I'm pretty sure that Top Gear did something and concluded that if you are travelling and simply lift off you won't actually use any fuel because the momentum of the car in gear will drive the engine, yet if you have it in neutral the car has to keep the engine ticking over and so uses fuel.

Driving down Rhuallt Hill today (a long, downhill dual carriageway that I tend to freewheel down) I left my golf tdi in gear and checked the consumption in litres/ 100km. In gear it consumed no fuel. However, whilst freewheeling the engine was consuming 0.6l/100km. On paper, it seems like a no brainer but engine breaking meant that the cruise control kicked the engine in again much sooner than at the point where the car would have lost its momentum and returned to my previous cruising speed (by about 1/2 mile). Cant wait till the Greenline arrives (a build date would be nice)- I'm averaging 63mpg (maxidot) on my 30 mile comute at the moment in the golf tdi. Expecting to significantly better this in the GL2!

So how do account for the 'apparent' engine braking you get off throttle down hill that you won't get in N?

Also if you are correct why coast in N at all?

Confused.

Continuation: Just extracted this from the manual "When driving downhill, it is possible to shift down into the Tiptronic

position, in order to exploit the engine brake torque". This would support the clutch disengaging theory. I have not noticed this as I generally snick it down a gear or two on the paddles to obtain extra engine braking.

Also: "If the selector lever position N is selected by accident while driving it is first necessary

to release pressure on the accelerator pedal and wait for idling speed of the engine to

be reached before engaging a drive position in the selector lever". This seems to imply that the selection of 'N' whilst under way is not normal.

So that makes it 1 all and time to close this issue.

Tony

I have to agree with you on this.

There is a definate engine braking with the DSG box, even with no accelerator applied - clutches must be engaged for this reason.

Also, you will notice as you downshift, the revs match the gearbox - if the clutches were disengaged, you would simply be ticking over at 800rpm ish.

However, I have noticed that if you are in D or in manual mode and slow down without touching anything, the DSG box doesn't seem to change revs at all. I think it must change gear just at about stalling revs, as I don't think it would be entirely safe to disengage the clutch and 'coast' for the duration.

I could be wrong, but hey.

Driving down Rhuallt Hill today (a long, downhill dual carriageway that I tend to freewheel down) I left my golf tdi in gear and checked the consumption in litres/ 100km. In gear it consumed no fuel. However, whilst freewheeling the engine was consuming 0.6l/100km. On paper, it seems like a no brainer but engine breaking meant that the cruise control kicked the engine in again much sooner than at the point where the car would have lost its momentum and returned to my previous cruising speed (by about 1/2 mile). Cant wait till the Greenline arrives (a build date would be nice)- I'm averaging 63mpg (maxidot) on my 30 mile comute at the moment in the golf tdi. Expecting to significantly better this in the GL2!

Hi bonsac2,

Personally I would have put it in neutral at the top of Rhuallt and I would just leave it roll as far as it could,then when its gone down to about 50 just put it into 5th and drive off,however if you leave it in 5th at the top and use the braking system you will not go as far and I agree you do use full on tick over in neutral,but you are not at standstill you are rolling at 60-70-80 down such a long downhill like Rhuallt so you will use very little if any

Most of it was in 5th at 60mph on motorways and dual carriageways, it's the country lanes at both ends of the journey that bring the average speed down to 50mph.

Just completed a tank on my 'eco' run, just over 600 miles and it seems the maxidot was optimistic most of the time as the average was 67mpg. Now going to do a tank at a constant 70mph and see how that goes...

I've just had 78.2mpg out of mine at an average of 50mph over a 1.5 hour 75 mile route!

I managed 78.4mpg (so about the same) for my whole last tank of 752 miles.

That's driving to and from London for work.

It's getting better wih more miles.

Most of it was in 5th at 60mph on motorways and dual carriageways, it's the country lanes at both ends of the journey that bring the average speed down to 50mph.

Thanks for the info, I find 60 for me to be a 4th/5th with all the family and trappings in th car

I managed 78.4mpg (so about the same) for my whole last tank of 752 miles.

That's driving to and from London for work.

It's getting better wih more miles.

