diesel trucks that are up to 50% larger than factory. I would like to find something that is at least 12 gallons but 15 gallons if possible. Any help is appreciated.

How fast are you going? You should be getting waaaay more than 250 miles one way on a 9 gallon tank.

[BevoDub13]

So about half of the trip is 75 mph and the other half is mostly 70 mph but some 60 mph. I average 36-39 mpg just hate stopping at the gas station. So if could get a larger tank it would at least save me another day or so.

[Cobrajet]

So about half of the trip is 75 mph and the other half is mostly 70 mph but some 60 mph. I average 36-39 mpg just hate stopping at the gas station. So if could get a larger tank it would at least save me another day or so.

How many miles do you have on the car now? These engines require about 1000-1500 miles to fully break in.

I am not aware of any larger tanks for these cars.

[Top_Fuel]

...half of the trip is 75 mph...other half is mostly 70 mph
...I average 36-39 mpg

You almost have to work at it to get mileage that bad. If you are running your AC constantly, that is probably costing you an easy 10% mileage loss.

[BevoDub13]

Just passed 1600. I figured it would get a little better with time, but not expecting much more than what I've got, without driving 60 all the time.

[Loren]

I've found that MPG takes a dive when you get near or over 60 mph, and a bigger dive over 70. 38 is about the best I normally see if I get over 70. Don't let these guys bug you. Not everybody has the time or inclination to be a hypermiler all the time. (If I have the time, I enjoy the challenge, but if I've got somewhere to be, I drive the speed I need to drive to get there. And when it's hot, I'm going to use the AC that I paid for!)

To answer your question, I seriously doubt that anyone makes a replacement fuel tank for the Mirage that's any different than the factory one.

If you really want to pursue this, it's going to be pricey, and it's going to take up some of your trunk space. It's not an insurmountable problem. It can obviously be done using some of the same techniques that they use for trucks. But, being in the cabin, it's going to need to be much better sealed and all that.

For the amount of time and expense (thousands) that this would take, I'd just suck it up and make a 5 minute fuel stop every 300 miles.

Note that if you're only getting 250 miles on a tank, you're probably filling up when the fuel light comes on at about 7 gallons. You don't want to run the tank dry, but it's a 9.2 gallon tank, and you can very much use 8.5 of it! 8.5 x 36 = 306.

Try carrying a 1-gallon can of reserve fuel for a while, and find out what your actual range is. Maybe fill up by mileage rather than fuel gauge? If you know you're getting at least 36 mpg, fill up at 300 miles. Won't cost you a thing. (other than maybe carrying a $20 small gas can)

Or, if you want to keep something permanent in the car, get something like This that will keep the fuel fully sealed so that it won't stink up the car.

None of that will "extend" your range, just make you more confident about using ALL of the range that you already have available.

[timw4mail]

You almost have to work at it to get mileage that bad. If you are running your AC constantly, that is probably costing you an easy 10% mileage loss.

If you are a laid-back driver, used to driving efficiently, yes, it is easy to average 43+ MPG. The Mirage's fuel economy can be rather punishing for aggressive driving.

Wider and/or larger tires make a real difference too, remembering last year's winter economy.

Traffic can also make a huge difference. With heavy free-flowing traffic, you seem to get a "draft" advantage, even at 70-75MPH. That said, you will still get better efficiency at 60MPH.

[Top_Fuel]

Maybe fill up by mileage rather than fuel gauge?

That's a great suggestion. I used to get nervous when my fuel gauge ran out of bars and started blinking. But a quick check of the trip odometer will tell you how much further you can really go (if you know your approximate mpg). The fuel gauge "low-fuel blinking alert" is pretty conservative.

It is certainly true that the efficiency of these cars drops off significantly under any sort of load (70+ mph driving, AC usage, climbing a grade, or any combination of these).

[BevoDub13]

All good information and I appreciate it. I am new to this compact car gas saver game, so I wan tot make the most that I can of it without feeling like I made a mistake. So again thanks for all the insight and help.