Morgana

Due for a winter service in November, thought I might bring that forwards maybe? If I do get a chance to go a good distance, seeing as I've just filled up to the click again, can I repeat the test? thanks for all your help, guys!

Thanks, Shy.... that's not bad for mostly urban driving I suppose. I wish I could do this test on a longer, faster run... but not a hope at the moment while my Dad is in hospital... I need to go almost every day and just gathering strength for the next hospital run on the days I don't go.

Ok! So I've done 114.6 miles and filled it back up to the click. It took 14.26 litres to fill it again. That's mostly urban, although I did do a quick 15 miles on the duel carriageway at a decent speed this afternoon. I will take it back to the garage tomorrow and let them do the maths!!

Thanks for that, Xman... Up to 80-odd miles now... but all urban. The level crossing in my village is an absolute pain. Often waiting for two trains going in opposite directions at the same time. Waiting time around 10 minutes, sometimes more. I always put it into P and turn off the engine. Also put it in N when idling at traffic lights, or in a slow moving traffic jam. ETA... and it's roadworks season once again!

Still doing the hospital runs.. 30 miles there and back again... and likely to be doing so for a while. I'm up to 60-odd miles on the trip now...but all urban miles so far. If it isn't the level crossings, or the road works (road work season here!), or the congestion/grid lock at rush hour times... there is always something which stops you from getting a good run. it's very frustrating! If I take it to 100 miles urban motoring and then fill back up to the click, will that do? I wonder if urban miles will give a reading? Obviously it will be less mpg for a mixture of urban and motorway, but would it be enough to indicate MPG? Or do I need to go and get a good long run in. The chances are pretty slim I will be able to do that for a while.

Thanks Offski. Will do so asap. The outside of the gearbox fluid is so dirty I cannot see the level in it. Doesn't look like it has ever been touched while I've had the car, for over two years. I would take it for a run up the M6 for an hour and back if I had the chance.. the M6 here in South Cheshire, is being made into a 'smart' motorway and traffic is very slow ATM.

All these checks are just going to have to wait until I have time to take the car to the garage. I don't have a lot of time to do anything at the moment, what with my Dad being in hospital. Hopefully next week. Still doing the fuel mpg test as recommended by yourselves. I've only done 30 miles urban so far! To the hospital and back. :(

No not a manual, an automatic gearbox. I think it is a Tiptronic gearbox after all. Interesting that you note an ATF change. I'm not sure if that has ever been done, even on a full service. But will ask the engineer who did the service. From what I've read online, it seems this can also be a cause. Heater on yesterday on the daily drag to the hospital... slight 'burning' funny sort of smell coming from the heater for a while. Although I was in a queue of traffic at the time, wondered if it was was the car in front. Just wondering. Heater hasn't been used for a long time! But the AC has been used a lot over the summer, so fan on a lot. Also note the air filter might need a change... thank you for the pointer.

Thank you for the simplification... Yes, I do think I have the tiptronic gear box. It's six speed, has a sports mode (not that I ever use it!) and has a manual gear change mode. So maybe just the crap gearbox then. Always been fine up to now.

thank you for your thoughts, Robjon. It could well be the cold starts and short journeys... however, I have been doing this for at least a year now, so I would have noticed before this point in time, I think. Could be just the hellish price of fuel, although where once I put in around £20 to top up, I now put in £30... I don't have a tiptronic gearbox, it's an ordinary, everyday one. thanks for your thoughts, Richard... I used to find that moment-by-moment fuel display very distracting! So I switched it off. I set the trip miles to zero since I filled up to the click, and will note down the trips and whether short or long. I found the last service record. It was carried out on 5/12/17. They changed the engine oil did an inspection service, changed the spark plugs, changed the air filter, changed the fuel filter, according to the service proof record. There has also been an interim short service sometime in March/April, as they did that when they replaced the window motor.

Thanks, Offski. Will see to that next time I get chance to go to the garage. After doing the fuel test...

thanks, Ken, I will check that out today. The sensor for a cold engine appears on the dash lights every time I start the car, a 'cold temp' blue icon. Even in the very hot summer, this has always been there, and it goes out shortly afterwards. But that might not be working properly. Funny you should mention smelling petrol though. It's just reminded me of something. After driving 64 miles last Sat, my friend said he could smell petrol... so that's a pointer, maybe. There was a car with a twin exhaust parked opposite, engine idling, we assumed it was that, but perhaps it was mine!

I'm also pretty sure I get more miles to the gallon when using non supermarket fuel. Which is usually Shell around here. I will check all price signs, and pump prices and the receipt again next time I go. I intend going back to the Shell station after I've given it a good run. That might not be until the weekend though, as both my parents are in their late 80s - one in hospital at the moment) and precious little time to do anything! If the results of the petrol mpg test are that the car is using a lot of petrol and it's not just me thinking it, do you think some red-x might help with this problem, or the posh expensive fuel at the service station? I have had this car for over two years now, so I know how much petrol I should be using for the miles I do, and that's why I noticed it's using a lot more. That's why I asked the question.

