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Gs300 Se-L - Anyone Ever Had The Mpg This High?


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Hi there, I frequently come back and read forum posts but haven't actually posted since a couple of years ago when I got my IS200. Anyway I just purchased a 2005 GS300 SE-L (3rd gen) at what I think was a silly price considering what was on offer - it's black with tinted windows and pulling up in this at my friend's 25th caused a bit of a stir. Ok, I got a good deal on it cos it was a cat D listed car (but the subframe and everything else was alright, has FSH, recent service, HPI clear and I even got a private plate in the deal - it needed a new bumper and there are a couple of dings on the driver's wing and bonnet - but considering the price, I booked it into a bodyshop to get it all done and I think I'll still come out a winner).

Anyway back on topic :) I drove it from up North to back to London, which was 110 miles so included city driving for about 10 miles and a few miles of gridlocked traffic at roadworks with the aircon on about half the time and cooled seats on all of it, plus music blaring out of the Mark Levinson system. I flicked through the trip computer and it said I achieved 44.4MPG since last fill (which is ironic considering the real reason it was sold was because the last owner only did short runs in the city and was doing 17MPG), I was using the cruise control at about 65mph and the engine was barely ticking over at about 1600rpm most of the way, apart from the odd overtake and a mouthy Audi driver who insisting on racing me to prove who had 'the better car'. I had the ECT set to SNOW which is what I always do in a Lexus cos I find the default throttle-control too peaky in heavy traffic.

So I wondered if this is normal as most of my driving is motorway and everyone told me buying a GS300 (everyone just went - 3 litre V6 engine, must be worse... I was thinking more modern all-aluminium engine plus 6-speed gearbox) was a silly idea coming from an IS200 Auto (where I used to get 34MPG) but instead I'm saving money on fuel!

I intend to get photos and stuff up when I get the car back. Also, I posted a new topic as the last consumption/MPG discussion was over 2 years ago that I could find so hope that's ok!

img00194201007101655.jpg

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Hi there, I frequently come back and read forum posts but haven't actually posted since a couple of years ago when I got my IS200. Anyway I just purchased a 2005 GS300 SE-L (3rd gen) at what I think was a silly price considering what was on offer - it's black with tinted windows and pulling up in this at my friend's 25th caused a bit of a stir. Ok, I got a good deal on it cos it was a cat D listed car (but the subframe and everything else was alright, has FSH, recent service, HPI clear and I even got a private plate in the deal - it needed a new bumper and there are a couple of dings on the driver's wing and bonnet - but considering the price, I booked it into a bodyshop to get it all done and I think I'll still come out a winner).

Anyway back on topic :) I drove it from up North to back to London, which was 110 miles so included city driving for about 10 miles and a few miles of gridlocked traffic at roadworks with the aircon on about half the time and cooled seats on all of it, plus music blaring out of the Mark Levinson system. I flicked through the trip computer and it said I achieved 44.4MPG since last fill (which is ironic considering the real reason it was sold was because the last owner only did short runs in the city and was doing 17MPG), I was using the cruise control at about 65mph and the engine was barely ticking over at about 1600rpm most of the way, apart from the odd overtake and a mouthy Audi driver who insisting on racing me to prove who had 'the better car'. I had the ECT set to SNOW which is what I always do in a Lexus cos I find the default throttle-control too peaky in heavy traffic.

So I wondered if this is normal as most of my driving is motorway and everyone told me buying a GS300 (everyone just went - 3 litre V6 engine, must be worse... I was thinking more modern all-aluminium engine plus 6-speed gearbox) was a silly idea coming from an IS200 Auto (where I used to get 34MPG) but instead I'm saving money on fuel!

I intend to get photos and stuff up when I get the car back. Also, I posted a new topic as the last consumption/MPG discussion was over 2 years ago that I could find so hope that's ok!

img00194201007101655.jpg

Yes,at least almost the same figure. I posted in June with my figures from a long trip, post details are attached below. Never used snow control though, interesting idea !

Posted 08 June 2010 - 12:46 PM

Hi there,

Last year I posted some mpg figures of 43MPG in a 2006 GS300. I just though I would give an update on my attempt to beat that figure !

Well I have just come back from a weekend in Stamford (we live in the north east) after a weekend away.

Again I was using cruse control for 95% of the time trying not to touch the pedals, just easing the speed up and down with the stalk control. Over the 180 mile journey to stamford the tank average was 42MPG as I hit the Stamford turn off. The return journey was not as good as I could only get to 41MPG over the 180 miles as I reached the Washington turn off. Now this was not crawling along the road, the speed was maintained at between 65 and 75 for 90% of the time. At one point in the outward journey we reached road works with a speed limit of 50MPH which lasted for quite a few miles and at the end of the road works the MPG figure peaked at 44.0MPG and this was not a fleeting figure over a few miles this was the tank average over about 80 miles at that point. Obviously the figure dropped off again down to the final figure of 42 for the journey.

These figure are in Fiesta territory and pretty damn good for a 3 Litre, So it is possible to beat the 39.2MPG book figure for extra urban, but the secret is to let the car drive itself do not use your feet !!

The car is a MKIII with 61000 on the clock, tyre pressures all at 34 PSI, new plugs last week, Magnatec 5W30 A1 oil, air con only for a short period of time.

Call me sad but I just thought I would publish my little experiment, and yes I do also have a good blast down the road from time to time

Watch this space for 45MPG !!!!

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That's what I mean, for a 3 litre, 45MPG on a run with some city driving and slow moving roadworks (sub-10mph) this is impressive. I always thought the extra-urban figure was the best you could ever achieve that's what was shocking! My IS200 SE Auto gets 34-37MPG if I'm lucky! I'd have been happy with 35MPG+ but 44-45MPG I will not say no to - and it's not like I'm in a rush to get anywhere, might as well enjoy the drive!

P.S. I should note, the figures for MPG are UK gallons not US gallons, so you may well be doing more!

It's a shame they don't tax big cars over here on how you drive rather than what you drive - someone at work with a Prius uses more fuel than me!

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The MPG for the GS300 MKIII is impressive for a 3 litre and shows how advanced the engine is.

I should point out however, that my normal MPG around the doors is around 27 MPG over a tank and that is mostly short journeys (7 miles to work each way) in stop start traffic which is still good for a 3 litre. But settle into long journeys on cruise control and we are sailing into Fiesta MPG's again !! :D

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Well, I was looking at an SC430 before but the GS offers what I want. It was a bit impulsive of me really, there was absolutely nothing wrong my IS, I love driving it and still get attention for having something other than the norm (Audi A4, BMW 3-series or a C-class Merc). The low consumption on a cruise was just an extra convincer that I'd done the right thing. My only concern is the car is so crammed with electronics, even with Lexus's build quality, I fear something will go wrong and be a nightmare to diagnose and fix - fingers crossed!

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