I can get 76 out of mine on a similar mileage run with the wife and kids in the car- north Stoke to Leicester in 4th at 57 - need to try 5th next time. On the very hilly run from Stoke to Rhyl with the car fully loaded with all the family, dog and cases I can get 70 mpg on the way back that Rhaullt hill really drains the mpg and I get 65 - bosnac2 your GL2 will fly down Rhaullt hill in 5th gear.

Jeremy Clarkson drove I think a BMW from London to Scotland and back on one tank of fuel and (as much as possible) the key was to keep a constant feed of fuel to the engine not speed, going up hill he would slow and speed up going down all the time keeping the pressure on the accelerator the same.

Jeremy Clarkson drove I think a BMW from London to Scotland and back on one tank of fuel

It was an Audi A8 4.2 V8 TDi

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9faxMTaOCM

Cheers

Lee

Well did a little checking on skoda app iPad and he did this on the longest autobahn in Germany the A7 so this would have helped his economy, so not a real life general day to day driving

Well did a little checking on skoda app iPad and he did this on the longest autobahn in Germany the A7 so this would have helped his economy, so not a real life general day to day driving

To be fair it's never going to be anything like a general real day driving if they are trying to set a new record.

Even so, to use public roads and finish at the same location/elevation as he started is amazing.

To be fair it's never going to be anything like a general real day driving if they are trying to set a new record.

Even so, to use public roads and finish at the same location/elevation as he started is amazing.

Aye just a gimmick I think several other green cars could have done the same mpg or even better, I am still happy though the 1.4 tdi does 70-80 mpg and the 1.6 crtdi does about 60mpg with just 1,300k on the clock so I'm happy,but can't wait for the vision d so I can part ex the fabia's lol

Well did a little checking on skoda app iPad and he did this on the longest autobahn in Germany the A7 so this would have helped his economy, so not a real life general day to day driving

No comment about Jeremy Clarkson and his drive in a Audi A8 from london to Edinburgh and back and his extensive use of the M1 and M6 - not the usual commute.

It's said that all that seems to be happening is the greenline 2 mpg is false because syndrome

Aye just a gimmick I think several other green cars could have done the same mpg or even better, I am still happy though the 1.4 tdi does 70-80 mpg and the 1.6 crtdi does about 60mpg with just 1,300k on the clock so I'm happy,but can't wait for the vision d so I can part ex the fabia's lol

I wouldn't be so sure, the GL2 is officially the most economical 4 door/5 seat car out there at the moment that can cover a long range. If all cars are tested to the same standards then it must be one of the (or THE) most economical.

Doubt the Vision D will be more economical in the near future, but not sure if that was your point or just you're saying you change cars often. :wonder:

I wouldn't be so sure, the GL2 is officially the most economical 4 door/5 seat car out there at the moment that can cover a long range. If all cars are tested to the same standards then it must be one of the (or THE) most economical.

Doubt the Vision D will be more economical in the near

future, but not sure if that was your point or just you're saying you change cars often. :wonder:

No don't think it will be more economical, I just change my cars often last 3 years 3 cars , superb and 2 fabia's

I wouldn't be so sure, the GL2 is officially the most economical 4 door/5 seat car out there at the moment that can cover a long range. If all cars are tested to the same standards then it must be one of the (or THE) most economical.

Doubt the Vision D will be more economical in the near future, but not sure if that was your point or just you're saying you change cars often. :wonder:

Have to agree.

Which of the other high mpg cars are an estate - hang on.

top five green estates from the green car website http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/blog/index.php/2008/02/21/top-5-green-estates/ ooh the Fabia is no 1

top 10 green cars based on CO2 emissions http://www.thegreencarwebsite.co.uk/top-10-green-cars.asp and the Fabia Greenline 2 Estate is number 3 and the only estate.

On MPG the Smart fortwo coupe tops the list, with the GL2 equal second with Honda Insight.

Oh but he did not do the journey in the estate it was the hatch, both cars have the same MPG with the hatch roof spoiler making hatch and estate roofs the same.

Indeed. We have a Citroen AX which does 65mpg, same as the Fabia - but I hardly fit in the drivers seat, (let alone the backseat) and unlike the Fabia, it isn't exactly up to taking our family of four on a camping holiday.

On subject of coasting, I tried it out on a 30 mile cross country, rolling hills route that is normally 70mpg on good day - and came home on 80mpg. So I'm satisfied it can save fuel, at least on gradients where you'd need a bit of throttle to keep speed up. (I wonder if that record breaking run consists of a lot of coasting downhill for first half and then gentle uphill to sit in max efficiency zone of a turbodiesel.)