Very interesting info on the different fuels, guys! Sorry, Ski, I got the decimal point in the wrong place. That should have read 127.9/128.9 The price on the big sign at the garage forecourt said 127.9, and so did the pump. The receipt said I had paid 128.9 per litre. How many people check the price per litre on a receipt when they have read it on the sign and the pump?

The point of noting the difference in price is because its advertised at a lesser price than they are actually charging. So being ripped off (even if it is only 1 pence a litre) and it must surely be illegal to do that. I note what you say about the service. I took it to my local garage. He did a full winter service as far as I know. I can't find the receipt/list right now but I know he also replaced a front suspension coil as it was broken.

And just realised that the fuel I put in yesterday is more expensive than it says at the entrance on the board. Which was £1.279... the receipt says £1.289. Hmmmm

Hi and thank you both for your advice. So a long trip it is then! The fuel I filled up with was Shell, at £1.289 per litre. 35.06 litres to the click. I have set the trip to zero. Offski, I had a full winter service done at the end of last November, when I assume everything you mention was changed or checked. The garage I took it to yesterday also took it for a run and checked the gear changes, etc, and the running gear. Also checked the engine. Said it was obvious that it had been serviced recently! Well, not that recently, actually! So it doesn't actually matter when I next go and fill it up, as long as I do a fair few miles in it before going back to fill up again? ETA... I'm starting to suspect Tesco fuel... been putting a lot of that in lately. I wonder if it will do better on Shell?

Hi and thanks for all the replies! So i'm currently doing what Xman suggests, and have been and filled my car up to the click.. Ummm, £45 ouch! I put £40 in last Saturday! Anyway, it's filled to the full up click. I will drive it around for a bit (Is a 14-mile journey enough?) and then will go back and fill it up again to the click, and see how much fuel goes in back up to the full mark - is that the right way to do this? I don't think my fuel gauge is that accurate either - however, I know I'm using a lot more petrol than I normally would, and not going anywhere different. It's not cold weather, the tyre pressures and all that have been checked. I know the price of petrol is ridiculous ATM, but I've noticed I'm putting a lot more in the tank, and running low a lot sooner, and have been for quite a while. The long journey on Sat tipped me off on this, but I already suspected it. I will update you on the topic when I have the true mpg figures. It should be doing at least 45mpg (on a longish run, unladen, two people) as that's what it was doing before this latest problem. I reckon it's doing around 25-30mpg at the most right now.

Thanks for the advice, Xman. No-one driving without my knowledge! The car had about a quarter of a tank, I put in another £40-worth, which took the fuel gauge nearly up to the top. Even after the trip, on previous occasions, identical journey, there has been around 3/4 of a tank left... and down below half this time. Used to be very good on fuel. I have been suspecting the fuel consumption has been high for a while, as I always seem to be getting low, and more quickly than I should have... but having done an awful lot of short journeys (running up and down to two elderly parents as a carer), I thought it was just that. Not so, it seems. It is using more than double. The garage has checked for leaks, checked brakes, checked a few other things as well, and with no result. :(

Thanks for your speedy reply, SurreyJohn. Sorry for the typo, I went 120 miles and filled the tank almost full before setting off.

Just taken my Roomster to the garage. They cannot find a fault on the system... but my petrol consumption has doubled! Nothing showing on the dash. No warning symbols or anything. I went on a trip £120 miles and filled up with petrol before I went. When I came home, I had used half a tank. Previous identical trip (and towing a small caravan at that!) hardly used any at all, maybe one bar from full on previous occasions. This time I went (not towing the caravan either!) half the tank gone. Wondering if it's stuck in Sports mode or something? Has anyone come across this before? 4WD stuck on? Thanks for any replies.

If it actually opened like a sunroof, it would be splendid! But no, It's just a window in the roof, which the sun beats straight down onto. My car is a lot cooler since I did the thing with the sunshades. No appreciable loss of light, I still have five other windows! .....Although it might be the very place for a solar panel!

Just a PS to this post... The new window motor started playing up. Working sometimes, others, not. I checked the switch in the door... it was loose in its socket. It's a bit like a telephone cable socket, only not nearly so robust. It was working its way loose every now and then. It dangles down from the switch, so perhaps gravity, shutting the door, the odd bump from a pothole - were working it loose. I've taped it with electrical tape and have had no further problems. I had a friend look at the first (second-hand) motor that was fitted, and which gave up the ghost.. He took it apart, and said there was nothing actually wrong with it! All the parts worked when connected, the wheely bits wheeled and there were no circuits burned out on the circuit board. I can only assume that it was the switch all along. I did check it, but didn't really know what I was looking for. It seemed to be ok at the time. It makes me wonder if that was all it was all along, and that a new motor wasn't needed!

Thanks for your help, Richard.

Thank you for your thoughts, rum4mo, very helpful. At the moment I am trying to get the drivers side passenger door to unlock with all the rest! The electrics on this car leave a lot to be desired!