My car seems to have caught a cold. (99 A6 Avant 2.8 Quattro)

First off, the Gas Milage is very poor. I've been averaging 14.5 MPG around town. And I'm trying to baby it as much as I can. That is unacceptable for a 2.8 V6. Secondly, it seems to just be running a little rough. There are some slight rattle sounds coming from the engine, and the exhaust smells funny, (You can actully smell it near the drivers door. I think theres an exhaust leak somewhere. Could that make the milage poor?) Would plugs and wires help to rectify this issue? There are no check engine lights or any warnings on.

 

Gas milage is still going down...any ideas?

 

sounds like you may be running rich. you probably need a tune-up.

 

Is your car giving throwing any engine codes? If not, start with a tune up and change your air filter if it hasnt been replaced before.