I have come to this decison. The 1.4 td 80 gives excellent economy and performance

However. They are mutually exclusive.

You can get an average 70mpg but you need to accelerate very gently and keep your motorway speed in the 60-65 range. You need to anticpate well ahead and reduce braking as much as possible. But you can achive a high MPG

If you make any effort at all to 'make progress' expect 55-60mpg as your benchmark.

I have just put in the third tank of fuel, so far the car has returned 54 on both and presently have just completed a 250 motorway journey is set fro 56. I agree with your comments but fell so far that you have to concentrate more on the performance than the drive to comfortably achieve 55-60.

How many miles have you completed as I am only on 1300 + and expect it should improve by a couple of miles.

I'm around 2400. I noticed a significant improvement in mpg at 2k.

EDIT: At your mileage I was getting similar figures.

I'm not sure how accurate the computer mpg is. If it is like Fiat it could be anything up to 10% out.

Having said that if it is correct I am getting more from the Fabia than my Panda multijet.

The maxidot on my car isn't too far out. The average mpg I get from my 1.4 petrol car is about 42-43 mpg over the 22 mile trip to work according to maxidot and the brim-to-brim gave 42 mpg. If I'm very light-footed, without having to go up steep hills, the car can touch 47 mpg.

One thing that is obvious, I suspect whether driving petrol or diesel is the effect of the right foot on fuel economy. We just need to hope the tanker drivers don't strike, or as a country we'll be going nowhere. With so many filling stations now gone, there's a far smaller reservoir of fuel in the community.

Jo

More data points..........

My 1.4 80BHP TDi Fabia Estate now has 2500 miles.

Last two tank fulls worked out when calculated by both 'Brimming' and as displayed by overall average on the MFM maxidot display as follows............

1) Brimming method = 56.7 and the Maxidot showed 55.7

2) Brimming method = 55.0 and the Maxidot showed 57.6

The overall average in 2508 miles calculated by 'brimming' has been 54.5 mpg.

Best maxidot average on a single run from Salisbury to Wareham has been 66mpg. I can often get around 60mpg on an average journey. I can also often get around 50 on other journeys if traffic is more stop/start. That gives me 55 mpg overall.

The maxidot seems very close to actual over a tankful.

I use the vent button and fill until the fuel is within about 6 inches of the filler cap.

I really like the 1.4TDI and agree that it likes to be run in the 2000 to 3000 rpm range. Just use the appropriate gear to keep it around 2200 rpm when cruising and you will enjoy economy. In that range it will give you quick response to the accelerator and economy. It suits the way I drive and my 22 mile commutes just fine. It is far, far, better than my previous cars 1.6 16V petrol engines such as the Ford Focus and Escort in acceleration and fuel economy. The car itself is overall so good I can't keep out of it!

TMT

The maxidot on my car isn't too far out. The average mpg I get from my 1.4 petrol car is about 42-43 mpg over the 22 mile trip to work according to maxidot and the brim-to-brim gave 42 mpg. If I'm very light-footed, without having to go up steep hills, the car can touch 47 mpg.

One thing that is obvious, I suspect whether driving petrol or diesel is the effect of the right foot on fuel economy. We just need to hope the tanker drivers don't strike, or as a country we'll be going nowhere. With so many filling stations now gone, there's a far smaller reservoir of fuel in the community.

Jo

I wouldn't worry to much about tanker drivers striking, the price of fuel will soon get people off the roads.