neon help

what it says.... my Mom's '05 Neon gets 19 - 23 mpg... ( 31k miles) 23 is the best it's ever gotten.... yeah I realize that the type of driving she does contributes to the problem ... ( she's 87 ) pretty much only around our community, to and from the 2 little towns on either side of us.. 4 - 6 mi one way

yeah I know that's the worst type of driving a car can be used for.... but that's all she does .. it still seems that it should get a bit better than an avg of 22... an acquaintance claims that's about normal ( he claimed his wife's could get ~ 28 on the highway ) ...

suggestions anyone ??????

23 is pretty good for an automatic neon that never reaches operating temp.

Sounds pretty normal to me. She isn't driving far enough or even long enough to take advantage of the 30+MPG potential a Neon can get, even for an autotragic. My Dakota, for example, at best gets 21 or 22 MPG highway. City driving, even though it is 4 miles one way to somewhere, gets 11-14 MPG.

My best internet advise is to do all the basics: wires, plugs, TB cleaning, tire inflation, check the brakes, etc... , and report back the results after a few tanks.

Yeah, I don't think she can expect much more than that. Case in point:
We have an '05 Chrysler minivan, 3.8L 110K miles. My wife doesn't drive like an old lady, but she does drive with an eye on economy. Very little city driving, mostly what I call country driving. We get 21. My mom has a newer Chrysler minivan, same engine but around 40K miles. Lot's of short trips and both the throttle and brake are on/off switches. She get's 13.

A lot of old people are two-foot drivers. Follow her somewhere and see if the brake lights are on.

ok ... just seems like a pretty pitiful result for a small ... relatively light weight 4 cyl car ... my Suby ( heavier and AWD) gets 22 - 24 ... around town ( like her driving) also around town my Integra gets ~ 30 ....

thanks guys

and no, she uses her right foot on the brake ( she always had manual trans cars 'til she got to her 70's)

Ranger50 wrote: My best internet advise is to do all the basics: wires, plugs, TB cleaning, tire inflation, check the brakes, etc... , and report back the results after a few tanks.

done all that 'cept the TB cleaning

double checking the EPA ratings, 22-29 is what that car is rated at.

hotrodlarry wrote: double checking the EPA ratings, 22-29 is what that car is rated at.

Yep, 22 city.