Indeed. We have a Citroen AX which does 65mpg, same as the Fabia - but I hardly fit in the drivers seat, (let alone the backseat) and unlike the Fabia, it isn't exactly up to taking our family of four on a camping holiday.

On subject of coasting, I tried it out on a 30 mile cross country, rolling hills route that is normally 70mpg on go

od day - and came home on 80mpg. So I'm satisfied it can save fuel, at least on gradients where you'd need a bit of throttle to keep speed up. (I wonder if that record breaking run consists of a lot of coasting downhill for first half and

then gentle uphill to sit in max efficiency zone of a turbodiesel.)

I always coast but on this fuel up I tried to let the engine slow itself down ( engine breaking) and usually i put £20 of diesel which is 3.7 gallons and I average about 240 miles on this but because I'm not coasting I've only had 200 so far and not much left in tank I reckon I've lost 20 miles free travelling on a full tank around 50 miles so guess what I'll be coasting in the future

Still not managed to top the 100mpg. :(

But my last average was 78.6mpg calculated fill to fill on the tank, plus today coming into work I averaged 94.8mpg on the (slightly optimistic) car display due to little traffic and a bit of slipstreaming on the motorway.

Loosening up a bit now. Due for it's first 10k service in two weeks.

mpg

Miles

Ive got a bit of a problem...

Im probably being really stupid but I picked up my new greenline II yesterday and i cant seem to change the computer screen to show current mpg's?

I opted for the blue tooth extra so when i turn the engine on it asks to connect a phone up...cant seem to get off this menu...even when i connect a phone up it just shows that its connected...i cant change the display to show mpg's

the only thing it displays apart from this is total miles and trip mileage.

Please can somebody put me out of my misery!

Ive got a bit of a problem...

Im probably being really stupid but I picked up my new greenline II yesterday and i cant seem to change the computer screen to show current mpg's?

I opted for the blue tooth extra so when i turn the engine on it asks to connect a phone up...cant seem to get off this menu...even when i connect a phone up it just shows that its connected...i cant change the display to show mpg's

the only thing it displays apart from this is total miles and trip mileage.

Please can somebody put me out of my misery!

I presume you have pushed the button on the end of the wiper stalk?

This is what you use to cycle through mpg, range, etc...

yeah it only cycles through the "phone" menu...

Sorted it! You have to hold the down key for a few seconds...

That mpg is easy ... Is it not obvious from the film how it's done .. simply remove the Ariel to drastically improve cars aerodynamics and weight . New to site after ordering my gl2 today ... First job when collecting car will be to remove the Ariel To reduce drag

You'll not regret it.

I've done 20k in the first 8 months of having mine (having a 130 ish mile round trip to work). I have been averaging mid 70s on my daily commute.... With a tank of 92mpg on a trip to Dublin... My best tank previous was 83.

Removing the aerial will only reduce it about 5%.... If your removing that then I would recomend taking off the roof bars, ensuring the tyres are pumped up, the car is empty, you only too up with as much fuel as you need & you change the wing mirrors.... You should get a decent return then. The rest is down to your driving and the road conditions

Edited 29 September, 201213 yr by Mansars

I have the older Greenie and from Basildon, Essex, into East London, along the A13, at legal speeds, I can get around 80mpg, but as I then get in to London and travel the last few miles into the City, it drops to around 60-ish! I will be travellig at up tp 70mph at times, so if I limited it to say 50, Irecon I could get quite near the ton on the A13. The later Greeenie has a slightly smaller engine, (Perhaps lighter) A rear spoiler, supposedly for aerodynamics, stop-start technology and a few oher tricks up its sleeve (Or should that be fender)? So when I see reports of huge mpg on long runs at modest speed, with an expert driver used to eeking out the best mpg possible, the figures given are no real surprise! What does surprise me is peoples belief that when you have your foot off the gas, you are not burning fuel. This is simply not true! You may be using a very small amount but it WILL be some!

This is unless someone has come up with the holy grail of perpetual motion and I am guessing here, but IF they had, they would be promoted to ruler of the galaxy and would be allowed to de-flower ALL the virgins (Male/female or both) in the world at there discression!