Kentish makes a very good point. If you really want to scare yourself set the computer to 'instant' mpg, on a cold morning it is dreadful. Or just check the average for a 3-4 mile journey in winter as opposed to summer, the difference (on petrol engines) is astonishing. However I guess we all share the common interest in driving our cars, so maybe these figures don't bother us anyway....

Paul

hee hee. I've done just that in that cold snap in December, and it was below 20 mpg for the first couple of miles. It scared me a little if that was the real mpg, but I suppose those first couple of miles the engine is pumping in extra fuel to warm the engine and keep it running (automatic choke effect perhaps?) Good spot, paul

Even scarier is doing that on a cold morning, and revving it between 5.5

and 6k - lucky to get double digits for economy!

I really hope that Castol Magnatec stuff works as advertised though :p

Rob.

Rob

I've read your comments about fuel consumption in the past, I think I'm getting the pciture now! 5.5-6K revs when cold; man, how can you do this! I can't even do that to a rental car!!!!!!!

Glad to see you are using Castol though, 'cause that keeps me in a job.

Paul (old and slow - sometimes!)

What I was leaning too was using the GPS to record the distance travelled as accurately as possible, and also filling brim to brim to give correct consumption (not forgetting the VAG breather valve at the top of the filler neck so as to allow full filling), thus with accurate fuel taken and correct mileage you would be able to tell whether your computer is correct, up or down.

You will then know whether you should be right to worry, or ignore it safe in the knowledge thats its lieing to you:)

But also dont forget that the engine will be more economical in the summer as opposed to the winter.

Of course if you want to be totally anally retentative, then you should fill up at the same garage, same time and same outside temperature as each fill.( density of diesel is affected by heat)

Cheers

I always seem to be running late...

The Castrol Magnatec was what they used on the last service - any idea

if it is actually any better at "clinging" to the engine then standard oil?

Rob.

hi rob

take a look at this link

http://www.castrol.com/products/cars_gtx.html

it will give you an idea what magnatec can do. I have a bias in this matter which I will explain on a thursday evening. by the way i just might be able to make it this thursday if anyone is going!

Paul

Cheers for that link - I'd picked up the idea from the adverts on TV, was

just aware that adverts have a natural bias!

I should be attending Thursday, send me a PM when you know for sure

and I'll give you the details!

Rob.

Hi folks!,

Has anyone beaten this?

Journey from Kidlington (Oxfordshire) to Oldham (Greater Manchester) which I make every week. A total of 169 miles. Using, A34 to J9 M40, M40 to M42W, M42W to M5, M5 to M6, M6 to M6(J19), A556 to M56, M56 to M60, M60 to M60(J22), M60(J22) to A62..

This week I got home on thursday night and the figures showed a return of 65.2 MPG. Until then I had previously got 64.4 MPG which I thought was fantastic. But this really is the bees knees - and is one of the reasons why I got the car in the first place.

On a full tank - the computer reports a range of 545 Miles. what do you guys get? anything similar? or better?

Oh and as for fuel lights coming on - mine always comes on when I have around 50/60 miles left in the tank, just as it gets into the red zone. Generally I forget about it - and it makes me jump every time

Oh and doing the route in reverse is less fuel efficient - for some reason - between 57.5 MPG and 62 MPG.. - don't ask, it just is!

Regards,

Oh and those figures are for my Skoda Fabia Hatch 1.9 TDI Elegance.. bought in October - now with around 11,700 miles on the clock.

On my last holiday trip to Devon last August, up n down ( Medway,M20,M25,M3,A303,A30,A38, Plymouth) did 750.1 miles on the tank between fills, with a 67.1 mpg calculated from fuel loaded over total mileage (ie not the computer, actual).

That was in my Octy TDI GLX (90 HP) estate, which I have now passed on.

I consider that pretty good, and I wasnt driving like a blind man either!!

Cheers

Well i just got 365 miles out of a full tank of Optimax in my RS , at an ave MPG of around 38 and a bit. I wasnt exactly trying to drive ecnomically tho , if you get my meaning!

Sounds like you might have a hole in your tank;)

I have a puncture repair kit if its any use to you.

Cheers

Originally posted by Dmac1969vRS in this post

Well i just got 365 miles out of a full tank of Optimax in my RS , at an ave MPG of around 38 and a bit. I wasnt exactly trying to drive ecnomically tho , if you get my meaning!

I hope i do as bad as this . I've just got my vRS after having had a 2.0L focus which used to average 290 miles on a full tank (same size as vRS):( .

Adam

Adam

You should do better than me , as long as you dont hit 122 mph on the A19 and generally 'slap down' anyone who dares challenge the might that is my vRS...lolol

Originally posted by Dmac1969vRS in this post

Adam

You should do better than me , as long as you dont hit 122 mph on the A19 and generally 'slap down' anyone who dares challenge the might that is my vRS...lolol

Of course you didnt say or do that did you!!!

Cheers

Originally posted by Dmac1969vRS in this post

Adam

You should do better than me , as long as you dont hit 122 mph on the A19 and generally 'slap down' anyone who dares challenge the might that is my vRS...lolol

122 mph!!!! Give me a chance i've only had the car for 4 days. Though i may have accidently slipped to 120 mph the other day :eek: .

Running in :confused: must find out what that means.

:cheers:

I also suffer from that phenomenon of getting worse mpg going one way along a road, than the other, but I've figured out why I do. I live in Dartmoor National Park, so reside at about 300 to 350 metres above sea level, whereas I work at practically sea level in Exeter. I guess the downhill stint into work is more economical than my 30 mile jaunt back up the hill home. Since my wider wheels have been put on, my range on a tank of fuel has now dropped to below 400 (according to the comp). Unfortunately this is pretty accurate because my buzzer now goes off at 350 miles done, as opposed to just over 400 before I had the wheels. PS. The piccies may be on my website soon, will confirm when they're there.

Kentish

Of course i didnt say or do 122 mph...just like i didnt say or do 136 mph on the Berwick by pass last summer.....

I've done a couple of tanks of fuel with my new wheels now, and it seems that I now have a range of 370/380 miles before the BEEEEEEEEEEP! goes off. It used to BEEEEEEEEEEP! at around 420/430 miles. With the 3.2% increase in tyre size, over the old models, I'm not too bothered about the downturn - Especially with the way the car looks - I get a lot of impressed looks (and also confused when they realise what it is )

oN THE SUMMER/WINTER EFFICIENCY THING...(bloody caps lock again!)

Once your engine has warmed up to normal running temperature in the Winter then you should find an overall increase in engine efficiency. Winter weather is invariably colder and damper than summer weather so leading to a cooler denser intake charge. This provides for a more controllable combustion process which in turn will allow our incredibally sophisticated engine management systems to advance the point of ignition to a greater degree. The earlier the ignition point (Within reason) the more efficient the combustion process and less of your expensive fuel dissapears down the exhaust as unburnt HCs (Black smoke).

Of course, to all you oil burners out there I'm sure you're not that concerned over things like spark angles, are you?!

Modern Diesel injection systems still rely on air density sensors amongst other things to determine the point of injection though.

Simon

Time to tap the heating oil tank again... - spark angle? :confused:

aaah gowan!!

The angle that the crankshaft is at (in degrees) when the spark plug fires.

Simon.

I'm kind of assuming with my limited knowledge of types of engines, that my car has no spark plugs, as the diesel is ignited by compression?

PS: I'm only kidding about the heating oil thing. I'd only do it if I got really really poor. I've got a mate though who ran his diesel on his Dad's tank of heating oil for about 3 months, and then just got

Funny cos my car is always more economical in the summer ....