Hi guys,

picked up my Black Magic Fabia Vrs on Tuesday from Allams Skoda in Epsom, James Rothwell was really helpful, got a good part ex on my Clio 182 and got new service, cambelt, mot and tax all in the price, very happy:D

The Vrs is a really nice drive although you can't stick into the corners like the Clio!

I'm struggling to get any better than 43 mpg though at the moment.

If I'm going more for economy, when should I be changing up? Its my first diesel so I was expecting abit better as I was getting 37mpg out of my Clio.

Thanks for all the advice over the past few months while I was looking for the Vrs:thumbup:

Cheers,

Stan

ahaaa.. ! the secret!

Yes - What a shock to go to a diesel!

I went from a 200bhp rover turbo to a diesel ocravia and couldnt understand how to get any performance in the first week.

My advice though (after 4 years of ownership) is as follows:

Keep your drivers window down an inch or so whilst getting used to it, that way youll hear your turbo whizzing in.

1. Get out of first ASAP -

2. Get out of second ASAP

3. Utilise 3rd and 4th by keeping foot gradually pressing as the turbo spins (you'll hear the thing whizzing) As you get used to it you will feel the torque band through your foot and can feel when it seems to drop off - this is where you want to change up...

I dont recommend planting your foot like you do in a petrol as you will just get lag - - much better to press foot gradually - like I say you can feel the power through your foot....This will get your economy up!

Basically the more your foot is planted, the more fuel you use... but with diesels you dont need your foot planted to get lots of power and torque.. So a gradual press is good advice.feeling the power band.

4. Have a play with your car and recognize which revs are better for which gears...I was using 3rd to overtake and revving it lots but one day I realised a 4th seemed as quick as I didnt need change up...

4. Keep tyre pressures up to spec to reduce resistance.

When your not in a fuel economy mood:

5., try a powershift which is basically keeping your foot on the throttle as you release the clutch - it will pelt you forward and keep on the power. (at your own risk - but dont hold me responsible when your clutch goes!)

Ok thats my advice -

good luck !

Edited 9 September, 200916 yr by Blanes

Thing is, I used to give it the beans everywhere in my clio 182 and still get 37mpg and I haven't exactly been putting my foot down that much in the Vrs and only getting 43 mpg.

Bit annoying as I was hoping for better as it was one of the reasons I changed to save on fuel!

Cheers Blanes for the advice, I'll give that ago, was just thinking I'd be getting 50mpg+ all the time:rotz:

Cheers,

Stan

A remap could well help the MPG increase

I get 50+ mpg pretty much all the time

Hello stannersvrs,

Never got much past 45mpg overall, no matter how I drive my 2005 Fabia VRS.

It's a case some do some don't, but that's only my opinion.

Anyway, hope you enjoy your new car, oh! check-out the front suspension consoles, they tend to split and effect the cornering/steering. This site has plenty of info on that area. Ian. :thumbup:

make sure the air filter has been changed only £9 for a new one

Thing is, I used to give it the beans everywhere in my clio 182 and still get 37mpg and I haven't exactly been putting my foot down that much in the Vrs and only getting 43 mpg.

Bit annoying as I was hoping for better as it was one of the reasons I changed to save on fuel!

Cheers Blanes for the advice, I'll give that ago, was just thinking I'd be getting 50mpg+ all the time:rotz:

Cheers,

Stan

No offence intended, but I find it very hard to believe you got 37mpg from a 182 when driving hard! I used to get 30mpg from my 206 GTi and that was granny driving

As for the vRS's fuel economy - you need to resist the temptation to over rev. Theres little need or point in revving past 3,000 rpm, so just change up before that and enjoy the torque. The frugality (might have made that word up.....) of the vRS comes at cruising speeds at a constant throttle, so bear that in mind. As previously stated, get into third ASAP without straining the engine. I think the owners manual states change into second after one car length...

No offence intended, but I find it very hard to believe you got 37mpg from a 182 when driving hard! I used to get 30mpg from my 206 GTi and that was granny driving

As for the vRS's fuel economy - you need to resist the temptation to over rev. Theres little need or point in revving past 3,000 rpm, so just change up before that and enjoy the torque. The frugality (might have made that word up.....) of the vRS comes at cruising speeds at a constant throttle, so bear that in mind. As previously stated, get into third ASAP without straining the engine. I think the owners manual states change into second after one car length...

+1

27mpg from a 197, I get 55mpg driving brisk from the vRS:cool:

I thought it was quite easy to switch. I went from an EP3 to my VRS and I average 50mpg. I can get as high as 62mpg on the way to work and mine is totally standard. Even on a spirited drive back through an Alton road full of bends I managed 50mpg. Remember its a turbo so you dont have to rag like you did in the clio as the power comes in sooo much lower down

My daily commute is 19 miles and varies between 30, 50 and 60s if that helps

Good luck and have fun

MPG has been covered several times before. Mid 40's seem to be the norm even if you drive hard. Ignore the computer readout. Over the 18 months I had my VRS I couldn't get below 46. However even on a long motorway run at 80/85 it would only go up to 50mpg. I also am amazed if you got 37 from your clio. I would have thought mid 20's.

