Hi guys! I've got a new-to-me 2000 Mazda MPV DS (automatic, 2.6 litre Duratec engine; engine has around 150 000 km on it; body has about 133 000 km) that for Reasons has only just had a LOT of work done: new engine, plus new shocks/struts (I'll have to check my records at home for precisely which, and which ones), and now, both front control arms for the steering. If I hadn't needed a vehicle so badly and if the body hasn't been in such good shape I would have walked away, but, well, I hadn't realized she needed so much work!!

Anyways, at this point everything should be good to go. I've just come from the shop having just gotten the arms replaced and am alignment done. And cuz I was down to half a tank, I topped 'er up, and calculated my mileage off my trip.

D:

I'm getting less than 9 mpg!!

I'm really hoping that's thanks to the steering issue, and it leading me to drive at poor speeds for highway driving, but even so, wow, that's terrible, especially given the current gas prices (currently $1.899/litre here in Canada)!

So of course I'll be monitoring it closely over the next while and hope it improves. But in two weeks I've got to make about a 5-hour trip, and man, I'd like the mileage to be better!!

Assuming it doesn't improve, can anyone give me any ideas of what could be causing it? I'm not noticing anything about how she's been driving; the only thing I can think of at all is that when I first start 'er up, she sounds like she's revving high for maybe 10 seconds, but she's still only at 2000 RPM, and that's where she usually sits when I'm driving: around 1500-2000 RPM. Doesn't sound like she's running too fast or slow to me, and I've had several junkers over the course of my life heh.

Any help/suggestions would be greatly appreciated!! Thanks in advance!!
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What my trip and gas receipts are working out to! D: