Just bought a 08 mazda 3 with a 4 speed automatic, what can be done to get better fuel mileage out of this thing, so far i like it but seems to me it should be getting better mpg currently about 23 combined any help would be awsome thanks

 

Unless your upstream O2 sensor is getting lazy, there really isn't much you can do to improve fuel economy. What kind of fuel economy do you get when you take a highway trip? I ask because depending upon the traffic, 23 combined could be very good or very bad.

 

ok folks been driving 2 weeks now the first week just checking it out and see how it likes to run for the best mpg, my goal is fuel mpg, i drive alot for work, so the less time at the pump the better, 2.0 w/4speed auto, i have found hwy speed of 68 mph and city the posted speed limit i can get 31 mpg which is freakin awesome, any ideas for maybe increasing the mpg with out sacrificing mph

 

Hmmm, that sounds a tad low; my 2009 2.0 liter Mazda3 5-Speed would get upwards of 35, even with the A/C running, at a steady 68. That said, your automatic transmission may be the culprit here.

If you have a spare $50 sitting in your pocket, change your upstream O2 sensor (buy a Denso sensor); that may or may not help you eek out a few more MPGs.

 

Driving habits are a major factor in gas mileage. Backing off the accelerator well before a red light, accelerate slowly, reduce highway speeds (especially as you approach the top of a hill), minimal breaking as you go down a hill and so on have a significant impact.

Having a clean air filter and sufficient air pressure in the tires also contribute to higher gas mileage.

 

While a little extra air pressure in the tires will certainly help fuel economy, in this era of OBD-II controlled fuel injected engines, a clean air filter will do exactly nothing to improve fuel economy.

 

any modifications yall suggest, i like my driving style not aggressive just go with the flow at my own pace but if any "low rent" mods can be done i would check into it like cold air or mass air flow

 

There are exactly zero mods you can make to improve fuel economy; Mazda engineers are very-very talented and set your car up as well as it can be set up.

 

with all the brilliant minds in this group i would have figured someone would have figured something out lol, No kidding thanks for chatting with the new owner, bar far the most responsive forum i have been on gotta get a few quirks worked out of the car but other than that its a almost fun to drive a car, i am a truck guy and needed an affordable way to get back and forth to work and so far this has cut my $$$$$ for gas in half

 

While there are brilliant minds on the forum and many others who drive Mazda outside the forum, the bottom line is that there are brilliant minds at Mazda as well. If we could come up with easy modifications to improve gas mileage or performance without jeopardizing reliability, Mazda would have already come up with them.

Careful driving habits, sufficient air pressure in the tires and I will still throw in proper general maintenance is the best we can do beyond what Mazda has already done to get the best gas mileage from our vehicles.