My vrs is cracking on juice, but I do remember that the average mpg decreased quite a bit immediately after having the cambelt changed. I've heard of a few other people on the forum experience similar. After a couple of hundred miles it returned to the high 50's I was getting before.

I would expect yours to improve over time (unless you're tooling it everywhere:)).

Try resetting the trip computer mate as mine was showing really low mpg before that:thumbup: It is only a rough guide though but it gives you something to aim at

Also as has been said check the air filter is relatively clean:D

I am sad and downloaded an app for my iphone :shhh:

Remember to work the VNT turbo hard at times, to avoid it sticking due to soot build up. Reving to 3000 RPM helps keep the VNT working as it should. As for MPG, don't trust the OBC it's a lying toad 43MPG isn't bad, but 50+ is possible. Trick is to never let the engine labour in any gear, and stay in 5th below 60MPH, as 6th gear really eats the fuel at lower speeds.

Thanks for all the advice guys.

I know 37 mpg sounds crazy from the clio 182 but I had two of them and averaged 37 in both however I drove it! Many of the guys from cliosport.net also claim to get such figures and have also heard of the awful fuel consumption in the 197, might as well have the clio v6!

Just had the cambelt done on the Vrs so as Willsvrs said, I might have to wait a few hundred miles to see the mpg rise.

Definitely think a remap is on the cards at some point but will wait till my brake discs need changing and upgrade to the 312mm brake setup, how much will I be looking at for these and should I just do the fronts?

Cheers,

Stan

No offence intended, but I find it very hard to believe you got 37mpg from a 182 when driving hard! I used to get 30mpg from my 206 GTi and that was granny driving

I had a 206 GTI, crap on fuel, even though more power in the Clio, much better on fuel I found, and alot more fun!

Yeah I can believe he Clio is better, but it's more of a hot hatch whereas I would say the 206 is a supermini...

Do you miss your Clio? I miss my gti sometimes :(

Glad you found a good VRS and it's about time we saw a photo of it. 42mpg is what I get out of mine and it has a few more bhp over standard. It really doesn't matter how I drive it, I always acheive 42mpg. As said above change the air filter and a good service helps.

Hi guys,

picked up my Black Magic Fabia Vrs on Tuesday from Allams Skoda in Epsom, James Rothwell was really helpful, got a good part ex on my Clio 182 and got new service, cambelt, mot and tax all in the price, very happy:D

The Vrs is a really nice drive although you can't stick into the corners like the Clio!

I'm struggling to get any better than 43 mpg though at the moment.

If I'm going more for economy, when should I be changing up? Its my first diesel so I was expecting abit better as I was getting 37mpg out of my Clio.

Thanks for all the advice over the past few months while I was looking for the Vrs:thumbup:

Cheers,

Stan

Fantastic mate, it will come with time, i was used to a high revving petrol. Took me awhile to get used to driving one. As said before 1st and 2nd really not the best, But 3rd and 4th thats a diffrent kettle of fish. Even my silly TDi is more than a match for some bigger engined cars. And for chav hunting its a dream everything up to paxo vts's. Get it in the right gear and enjoy there smiles drop

O and a remap helps

Congrats on your purchase Stan. I've recently downgraded (?) from my vRS to a Fabia II Estate - I needed more space.

I loved the vRS and it was incredibly reliable. Fuelwise I never got much more than mid 40s no matter how I drove it. OBC was hopelessly optimistic.

One of the earlier posts mentioned that 60 was only just enough for 6th gear - maybe that explains why cruising at 80 (indicated) was just as efficient as doing 65 mph.

I've also learned via this thread and experience on my II 1.9TDi that I wasn't really using the vRS efficiently in that I rarely went past 2,500 revs. Pushing the II up to 3,000 and perhaps even a bit beyond that does still give a good return.

That said, the mid range vRS performance was addictive - I certainly felt like I could eat most things for breakfast on the motorway.

Yeah I can believe he Clio is better, but it's more of a hot hatch whereas I would say the 206 is a supermini...

Do you miss your Clio? I miss my gti sometimes :(

Yeah I do miss the clio, 1st and 2nd gear were proper fast and cornered like a dream.

Just want to save for a few years, get a flat and in a few years get something bonkers like an exige s!

Cheers,

Stan

That said, the mid range vRS performance was addictive - I certainly felt like I could eat most things for breakfast on the motorway.

Did a 200 mile round trip all motorway yesterday, even in 6th, when over-taking 60-80mph, it flew. My old Clio 182 wouldn't have kept up! Got 58mpg which I was happy with.

Anyone else think my mpg will get better once the cambelt has been run in abit, doesn't need a service, done last week.

Cheers,

Stan

Check the air filter IS new as they are only scheduled to be changed every 24mths.

The new cam belt wont affect your mpg, just your right foot.

all of the above but try to change to 5 or 6 if you got it at the right time not to early as this makes the diesel struggle and use more fuel you can see this on your computer 4 gear you may be getting 50mph but at the same speed lets say 50-55 you will only be getting 40-45mph I drive a superb and used to have a octavia same with both so yours might be same:thumbup: